REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Clinton's team formally announced the New York City press conference just hours before it started. And because the event will be at the United Nations after she gives a speech there on women's rights, a mass of reporters are struggling to get credentialed in time. The UN reportedly requires journalists to apply 24 hours in advance.
Accordingly, the UN press office had difficulty processing the flood of reporters interested in her response to last week's revelation that she exclusively used private email while serving as secretary of state. This reportedly could have placed state secrets on vulnerable servers and may have violated federal guidelines. Many of the journalists waiting to get credentialed took to Twitter to vent their frustration at the slow-moving line.
"Total mayhem," one reporter said over the phone. "I think they processed seven people in the last hour and a half."
At one point, a UN guard came and took down a list of people trying to get into the Clinton event. He said they would be trying to speed up the process. When Business Insider asked for more details, he replied, "I'm just the guy with the gun."
A UN staffer later said the organization was "overwhelmed" with all of the "last-minute" requests.
Business Insider collected some of the tweets from reporters attempting to cover the event below:
Press accreditation line at UN has barely moved in the hour or so I've been here trying to get to Hillary's event pic.twitter.com/pWIYPOELT0
- Hunter Walker (@hunterw) March 10, 2015"I think next year, we just won't invite @HillaryClinton," jokes security guard trying to help the non-moving @UN press accreditation line.
- Annie Karni (@anniekarni) March 10, 2015...and now the poor receptionist at the media accreditation office has called security to shut down a photographer shooting the line...
- Ben Smith (@BuzzFeedBen) March 10, 2015UN staffer told @anniekarni they were not warned for deluge of press for Hillary presser.
- Hunter Walker (@hunterw) March 10, 2015And everything seemed so organized . . RT @ABCLiz: Media alert from UN says HRC's presser set for 2:15p. Clinton team estimating closer to 3
- Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 10, 2015Here are all the cameras waiting to shoot the Clinton presser at the UN. pic.twitter.com/yjm2hMoC2o
- Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) March 10, 2015UN press office supposedly closes for lunch at 1:00. Here's the line behind me. pic.twitter.com/poGydCIMlr
- Alex Seitz-Wald (@aseitzwald) March 10, 2015Pleased to announce I just signed ebook deal. It will be called: "Fear And Loathing on The Hillary UN Press Conference Credential Line '15"
- Hunter Walker (@hunterw) March 10, 201545 minutes in line for press pass for Hillary so far. Have moved ten feet.
- Ben Jacobs (@Bencjacobs) March 10, 2015.@DavidShuster just asked if everyone in the line was already registered. Reporters laughed audibly. We've started to cannibalize each other
- Hunter Walker (@hunterw) March 10, 2015At Hillary Clinton's next press conference, reporters must complete the American Gladiator obstacle course in order to obtain credentials.
- David Uberti (@DavidUberti) March 10, 2015Access to Clinton's next "presser" will require crossing a bridge guarded by a troll. There will be riddles.
- T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) March 10, 2015