@PatriciaMazzei
The Republican Party of Florida plans to welcome Hillary Clinton to Miami on Thursday with a press conference highlighting Clinton's lack of press conferences.
The party plans to stage its event outside of one of Clinton's stops to raise money for her 2016 Democratic presidential campaign. It's her first Florida trip as a candidate. Though a possible public event had been mentioned, none has been announced for now.
RPOF's stunt is intended to draw attention to the fact that Clinton, who is so well known she doesn't need media exposure, has given relatively few interviews compared to the rest of the likely presidential field.
"Dear Mrs. Clinton," begins an "invitation" from GOP Chairman Blaise Ingoglia. "The Republican Party of Florida is hosting a 'Conversations with Hillary' press conference and we are extending you an invitation to be the sole participant. Our goal is to make sure you have the opportunity to address the important questions that have led to voters across our state not to trust you."
"We want to help, so we are going to take care of everything -- from setting up the press conference with a podium and microphone to notifying the press and public."
Clinton, of course, won't show up. But if RPOF draws a gaggle of reporters hungry for news -- and getting none from the Democrat -- it plans to bring out speakers of its own.
Republican presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina, who needs to move up in national polls to qualify for the first GOP debate in August, tried a similar tactic Wednesday in South Carolina. She held a media availability before a Clinton event in Columbia to draw a contrast with the Democratic front-runner.
"Our events tomorrow are all open to the press. And by open press, we mean we'll actually take questions," Fiorina spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores wrote reporters Tuesday. "That's right. We've answered hundreds of questions from reporters because we believe the American people will not and should not elect a president that can't answer for her record, won't explain her positions or for whom the truth is whatever she can get away with."
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