Mitchell: Clintons Hounded by Questions of Conflicts of Interest, High-Dollar Speeches
[rush transcript]
GUTHRIE: “Now to politics, the race to the White House and Former President Bill Clinton opening up about what he would and would not do as first gentleman should his wife be elected president. NBC's Andrea Mitchell is following this story, this morning. Andrea, good morning to you.”
MITCHELL: “Good morning, Savannah. Bill Clinton speaking out, about how we will deal with potential conflict of interest, should his wife become president and an unprecedented challenge for a couple still facing questions about their finances and their family charity.”
[clip starts]
MITCHELL (voice-over): “If Hillary Clinton wins the nomination and the White House, would first spouse Bill Clinton give up the family foundation? He told Bloomberg television –“
CLINTON: “That will be not an easy decision should she be elected president. She will have to decide what is my highest and best use, including being around to buck her up every morning, you know.”
MITCHELL (voice-over): “The charity has been lauded for its good works. But both Clintons are being hounded by questions about potential conflicts of interest from donors and high dollar speeches. Bill Clinton said he would stop speaking for money. Sometimes as much as $500,000 per speech, if Hillary were elected.
CLINTON: "I don't think so. I don't think that, because once you get to be president, then you are just making a daily story."
MITCHELL (voice-over): “Clinton also denied doing favors for foreign governments or other donors to the foundation, telling CNN – ‘No one has ever asked me for anything. And I don't think Hillary would know either. I never saw her study a list of my contributors and I had no idea who was doing business before the State Department.’ Will that be enough to quiet critics?”
AXELROD: “This issue won't go away because the Republican Party won't allow it to go away and I suspect we'll be hearing about it from now until the election.”
MITCHELL (voice-over): “And can Bill Clinton avoid the slips that plagued his own campaign?”
CLINTON: “But when I was in England I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn't like it. I didn't inhale it, and never tried it again."
VILSACK: “There are not very many commodities that you can plant, Mr. President, and then grow up to get a million bucks.”
CLINTON: “Dear Lord, that's all I need. One more story about.”
(Applause)
[clip ends]
MITCHELL: “Bill Clinton will be a key surrogate for his wife who has yet to do an interview since declaring her candidacy. In his interview with CNN, Bill Clinton described Hillary Clinton warmly saying ‘whenever I had trouble, she was the rock in the family.’”
GUTHRIE: “Well, she's got his vote, that's for sure. Andrea Mitchell, thank you very much.”
