thank you for pointing to the NYT article, I saw it but didn't read it. I read it now and see this little tidbit:

Behind the scenes, the Obama administration encouraged Europe’s hard-line approach, in meetings with Ms. Merkel and her counterpart in Rome, Matteo Renzi, Italy’s prime minister at the time.

After Ms. Merkel initially extended a warm welcome to the newcomers, Mr. Obama told her in late 2015 that if she didn’t take a tougher, but necessary, stance, she and the European Union would be through.

“Angela, you’ve got to get real or it’s over,” Mr. Obama said, according to a person with knowledge of the conversation, who added that Ms. Merkel responded, “Barack, I can’t believe I’m agreeing with you.

In October 2016, Mr. Obama had a similar message for Mr. Renzi, who had become a liberal model in Europe for his humanitarian approach to migrants.

During a meeting at the White House in October 2016, Mr. Obama told him “you must put a limit,” on the numbers he took in, according to a person who was present at the meeting.

A spokesman for Mr. Obama declined to comment.

Yet in practice, Ms. Merkel and Mr. Renzi and their centrist counterparts needed little encouragement.

from Clinton Wants Europe to Get Tough on Migration. It Already Has. 

by Jason Horowitz & Patrick Kingsley, Nov. 23

I have no doubt Hillary knows all of this. She's saying what she's saying now with a specific political effect in mind, whatever that is. Therefore, I wouldn't say "poor Hillary".