On Maddow, Hillary Clinton playacts a 2020 Democrat asking China to hack Trump's tax returns, to illustrate our 'absurd' political moment


There are a lot of good ideas for protecting America's elections from foreign meddling included in bipartisan legislation, but Senate Republicans, "under orders from the White House," won't consider them, Hillary Clinton said on Rachel Maddow's MSNBC show Wednesday night. Clinton suggested that the Trump White House believes Russian interference helped them and doesn't want to ruin a good thing for 2020 — and she tried to gin up a little empathy.
"Imagine, Rachel, that you had one of the Democratic nominees for 2020 on your show," Clinton said, "and that person said: 'You know, the only other adversary of ours who's anywhere near as good as the Russians is China. So why should Russia have all the fun? And since Russia is clearly backing Republicans, why don't we ask China to back us?'" Maddow joined in: "I hereby tonight ask China...." "That's right," Clinton said. "'China, if you're listening, why don't you get Trump's tax returns? I'm sure our media would richly reward you.' Now, according to the Mueller report, that is not conspiracy because it's done right out in the open."
"So, if after this hypothetical Democratic candidate says this on your show, within hours, all of a sudden the IRS offices are bombarded with incredibly sophisticated cybertools looking for Trump's tax returns," Clinton continued, "and then extracts them and then passes them to whatever the new WikiLeaks happens to be, and they start being unraveled and disclosed, nothing wrong with that! I mean, if you're going to let Russia get away with what they did, and are still doing ... hey, let's have a great-power contest and let's get the Chinese in on the side of somebody else. Just saying that shows how absurd the situation we find ourselves in."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Two wrongs don't make a right, of course, but it's food for thought.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
Is Prince Harry owed protection?
Talking Point The Duke of Sussex claims he has been singled out for 'unjustified and inferior treatment' over decision to withdraw round-the-clock security
By The Week UK
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Two judges bar war-powers deportations
Speed Read The Trump administration was blocked from using the Alien Enemies Act to deport more alleged Venezuelan gang members
By Peter Weber, The Week US