President Barack Obama might be the first occupant of the White House to brew beer—a hobby he shares with President George Washington—but he’s hardly the first to consume “adult beverages.”
Still, Americans generally frown upon the thought of their nation’s commander-in-chief becoming inebriated. That’s why some recently revealed emails from WikiLeaks’ “Podesta Emails” dossier are concerning.
On Aug. 8, 2015, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign chairman, John Podesta, wrote to Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri, asking if she had sent Clinton some documents. While it is unclear what those documents might be, Podesta also discussed some personal concerns:
Should I call her and talk this through or better to leave with you? I’m worried she’ll get on with Cheryl and we’ll end up in a bad place. I’m in a session that lasts till 3:30 your time. Is that timely or should I walk out?
Two and a half hours later, according to the time stamps of the email exchange, Palmieri responded:
I just sent. Was getting my hair cut and trying to write all this on an iPhone. I think you should call her and sober her up some.
That was at 4:31 p.m.
Prior to the release of this email, it had been rumored that Clinton had an alcohol abuse problem, and her drinking contests with other members of the U.S. Senate—including one with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)—are considered “legendary” inside the Beltway. But there’s never been any solid proof of alcohol abuse made public, other than frequent photos of her taking a single drink while on the campaign trail.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump—whose brother died because of drug and alcohol abuse—has been abstinent for decades.
The “Cheryl” Podesta mentions in the August 2015 email is likely Cheryl Mills, who served as Clinton’s Chief of Staff at the State Department and now serves as a personal attorney to the presidential candidate. It’s not clear how her communicating with Clinton would “end up in a bad place.”
Taken from a different angle, between this and a previously released email exchange in which Mills is blamed for the email server coverup at the State Department, it seems there are two separate factions at odds with one another within the Clinton camp. It begs the question: which side is closest to Hillary?
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