Not by default.
You could email the Sec — “Are you free for lunch?” and that wouldn’t be classified.
One type of classified info is classified strictly by its own contents: “No guards available for embassy duty tonight. If the enemy attacks between 12 and 4 AM we are totally screwed. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen.” that would be very sensitive info.
Other information becomes classified if aggregated:
Message #1 — “Nuclear Launch codes shifted to computer code-named OMEGA” — possibly not classified because this is not really actionable information by itself — knowing the name gives you nothing.
Message #2 — “Computer named OMEGA has IP address 11.111.111.111. It’s the one in rm 307 in building 1784. Have a great day.” — in normal circumstances, this info might not be interesting. The location of computer? Who cares? But combined with the previous message, this becomes highly classified.
People in Hillary’s position know all of this. They are trained regularly. One piece of email may be fine. A second piece of email may also be fine. But put them together, and it’s a big deal. This is PRECISELY why an uncontrolled email server with stuff coming and going willy-nilly is strictly against the rules. You CANNOT ever say that nothing classified was on it. Because the aggregate of information is not under your control. It’s a straightup vulnerability.
Put another way, some people seem to think that something “becomes” classified because it gets marked classified. This is simply not the case. Classified information IS classified because of its sensitivity. Just a simple fact. Now, to make life easier for people, documents can be stamped TOP SECRET and emails can be flagged as SENSITIVE and that’s all great. But these things were classified before they were stamped or flagged. The sensitivity comes first. Then — because they are sensitive and classified — they should get marked.
But the markings are tools. They are not a determining factor as to whether or not something cannot be revealed to the enemy.
If I have a document which states that the US is bluffing and will not actually consider carrying out the attack which it is threatening tpo carry out — that’s just flatout bad information to reveal to the enemy. Doesn’t matter if I forgot to stamp it CLASSIFIED. The information is classified no matter what I did or did not do.
Well, I should think that asking the question would be OK on an unsecured circuit.
But on the other hand, if the SECSTATE should answer over the same circuit and give details about her personal schedule, then the info probably should be classified and encrypted, due to the potential for a terrorist, an enemy agent or a plain old-fashioned kidnapper to track and attack her during the lunch hour.
Listen fools Hilary was the official so its all ok