RNC's Priebus: Media Has 'Vendetta' Against Carson, Other GOP Candidates

The recent spate of stories questioning GOP presidential front-runner Ben Carson's claims about his background are part of a media "vendetta" against Republican candidates, says RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.

"I would imagine some questions are appropriate, but I do believe that this is a totally crazy obsession over incredible details from 30 and 40 years ago," Priebus said Monday on NBC's "Today" show. 

"The fact is we kind of wish the media would be just as obsessed or half obsessed with Hillary Clinton's lies of many years about real relevant things, like people who have died in Benghazi and emails and everything else."

Host Matt Lauer countered that Clinton —  as well as President Barack Obama — have been vetted for years including Clinton's personal life and multiple accusations of scandal. She also had to sit through 11 hours of testimony before the Benghazi Select Committee last month, he noted.

"The difference is that the media, they do have an actual vendetta — or at least an agenda — against some of these candidates," Priebus said.

"In regard to Hillary Clinton, the media, yeah, they cover it. But they cover it with a laugh and a wink and a nod and you know, 'isn't this horrible she had to sit in a chair for 11 hours?' I mean that's the tone of the coverage of Hillary Clinton; it's a tone of, 'this is silly, let's move on.'"

The media looks at Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner, for a question, "but not an obsession," Priebus said. "I would say that Hillary Clinton's past is something that people ought to be obsessed with."

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