Hillary’s Ever-Shifting Priorities

Hillary Clinton, who famously polled where her and Bill should vacation in the 1990s, has an Olympic-level talent at holding her finger in the political breeze. The Clintons morph their “top priorities” for the United States to accommodate whatever direction the wind of public demand is blowing that day.

Following the horrific Orlando shooting at a gay nightclub early Sunday morning, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee called the massacre “an act of terror” and an “act of hate” — but stopped short of condemning it as an act of “radical Islamic terrorism.” The omission was not lost on fellow presidential contender Donald Trump.

“If Hillary Clinton, after this attack, still cannot say the two words ‘Radical Islam’ she should get out of this race for the Presidency.”

“Last night, our nation was attacked by a radical Islamic terrorist. It was the worst terrorist attack on our soil since 9/11, and the second of its kind in 6 months,” Trump said in a statement of the shooting that killed 49 people and wounded 53. “If Hillary Clinton, after this attack, still cannot say the two words ‘Radical Islam’ she should get out of this race for the presidency.”

In the wake of growing criticism against her, Clinton soon backtracked, seemingly bowing to Trump’s pressure by claiming that she was not afraid to say those two words.

“I have clearly said we have terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people,” Clinton said Monday on NBC’s “The Today Show.” “To me, radical jihadism, radical Islamism, they mean the same thing. I’m happy to say either but that’s not the point.”

Clinton then went even further in her remarks, adding that she had a new “top priority” for the U.S.

“The threat is metastasizing. We saw this in Paris, and we saw it in Brussels. We face a twisted ideology and a poisoned ideology that inspires the so-called ‘lone wolves’ — radicalized individuals who may or may not have direction from any formal organization,” Clinton said Monday during an event in Cleveland. “As president, I will make identifying and stopping ‘lone wolves’ a top priority.”

But wait — not so fast! Didn’t Clinton already lay out a plan with her “top priorities” for the country during the fourth Democratic primary debate in Charleston back in January?

During the debate, Clinton listed her three “top priorities” for the nation when asked (which, due to a mathematical failure on her part, included four): jobs, equal pay for women, decreasing prescription drug costs, and unifying the country.

These were apparently the biggest concerns she believed the U.S. was facing at that time. Or, at least, these were the three biggest concerns her pollsters told her would register with demographic groups, like the elderly and women.

Or, at least, these were the three biggest concerns her pollsters told her would register with demographic groups, like the elderly and women.

To complicate matters even further, Clinton’s Monday remarks about the threat of “radical Islamism” fly in the face of a November 2015 tweet.

“Let’s be clear: Islam is not our adversary,” Clinton had tweeted. “Muslims are peaceful and tolerant people and have nothing to do whatsoever with terrorism.”

[lz_third_party includes=”https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/667371059885301761″]

But Trump would have none of that.

“Hillary Clinton, for months, and despite so many attacks, has repeatedly refused to even say the words ‘radical Islam,'” Trump said during a Monday speech in New Hampshire after Clinton’s admission. “Just a few weeks before the San Bernardino slaughter, Clinton explained her refusal to say the words. She said Muslims are peaceful and tolerant people, nothing to do with terrorism. That is Hillary Clinton.”

Whether it be terror or drug prices, Wall Street or war, Clinton must consult her political soothsayers before speaking out or taking action. That kind of aggressive commitment to temperature-taking is generally not a quality of great leaders.