Julian Castro defends Hillary Clinton as veep chatter grows: Benghazi probe like a ‘witch hunt’

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Daily News

Julian Castro, the up-and-coming Obama cabinet secretary who is frequently mentioned as a likely running mate for Hillary Clinton, called Republican efforts to pin blame on his prospective future boss for the 2012 Benghazi attacks a “witch hunt.”

“What you have here with these emails is basically a witch hunt, and Congressman (Trey) Gowdy (R-S.C.), who is leading this, is very intentionally trying to manipulate this witch hunt to play politics,” Castro, who serves as President Obama’s Secretary for Housing and Urban Development, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

“This thing has been studied to death, by Republicans and by Democrats, several committees, including in Congress, that have all said, ‘Yes, of course what happened was tragic, but Secretary Clinton was not in any way at fault,’ ” Castro said.

...snip...

Castro, a rising star in Democratic circles, is thought to be near, or at, the top of the list of potential running mates for Clinton — if she wins the party’s presidential nomination — due to his public speaking skills, as well as his Latino ethnicity, which many strategists think could help attract the Latino vote.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/julian-castro-defends-hillary-clinton-veep-chatter-grows-article-1.2233927

[okaawhatever]

1. I'm kind of tired of the press mentioning Castro's Latino ethnicity. They make it seem like

Hillary is just trying to check a box. Young, check, charismatic, check, Latino, check. It appears to me that the narrative the press is pushing is that Hillary went looking for a Latino running mate and happened upon Julian, as if he were somehow less qualified. Truth is, he has immense potential and will hold higher office with or without Hillary. and I think she would pick him Latino or not.

The Latino vote is important for Democrats, but doing right by Latinos is much more important.

[joshcryer]

4. He was the 2012 DNC keynote speaker.

That's like the key rising star in the party, so the comparisons may be shallow, but they're there. Remember Obama was the 2004 keynote speaker. Had Clinton won the primary we'd be talking about Obama running in 2016, with Julian as his most promising VP pick.

But you are correct proper policy is far more important, but the Democratic Party as a whole has its priorities straight with regards to immigration.

[avaistheone1]

15. Most promising because he was the DNC keynote speaker?

I don't remember him then.
I don't remember him now.
I guess he didn't make too much of an impression.

[duhneece]

19. I was blown away by this man

I can still remember being spellbound...now I really want to know more. My San Antonio friends think he's great.

[Wilms]

6. What makes Castro Vice-presidential?

[reddread]

12. top down fiat

those decisions are not to be left to us.

[BlueStater]

18. Nothing.

He's a laughable pick and I hope the eventual nominee has enough common sense not to put him on the ticket. He'd be one of the least qualified Democratic VP nominees ever.

[L0oniX]

14. Looks are important to the stupid voters.

[Lil Missy]

2. The Benghazi hype IS a witch hunt. n/t

[Initech]

3. It's Fox News' white whale.

[davidpdx]

5. It is unusual for a candidate and their surrogates to start pushing a VP

before the primaries even begin. No, the media can't be blamed for this one.

[McCamy Taylor]

8. Castro is the 100% smart choice. We all knew this BEFORE the rumors started and he was moved to DC.

[avaistheone1]

16. We all know this?

I don't hear anyone talking about this guy.

The first I heard of him was on this thread. So far I haven't heard anything that gets me excited.

[davidpdx]

20. I'm not contesting the fact that he would be a great VP candidate

just the fact that Clinton surrogates and supporters act as though he will be the VP nominee before the primary has started.

[McCamy Taylor]

7. My Clinton/Castro 2016 bumpersticker still looks good one year later!

[Chemisse]

9. All VP hopefuls should be out there defending Clinton.

I am sick to death of the Benghazi/emails/Clinton-cash mantra.

[Gothmog]

10. Clinton Castro 2016

[DCBob]

11. Clinton/Castro is a winner!

In fact that may lock down the Whitehouse with a Democrat for 16 years.

[L0oniX]

13. *

[calcin]

17. Clinton/Castro!

Well, I remember Julian Castro at the DNC convention as the keynote speaker. I think the fact that there has been hit pieces on Julian Castro at this early stage means the Republicans do not want him on the ticket. So, I say, Clinton/Castro!