This is seriously one of the cutest photos I’ve ever seen of Hillary Clinton. And I’m saying that as someone who loathes turquoise jewelry. Hillary covers this week’s issue of People Mag for several reasons. The first and most obvious reason is that she’s promoting her new book/memoir, Hard Choices. She’s already given excerpts to Politico and Vogue, and I’m sure it will be a bestseller. But sales are not the point. The point is the rebranding of Hillary Clinton, from wonkish, bookish, neoconservative-leaning senator to… grandmother, women’s rights advocate and someone who wears hot pink and turquoise jewelry on the cover of People Mag.
Grandma in Chief? Becoming a grandmother in the fall could influence Hillary Clinton’s decision-making – and not just which carseat to buy (though there’s that, too). After stepping down as Secretary of State in 2013 and enjoying her first free time in a long time, Clinton is now pondering another run for the White House.
“I know I have a decision to make,” she recently told PEOPLE in her first at-home interview since the end of husband Bill’s presidency in January 2001. “But part of what I’ve been thinking about, is everything I’m interested in and everything I enjoy doing – and with the extra added joy of ‘I’m about to become a grandmother,’ I want to live in the moment. At the same time I am concerned about what I see happening in the country and in the world.”
Before Clinton left public life after more than two decades, she fantasized out loud about finally getting to sleep in. How’d that go? “Oh, my gosh. I slept in to probably 8 o’clock,” she said with a chuckle. “That’s good, huh?”
Clinton provided a glimpse into her life as a private citizen these past 16 months, even dishing on organizing her closets and binge-watching TV?
“Oh, that was good, too,” she said, describing a little self-consciously how she and her husband Bill, “totally binge-watched the first season of House of Cards. Part of the appeal, she explained, was “a little bit of the, ‘Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe we can just sit here and do this’ and ‘We’re only going to watch one episode, oh, let’s watch another. Okay, well, we have time, we’re not going anywhere, let’s watch a third.’ I know that sounds kind of devoid of content.” But, she adds, “It wasn’t like I was just lying around trying to catch up on 20 years of lost sleep.”
With her name (and daughter Chelsea’s) now alongside Bill’s on the Clinton Foundation, Hillary has been pursuing meaty projects to stop elephant poaching in Africa (and the illegal ivory trade that funds terror groups), improve the global status of women and girls and promote education.
“I’m just too active and involved,” she said. “But what I’ve loved is having my own schedule.”
This is a cute interview, right? The idea of a newly-retired Hillary Clinton binge-watching episodes of House of Cards in between organizing her closet… well, I believe it. But this interview also made me a little bit sad. I’m quite sure she’s going to run in 2016, but I think she’s going to make that decision under outside pressure. While I like and respect Hillary, I do have to ask her supporters (and the people organizing her presidential run on her behalf): why aren’t her accomplishments enough? She’s been FLOTUS, a senator and Secretary of State. She doesn’t “need” the presidency to be a groundbreaking leader. She already IS a groundbreaking leader. Let her enjoy her retirement for a few years and let her enjoy her grandbaby before she’s badgered into running.
Photos courtesy of WENN, cover courtesy of People.
I love her. That is my personal opinion. And for me sleeping in until 8am sounds about right.
How exactly is being a FLOTUS an achievement?
I mean, I know that aout of all the FLOTUS-es she championed the biggest things, but being the wife ot the man in power isn’t the same as being in power.
i think its because a man doesnt get to that position of power without some serious team strategizing and hard work with his wife (or family) – its an accomplishment for both of them and although Bill had the title, no one doubted it was largely because of her and that they are a mega-power couple.
I still think Hillary could be known as much more than someone’s wife. She was the secretary, but people mostly think of her as a former FLOTUS.
Here, the politician’s personal life doesn’t matter in the campaign. I think we saw our First Lady maybe 3 times since the inaguration.
I think that Hillary enjoys politics because she has always been involved in it. She is uber qualified to be our president for all that she can bring to the table. We will be lucky to have her, if she does.
I want her to run. She should’ve won the last time she ran. She was the ideal candidate IMO!
