Clinton Team Contacts CNBC's Harwood After He Reveals Hillary's 'Big Problem'

As the Media Research Center's NewsBusters blog reported [1] on Tuesday, CNBC's chief Washington correspondent John Harwood observed on Squawk Box that the world "blowing up" on President Obama's watch would be a "big problem" for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Appearing on the show again on Wednesday, Harwood divulged that the Clinton team contacted him about how much attention his comments had generated among "conservative groups." [Listen to the audio [2]]

Host Joe Kernen began the Wednesday segment by declaring: "Harwood, did you see all the press he got yesterday from his appearance on our show yesterday?...He was everywhere. John, you're the man...Big press yesterday." Harwood noted: "You know who I heard about it from? I heard about it from the Hillary Clinton team." Kernen replied: "I'm sure you heard about it. In fact, you won't be getting an interview with them anytime soon."

Co-host Becky Quick wondered: "What did the Clinton people say in response, John?" Harwood explained:

Oh, they were just noting – they were noting the way the other side was using it. It wasn't – it was not a heavy reaction. It was just like, "Wow, did you see what the Free Beacon and, you know, these other conservative groups were saying about what you said about Hillary." Because I had not – I look at my Twitter feed and I didn't hear anything on Twitter about it.

Kernen proclaimed: "Are you kidding me? It was on NewsBu[sters]. It was everywhere yesterday. It was – a lot of people saw it, John."

Here is a transcript of the August 13 exchange:

6:24 AM ET

JOE KERNEN: Anyway, my buddy, [John] Harwood, did you see all the press he got yesterday from his appearance on our show yesterday?

BECKY QUICK: No.

KERNEN: Oh, my God. We'll talk to him about it. He was everywhere. John, you're the man. But anyway, go ahead.

QUICK: We've missed you, John. It's been way too long.

KERNEN: Big press yesterday.

JOHN HARWOOD: Hey, Joe?

KERNEN: Yes, sir? You're welcome.

HARWOOD: I'm just glad to get to the studio this morning and realize you're still with us. You know, I woke up this morning and I'm thinking, like, "Joe's getting on there, is he going to be, you know, on the show? Did he go the way of [Lauren] Bacall or whatever?" And, like, you're back, you're here. Fantastic.

KERNEN: Because I'm that – no, I was talking about your comment. Did you see how many people picked up your comments yesterday? Not your people, but the other side picked them up. And I actually did a radio show last night with Hugh Hewitt and he was calling you a lefty. And I go, "Look, did you see what John said yesterday? He will call it like it is." Because you were very blunt. You said the world-

HARWOOD: You know who I heard about it from? I heard about it from the Hillary Clinton team.

KERNEN: Oh, I'm sure you did. I'm sure you did because you said that – I'm sure you heard about it. In fact, you won't be getting an interview with them anytime soon. You said that the world blowing up all around President Obama probably isn't a good thing for Hillary Clinton because it was under her watch, sort of, that a lot of this started festering. That was pretty good for you to say yesterday.

QUICK: What did the Clinton people say in response, John?

KERNEN: You can't repeat it.

HARWOOD: Oh, they were just noting – they were noting the way the other side was using it. It wasn't – it was not a heavy reaction. It was just like, "Wow, did you see what the Free Beacon and, you know, these other conservative groups were saying about what you said about Hillary." Because I had not – I look at my Twitter feed and I didn't hear anything on Twitter about it.

KERNEN: Are you kidding me? It was on NewsBu[sters]. It was everywhere yesterday. It was – a lot of people saw it, John. I think that it just – you are a journalist and I think that it did a lot to bolster your credibility on both sides of the aisle. I need to do something like that.

HARWOOD: Thank you, Joe.

KERNEN: You're welcome.

(...)