With a new plane, Clinton courts media on the campaign trail
NEW YORK — When Hillary Clinton arrived at her brand-new campaign plane, she greeted crew members, climbed aboard and then made a surprise move: a beeline to the dozens of journalists seated in the back.
“Hey guys!” Clinton told members of the media as they awaited takeoff. “Welcome to our big plane! It’s so exciting.” The Democratic presidential nominee promised she’d be back later to take questions, adding she was “so happy to have all of you with me. I’ve been just waiting for this moment.”
For months, Clinton broke with campaign tradition and flew separately from the reporters who follow her around the country, drawing criticism along the way for a roughly nine-month streak of avoiding any kind of formal news conference.
Since the Monday arrival of her new blue-and-white Boeing 737 plane — dubbed “Hill Force One” — Clinton has ventured from her seat up front to the back four times, twice taking questions from reporters during trips to Ohio, Illinois and Florida.