What does Hillary Clinton‘s traveling press secretary Nick Merrill really think of the New York Times reporting covering his boss’s campaign?
She’s “an idiot.”
And the she in this scenario would be Amy Chozick, who has written extensively about Clinton.
The comment was revealed in the latest email dump.
Subject: Really?
Date: February 2, 2016
Merrill was writing to Capricia Marshall, a longtime Clinton friend and State Department insider who was Chief of Protocol of the United States from 2009 to 2013. Marshall also worked on Clinton’s New York Senate campaign.
He wrote, “No. Amy is an idiot. There wouldn’t have even been time for folks to say that! But that’s not where peoples’ heads are.”
Capricia replied, “We’re [sic] people saying Robbie needs to go? Just read in Amy piece – ground was so awesome! What you hearing? Felt badly for her. Wanted a bit more of a win – but it is a win!”
Politico Magazine has described Merrill as the “affable” traveling press secretary who joined “Clinton world” as a “lowly advance staffer.” In 2014, Maggie Haberman, who worked for Politico at the time and now reports for the NYT, placed him on her “Hillary Clinton’s 50 Influentials” list. He was number 27. Haberman called him Clinton’s “genial” press aide.
The news emerged in the latest DCLeaks Clinton email dump.
The Mirror asked Chozick for reaction. She replied, “I’ve been called worse.”
UPDATE: Some further context here. The article that Merrill is referencing is this one in which Chozick reported that Clinton campaign manager Robby Mook was on the outs after a bad showing in Iowa.