Clinton takes “personal responsibility” for her loss, says “but I was on the way to winning” before Comey letter and Wikileaks interference.
2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was interviewed at a Women for Women International event this afternoon, and during the interview, she said that she would have won the election if it were not for the interference of Russia and FBI Director James Comey.
During the conference, Christiane Amanpour asked Hillary Clinton if she believes misogyny played a role in the 2016 election result. Clinton smirked and said that yes, it definitely played a role, although she pointed to other factors as well.
“It is real, it is very much a part of the landscape, politically, socially and economically…” Clinton said of misogyny. “…Yes, it was a role in this election.”
Hillary Clinton says misogyny played a role in her 2016 loss and warns not to “go backwards” on gender equality t.co/s6zk2Rkj2K
Clinton said that the Donald Trump campaign’s goals seemed to line up perfectly with the goals of Vladimir Putin.
“If you chart my opponent and his campaign and his statements, they quite coordinate with the goals of that leader who shall remain nameless,” Clinton said, with the leader she was talking about being Putin.
Clinton: “If you chart my opponent and his campaign’s statements, they quite coordinated with the goals [of Putin]”
When asked if she takes any personal responsibility for the election loss, Clinton said that she does.
“Of course, I take absolute personal responsibility,” she said. “I was the candidate. I was the person who was on the ballot. I am very aware of the challenges, the problems, the shortfalls that we had.”
However, Clinton went on to say that she likely would have won the election if it were not for the actions of the Russians and of FBI Director James Comey.
“The reason why I believe we lost is the intervening events in the last 10 days,” Clinton said.
Clinton said that her message of adding onto what President Obama accomplished wasn’t as “exciting” as Donald Trump’s message of throwing everything out and starting over again.
Hillary Clinton was also asked what message it would have sent overseas if she were elected as the first female president.
“I think it would have been a really big deal,” Clinton said. “…Partly here at home, there were important messages that that could have sent to our daughters, granddaughters and sons, but I think especially internationally…”
Outside of the election discussion, Christiane Amanpour asked Hillary Clinton for her thoughts on Donald Trump saying he would be honored to meet with Kim Jong-un. Clinton said that negotiations with countries like North Korea are critical but that Donald Trump’s approach seems to be impulsive and lacking strategy.
“I take this threat very seriously,” but U.S. cannot alone put pressure on North Korea, Clinton says t.co/T5uqoA85rO
“Negotiations are critical, but they have to be part of a broader strategy, not just thrown up as part of a tweet one morning,” Clinton said.
Christiane Amanpour then asked Clinton about whether she supported the Syrian air strike and whether she thinks it made much of a difference.
“I didn’t publicly support it because that wasn’t my role, but I did support it,” Clinton said. “But I’m not convinced that it really made much of a difference. I’m not sure what kind of potentially backroom deals were made with the Russians.”
Hillary Clinton on the Syria strike: “I don’t know what kind of potentially back room deals were made with the Russians.” —via @MSNBC
Finally, Clinton revealed that she is writing a book right now about the campaign, which will come out in the fall.
“It is a painful process reliving the campaign,” Clinton said.