Hillary Clinton Campaigns in New Hampshire, Corrals Press With Rope

Hillary Clinton spent her Fourth of July weekend campaigning in New Hampshire, and the press trailing her spent it being corralled and restricted by sturdy rope.

As Clinton made her way through the town of Gorham on Saturday, mingling with voters, reporters were held strictly at bay. Campaign aides used rope to maintain a wide berth between Clinton and the press, leaving many with a sour impression of her media engagement.

Republicans also pounced on the opportunity to denounce Clinton as elitist and scornful of New Hampshire’s “style of grassroots campaigning.” “The use of a rope line at a New Hampshire parade is a sad joke,” argued New Hampshire Republican State Committee chairwoman Jennifer Horn, “and insults the tradition of our first-in-the-nation primary.”

But Clinton’s campaign director, Jennifer Palmieri, refutes these accusations: “So we try to allow as much access as possible, but my view is, it can’t get in the way of her being able to campaign, right?” She continued, “The press is important, but they’re not as important as voters.” According to Politico, Palmieri did not attend the events in New Hampshire. On Sunday, Palmieri said that going forward,“America will see more of her,” indicating that Clinton would do more interviews with the press going forward.

Unsurprisingly, many New Hampshire voters recount a different experience of Clinton’s visit to their state. Julie Levine who, along with her husband, hosted the presidential candidate at her Glen, New Hampshire home, observed that Clinton seemed “extremely warm and authentic.” Previously on the fence, Levine found herself persuaded by Clinton’s hilltop address and noted that many others seemed won over as well.