Hillary Clinton had harsh words for her fellow Democrats who failed to protect abortion rights in the years leading up to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
In an interview The New York TimesClinton, 76, spoke about her upcoming book, “Breaking Roe: The Rise of a New America,” and what she thinks a second Trump administration would be like.
The former Democratic presidential candidate accused Democrats of letting their guard down and underestimating the powerful pro-life movement in the lead-up to Dobbs v. Jackson, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn nearly 50 years of federal abortion legalization.
“We didn’t take it seriously, we didn’t understand the threat,” Clinton said. “Most Democrats, most Americans didn’t realize that we were facing a battle for the future of this country.”
Hillary Clinton recently spoke with The New York Times about her upcoming book, “The Breaking of Roe: The Rise of a New America.” (Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images)
Clinton argued that Democrats, despite controlling the Senate, were unable to pass a bill to make abortion rights federal law because they could not imagine that abortion rights would be at risk.
Clinton said she got credit for never giving up, and lamented that the Democratic Party lacks the resources and organizations like the Federalist Society to counter right-wing influence.
“[The right is] “They’re relentless. They take losses, they bounce back, they regroup and they raise more money,” Clinton said. “It’s incredibly impressive the way they do it. And we don’t have anything like that.”
Hillary Clinton criticized by Democratic colleagues for ‘disrespectful’ remarks about anti-Israel protesters
Clinton said she was dismissed as hyperbole when she predicted abortion rights would be overturned if Trump became president in 2016. She described this election cycle as an “existential question” and predicted many would write her off again.
“The point is, if we don’t get it right in this election, we may never have real elections again,” Clinton said. “And I say that because I believe that. And if we never have real elections again, we’re going to be run by a small number of well-organized, well-funded right-wingers who are accomplishing exactly what they want in terms of turning back the clock for women.”
Hillary Clinton spoke at “A Special Evening with Hillary Clinton” in Berlin, Germany on February 19th. (Franziska Klug/Getty Images)
The interview was published days after former President Trump said he would “never support restrictions on birth control,” ensuring that Republicans would not support bans on any contraceptives.
Last month, the Republican candidate stressed his support for states to set their own abortion laws, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother. He also voiced his support for in vitro fertilization.
He added that Republicans “must always stand on the side of the miracle of life and mothers, fathers and their beautiful babies.”
President Biden and his reelection campaign have said Trump supports a nationwide abortion ban and restrictions on birth control.
Click here to get the FOX News app
According to the latest Fox News Poll, abortion is the top issue among self-identified Democrats (24%), suburban women (24%), self-identified ultra-liberals (23%), black voters (17%), those with college degrees (17%) and voters under 30 (16%).
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
