Hillary Clinton says she would govern differently than a man
Hillary Clinton says she would govern differently than a male president because her own life experiences have prepared her well.
"I think that my life experiences, what I care about, what I've been through just make me perhaps more aware of and responsive to a lot of the family issues that people are struggling with whether it's affording child care or looking to get their incomes up because everything is increasing in cost," she told Time magazine writer Jay Newton-Small for her new book "Broad Influence: How Women are Changing the Way America Works."
In excerpts released Thursday, the Democratic presidential candidate suggested she believes women govern differently than men.
"I just think there are some areas where our own life experiences really prepare us to be more receptive," Clinton said. "I do think there is something in the governing or organizing approach. I just think women in general are better listeners, are more collegial, more open to new ideas and how to make things work in a way that looks for win-win outcomes."
The former secretary of state said she admires German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who Clinton called "a really effective strong leader" and "right now the major leader in Europe, not just in Germany."
Asked whether she has seen sexism change over the years, Clinton said it might be less pronounced but it's still "prevalent in our political scene."
"There still is a double standard, there's no doubt about that," she said. "I see it all the time where women are just expected to combine traits and qualities in a way that men are not. And it does make running for office for a woman a bigger challenge. It's hard for anybody, but I do think that women bear that extra burden."