Hillary Clinton Reporters Kept Behind Moving Rope Line at New Hampshire Parade
GORHAM, N.H. — -- At the Fourth of July parade Hillary Clinton marched in Saturday in Gorham, New Hampshire, reporters following the candidate were kept -- and at moments, dragged -- behind an actual moving rope line.
The rope, which two Clinton staffers held on to on either side, was meant to give Clinton space as she walked down the parade route, but photos of reporters being dragged behind the rope as she marched have gone viral on Twitter.
The New Hampshire GOP released a statement critiquing Clinton, saying her use of the rope "insults the traditions of our First-in-the-Nation primary" and touted the Republican presidential candidates for marching in parades without "obstruction from their staff."
Clinton campaign spokesman Nick Merrill said in a statement: "While the GOP may want to spin a good yarn on this, let's not get tied up in knots. We wanted to accommodate the press, allow her to greet voters, and allow the press to be right there in the parade with her as opposed to preset locations. And that's what we did."
Clinton, meanwhile, seemed to enjoy the parade herself, as she waved to and greeted voters -- ignoring a group of loud protesters that trailed right behind her.
"Where were you at 3am when the phone rang? Name one accomplishment! Tell us about when you were poor!" shouted one man, holding up a sign that read "BENGHAZI."
But Clinton didn't let that rattle her.
"I'm just having a good time meeting everybody," Clinton said when asked whether she had anything to say to them.
And even by the end, her sentiment hadn't changed.
"It was fabulous," she said. "I love parades, I love walking in parades, got such a great response ... a lot of enthusiasm and energy to celebrate the Fourth of July."
Following the event, Clinton made a stop at Dairy Bar, a relatively empty nearby restaurant, where she mingled with patrons. Clinton was asked by this reporter about her thoughts to the backlash against Donald Trump. But she dismissed the question in lieu of dessert.
"I'm going to sit down and have some pie," she said.
