Shadow Gov: Clinton’s 3-part gaffe on Ariz. immigration law

  Over at FP‘s Shadow Government blog, Stephen Johnson explains why Secretary Clinton’s comment on Arizona’s controversial new immigration law was a three-part gaffe. As seen in the video above at about 45 seconds in, while Clinton was in Ecuador on June 8, she said in a local TV interview that "the Justice Department, under ...

 

 

Over at FP‘s Shadow Government blog, Stephen Johnson explains why Secretary Clinton’s comment on Arizona’s controversial new immigration law was a three-part gaffe. As seen in the video above at about 45 seconds in, while Clinton was in Ecuador on June 8, she said in a local TV interview that "the Justice Department, under his [Obama’s] direction, will be bringing a lawsuit against the act." On June 17, a Justice Department spokeswoman told the Associated Press "the department continues to review the law" and declined to say whether the department is bringing a lawsuit against Arizona.

Johnson says Clinton’s remark was a three-part gaffe because:

1. She made the comment while abroad.

2. She made the remarks before the Justice Department had announced anything.

3. She could have answered the interviewer’s question by emphasizing how both the United States and Latin American countries could mutually benefit from stopping illegal immigration and addressing the causes that drive people to migrate.

Preeti Aroon was copy chief at Foreign Policy from 2009 to 2016 and was an FP assistant editor from 2007 to 2009. Twitter: @pjaroonFP

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