If you ask Donald Trump a question, he answers it. Simple. You might not like the answer but it is not manufactured through a distilling process.

If you ask a question to a Hillary Clinton aide, the question gets answered. Hours later. After being debated and distilled by a dozen or so other Clinton droids. The double standard is staggering, as highlighted by Thursday’s new batch of John Podesta emails released by Wikileaks. Whatever happened to simply allowing Hillary Clinton to answer the question? On the spot. No spin. No input from Jar Jar Binks and other R2-D2-esque aides.

One simple question, posed by a CNN reporter, and seemingly rudimentary to answer, set off a Democratic group email that rivals grandma’s annoying prayer-chain email.

Hey Nick, I’m writing a story about the formal request Chairman’s Gowdy office sent to David Kendall today asking that Sec. Clinton hand over her email server to the State Dept IG or another independent third party. I’d like to know whether the secretary plans to do so and if she has any response to the letter. I’m on deadline now. Thanks, Chris Frates

CNN Investigative Correspondent 202.630.0191<tel:202.630.0191> | @frates

Nick Merrill of course can’t simply answer the harmless question that’s on the level with a query from Are You Smarter Than 5th Grader? He forwards the email to Hillary Clinton attorney David Kendall.

Then in a panic, Merrill forwards the email to Clinton’s legal eagles and personal cabal:

Cheryl Mills

John Podesta

Philippe Reines

Huma Abedin

Jacob Sullivan

David Kendall again

Jennifer Palmieri

Kristina Schake

Heather Samuelson

Merrill informs the group:

“I’ve got a handful of other requests about this now. I think we should avoid being no commented here but need some guidance, even if it’s simply to say that we’ve turned over all of her work email, taken the unprecedented step of asking the State Department to release it, and when they do, which we hope to be soon, we’re confident that everyone will see that it’s all there and then some.”

Clinton’s aides start to debate how to answer the question and begin smoothing out a on-the-record response as well as an off-the-record response, as Merrill writes to the group:

“Alright here’s where I think we should be right now. Can others weigh in so we can start to ship this? “On the record: We’ve turned over all of her work email, taken the unprecedented step of asking the State Department to release them, and when they do, which we hope to be soon, we’re confident that everyone will see that it’s all there and then some, and it will offer an unprecedented opportunity for the American people to see the work that the Department does every day. This goes far beyond normal practice, and anything further is simply playing politics. “Off the record: Rep Cummings’ statement makes some important points about standards that I hope you’d point out in your reporting.”

The comments again are debated before a final response is ironed out, with Merrill offering the final version to the group:

“Cheryl’s (Mills) feedback was that the last line (“This goes far beyond normal practice, and anything further is simply playing politics”) was too much, particularly based on the teachings of the vulnerability meeting today, so I’ve revised and she asked me to put the question to you all.” “Revised version below. ‘We’ve turned over all of her work email, and taken the extraordinary step of asking the State Department to release them. When they do, which we hope to be soon, it will offer an unprecedented opportunity for the American people to see it for themselves, and we’re confident that it will be clear that it’s all there and then some.’ “

The Hillary Clinton PR machine in action. When a simple “Yes” to answer a harmless question simply won’t do. What was the original question again? What difference at this point does it make?

The weather is turning colder in D.C. Remember to change your robot’s oil accordingly with a winter viscosity.

Here is a copy of the full email.

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