Major 2016 candidates already embroiled in scandal

With Hillary Clinton and Chris Christie both fighting off scandal allegations ranging from Benghazi to bridge closures, is this an omen of what’s to come in 2016 with a media that never tires of tearing down elected officials?

Report from Liberty Voice:

Christie and Clinton are beset by scandal as 2016 nears. Both Democrat and Republican Party advisers try to paint a rosy picture on their respective candidates as scandal and controversy rain down around them. New Jersey governor Chris Christie has been tearing up the scandal sheets with his confrontational encounters and bridge closures, while Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Secretary of State, has been at the center of the Benghazi controversy. Both are expected to run for the 2016 Presidential Election.

Governor Christie held a press conference today to address accusations that political vengeance caused the lane closures of the George Washington Bridge, which snarled traffic and hindered paramedics from reaching a 91-year-old woman suffering from chest pain. She later died. Christie’s staff has been questioned about actions taken against Fort Lee mayor Democratic Mark Sokolich. Sokolich endorsed Christie’s opponent for New Jersey governor.

Christie appeared humble and sincere when making his statement. He apologized to the people of Fort Lee and to the members of the New Jersey legislature and expressed concern over the unacceptable conduct of some of the people on his team. Christie went on to state he failed to understand the nature of the problems and was told the lane closures was a traffic study, nothing more.

Speculation of a 2016 presidential run has placed Clinton in the spotlight, and has brought Benghazi to the forefront. Republicans claim al Qaeda played a significant part in last year’s deadly attack of diplomatic offices in Benghazi, Libya. Clinton faces ongoing allegations that her future presidential run determined her vote against the surge of Iraqi troops in 2007. Last year’s Benghazi attack continues to plague her as polls show Americans believe they were misled. A YouGov poll showed 44% of those polled believe Obama and his administration deliberately misled the country.

When questioned by Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin during a tense Senate inquiry session about the terrorist attack, Clinton explored, “With all due respect…What difference at this point does it make?”

Even though next presidential election is still two years away, candidates need to concentrate on cleaning up their act and stroking public opinion. It seems this advice has missed the top two contenders for the next election as Christie and Clinton are beset with scandal as 2016 nears.

Some unnamed commenters on this site have speculated that Hillary Clinton is “old news” in the Democratic Party and that some other unforeseen candidate will rise to the mantle and push her aside, again. For Chris Christie, other than establishment Republican support, many grassroots conservatives and Tea Party activists have never been inclined to support him due to policy differences. If Christie loses establishment support, he’ll have a tough road fighting off the base in the primaries.

With coverage of 2016 starting so early, is it possible voters will be fatigued of hearing about the “front runners” that, come election year, they’ll be clamoring for new faces?


Nate Ashworth

The Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Election Central. He's been blogging elections and politics for over a decade. He started covering the 2008 Presidential Election which turned into a full-time political blog in 2012 and 2016 that continues today.

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