I second that. I wish she had won the first time around so she wouldn’t have to go through another brutal primary and/or presidential battle. I’m a liberal who has become very disillusioned with the Democratic Party and what it has become. I think the Clintons would give me a bit of hope that the Democratic Party can return to its former glory. The 90s under Bill Clinton seem so great in comparison to what this country has had to go through since Bill Clinton left office. I think a lot of Americans feel the same way.
Even Donald Trump likes Hillary, right? THAT’S something!
I’m a liberal who has grown to strongly dislike the Dem party. I would love to see a female president, but would prefer Elizabeth Warren (a TRUE Liberal) over Hillary. Sure, she doesn’t have the familiar last name but Liz has guts and tenacity to boot.
TOK, I’m with you on preferring Elizabeth Warren. Not sure if she would be any less polarizing than Hillary, however.
ETA, oops, posted in the wrong spot.
TOK, am also a liberal who has come to dislike the Dem party, and while I think I do love Elizabeth more, I would still be happy to see Hillary win it this time around. I so hope I get to live to see a (liberal) woman president in my lifetime.
I imagine it takes a lot of sleep to recover from dodging bullets while ducking and running from her helicopter…. Oh yeah, she completely made that up. How anyone can respect this woman is beyond me. She’s very, very smart. But she has no integrity or character. It’s sad to me that this doesn’t matter anymore.
I’m left of center which, in today’s world the center has skewed right, since everyone unfortunately moved in that direction. But I digress. She is a corporatist through and through. She is intelligent, but if the Dems send her out, I can’t vote for her. Sadly, anyone who makes it to the big stage probably requires a lack of character to some degree, because you have to make deals with the devil to get that far.
I cant vote her either because she is, as you say, a corporatist. And that makes me sad because I would love for a strong woman to lead this country.
Thank you. She is all for propping up large corporations and WallStreet. She is Wallstreets gal. This really does not help those small businesses on Main Street. There is no difference between Hillary and Jeb Bush. I would stay home or vote third party if these are our choices. Bush and Hillary are progressives who support regressive tax policies which negatively impact middle and lower income families.
I really could care less if she is a girl,I vote on substance and issues. I will not vote for a career establishment politician who has issues with telling the truth and who craves power and would sell her soul to get it.
I agree that you make deals with the devil at her level, and that’s a sickening reality. I don’t think a person could ever get elected for office without compromising on some level. But I think she’s worse than most, because she lies out of habit. She’ll say anything to make herself look good, without any regard for the truth. I’m not sure she even knows she’s doing it. But what galls me the most is that her supporters simply do not care. It’s impossible that they don’t know it. They just don’t care. If they did, maybe our political system could heal, because liars wouldn’t get elected. But on both sides of the fence, people just want to win, without regard for how they do it. It’s tragic to me, because we’ve reached such a low, and it’s our own doing.
Goodnames: as an outsider looking in, it always puzzles me in lots of posts on Hilary that no one seemed to talk about her habitual lying. Only fangirling. To extent that I thought i’d imagined it so i’m gratified to see your post.
Yes, everybody wants a woman for president, but every time a woman gets close to running, the choruses of “…but not THAT woman” begin. Sad.
I always felt Hillary got a raw deal. She’s smart and can certainly stand on her two feet. I’d love to see her run, but it’s her decision. I don’t know why anyone would want to run for
office.
I don’t wanna “badger” her into running, but out of the people available, she really is the best person to be our leader (in my opinion)… I just want her to be president so badly, because I really think she would be great for the country.
And a part of me is dying to have the first female president (but that’s not why I want her).
I agree. My heart was broken when she didn’t get the nomination. I backed Obama after that and was proud of that moment in history when he was elected and just on my knees grateful that Sarah Palin wasn’t a heartbeat away from the presidency.
But I was a Hillary supporter all the way. Her concession speech was an amazing speech and I remember crying but admiring her even more than I already did. She is a brilliant woman who is passionate about our country and issues.
