Yesterday, former secretary of state Madeleine Albright made waves when she took the Taylor Swift approach to introducing Hillary Clinton (or the Swift via Katie Couric via Albright approach. Whatever). “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other,” Albright told a crowd in New Hampshire.
“People are talking about revolution. What kind of a revolution would it be to have the first woman president of the United States?,” Albright asked the enthusiastic crowd (The Guardian notes that the crowd was not bothered by Albright’s framing, but chanted “Madam President!”). Albright continued:
Young women have to support Hillary Clinton. The story is not over! They’re going to want to push us back. Appointments to the supreme court make all the difference.
It’s not done and you have to help. Hillary Clinton will always be there for you. And just remember, there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.
Perhaps Albright’s comments would have gone unnoticed—chalked up as typical hyperbolic campaign speak or ignored as a turn of phrase that Albright regularly uses—if Gloria Steinem hadn’t already gone viral with her disparaging remarks about young women and Bernie Sanders.
Today, Hillary Clinton defended Albright’s comments on NBC’s Meet the Press, describing it as a “light-hearted but very pointed remark.” Clinton continued:
Madeline has been saying this for many, many years. She believes it firmly, in part because she knows what a struggle it has been, and she understands the struggle is not over.
Clinton added that Albright, who was the first woman to serve as secretary of state—has “a life experience that I respect.” The full interview is here.
Meanwhile, Bernie Sanders appeared on CNN where he was asked about so-called Bernie Bros. He called the online misogynistic behavior “disgusting,” adding, “we don’t want that crap.” Sanders continued: “Anyone who’s supporting me and doing sexist things, we don’t want them. We don’t want them. That is not what this campaign is about.”
Is New Hampshire officially the state where all hell breaks loose in the Democratic primary?
Image via AP.