Clinton compares email attacks to White House controversies

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton today again defended her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, comparing the multiple investigations to Republican-led probes into her husband's administration more than two decades ago.
"It is like a drip, drip, drip. And that's why I said, there's only so much that I can control," she said in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I can't predict to you what the Republicans will come up with, what kind of, you know, charges or claims they might make."
Clinton likened the inquiries into her correspondence to controversies like that over the Whitewater land deal that trailed her husband's campaign and much of his administration, saying that voters in New York elected her to the Senate despite years of political questions.

"During the '90s, I was subjected to the same kind of barrage. And it was, it seemed to be at the time, endless," she said. "When I ran for the Senate, people said, 'Hey, we are more concerned about what you're going to do for us.' And I trust the voters to make that decision this time around too."
The historical comparison marks a new line of defense for Clinton, who has seen her poll numbers fall amid lingering questions about her email usage. Republicans have linked the email issue to past controversies involving the former first lady in an effort to instill doubts among voters about whether she is trustworthy. The email controversy has been a distraction for her presidential campaign in which she faces an unexpectedly strong challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

In a separate interview with CNN released on Saturday, former President Bill Clinton also equated the current investigations being conducted by congressional Republicans and federal agencies with questions faced by his administration.
"This is just something that has been a regular feature of all our presidential campaigns, except in 2008 for unique reasons," Clinton said. "Ever since Watergate, something like this happens." He added: "We're seeing history repeat itself."
Earlier this week, newly discovered email correspondence between Clinton and retired Gen. David Petraeus when he headed the military's U.S. Central Command, raised fresh questions about whether she truly provided to the government a full record of her work-related correspondence as secretary of state.