LAS VEGAS — As questions mount about Hillary Clinton’s emails, her campaign is sending out a new message to supporters: “No bed wetting.”
The mantra is a familiar one, borrowed from President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign, when top aide David Plouffe used the phrase to calm jittery Democrats in the face of hurdles.
Related: 305 Clinton emails flagged for further classification review
The urging for calm from her campaign comes after news that the team of intelligence community reviewers looking at emails from Clinton’s private server have identified 305 documents that have been referred to their agencies for further consultation.
Clinton campaign officials argue that, given the growing number of agencies reviewing Clinton’s emails, it makes sense that there would be a debate about what should be considered classified. Aides continue to insist that Clinton never sent or received any emails that were marked as classified.
The campaign is also pushing back against Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, who sent a letter to Clinton’s attorney, David Kendall, asking if he had the proper security clearance to have possession of her email server and thumb drives.
“The transmission of classified material to an individual unauthorized to possess it is a serious national security risk,” Grassley wrote. “Moreover, if a person unauthorized to maintain custody of the classified materials does in fact maintain custody, it raises legitimate questions as to whether the information was properly secured from foreign governments and other entities.”
A Clinton campaign official tells NBC News that “everything has been done in consultation with the proper authorities.” This official notes that the State Department initially set the terms of the original arrangement and as soon as other agencies wanted the emails turned over, David Kendall complied.
Kendall has not responded to a request for comment from NBC News. Campaign officials acknowledge the emails will be an ongoing issue throughout the campaign. But Clinton’s camp hopes that when she testifies on Capitol Hill on October 22nd, they will be able to move on. In the meantime, Clinton will try to reassure supporters herself while focusing on key policy priorities like immigration and college affordability, which she’s slated to address Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Kristen Welker
Kristen Welker is the moderator of "Meet the Press." Recommended
