CNN
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Hillary Clinton criticized Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance for suggesting that the financial burden of child care could be eased by asking grandparents to help more, saying he was “completely out of touch with the lives and careers of the vast majority of Americans.”
“His worldview is almost impossible to comprehend. Where does he come from? Where does he get these ideas?” the former secretary of state said in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that airs Sunday to promote his new book, “Something Lost, Something Gained.”
Clinton called Vance’s comments about child care in a recent interview with conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, as well as his recently unearthed 2021 remark that the United States is being led by a “child-free, cat-loving woman,” the latest example of decades of opposition by Washington Republicans to child care policy proposals that would provide government assistance to working families.
“These things seem to me to relate to his own history and personally, but they also seem to tie into the same ideology of ‘stand up for yourself, you’re a rugged individualist,'” she said.
But “families need support” and relatives aren’t always nearby to help, Clinton said.
“I’m a grandparent. I’m also a very active person. I love being with my grandchildren, but I also have my own hobbies,” she said. “So it’s not one or the other. Of course, I want to help take care of my daughter and son-in-law’s three amazing kids, but they’re very active. They go to work. They need childcare support, especially when the kids are little.”
During her interview with Zakaria, Clinton also spoke about her marriage to former President Bill Clinton, and how they overcame the “dark period” when her husband’s affair was made public and he was impeached by the House of Representatives.
“No one knows what happens in a marriage except the two people involved. As far as I know, every marriage has its ups and downs. It’s not public knowledge,” she said.
Clinton said she never told anyone else whether to stay in her marriage or get divorced.
“I think it’s fair to say that for me and for our family, we’re so grateful to have our grandchildren at this stage in our lives and to have the time we get to spend with them. I write about how it starts in the morning in bed playing ‘Spelling Bee’ and, you know, Bill is such a great player,” she said.
“We’re just having fun, we’re having fun sharing this life that we’ve had together for almost 50 years now that we’ve been married,” Clinton said. “That’s what’s right for us, and that’s really my message.”
This is in stark contrast to a period in the 1990s when Clinton said she was deeply hurt and confused, but also opposed Republicans trying to remove her husband from office.
“I had a different kind of challenge. I mean, anytime you have problems in your marriage, it’s hard. It feels like it’s the whole world, but in my case, it was the whole world,” she said. “I had to get through it at my own pace, on my own terms, according to my own values, and I’m so grateful for where we are now.”
