Hillary Clinton joined PBS’s Amanpour and Company on Thursday to preview the Clinton Presidential Center’s upcoming summit on the status of women’s rights around the world. For the former Secretary of State, the state of women’s rights in Iran, in Afghanistan under the Taliban, and in Ukraine where Russian soldiers use rape as a weapon is analogous to Arkansas, where pro-lifers run the state government. For host Christiane Amanpour, this was a completely normal thing to say.
Amanpour began the interview by asking Clinton her thoughts on the “unfinished business” of women’s rights.
This led Clinton to proclaim that much progress has been made, “But we are also in a period of time where there is a lot of pushback and much of the progress that has been, I think, taken for granted by too many people is under attack. Literally under attack in places like Iran or Afghanistan or Ukraine where rape is a tactic of war, or under attacks by political and cultural forces in a country like our own when it comes to women's health care and bodily autonomy.”
Instead of halting the conversation because one of those things is not like the others, Amanpour wanted to focus on pro-lifers, “We're going to go around the world with you in a second. But first, about -- precisely what you're talking about and where you are. Arkansas itself, I believe, rapidly moved to make a woman's right to choose illegal in your state or your former home state and you are hosting this conference. Talk to me about the confluence of both these events. This pushback on American women's rights at the same time as you're trying to figure a way forward.”
After using the opportunity to promote the summit, Clinton expressed some hope over “what we've seen particularly since the Dobbs decision across our country is that when voters, both men and women, but led by women have a chance to vote on these draconian abortion restrictions. They do not accept them. They overturned them. They certainly want to limit the reach of the government into the most intimate, private parts of our life.”
Following some more self-promotion, Amanpour lamented that the two were even having this conversation in 2022, “But, I mean, how much persuasion can we expect when it comes to our -- and I'm speaking as a woman, basic rights. Whether it's in the United States or around the world. As you said, they are human rights. At what point should these be enshrined even in the American law and Constitution even. I mean, I'm probably exaggerating. But it's extraordinary in 2022 that this basic right of women, half the world's population is still at risk.”
Clinton responded by hyping the recently passed gay marriage bill, before turning to abortion-related fearmongering, “So, we'll see what happens in states like Arkansas and so many others when we face real world problems. As we have seen already where women with miscarriages go in for medical care and are turned away. When maybe, God forbid, a woman dies because that health care is denied her.”
If those women are being denied medical care, it isn’t because of the laws. It’s because people like Clinton and Amanpour misrepresent them leading to unnecessary panic.
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Here is a transcript for the December 1-taped show:
PBS Amanpour and Company
12/2/2022
1:03 AM ET
CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: And Hillary Clinton is joining me now for an exclusive interview from the Clinton Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Welcome to our program. And, you know, that was such a rousing statement you made that I think took the world by surprise when you said it in Beijing. And I just wonder when you hear it again and you see what's happening now to women around the world, what do you think as you say, unfinished business?
HILLARY CLINTON: Well, what I think, Christiane, is that we have come a long way si I made that statement back in 1995 on so many fronts. But we are also in a period of time where there is a lot of pushback and much of the progress that has been, I think, taken for granted by too many people is under attack. Literally under attack in places like Iran or Afghanistan or Ukraine where rape is a tactic of war, or under attacks by political and cultural forces in a country like our own when it comes to women's health care and bodily autonomy.
AMANPOUR: We're going to go around the world with you in a second. But first, about -- precisely what you're talking about and where you are. Arkansas itself, I believe, rapidly moved to make a woman's right to choose illegal in your state or your former home state and you are hosting this conference. Talk to me about the confluence of both these events. This pushback on American women's rights at the same time as you're trying to figure a way forward.
CLINTON: Well, you're absolutely right. We are here at the Clinton Presidential Center. With an exhibit that is just astonishing and the breadth and depth of its look at the history of the fight for the vote. To raise our voices. To claim our rights. And I think that's a conversation that should happen everywhere.
Not just with people who agree with you. But we have work to do to try to defend our rights, to stand up for them. And what we've seen particularly since the Dobbs decision across our country is that when voters, both men and women, but led by women have a chance to vote on these draconian abortion restrictions. They do not accept them. They overturned them. They certainly want to limit the reach of the government into the most intimate, private parts of our life.
So, I'm thrilled to be back in Arkansas. It's a state that means a great deal to me. It's where I got married. It's where my daughter was born. I have so many friends. And the Clinton Presidential Center is a real source of bringing people together and talking about tough, difficult issues because we have to continue talking and listening to each other.
There will be, I hope, opportunities for us to really learn about how we can move forward instead of being pushed back. And so, we will be here at the summit tomorrow. The exhibit will be up into the late spring but we're going to keep the conversation going here and everywhere we have a chance.
AMANPOUR: So, let me ask you about that because, you know, keep the conversation going. Persuade everybody, et cetera. But, I mean, how much persuasion can we expect when it comes to our -- and I'm speaking as a woman, basic rights. Whether it's in the United States or around the world.
As you said, they are human rights. At what point should these be enshrined even in the American law and Constitution even. I mean, I'm probably exaggerating. But it's extraordinary in 2022 that this basic right of women, half the world's population is still at risk.
CLINTON: Well, you're right and it's why the United States Congress just this week passed a federal law protecting the right of gay marriage, the right of interracial marriage. To try to enshrine at least a federal right to those fundamental human rights. And I think we have to have that conversation going because, as you could see, with that vote in the Senate, I think, a dozen Republicans voted with all the Democrats. That would not have happened 10 years, 20 years ago. I know.
So, in a democracy when things don't go your way, when you suffer setbacks, you need to remember that there is no permanent political victory or defeat. You have to keep fighting for these fundamental rights. You have to try to enshrine them in law as best you can. And in our system, at both the federal and the state level.
So, we'll see what happens in states like Arkansas and so many others when we face real world problems. As we have seen already where women with miscarriages go in for medical care and are turned away. When maybe, God forbid, a woman dies because that health care is denied her. I just believe that the fervor of the interests that are saying there should be absolutely no choice for women in half the states or more of our country will run right up against reality.
As it has in elections in Kansas and Kentucky and Montana, California, and Michigan, where voters got to vote on these extreme measures or trying to prevent them from ever being imposed in their states. And right now, it's obvious that, you know, the great majority of Americans believe the Supreme Court, local states, legislatures, et cetera have gone way too far.
