Leibovich Memo

From:mfisher@hillaryclinton.com To: john.podesta@gmail.com Date: 2015-06-29 21:24 Subject: Leibovich Memo

Hi John- Below is the background memo for the Leibovich interview from Comms. In plain text and attached as a PDF. In my opinion their expected questions are a little light on substance so let me know if you want me to push them for heavier background. Thanks, Milia *PRESS MEETING MEMO* TO: John Podesta CC: Brian Fallon, Milia Fisher DT: June 30, 2015 RE: Phone Interview with Mark Leibovich This is a phone interview with Mark Leibovich (ML) for his upcoming NYT Magazine piece on HRC. Our best sense of his angle is that he is writing about how HRC is campaigning as her true self this time seeing as some of her humor is coming through to voters, as opposed to 2008. *YOUR goal is to push that HRC is more aware than anyone in history of what it means to be President and in this campaign voters are seeing who she really is – from her bio, to the issues, to the style of the campaign. For 20 years people have said, if voters got to see the real Hillary Clinton, she’d get elected and in this campaign it seems that is coming through.* ML has already spoken to Mook, Palmieri and Grunwald for the story as well as numerous people in the Clinton orbit. ML traveled to HRC’s community meeting on race in St. Louis last week. *NOTE*: ML will push you on having access for an interview with HRC. Palmieri is working on this but it is not guaranteed. You should direct him back to her. *ATTENDEES* <https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRw&url=https://twitter.com/markleibovich&ei=zAqIVeyeDsbt-AGSh4CQDg&bvm=bv.96339352,d.cWw&psig=AFQjCNHdH43Gzpzn85V5G3GmlTDaItnEjw&ust=1435065416999355>Mark Leibovich is Chief National Correspondent for the New York Times Magazine. He is known for his profiles on political and media figures. Leibovich was previously a national political correspondent in the New York Times' Washington Bureau. He came to the Times in 2006 from the Washington Post, where he spent nine years, first covering the national technology sector for the Post's business section, then serving as the lead political writer for the paper's style section. Leibovich previously worked at the The San Jose Mercury News. His most recent book was “This Town” about Washington, DC. *LOGISTICS* TIME/DATE: 5:30 PM EST on Tuesday, June 30 LOCATION: ML will call your cell phone *KEY POINTS* · Hillary Clinton is more aware of what it takes to be President of the United States than anyone. The American people want someone who can get something done in Washington and they see that in Hillary Clinton. · For 20 years, friends of the Clintons have said voters would elect her if only they got to know who she really is. In this campaign, voters are getting to see just that. · This campaign is built on all the things she’s learned in other experiences – including hers and her husband’s past campaigns, her time as Secretary of State and even her newest role as a grandmother. Her role as Secretary of State let her see the United States the way other countries see us and helped shape the reasons she’s running. · She’s not running to the right or to the left, she’s running consistent with her three decades career fighting for families and consistent with who she is. *POTENTIAL QUESTIONS* *What is different with Hillary Clinton in 2016 versus 2008? What did she learn from her 2008 campaign?* This campaign is built on everything Hillary’s learned in her career – from her time working at the Children’s Defense Fund, her husband’s campaigns, her 2000 an 2008 campaigns, her time as Secretary of State and, the latest development, becoming a grandmother. What she’s learned is that the American people need someone with a proven record as a tenacious fighter. Hillary Clinton’s spent her life fighting for women and children and that’s what voters are seeing and hearing in this campaign. *What role is Hillary Clinton playing in the direction of the campaign?* Hillary Clinton knows what’s important to focus on in a campaign and what’s not. She’s deeply involved in the policy development and in what she says to the public. She’s focused on the right things. *Is she able to run this campaign on her historic gender?* Hillary Clinton is a women. She’s not running as a women, she is one. Just like every other part of who she is, this campaign is about voters hearing about the real Hillary Clinton. *As you see Bernie “surging,” is there concern about the enthusiasm gap for HRC?* There is tremendous excitement out there for Hillary Clinton. There’s excitement about who she is and what she’d fight for. We held over 200 volunteer activities just last week, 650 house parties the same day she launched, etc. *People close to HRC like Cheryl Mills said she shouldn’t run because of how terrible the process of campaigning is. You were talking to her while she was making her decisions, how much does she dislike campaigning?* The truth is, Hillary Clinton loves the campaign – when it’s the type of campaign she wants to run. This spring, she met with small groups of voters at roundtables and enjoyed every minute talking about the issues facing their lives – answering questions, asking questions and sharing ideas. This summer and fall she’s scheduled for a summer of policy announcements, where she thrives. Does she enjoy 150 reporters shouting at her as she walks, of course not. But she’s aware that comes with the territory and is worth it to do the parts that she enjoys. And, most importantly, she knows what it means to be President of the United States and campaigning is a means to an end. -- Milia Fisher Special Assistant to the Chair Hillary for America mfisher@hillaryclinton.com o: 646.854.1198 c: 858.395.1741