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Hillary Clinton hits back at Republican criticism over Benghazi attack Hillary Clinton hits back at Republican criticism over Benghazi attack
(35 minutes later)
Hillary Clinton has hit back at Republican criticism of her handling of the deadly terrorist attacks in Benghazi by suggesting it has emboldened her to run for president.Hillary Clinton has hit back at Republican criticism of her handling of the deadly terrorist attacks in Benghazi by suggesting it has emboldened her to run for president.
The former US secretary of state said she will not make a final decision about whether to stand for the 2016 nomination for at least another seven months, but in an interview to mark the start of a book tour which is being seen as a soft-launch of her 2016 campaign, Clinton said the various Congressional inquiries instigated by Republicans into the attack in the Libyan city were spurring her to run for the White House. The former US secretary of state said she will not make a final decision about whether to stand for the 2016 nomination for at least another seven months, but in an interview to mark the start of a book tour which is being seen as a soft launch of her 2016 campaign, Clinton said the various congressional inquiries instigated by Republicans into the attack in the Libyan city were spurring her to run for the White House.
Speaking to ABC News, Clinton abandoned her previously defensive stance on the Benghazi attack in which US ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. She used a baseball metaphor to belittle the inquiries as "minor league ball".Speaking to ABC News, Clinton abandoned her previously defensive stance on the Benghazi attack in which US ambassador Chris Stevens was killed. She used a baseball metaphor to belittle the inquiries as "minor league ball".
She added: "It's more of a reason to run, because I do not believe our great country should be playing minor league ball. We ought to be in the majors. I view this as really apart from even a diversion from the hard work that the Congress should be doing about the problems facing our country and the world."She added: "It's more of a reason to run, because I do not believe our great country should be playing minor league ball. We ought to be in the majors. I view this as really apart from even a diversion from the hard work that the Congress should be doing about the problems facing our country and the world."
Clinton devotes a chapter of her new book, Hard Choices, to the Benghazi attack in which she is unrepentant in the face of Republican hostility the about the way the Obama administration changed its account of what happened. Clinton devotes a chapter of her new book, Hard Choices, to the Benghazi attack in which she is unrepentant in the face of Republican hostility and about the way the Obama administration changed its account of what happened.
"I will not be a part of a political slugfest on the backs of dead Americans," Clinton writes. "I will not be a part of a political slugfest on the backs of dead Americans," Clinton writes. Republicans have questioned Clinton's response to the attacks and whether she could have done more to secure the diplomatic compounds.
Republicans have questioned Clinton's response to the attacks and whether she could have done more to secure the diplomatic compounds.
In the 635-page book Clinton portrays herself as a pragmatic diplomat.In the 635-page book Clinton portrays herself as a pragmatic diplomat.
She admits she "got it wrong" by voting in favour of the Iraq war, a stance exploited by Barack Obama when he pipped the former first lady for the Democratic nomination in 2008. Clinton says she should have admitted this sooner. "I should have stated my regret sooner and in the plainest, most direct language possible," she writes. She admits she "got it wrong" by voting in favour of the Iraq war, a stance exploited by Barack Obama when he pipped the former first lady for the Democratic nomination in 2008. Clinton says she should have admitted this sooner. "I should have stated my regret sooner and in the plainest, most direct language possible," she writes.
Reflecting on her failed presidential run in 2008, Clinton told ABC that her campaign had a poor strategy and suggested she would learn from her mistakes. Reflecting on her failed presidential run in 2008, Clinton told ABC that her campaign had a poor strategy and suggested she would learn from her mistakes. "If I were to decide to pursue it, I would be working as hard as any underdog," Clinton said.
"If I were to decide to pursue it, I would be working as hard as any underdog," Clinton said.
In the interview, Clinton said her family struggled with legal bills and debt when she and her husband left the White House in early 2001. She claimed the Clintons were "dead broke" at the time despite the prospect of book deals and speaking tours.In the interview, Clinton said her family struggled with legal bills and debt when she and her husband left the White House in early 2001. She claimed the Clintons were "dead broke" at the time despite the prospect of book deals and speaking tours.
The claim prompted criticism that she is out of touch with ordinary Americans facing genuine financial hardship. Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus tweeted, "How out of touch is Hillary Clinton when 'dead broke' = mansions & massive speaking fees?" The claim prompted criticism that she is out of touch with ordinary Americans facing genuine financial hardship. Republican national committee chairman Reince Priebus tweeted, "How out of touch is Hillary Clinton when 'dead broke' = mansions & massive speaking fees?"
Clinton told ABC's Diane Sawyer that she would wish Monica Lewinsky "well," but said she had moved on from her husband's affair with the White House intern while he served as president. Clinton told ABC's Diane Sawyer that she would wish Monica Lewinsky well, but said she had moved on from her husband's affair with the White House intern while he served as president. "I hope that she is able to think about her future and construct a life that she finds meaning and satisfaction in," Clinton said a month after Vanity Fair magazine published a first-person account from Lewinsky.
"I hope that she is able to think about her future and construct a life that she finds meaning and satisfaction in," Clinton said a month after Vanity Fair magazine published a first-person account from Lewinsky. In the book Clinton portrays herself as discreet and loyal, revealing that she did not tell her husband about the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden. And she is teasing about her own presidential ambitious, describing the upcoming decision as "another hard choice".
In the book Clinton portrays herself as discreet and loyal, revealing that she did not tell her husband Bill about the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden. And she is teasing about her own presidential ambitious, describing the upcoming decision as a "another hard choice". She suggested to ABC that she would make the decision after the end of the book tour. She said: "I'm going to decide when it feels right for me to decide … certainly not before then [the end of 2014]. I just want to kind of get through this year, travel around the country, sign books, help in the midterm elections in the fall, and then take a deep breath and kind of go through my pluses and minuses about what I will, and will not, be thinking about as I make the decision."
She suggested to ABC that she would make the decision after the end of the book tour. She said: "I'm going to decide when it feels right for me to decide … certainly not before then [the end of 2014]. I just want to kind of get through this year, travel around the country, sign books, help in the midterm elections in the fall, and then take a deep breath and kind of go through my pluses and minuses about what I will, and will not, be thinking about as I make the decision."