Hillary Clinton reflects on decades of service and how Harris can beat Trump

Transcript

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Amna Nawaz: Former Secretary of State, Senator, first lady, and presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's career in politics and public service spans more than 50 years.

In her new book, "Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty," Clinton looks back on treasured moments in the White House, life since the 2016 election, and America's role on the world stage. She joins me now.

Secretary Clinton, thank you for joining us. It's good to see you.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former U.S. Secretary of State: It's great to be with you too, Amna.

Amna Nawaz: So this is your fifth book since the 2016 election. You opened by quoting probably one of the greatest songs ever written, "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell, tears and fears and feeling proud.

What is it you wanted to convey in this book that you haven't written about yet?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: You know, I have lived both privately and publicly, but this is a book about family and friends and faith and, of course, politics, because, as the song says, I have looked at life, I have looked at love for both sides now, and the title is, as you know, taken from the song as well, something lost, something gained.

Amna Nawaz: You write in the book very candidly and very intimately about what you call the old wounds of 2016 and the election, when you won the popular vote by nearly three million votes, ended up losing the election to Donald Trump.

And I wonder, this summer especially, as Democrats were weighing what to do with their ticket, did any part of you think, I could get back into this, I could do this?

(Laughter)

Hillary Rodham Clinton: Well, I thought I could do it, but I was not going to get back into it.

I was very impressed by President Biden's literally selfless, patriotic decision to withdraw. And once he endorsed the vice president, my husband and I quickly did as well. I am incredibly excited about Kamala Harris as our next president.

I think her campaign has been flawless. She has not only introduced herself to the country again in a way that really connects with people, but she's been drawing a sharp contrast between her and her opponent.

So I wrote an audio epilogue, because, of course, the book was done before all of this happened, that I recorded. And I said, honestly, I was not sure to myself what I would feel when another woman would be so close to finally, finally breaking that big, hard glass ceiling. And I found myself absolutely exhilarated.

And so I'm doing everything I can to help get her elected.

Amna Nawaz: So what do you think? Is America ready to elect a woman president today in 2024 in a way that it seems they weren't back in 2016?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: I think we have learned a lot in the last eight years, and I think many people upon reflection about 2016 understood that we had to break through the double standard, as well as the glass ceiling.

And from what I'm seeing around the country, the people I'm talking to, meeting with on behalf of the campaign, there's an enthusiasm and an urgency, because it's not only about electing someone who I think would be a terrific president on the merits, but stopping someone who could literally undermine our democracy for decades to come.

So there's a really strong positive case to get behind Kamala, to be part of electing our first woman president. Remember, she is our first woman vice president. I mean, think of all the things that were accomplished by the Biden/Harris administration that we sometimes just take for granted.

And we have to stop what is a very dangerous alternative. So I think people are ready, and I hope everyone turns out and demonstrates that by voting for Harris and Walz.

Amna Nawaz: Can I ask you about some of those challenges she is facing, though, just to get your take?

Because Vice President Harris has seen a little bit of softening of support among young men of color, in particular, young Black and Latino men. There was one recent poll that found one in four Black men under 50 said that they planned to vote for Donald Trump. Another poll found 40 percent of Latino men said they would vote for him.

What, to you, explains those numbers?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: Well, as you know so well, there is a big gender divide in our country when it comes to politics. That's been true now for many election seasons.

And the fact is that men of all backgrounds tend to favor the Republican nominee and women tend to favor the Democratic nominee. But I also have seen many polls talking about the overwhelming support she has among young men younger than that, young men younger than 30, who are enthusiastic as well about her candidacy.

But I think it's also important to help draw the contrast, because this is a competition between two people with very, very different ideas about our future. And I still think we have some work to do to make sure that voters, men, women, everyone, know what the stakes are.

I think they have got to understand that one choice will give us options for our future, and one choice literally could end our democracy. And I don't say that in any way of satisfaction, and I don't even think I'm exaggerating. Just listen to what he has said.

Amna Nawaz: And you do write about that in detail in your book as well, your concerns for our country, for our democracy, for the world if Donald Trump were to win again.

But what if he loses? What are your concerns there? Do you worry that there could be another event like January 6?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: No, because he's not in the White House.

There is no doubt that he, in many ways, instigated what happened on January 6. He and his government was reluctant to intervene to protect the people in the Capitol, including members of Congress in the House and Senate. He stood by and watched on television as law enforcement members, the Capitol Police and others were beaten.

Thankfully, we have Joe Biden in the White House. Thankfully, I believe that what we saw on January 6 cannot be happening again. There may be other sorts of disturbances. There will be lots of challenges made to the outcomes of the votes in various states, because Trump and his enablers want to seize power, whether they win it legitimately or not.

But, this time around, he's not in the White House. So I think we don't have to fear a repeat of what we saw, but we have to be ready for whatever other shenanigans they pull to try to prevent the counting of the ballots.

Amna Nawaz: Whoever wins the election is going to inherit a world that seems to many people like it's on fire.

And you write about teaching students at Columbia University as students were processing both the horrific attacks on October 7 in Israel and also then the brutal Israeli response that followed into Gaza. And as we're speaking now, that conflict in the Middle East only seems to grow and escalate.

I wonder how you're looking at that. With the Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon now targeting Hezbollah, does that make it harder to reach a cease-fire in Gaza?

Hillary Rodham Clinton: It does make it harder.

And that's why I'm encouraged that other nations are joining with the United States to push hard for the end of the conflict, both between Israel and Hamas, and now Israel and Hezbollah. This is a very dangerous situation that could tragically get out of control, spark a broader regional conflict.

I think that everyone who has any influence with any of the parties — and that's not just Israel, Hamas, and Hezbollah — it's also Iran, which is the patron for both — its neighbors in the region, everyone needs to exert the maximum diplomatic pressure to see if we can get cease-fires in both conflicts and try to turn our attention to rebuilding Gaza, creating security there for the people, securing Israel's borders, so that they don't live in fear of another October 7.

There's a lot of hard work to be done, but it can't start until the war stops.

Amna Nawaz: You know, Secretary Clinton, you write in the book about how you are reflecting differently at this chapter of your life on the decades of service and work behind you.

And I see you wearing that necklace now with your grandchildren's names around your neck, reflecting part of this new chapter as well. And I wanted to ask you about a moment from this summer at the Democratic National Convention when you took the stage, because there was this sense in the arena of, first of all, just a thunderous standing ovation and a real sense of gratitude from the women I spoke to there, many of whom were crying as you came out to see them there.

There was a sense that, if not for you, that there would be no candidate Harris today. I just wonder how you reflected on that moment, what it meant to you, and how you look at what's next.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: I was literally looking at faces of people who had supported me, who had stood with me, who were there for me.

And I was so emotional in making the connection with them. I had to practice that speech, I think, seven times, because I got really emotional whenever I delivered it in preparation for walking out there. But I felt so strongly, Amna, that this was a moment that needed to unite as many Americans as possible in these divided times to lift people's sights, to think about what's possible, to try to get everyone who has a daughter or a granddaughter or a sister or mother, an aunt to think about the unfinished business of the 21st century.

And I dedicated my book to my grandchildren, with the hope that they and their generation will inherit that better world that I am so determined to try to help bring into being.

Amna Nawaz: The book is "Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty." The author is Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Secretary Clinton, always a pleasure. Thank you so much for your time.

Hillary Rodham Clinton: Thank you so much. I really always enjoy talking to you.