By Lauren McCauley, staff writer at commondreams.org
‘Special place, indeed.’ Madeline Albright and Gloria Steinem scold female Bernie supporters, while Clinton touts approval from war-criminal Kissinger.
Maybe it wasn’t such a great idea for Hillary Clinton to invite Madeleine Albright to campaign for her in New Hampshire.
During a campaign event in Concord on Saturday, the former Secretary of State declared: “Young women have to support Hillary Clinton. The story is not over!”
“They’re going to want to push us back,” she continued. “It’s not done and you have to help. Hillary Clinton will always be there for you. And just remember, there’s a special place in hell for women who don’t help each other.”
And while it was not the first time Albright muttered that phrase, the backlash was swift and severe.
Pointing to Albright’s notorious defense of the Iraq invasion, during which she said that the death of 500,000 Iraqi children was “worth it,” observers speculated about someone else who may end up in that “special place.”
It’s stunning to see atrocity advocates moralize about gender representation. Is there a club #Sociopaths4Hillary club? There should be.
— Rania Khalek (@RaniaKhalek) February 6, 2016
Madeline Albright, the 1st female Sec of State, said 500,000 dead Iraqi children was “worth it.” Don’t you dare lecture me about feminism.
— Yasmin Yonis (@YasminYonis) February 7, 2016
Madeline Albright helped hundreds of thousands of Iraqi women to death in the 1990s. Special place in hell, indeed. https://t.co/V4U96NH2jz
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) February 6, 2016
Overheard re Madame #Albright: “I guess none of those half-million Iraqi children killed by US sanctions were girls” https://t.co/Oo3kLsGGM8
— AFRICA IS A COUNTRY (@AfricasaCountry) February 6, 2016
#Bernie2016 you know Hillary’s in trouble when Madeleine Albright & Gloria Steinem say asinine things in support on same day. #FeelTheBern
— Raffi Cavoukian (@Raffi_RC) February 7, 2016
The comments came a day after feminist icon Gloria Steinem said in an interview that young women were supporting Bernie Sanders because “that’s where the boys are.”
Donna Smith, executive director of Progressive Democrats of America and Common Dreamscontributor, said on Sunday that Steinem’s argument was “really odd…coming from a woman who has lived her life lifting women up and demanding that as equals to men we have the right to our own minds and bodies. Presumably that includes the right to our own political decisions as well.”
“When we get through this presidential primary season on the Democratic side, I want us to present the best possible platform for all people,” Smith continued. “Right now as I observe this presidential race, Bernie’s positions on critical issues for working class women like me offer the best hope that lives may be transformed in ways that give all of us the best chance to achieve our potential.”
Kevin Gosztola, managing editor of Shadowproof, argued that comments such as Albrights and Steinem’s have “degraded debate about feminist issues and boorishly transformed characteristics of personalities into matters of equal rights.”
Throughout the campaign, Clinton has taken heat for her associations, including Goldman Sachs and Walmart. But in recent days, the individuals who have come forth to vouch for her candidacy, including Albright, have raised more than a few eyebrows.
During Thursday’s Democratic debate, Clinton said that she “was very flattered when Henry Kissinger said I ran the State Department better—better than anybody had run it in a long time.” This, she said of a person who has been accused on war crimes.
Apparently, as the New Republic‘s Michael Tracey put it: “The significance of Kissinger’s well-documented responsibility for atrocities in Cambodia, East Timor, Chile, and elsewhere is subordinate to his reputation as a statesman unbound by partisan loyalties.”
Or as columnist Dave Zirin wrote:
If you care about lives in the global south, touting support from Henry Kissinger and Madeline Albright isn’t just tone-deaf. It’s obscene.
— Dave Zirin (@EdgeofSports) February 6, 2016
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Isn’t this the same bitch: “Madeleine Albright says 500,000 dead Iraqi Children was “worth it” and still wins Medal of Freedom.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omnskeu-puE)