New Republic senior editor Brian Beutler may have set the record for lamest defense of Hillary Clinton’s private email use during a guest appearance on MSNBC’s “The Cycle.” (To be fair, the election cycle has only just begun.) (RELATED: New Republic Gets The Award For Dumbest Reaction To Fake Rolling Stone Story)
Beutler was quizzed on The New York Times report Tuesday that Hillary Clinton was asked by Congress two years ago about whether or not she used a private e-mail account. The official State Department response was delivered two months after Clinton left office and “ignored the question and provided no response.”
“She said it was for her convenience, there was nothing she was concerned about getting out,” host Abby Huntsman pointed out. “Why not cooperate two years ago and say, ‘Yes, I did use my own e-mail. I have nothing to hide.’ Isn’t this exactly why some people remain skeptical about this whole thing?
“I think this is an issue Republicans can successfully exploit to hang a giant question mark over Hillary Clinton, the public servant– is she hiding things from people, and raising those suspicions,” Beutler said. (VIDEO: Desperate Media Gaggle Chase Down Hillary’s Van Like Crazed Beatles Fans)
But he responded that no, Clinton and the State Department weren’t hiding anything. Instead, Beutler said she just “hadn’t gotten around to” telling Congress.
“When you have tons of inquiries from Congress and you don’t answer them in seven weeks, does that mean you are trying to hide something, or that you haven’t gotten around to it yet?” Beutler asked. “I think in this particular case, the latter is a better explanation.”
Yes, really. Beutler believes that two years later, the State Department just “hadn’t gotten around to” answering a simple yes-or-no question about whether or not Clinton was using a private email. And he believes this despite the fact that, according to The New York Times, they managed to answer the only other question in the inquiry.
“The Cycle” hosts seemed to realize how lame his response was. “Ari, she’s a busy woman,” Huntsman deadpanned, causing Touré Neblett laugh.