Jennifer Granholm on Electing a Woman President: ‘227 Years Is Long Enough’

GUTHRIE: “We’ve seen a lot of different attacks taken against Bernie Sanders by the Clinton camp in the last few days. She’s not responsible for everything that her surrogate say, but I keep going back to what Madeleine Albright said, the way that was interpreted there’s a special place in Hell for women you don’t help other women. In this context people kind of raise their eyebrows on that. Gloria Steinem making the comment that maybe young women are flocking to the Sanders campaign because they’re trying —“ [crosstalk]
GRANHOLM: “Which she apologized for.”
GUTHRIE: “She did. She did apologized for it and said she misspoke. But, I mean, what do you think of that tactic? I mean, is that a smart strategy?”
GRANHOLM: Well, young women clearly do not want to be shamed into voting and that’s very clear and nobody intended for that to happen. I think what they — I’m from the next generation after, you know, Gloria and Madeleine and we — I’ve got their pictures on my wall, I mean, they are just — they’re total heroes. And of course, they’re going to say that we want to be able to see finally a woman as president after 227 years. But the Clinton campaign is saying not just any woman. We wouldn’t say vote for Sarah Palin, we want to vote for somebody who shares your values and who is going to fight for those things that you really care about. And who has been in the trenches on all of these things that women care about for four decades? It’s been Hillary Clinton. Who has been fighting for kids all of her life? It’s Hillary Clinton. Who has been fighting to make sure that there is parental leave and children’s healthcare? It’s Hillary Clinton. So, what she wants to convey is don’t vote for me solely because I’m a woman. Vote for me because I am going to fight for you, I’m the most qualified person that ever run. You need a commander-in-chief who understands the globe and by the way, I would add — I would add 227 years is long enough.”