Blitzer calls Clinton a “flip-flopper” over coffee preferences

Written by Media Matters Staff

Published


On the December 14 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, host Wolf Blitzer cited a December 12 Associated Press article, in which the presidential candidates answered questions about their coffee preferences, part of the AP's “series of questions about [the candidates'] personal side,” and announced, "[L]ook at this -- Hillary Clinton is a flip-flopper. Sometimes she takes it black, sometimes with cream." Yet, Blitzer had offered no characterization of either Rudy Giuliani's or Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) coffee preferences, noting only “Giuliani prefers low-cal sweetener, any brand will do” and “McCain is fond of cappuccino, or coffee with cream and sugar.”

The December 12 AP article, in its entirety:

Hold the sugar.

Presidential candidates who drink coffee prefer artificial sweetener or no sweetener, for the most part.

AP asked candidates a series of questions about their personal side. Today's question is about what they take in their coffee. The answers:

DEMOCRATS:

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton: Sometimes black, sometimes with cream

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards: Doesn't drink it

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama: Black, but rarely drinks it

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson: Cream

REPUBLICANS:

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani: Splenda, Sweet'n Low or Equal, whichever is available

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee: Splenda

Arizona Sen. John McCain: Cappuccino or coffee with cream and sugar

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney: Doesn't drink it, has been known to have hot chocolate

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson: Cream

From the December 14 edition of CNN's The Situation Room:

BLITZER: Let's take a campaign coffee break right now. The Associated Press asked the presidential candidates how they like their coffee. Take a look at this:

Rudy Giuliani prefers low-cal sweetener, any brand will do. Mike Huckabee is more specific; he likes Splenda. John McCain is fond of cappuccino, or coffee with cream and sugar. Fred Thompson says “cream, please.” Bill Richardson: also a cream kind of guy.

Barack Obama takes it black, but says he rarely drinks coffee. John Edwards says “no thanks,” he doesn't drink the stuff. And on this issue -- look at this -- Hillary Clinton is a flip-flopper: Sometimes she takes it black, sometimes with cream.