Looking to shore up the women’s vote for Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State Madeline Albright repeated one of her often-used themes: “There’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other,” she said at a Clinton rally on Saturday in New Hampshire.
Gloria Steinem, the notable feminist, also spent the weekend stumping for Mrs. Clinton, telling comedian Bill Maher on his late-night TV show the reason why young women are supporting Vermont Senator Bernard Sanders over Mrs. Clinton is because “men tend to get more conservative because they gain power as they age and women get more radical because they lose power as they age.”
She continued to explain of the young-female Sanders’ supporter: “When you’re young, you’re thinking ’Where are the boys?’ the boys are with Bernie.”
Both comments were immediately met with criticisms, with many saying Ms. Steinem’s remarks implied the only reason why young females were attracted to Mr. Sanders’s campaign was to pick up boys.
Ms. Steinem apologized on her Facebook page, saying her comments were “talk-show Interruptus.”
“I misspoke on the Bill Maher show recently, and apologize for what’s been misinterpreted as implying young women aren’t serious in their politics,” Ms. Steinem wrote.
On Sunday, Mrs. Clinton defended her surrogates, saying in an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Ms. Albright’s words were a “lighthearted but very pointed remark, which people can take however they choose.”
Mrs. Clinton explained how the fight for women’s rights isn’t over, and millennials need to be cognizant and appreciative of all the progress that’s been made to this day from the women before them.
“I think what she [Albright] was trying to do, what she’s done in every setting I’ve ever seen her in going back 20-plus years, was to remind you women, particularly, that you know, this struggle, which many of us have been part of, is not over,” Mrs. Clinton said.
Mr. Sanders hit back – saying gender shouldn’t play a part in electing the next president of the United States.
“Well, look, I think that is an unfortunate statement,” Mr. Sanders said of Ms. Albright’s comments, Sunday in Concord, New Hampshire. “Women should help women, women should help men, men should help women, men should help men, that’s what life is about. We’re now talking about electing the President of the United States and people should make their decision based on who they think can do the job best.”
In Iowa last week, women 29-and-younger voted by a 6-to-1 margin for Mr. Sanders over Mrs. Clinton, according to polling conducted by the Associated Press. In advance of Tuesday’s New Hampshire primary, polls have shown Mr. Sanders holds a dominate lead among young women as well. Mrs. Clinton does better attracting votes from women her own age, the polling shows.
• Kelly Riddell can be reached at kriddell@washingtontimes.com.
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