May comments from Chelsea Clinton on wealth generate fresh scrutiny
Her mother can’t seem to answer questions about the family wealth without tripping up and apparently neither can Chelsea. Via the New York Daily News (hat tip):
Hillary Clinton insists she isnβt βwell-offβ and now daughter Chelsea, according to a recent interview, claims she couldn’t care less about money.
βI was curious if I could care about (money) on some fundamental level, and I couldnβt,βΒ she told Fast Company in an interview that ran in the magazine’s May edition,Β explaining why she gave up lucrative gigs to join her familyβs philanthropic foundation.
Comparing her experience to the average millennial, the 34-year-old former first daughter defended jumping around to different careers β from consulting to a hedge fund to academia to journalism β before finding her true calling working with her parents.
[…]
The Clinton name likely opened doors for the political heiress, including an eye-popping $600,000 annual salary for an irregular stint as an NBC special correspondent, but Chelsea insists her work speaks for itself.
βI will just always work harder (than anybody else) and hopefully perform better,β said Clinton, who along with former banker husband MarcΒ Mezvinsky, purchased a $10.5-million Gramercy Park apartment in 2013. βAnd hopefully, over time, I preempt and erase whatever expectations people have of me not having a good work ethic, or not being smart, or not being motivated.β
NRO’s Jonah Goldberg reacts:
But sheβs not a βboomerang kid.β Sheβs not living in her parentsβ basement (in any of their homes). Sheβs living in a 10.5-million-dollar apartment in Gramercy Park with her ex-banker husband.Β In other words, she doesnβt care about money because she has all the money she could ever want or need. Thatβs not her fault, nor is it something people should begrudge her. She seems to be aiming for a more productive life than a lot of kids raised in unimaginable privilege and wealth. Good for her.
But it does cast a pretty harsh light on her motherβs repeated and awkwardΒ claims to be in touch with the needs of those who are economically struggling. Hillary Clinton isnβt worried about the problems facing parents of most Millennials. And thatβs fine. It would be odd if the former first lady of the United States had such problems. Whatβs problematic is Hillaryβs inability to own up to this obvious fact and talk about it in a sincere or convincing way.
I’m of a similar mindset. Again, as I’ve stated repeatedly – I don’t care that the ClintonsΒ make money and are well-off. Β But the attempts at coming off being “just like common folk who struggle” really don’t hold water, and the Clinton women (Bill, as far as I know, hasn’t yet flubbed on this subject in interviews) need to stick to topics that don’t make them look like pandering, self-centered, out of touch hypocrites. Β Just my .02 …