I don’t think anyone is badgering her. She’s just been waiting until it was her time. She knows what’s up. Don’t every discount her. But I can’t see Biden giving up the nomination easily. He is an incredible statesman.
Yeah, what’s with completely ignoring her tremendous ambition? She’s wanted this for a long time, she’s not bowing to pressure. Ugh.
Yes, great, lovely photo. I support the cracking of the glass ceiling, and appreciate that a lady who could retire and take care of family in wealth is instead considering public service. I appreciate the contributions of Hillary Clinton.
If she doesn’t run, it may be years and years before we have another female candidate with the credentials, backing and balls to give the “Boys Only” club a serious challenge.
I am so so sick of this patriarchy we have going on!
her description of them watching “House of Cards” is reminiscent of Carrie and Fred watching Battlestar Gallactica on Portlandia.
OMG! I LOVED that. Portlandia is awesome and that was hysterical.
loved how they hunted down (who they thought was) the series writer and begged him to continue the show.
and the guy’s wife is all “who are these white people in my house?”
I loved that one!!! Portlandia is one of my few tv addictions.
Hilary Clinton will run because she has wanted to be president since she was 22. And as for ‘why aren’t her accomplishments enough’. Would anyone consider saying that about a male candidate? She’s an ambitious woman. That’s not a crime
+1
Meh.
Isn’t 8am sleeping in for everyone once you’re an adult? I mean unless you work a late night job or nights or something. Your body gets used to being up early and then even on the odd day when the kids sleep in or you are on vacation you are still up!
Sure she doesn’t “need to run” for president and her accomplishments are enough. That said, the U.S. (and the world) does need to see a woman running the most powerful nation in the world. That glass ceiling does need to be broken and if not Hilary I think it will be a long time until someone better qualified comes along. (Yes – I am obviously Canadian – feel free to say my opinion is therefore null)
I wish entertainment bloggers and entertainers would stop propping up and promoting politicians. Most people wish to escape when they watch movies,attend concerts and read mindless blogs. We don’t wish to be lectured to on how we should think regarding issues or who we should support regarding politicians. I personally detest the Bushes and the Clintons and I really don’t care to read or hear about them in some Hollywood gossip column.
If I wanted to research today’s lying political pigs,I would read the NYT and Wall Street Journal.
You didn’t have to click on the article “Hillary Clinton Totally Binge Watches House of Cards” now, did you?
No,I didn’t but I was just venting because the entertainment industry as a whole has become an arm of the Democratc party and to be quite honest..,I am fed up with it. By the way,I am not a Republican,I am like many others abandoning both parties.
Umm, no one is “badgering” her to run. The Clintons crave power. Period. Always have. Always will. They’ve been plotting since she lost the 2008 primary. She’s running because they (and I do mean “they” – Hill and Bill) cannot wait to get their hands on the wheel again.
I’m not a fan, but the Clintons will have a more successful presidency than Obama. They know how to play the game.
Read Game Change that was a real eye opener in terms of all the candidates. I know the press focused on Palin and the John Edwards scandal but the book actually had a good narrative of the Clintons too. Yes, it’s true they want to grab the brass ring again. I don’t think they are running for the betterment of the country, it’s more of a power grab. This spoken from someone who voted for Bill.
If you can find old christopher Hitchens VF magazine articles on the Clintons….they are an eye opener too.
He always called out what shamelessly power hungry, habitual liars they are.
Read it. Loved it. Obama v. Clinton was the real juicy stuff in that book. It is so hilarious how short people’s memories are. Remember the photo of Obama in Muslim attire that came out in the 2008 primaries? Leaked by the Clintons. They ran a campaign based, in part, on Obama being an “other” before any nutter Republicans ever got into the act. They are ruthless.
And in addition to Christopher Hitchens, check out Andrew Sullivan’s archives. And Maureen Dowd. Man those two, left leaning to say the least, pundits hate the Clintons.
Hilary if she runs has too much baggage and she lacks the charisma of her husband to counteract this. I am sorry to say also she seems dishonest too.
She needs to hold back on talking about the glass ceiling, as it sounds like she wants people to vote for her because she is a woman.
