Speaking to MSNBC Friday morning, Hillary Clinton made the delusional argument that Nancy Reagan helped start “a national conversation” about HIV and AIDS:
Hillary Clinton: The Reagans, particularly Nancy, helped start "a national conversation" about HIV and AIDS. https://t.co/7sZp8X53fb
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 11, 2016
“It may be hard for your viewers to remember how difficult it was for people to talk about HIV/AIDS back in the 1980s,” Clinton said. And, thanks to Ronald and, “in particular,” Nancy Reagan, “we started a national conversation, when before, no one would talk about it, nobody wanted to do anything about it.”
Clinton said she appreciated Nancy Reagan’s “very effective, low-key advocacy,” which she said, “penetrated the public conscience.”
Clinton’s mischaracterization of the Reagans’ impact on the AIDS epidemic is, put mildly, very wrong. And Twitter is responding accordingly:
Clinton: because of Reagan and Nancy Reagan we started a "national conversation" on AIDS.
What the hell is she on? pic.twitter.com/92hVNW0gwP
— Adam Johnson (@adamjohnsonCHI) March 11, 2016
Why is Hillary Clinton so out of touch on basic liberal attitudes? The thing about Reagan administration & AIDS is core to LGBT community.
— Jeet Heer (@HeerJeet) March 11, 2016
Reagans started a "national convo about AIDS" only if people screaming "WHY WON'T YOU TALK ABOUT AIDS?!?" at them counts. @HillaryClinton
— Dan Savage (@fakedansavage) March 11, 2016
In which Hillary Clinton praises Nancy Reagan for "very effective, low-key advocacy" on moving people on HIV/AIDS. https://t.co/YswgAQNwdK
— Chris “Law Dork” Geidner (@chrisgeidner) March 11, 2016
The Clinton camp tweeted the following apology, but as you see, the damage is done:
Hillary Clinton’s statement on her comments about the Reagans' record on HIV and AIDS: pic.twitter.com/RtIs0zpJfk
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) March 11, 2016
