When it became obvious Donald Trump had upended the Republican Party and seized its presidential nomination, most Democrats rejoiced and envisioned not only Hillary Clinton in the White House but Democratic majorities in Congress.
But inside the Clinton campaign, not everyone celebrated the news. Jennifer Palmieri, the campaign’s communications director, worried about Trump. She saw his unpredictability ― and his capacity to generate immense, free press coverage ― as a huge problem.
On this week’s episode of “Candidate Confessional,” Palmieri explains why she wasn’t doing cartwheels as Trump was ascending.
“Here’s the thing about running against Trump is he was just going to be unconventional,” Palmieri says. “Hillary Clinton is a conventional candidate. So I was concerned about how that plays out. My most sleepless nights, my most anxiety-ridden time was February, March, April and trying to like wrap your head around how you’re going to run against Donald Trump. It seemed like there could be a big payoff but I would prefer something a little more conventional.”
While many Democrats thought Donald Trump's 2016 presidential nomination revealed a straight path to the White House for Hillary Clinton, some of Clinton's staffers were more concerned. (Photo: Mark Ralston/Pool/Reuters)
Palmieri’s fear was that Trump would moderate himself once he got past the primary and that he would win accolades from the media for doing so. She thought Trump might walk back his proposals to build a wall along the border with Mexico and to ban Muslims from entering the U.S.
Whereas Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who was also running for the GOP nomination, would never change his ideological stripes (and couldn’t very easily because of his legislative record), a New York real estate billionaire who formerly identified as a Democrat was more capable of, as Palmieri puts it, “morph[ing] into somebody else.”
Palmieri also worried that the dirt flung against Trump in the primary didn’t seem to stick. “He was Teflon,” she says, “because he lives by his own set of rules, so gravity doesn’t apply to him.”
Neither of these fears became reality. Trump didn’t moderate his positions, and he came out of the presidential election with historically low approval ratings. But Palmieri’s concerns about Trump’s candidacy were valid in one respect: He had the skills to take down candidates such as Clinton.
“It was really scary watching what happened to Jeb [Bush],” she tells the podcast. “I thought, you know, that’s us.”
Listen to the full episode above.
“Candidate Confessional” is produced by Zach Young. To listen to this podcast later, download it on Apple Podcasts. While you’re there, please rate and review our show. To subscribe, visit the following: Apple Podcasts / Acast / RadioPublic / Google Play / Stitcher / RSS
U. S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton waits to speak as she is introduced at Singapore Management University, Saturday, Nov. 17, 2012, in Singapore.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gestures as she speaks during a ceremony in recognition of World AIDS Day, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012, at the State Department in Washington, where she released The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, (PEPFAR) Blueprint' for Creating an AIDS- Free Generation.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks at a press conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Wednesday Dec. 5, 2012. NATO foreign ministers were set Wednesday to shift their focus to the way forward in Afghanistan during a second day of talks in Brussels, as the military alliance prepares to withdraw its combat troops in 2014.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gestures as she gives a speech: "Frontlines and Frontiers: Making Human Rights a Human Reality," Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, at Dublin City University in Dublin, Ireland.
In this Dec. 1, 2012 file photo, Actress Meryl Streep uses her iPhone to get a photo of her and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton following the State Department Dinner for the Kennedy Center Honors gala at the State Department in Washington.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks during a Global Townterview at the Newseum in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the deadly September attack on a US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya in Jan. 2013.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton smiles before speaking on American leadership at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton laughs as she gives a speech during a ceremony honoring her at the Pentagon, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013, where outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta presented her with the Defense Department's Medal for Distinguished Public Service.
This April 2, 2013, file photo shows former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton addressing the Vital Voices Global Partnership 2013 Global Leadership Awards gala at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington. Clinton is getting plenty of encouragement to run for president in 2016. Her re-emergence this past week after a two-month break brought out cheering supporters when she gave speeches focused on the issues of women and girls around the world.
Hillary Clinton greets the audience during a Yale Law School ceremony at Yale University, Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, in New Haven, Conn. Clinton received the Yale Law School Association Award of Merit, which is presented annually to those who have made a substantial contribution to public service or the legal profession.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, left, poses onstage for a photograph with Elton John after receiving her Founders award during the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 12th Annual "An Enduring Vision" benefit gala at Cipriani Wall Street on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2013, in New York.
In a Monday, Aug. 12, 2013 file photo, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to the American Bar Association Annual Meeting Monday, Aug. 12, 2013, in San Francisco. Clinton spoke about maintaining the Voting Rights Act and received a medal from the association. The former secretary of state will receive the Elton John AIDS Foundation's first Founder's Award for her support of gay rights. In a statement Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2013, the foundation cited a 2011 speech in which Clinton asserted that gay rights were human rights for helping envision a world without AIDS.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton walks to the podium after receiving the Liberty Medal during a ceremony at the National Constitution Center, Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in Philadelphia. The honor is given annually to an individual who displays courage and conviction while striving to secure liberty for people worldwide.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses a gala celebrating the 10th anniversary of the Center for American Progress at the Mellon Auditorium October 24, 2013 in Washington, DC. Co-founded by former Clinton Administration Chief of Staff John Podesta, the liberal public policy research and advocacy organization is a think tank that rivals conservative policy groups, such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks after receiving the National Defense Foundation University's (NDU) American Patriot Award during a gala dinner at the Ronald Reagan Center in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013. The American Patriot Award annually recognizes leaders of extraordinary caliber who have strengthened America's strategic interests and advanced global security.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton walks past the Presidential seal in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013, after a ceremony where President Barack Obama awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former President Bill Clinton and others.
Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks after receiving the 2013 Lantos Human Rights Prize during a ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington on Dec. 6, 2013.
Clark set the Indiana Fever’s franchise record for turnovers (10), shot 5-of-15 from the floor and struggled with the Connecticut Sun’s physical defense.
Gottlieb's repeatedly courted controversy in his media role and will reportedly continue to host his nationally syndicated radio show while coaching Green Bay.
All five of these hitters were drafted highly in fantasy baseball leagues. So far, they have not lived up to their ADPs — and that's an understatement. Scott Pianowski analyzes.
In one scenario, Dallas makes Prescott the highest paid player in NFL history. In another, the Cowboys decline that commitment, at which point another team will make him the top paid player in NFL history.