Mrs Thatcher never played that card she campaigned on policies with conviction Hilary needs to do the same.
Also politics is starting to look like an oligarchy with all these dynasty’s that enter politics
I agree with your assessment of Hillary, but because the Republican brand is so awful nationally and there simply isn’t a viable candidate – at present – that can make it out of the primary and stand a chance in the general, I don’t see anyone who can beat her. No Dem is going to challenge her — Elizabeth Warren, Anthony Cuomo, Martin O’Malley? Please. 2008 was a perfect storm. Not happening this time.
Mrs Thatcher was a collosal a**hole who screwed the country.
No she did not.
Britain was a third world IMF circled economy run by unions.
It couldn’t get any worse.
She made the tough decisions that had to be made.
Don’t forget Jeb “dimwit” Bush is circling the wagons and looking at running too. I think we need new people. I don’t want another Bush to drag us into another war. Although I voted for Bill, I’m on the fence about Hilary. Hilary has too much baggage (the Whitewater scandal can probably never be washed off) and from my conversations with people, she’s a polarizing figure (you either really like her or you really hate her).
I just hope we don’t end up with a Tea Party nutjob. No I don’t consider TP to be a part of the Republicans. I wish the Repubs will disown them because they are making them look bad.
TP is hardly the only thing making the Republicans look bad.
Well the TP influence pretty much ended collaboration and putting differences aside to broker a deal. I will forever blame the TPs for highjacking judicial nominations, the budget, the government shut down, sequestration etc. It used to be that Congress can work together. However now with these nuts on the job it’s either my way or no way. Compromise compromise.
When Hillary became senator, after working there and paying her dues, she, earned a lot respect in the Senate from both sides as a hard-working senator and was respected for her willingness to cross the aisle and work together and also with the House of Representatives. John McCain used to praise her. There were several Republican Senators that she used to seek out their opinions. She turned people’s opinions around about her.
This is an op-ed from a former GOP’er, who worked in the Bush administration, thoughts on Obama and the praise he gave Hillary for her ability to work with others on non-partisan levels and remarks from others related to him about her and how she worked effectively on non-partisan levels and the respect she earned from many on that side even though different ideologies. It’s interesting because this was written several years back before Obama’s second term and his take on how she should have stayed in the senate. His take was if they had to have a Democrat as a president, he would much rather have had Hillary and could have lived with that.
http://www.politickernj.com/alan-steinberg/50180/hillary-clinton-would-have-been-much-better-president-barack-obama
An excerpt from it:
I had substantial interaction with Hillary Clinton – direct substantial interaction, because she often would pick up the phone herself to call me. I dealt extensively with her on post- 9-11 matters, and to her credit, she kept these matters out of partisan politics. She had a deep, genuine interest in the environment, and she was always most appreciative when I would brief her on subjects as to which she was unfamiliar, such as the Filtration Avoidance Determination for New York City water.
Unlike Obama, Hillary Clinton was willing to work closely with Republican members of the House of Representatives and the Senate to achieve bipartisan goals. This was confirmed for me in conversations I had with my closest friend in the New York State Republican Congressional delegation, the then Representative Jim Walsh, who represented the Syracuse area.
The Tea-Party and far right zealots have put a stronghold on the once highly regarded, intelligent Republican Party. It has become laughable. I remember watching a Republican debate and how the candidates were bending over themselves trying to say things to appear more extreme far right than the other when half of them were not like that but were turning themselves into that to become elected. As Joe Scarborough said, a Republican, we will never get back into the White House allowing the fringe to control the party and the party message. I think it will take another couple of elections for them to really get it.
I’m impressed she made it to 8. I can’t sleep past 6:30 unless I stay up until 3. I haven’t welcomed a new year since 2011. lol
She shouldn’t be the first female president. Let that distinction go to someone more deserving.
@Nic, Elizabeth Warren. Not sure what I did or what happened that my response went separate.
I hope she runs, and it’s not because I feel she needs anything to top off her career. It’s because I think that we may need her.
