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Hillary Clinton Suggests She Isn’t ‘Truly Well Off’

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton waits to speak at the World Bank May 14, 2014 in Washington, DC. Clinton and World Bank President Jim Yong Kim joined others to speak about women's rights.
Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

In addition to confirming that her Benghazi response still needs work, Hillary Clinton’s book tour/2016 practice campaign has revealed another somewhat surprising weak spot: her family’s wealth. Earlier this month, Clinton justified making $5 million in speaking fees since leaving the State Department by claiming she and President Clinton were “dead broke” when they left the White House. In an interview this weekend, The Guardian asked how Clinton can appear credible on the issue of income inequality in 2016 when she’s viewed as “part of the problem.” Clinton protested, “But they don’t see me as part of the problem.” 

She explained, “We pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off, not to name names; and we’ve done it through dint of hard work.” Sure, the Clintons are trying to avoid estate taxes to help out a child who made $600,000 a year for doing basically nothing, but they’re not like, Mitt Romney rich. Not only are they making do without a car elevator, they haven’t driven themselves anywhere since 1996.

Hillary Suggests She Isn’t ‘Truly Well Off’