Saturday, November 3, 2007
Hillary: It's Not a Girl Thing
Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that her status as the Democratic presidential front-runner - not her gender - has led her male primary rivals to intensify their criticism of her.
"I don't think they're piling on because I'm a woman. I think they're piling on because I'm winning," Clinton told reporters after filing paperwork to appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot.
"I anticipate it's going to get even hotter, and if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. I'm very much at home in the kitchen," she said.
The New York senator's comments came three days after a televised debate in which her six male opponents challenged her character, electability and apparent unwillingness to answer tough questions.
Her campaign reacted strongly to what it called "piling on." One fundraising e-mail it sent out called Clinton "one tough woman" and decried the "six on one" nature of the debate criticism. Clinton herself referred to the "all boys club of presidential politics" in a speech at Wellesley College Thursday.
Clinton spoke to reporters outside the office of New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who has the sole authority to set the date for the state's primary.
Gardner has indicated it will be no later than Jan. 8, rather than the planned date of Jan. 22 because Michigan and Florida have taken steps to move their contests up.
Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that her status as the Democratic presidential front-runner - not her gender - has led her male primary rivals to intensify their criticism of her.
"I don't think they're piling on because I'm a woman. I think they're piling on because I'm winning," Clinton told reporters after filing paperwork to appear on the New Hampshire primary ballot.
"I anticipate it's going to get even hotter, and if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. I'm very much at home in the kitchen," she said.
The New York senator's comments came three days after a televised debate in which her six male opponents challenged her character, electability and apparent unwillingness to answer tough questions.
Her campaign reacted strongly to what it called "piling on." One fundraising e-mail it sent out called Clinton "one tough woman" and decried the "six on one" nature of the debate criticism. Clinton herself referred to the "all boys club of presidential politics" in a speech at Wellesley College Thursday.
Clinton spoke to reporters outside the office of New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who has the sole authority to set the date for the state's primary.
Gardner has indicated it will be no later than Jan. 8, rather than the planned date of Jan. 22 because Michigan and Florida have taken steps to move their contests up.
