Remember the 90s?
Thousands of pages of previously unreleased documents from Hillary Clinton’s years as first lady offer a glimpse into the White House’s media strategy during the decade that brought us Forrest Gump, New Kids on the Block lunchboxes and Pogs.
One idea: leveraging the “most popular television show on the air” – “Home Improvement.”
“I know this may sound like a wild idea, but I think it is an interesting one to discuss,” wrote the first lady’s press secretary, Lisa Caputo, in an August 1995 memo. “[ABC News producer] Rick Kaplan brought to my attention that Home Improvement would very much like to have Hillary make a guest appearance on its show ... They are willing to do a show on women, children and family issues or a show on whatever issues Hillary would like.”
Caputo argued in the memo that, while it could “diminish the role of First Lady” by appearing on a sitcom, “it would present Hillary in a very likable light.”
Clinton’s advisers also mulled using the budding and hip technology of “Internet.”
“Internet has become a very popular mode of communication,” Caputo suggested. “Hillary could speak to young women through Internet.”
“In addition, People Magazine is tinkering with the possibility of using Internet,” she added. “They have been in touch with me about the prospect of having Hillary communicate with parents across the country about children and families through Internet.”
The documents released Friday are part of a tranche of communications set to be released over the next two weeks.
You can read the releases on the Clinton Library web site -– yes, on “Internet" -- here.