There’s been a lot of buzz today over the question of whether or not Hillary Clinton wore a micro-bud in her ear during the commander in chief forum.
The website TruePundit quoted sources in the NY City Police Department who confirm that Clinton was wearing the device.
Was she?
While Clinton was fielding questions from NBC’s Matt Lauer and the public Wednesday night on live television, a quiet buzz started circulating in New York law enforcement circles about Hillary’s left ear. NYPD sources involved with the NBC forum’s security detail confirm Clinton was wearing an ‘inductive earpiece,” the same technology employed by almost all lead Broadway actors to receive forgotten lines and stealth off-stage cues from directors. The flesh-colored earbud is easily concealed. There are no wires running directly to the ear like you see with the units employed by Secret Service protection detail personnel.
The skin-tone piece Clinton was wearing, however, was somewhat different from the standard issued stealth earpiece and is much different in appearance from a hearing aid. This unit is considered a “micro” earbud which contains all the technology but is a fraction of the size with a very high price tag. In fact, most of the units this size, approximately 3mm or comparable to a small pearl stud earring, are normally issued to law enforcement or corporate security teams, sources said. At a size that small, the earbud is designed to sit inside the opening of the ear canal, almost invisible to anyone. However, the unit does move and shift along with its wearer and at times can slightly pop out of the canal and require a quick readjustment, experts said.
Ironically, the revelation that Clinton was wearing such a unit might have only been recognized because of astute NYPD officers attached to her security detail who are accustomed to seeing the stealth apparatus at stage shows, conventions and security personnel of VIPs and international dignitaries at the United nations and elsewhere in the five boroughs. Likewise, NYPD detectives employ a parallel technology to communicate during undercover Ops.
Recall the brouhaha in 2004 over George Bush’s supposed device allowing him to receive answers from his staff. As the Bush campaign did then, the Clinton campaign denies the allegations.
The frenzied Internet speculation was a throwback to accusations George W. Bush faced after debates in the 2004 campaign that he was wearing a device that may or may not have been used to feed him answers – after photos appeared to show a bulge under the back of his suit jacket.
Bush officials rejected the speculation at the time, and Clinton officials now are doing the same.
In both cases, the candidates had to contend with suspicious-looking photographs. True Pundit published a zoomed-in image of Clinton’s left ear showing a shiny reflection purported to be a stealth communications device.
The site claimed to be quoting NYPD sources involved in the forum’s security detail. True Pundit reported that such technology could be used to receive cues from a long distance.
But Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill said what is seen in the photo is merely a reflection of the TV lights or a flash.
Both Clinton and Trump were dealing with fallout Thursday from the forum, which essentially served as a warm-up to the presidential debates that begin later this month.
With the klieg lights shining on the candidates, it’s impossible to say if what looks like an ear bud isn’t just the light reflection off the skin of the inner ear, which is slightly moist.
Perhaps we should ask Matt Lauer to frisk the candidates before the debates and check their ears. He would be up to that task, unlike the job he did as moderator last night for which he has received almost universal condemnation for his performance.
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