Sick of dynastic politics: No more Clintons, Bushes, Bidens, etc. We need new blood and ideas!! Hillary may be nominated but she will never be elected. She will be squashed like a bug.
She will be elected.
who do you think can beat her? I’m not asking to be snarky, I’m genuinely interested because I honestly don’t see any dem beating her in the primary and I don’t see what republican could beat her in the general.
Just about every poll that has come out that pits Hillary Clinton against ANY republican candidate has her beating the republican candidate by double digits. yes, the election is more than two years off and a LOT can change, but the polls have been pretty consistent.
Odds are good that Clinton wins the Democratic nomination since it’ll be considered “her turn” by the king/queen makers – not unlike McCain’s 2008 run. However, the poor campaigning skills that sunk her in 2008 will still be there in 2016…only she’ll be eight years older. A young, charismatic, “outsider” Democrat may be able to exploit that (ala Obama).
As far as the general election goes, it’s brutally difficult for one party to win three national elections in a row. Bush pulled it off in 1988, but he needed an incredibly weak opponent (Dukakis) to make it happen. Clinton will likely need the same thing. Someone like Ted Cruz would deliver her a win. She would obliterate Santorum. She beats Jeb Bush. Rubio beats her. Christie crushes her. Paul probably beats her too.
“Rubio beats her. Christie crushes her. Paul probably beats her too.”
uh…I REALLY REALLY doubt any of those guys can. Rubio and Paul are too far right for the general election. as a poster up above said, in the primaries, these guys bend over backwards to be the MOST conservative candidate and they wind up turning off the more moderate GOP voters and just about every independent voter. And while Christie has some appeal to moderates, he has WAY TOO MUCH baggage (and is way too “left” for the GOP base) to get the nom.
and, as I said, every poll that has put her up against ANY republican has her leading by double digits.
but hey, it’s two years + away, so who knows?…
Prefacing that I’m a republican and really didn’t like any of the candidates on either side last election… I would have preferred her to Obama. I wish she had won.
And this is a cute interview. I love the visual of her binge watching House of Cards! I can’t see her enjoying Scandal in the least, if we’re talking about a DC drama.
Benghazi. Anybody? No? OK then. If someone with a less liberal slant had done and said some of the things she’s done, they wouldn’t be on here being described as cute. Just sayin.
I’m there with you. I’ll never EVER vote for this trash. They all lie and all but Hilary was caught in one big time. Don’t expect anyone here to know about Benghazi. Important political news is ignored here and the focus is on the celebrity. It’s a celebrity gossip site so I get it but when I tried bringing up political information (cause learning is power) I was insulted quicker than a Kardashian on this site.
“Don’t expect anyone here to know about Benghazi.”
change your expectations. this site is full of informed readers.
(like Esmom.)
OK, Benghazi. A completely manufactured scandal if there ever was one. There have been 157 attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities over a 15-year period, nine of them resulting in U.S. fatalities. Benghazi was singled out solely because of its timing, by a party that was running on a platform dedicated only to destroying the presidency of Barack Obama.
You rock Esmom! Spot on!
I truly admire Hilary Clinton. She showed how tough she was in her presidential run And she was brilliant in her debates, such an intelligent, informed woman, who was treated far too often by talking heads on both sides in misogynistic ways that insulted me as a woman. And she kept getting back up during that campaign and showed what she was made of. She deserves her time off after being on the road, so to speak, non-stop as Secretary of State immediately following her grueling run for presidency on the campaign trail.
She is very tough, very smart and importantly she has already had the power money ego trip from long ago. She has nothing to proves as Secretary of State is on that summit of top jobs. But I think now she has softened, and she will represent things that important now and in the future. In this crazy world we need someone like her. She wont bend ove easy to BigOil and things. They will fear her to some extent.
“She wont bend ove easy to BigOil and things. They will fear her to some extent.”
Please tell me you don’t actually believe this.
I think the people that really want her to run are the same people who really want us to have a female president. If there was ever any female more qualified to run this country, I don’t know who it is. So that’s why she faces so much pressure to run.