Hillary Clinton downplayed but defended a prominent supporter’s suggestion that “there’s a special place in hell” for women who don’t support Clinton’s presidential bid during an interview Sunday.
Madeleine Albright, who served as secretary of state under former President Bill Clinton, made the remark while introducing Clinton at a campaign event in New Hampshire on Saturday.
Albright has “has been saying this for many, many years,” Clinton said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” Sunday. “She believes it firmly, in part because she knows what a struggle it has been, and she understands the struggle is not over.”
Albright was the first women to serve as the country’s top diplomat. Clinton was the third.
Controversy over the remark highlights a struggle Clinton faces on gender. She touts her candidacy as representative of an ongoing bid by women for equal treatment in the professional world. But Clinton’s campaign also hopes to benefit from preferential treatment from women voting for her because she is female.
Clinton on Sunday called Albright’s statement a “light-hearted, but very pointed remark.”
“There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other,” Albright said while taking issue with women who support the presidential campaign of Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Sanders’ large lead over Clinton among younger voters includes a edge among women. A recent USA Today/Rock the Vote poll found half of Democratic and independent women between 18 and 34 years old Sanders over Clinton. Older women break far more heavily for the former first lady.
Famed feminist writer Gloria Steinem apologized Sunday for a remark about young women who support Sanders that she made in an interview with talk show host Bill Maher on Friday. Steinem suggested women support Sanders to pursue men.
“When you’re young, you’re thinking, ‘Where are the boys?'” she said. “The boys are with Bernie.”
In an apology posted on Facebook, Steinham said she “misspoke” by implying “young women aren’t serious in their politics.”
“Whether they gravitate to Bernie or Hillary, young women are activist and feminist in greater numbers than ever before,” she said.
Clinton, who clapped and laughed at Albright’s remark Saturday, said on “Meet the Press” that she does not “want people to be offended.” But Clinton chalked concerns up to excessive sensitivity.
“Good grief, we’re getting offended by everything these days.” she said. “People can’t say anything without offending somebody.”
