CNN panelist and former Obama administration official Van Jones said Hillary Clinton created the "worst visual metaphor" when her campaign kept reporters behind a rope line during a 4th of July parade in New Hampshire.
The reporters there to cover Clinton were restricted by a physical rope line that Clinton campaign aides held. The aides claimed they wanted to accommodate reporters and also allow voters to talk to Clinton.
"I love Hillary Clinton but this is the worst visual metaphor," Jones said. "Before, you could say she's not talking to reporters but you can't cover not talking. You can show this image over and over again and it's awful."
On Sunday, CNN’s State of the Union panel was in agreement that this was an embarrassing moment for her team.
"Well I mean, this is humiliating," CNN political commentator S.E. Cupp said. "This is humiliating for reporters who have to abide by Hillary Clinton's rules of journalism. And it's not just this. The entire campaign, she has, you know, kept them at a distance. She barely answers questions. There's all these rules."
"The criticism is directed at the Clinton campaign on this for trying to wrap her in bubble wrap this entire campaign and not let her actually associate with real people," CNN correspondent Jeff Zeleny said.
"The relationship between the Clinton campaign and the press is just hostile, on both sides. And it's early for that," Wall Street Journal White reporter Carol Lee said. "It's like we're how many months out and if it's that hostile now, reporters are being penned off like farm animals, then you know, where is it going to go?"