Hillary On Republicans: 'They Don't Want To Run Against Me'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that she is a target of unfair Republican attacks, but believes voters will ultimately support her because "people can trust me to fight for them."
Clinton told WCCO-TV on the day after the first Democratic presidential debate that she was only half joking when she listed Republicans among the enemies she has made in politics that she's most proud of.
"In addition to the NRA, the health insurance companies, the drug companies, the Iranians...probably the Republicans," Clinton said to loud cheers and applause at the Tuesday night debate.
Clinton laughed when we asked her about it, but said she's had to deal with Republican attacks for years -- all the way from the time she lived in the White House to present controversies over Benghazi and her emails.
"They go to great lengths to attack me," she said. "To target me. To impede my candidacy. I understand that. They don't want to run against me."
The former first lady used the Democratic debate to sharply focus her message to women. At one point, she turned a question about big government into a defense of Planned Parenthood against Republicans.
"They don't mind having big government interference with a war on women's right to choose," she exclaimed loudly during the debate. "Try to take down Planned Parenthood. They're fine with big government when it comes to that! I'm sick of it!"
Several times, Clinton noted she would be the first woman president of the United States.
In our interview, she compared the possible event of her election to that the first black president, Barack Obama.
"One of the biggest differences that his election brought about, and which my election would bring about, is crashing through some of the ceilings," she said.
Clinton generally got high marks for her debate performance, which she told WCCO will alleviate some of the negative "trust" ratings she is suffering in national polls.
"What people can trust about me is what people in every position I've ever held…know about me," she said. "If I tell you I will do something, I will do everything I can to make it happen. And people can trust me to fight for them as I have over the course of my career."