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When Is Hillary Clinton's CNN Interview?

by Kim Lyons

Since announcing her campaign in April, Hillary Clinton has spoken to only a few local media outlets in states with early primaries, but has done no interviews with national press to the consternation of many reporters. On Tuesday, Clinton will be interviewed by CNN's Brianna Keilar in her first nationally-televised chat since becoming an official candidate for the presidency, CNN reported. The interview will be held during a Clinton campaign stop in Iowa City.

Her lack of appearances in the press has prompted The New York Times and other media outlets to post questions they would've asked Clinton if they'd had the chance and to speculate about why she has not been more available. The Washington Post even created a "Clinton clock" counting the minutes since she answered questions from the press. It's true that as the Democratic Party's presumed front-runner and one of its most recognizable figures, Clinton doesn't really need to acquiesce to every interview request in order to raise awareness of her candidacy. But her opponents, most notably GOP candidate and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, have suggested Clinton's silence means she's afraid to answer questions. And, as the Times reported Monday, the Clinton camp has another problem it is now worrying about: the rising popularity of rival Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who has drawn larger-than-expected crowds at many recent campaign stops.

So what should we expect Keilar to ask Clinton? She almost certainly has to address the Sanders campaign, particularly since a recent Quinnipiac University poll showed Clinton's lead among Iowa voters shrunk considerably in the past several weeks. Clinton still enjoys the support of 52 percent of likely Iowa caucus voters, but Sanders has gained to now poll at 33 percent. In May, the same poll found Clinton leading among 60 percent of voters, compared to Sanders' 15 percent. So how worried is Clinton about the self-described socialist senator from Vermont?

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It also seems likely that at least one topic of conversation should be the trove of emails being released in monthly batches from Clinton's time as secretary of state. Clinton housed the emails on her personal server, which raised questions about security and transparency. While she has stated publicly that she wants the emails to be released, does Clinton think the emails are distracting from the campaign's more current issues?

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One of the Times' "we would have asked" questions focuses on the issue of immigration. In May, Clinton announced a plan to change the immigration system and expand the Dream Act beyond what even President Obama has proposed. With immigration being such a hot-button issue on both sides of the campaign, it seems like another topic Keilar has to touch on. How would Clinton go about making her proposed immigration changes?

Whatever topics the interview covers, it's a step in the right direction for the Clinton campaign, which can only benefit from appearing transparent and open. After all, Clinton can't keep the press in a rope line forever if she hopes to reach undecided voters and win the presidency.

Images: Getty Images (3)