Is she losing her mind?
In the course of the 2016 electoral cycle, Hillary Clinton found pride in identifying Republicans as adversaries she successfully engaged with. Yet, a shift in her tone is evident now, hinting at a certain envy towards their relentless determination.
In a recent dialogue concerning Democratic shortcomings in defending Roe v. Wade, Clinton, aged 76, expressed dissatisfaction, noting a deficiency in the Democratic Party’s steadfastness compared to the unwavering persistence of the right wing.
Acknowledging the right’s resilience, she remarked to the New York Times, “One thing I give the right credit for is they never give up. They are relentless. You know, they take a loss, they get back up, they regroup, they raise more money.” She lauded their operational efficiency, lamenting the absence of a similar force within her own party.
A chorus of Democrats has echoed similar sentiments over time. Figures like Senator Sheldon Whitehouse have criticized conservative institutions like the Federalist Society for their influence in promoting conservative judicial appointments.
Reflecting on the run-up to the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Clinton indicted her party for complacency. She asserted, “We didn’t take it seriously, and we didn’t understand the threat.” She highlighted a failure to recognize the existential battle for the nation’s future.
Since then, Democrats have make abortion rights their top priority as a central issue for the upcoming presidential cycle, while some Republicans have displayed a softened stance on the matter.
Clinton’s reflections come ahead of the publication of “The Fall of Roe: The Rise of a New America,” a forthcoming book authored by Elizabeth Dias and Lisa Lerer, scheduled for release on June 4.
Recalling her unsuccessful presidential bid in 2016, Clinton recalled warning her party about the peril to Roe v. Wade, only to be be represented as an “alarmist.” Her defeat allowed former President Donald Trump to make significant Supreme Court appointments, including filling the vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia.
Furthermore, she revealed previous attempts by Democrats to encourage Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to retire during the Obama administration, while they still had Senate control. However, Ginsburg declined, and subsequent Republican victories in the Senate altered the court’s balance.
Clinton emphasized the gravity of the 2024 election cycle, suggesting it to be “existential.” She cautioned that failure to make the right decision could result in perpetual governance by a minority of right-wing forces, leading to regression on women’s rights.
Reflecting on her loss, Clinton criticized former FBI director James Comey’s eleventh-hour letter regarding her email server investigation, attributing her loss of female voters to it. She contrasted the willingness of some voters to overlook Trump’s flaws with the unforgiving scrutiny she faced as a woman in the public eye.