Thomas Reuters
Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shudders at the idea of running for office again.
Hillary Clinton has been laying relatively low since losing the 2016 presidential election in November.But during an interview with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof at the Women in the World summit Thursday, Clinton spoke candidly on a number of topics, including her loss to Donald Trump, which she attributed in part to Russia's interference and an entrenched culture of misogyny, how she's coping, and what she has planned for the future.
She said that a lot of her work on her forthcoming book involves her "wrestling with" why misogyny played such a large role in her loss.
"I think in this election there was a very real struggle between what is viewed as change that is welcomed and exciting to so many Americans and change which is worrisome and threatening to so many others," Clinton said. "Layer on the first woman president over that and I think some people, women included, had real problems."
Clinton, like many of those who voted for her, didn't expect to lose the election.
"I thought I was going to win, and I had a really good transition operation going," she said at the summit. "Remember that point in one of the debates when my opponent was ridiculing me yet again for having prepared for the debate. And I said, 'Yes, I did prepare for the debate. And I'll tell you something else I prepared for: being president.'"
All things considered, Clinton said she's doing "pretty well."
"You know, the aftermath of the election was so devastating, and everything that has come to light in the days and weeks since have been also troubling. So I just had to make up my mind that, yes, I was going to get out of bed and, yes, I was going to go for a lot of long walks in the woods."
Clinton said she's spent the past few months spending time with her family and friends "who have rallied around me in an amazing way."
"I will put it this way: As a person I'm ok. As an American I'm pretty worried," Clinton said. "So I will take off my person hat and put on my citizen hat, and there's a lot to be concerned about."
Clinton said she is focused right now on "trying to find some interesting things to do" that will allow her to use her talents for good, including working to get more women into politics, helping Democrats take back the congress, and supporting organizations that help kids that have faced difficulties in their lives.
"I am passionate about the unfinished business of the 21st century, the rights and the opportunities for women and girls, so I think I have a lot to do."
When asked whether she would run for office again, Clinton responded with a shudder and then laughed off the followup question of whether she'd ever be 'Mayor Clinton.'
In response to another followup question, she said: "I am looking at doing interesting things - I don't think that will ever include running for office again, as interesting as I find that to be because I think you can have a big influence. But I think that there are lots of ways to make difference, to work in all sectors in of our society -the for-profits, the not-for-profits - looking for ways that you can help people live their own lives better, tell their own stories better."