Clinton told Esquire that taking photos with supporters rather than just conversing with them interferes with politicians’ ability to get to know what voters care about. “It used to be—and I was talking to President Obama about this the other day—it used to be that you would do an event like this and then you would shake hands with people and they would talk to you,” Clinton said. “It was a constant learning and absorbing experience.”
Now, “it’s just ‘Can I take a selfie? Can I take a picture?’ People just want to capture that moment, and I just try to be accommodating.”
It’s good that Clinton wants to spend more time talking to regular people on campaign stops, but perhaps the lady protests just a bit too much. The Hillary selfie is a central example of the genre, and can act as a mutual signal boost. Celebrities from the A- to the D-list have taken selfies with the candidate: Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, Meryl Streep, Zach Braff, Katy Perry, and Amy Poehler are just a few examples.