Hillary Clinton - yes, Hillary Clinton - answers MNers' questions: come and watch!

[KateMumsnet]

We put Mumsnetters' questions to Former Secretary of State (and, if rumours are to be believed, potentially the first female President of the USA) Hillary Clinton. See what she has to say on abortion rights, learning to brush off misogynist criticism, becoming a grandmother - and how she squares her position as a feminist icon with 'standing by her man'.

Have a look, and tell us what you think on the thread. And don't forget to have a look at Hillary's special message for Mumsnetters, . RebeccaMumsnet is, understandably, thrilled .

This was brilliant, I love how honest and open she was, all credit to her.

I have a 'Ready for Hillary' bumper sticker on my car, and by Jove, I hope she runs in 2016.

Discussion of coverage of whether Hillary could be a president as a grandmother

The Grandmother question came from Gransnet - here's their thread.

Mitt Romney had something like 16/17 grandchildren when he ran for President in 2012, funny how nothing was said about that.

Oh and some Republicans have been saying that Hillary will be too old to run for President (she will be 69 in 2016), yet they seem to forget that in 2008, their candidate John McCain was 72.

Double standards yet again.

She's looking very good for a 67 year old isn't she? - not that I usually consider such things very relevant. Secretly admiring her good skin and rosy complexion though

It's an overstatement that the grandmother thing was that big a deal in the States. It was a ridiculous discussion and didn't last more than a couple of days among the talking heads in the media. And it was focused on the notion that it might factor into her decision to run because she might want to spend more time being a grandmother (still very sexist of course) than that it would interfere with her functioning as president.

OK fair enough, Scone. Thanks for the clarification

I agree about the age thing too. It is a double standard, although McCain's age (and the fact that he is a cancer survivor) did begin to surface in discussions once he picked Sarah Palin as a running mate, and many in the country began to speculate about moving to Canada what would happen should he be elected and die in office.

Thanks TanteRose for that Jon Stewart clip. I had not seen that. I have a feeling that's what helped kill the discussion.

Wow it's such a surprise that MN got to interview Hillary Clinton - it's also surprising that so few have commented!

Whatever the perceived by MNHQ to be similarities with the gun questions, it is ridiculous that the question voted the one most voters wanted asked was not asked!

I watched Hillary on This Morning and though she was very nice. Annoyed me about the why did you stay question but I thought her answer was perfect.

As a feminist, it annoys me that the "why did you stay" is in the same sentence with "feminist icon." There are so many variables in that kind of situation, many of which we would certainly not be privy to; why should we say that if you a feminist, then we expect you to LTB?

I'm also so impressed that MN managed to get the interview. I actually thought it might be a wind up and thought twice about submitting a question but now I'm glad I did.

For those who are interested in the ethics of defending those accused of rape, this is an interesting article by a US law professor on the HC child rape case. See www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkrauss/2014/06/26/hillary-rodham-clinton-and-the-ethics-of-a-rape-defense/.

It seems he thinks she was unprofessional but possibly not unethical, depending on where she got the stuff about the victim having previous form for accusing people of attacks.

It seems it's ok to say in court that children who aren't from nice backgrounds shouldn't be believed or at least no one has picked up on this bit that infuriated me.

I would love to see proper legislation all over the world pinning down exactly what can and can't be said in court about rape victims, especially children.

Sorry nice backgrounds should be in inverted commas obviously!

As I pointed out on another thread, Hillary is hawking her book so of course she wants to talk to Mumsnet - hardly a coup!

wordsmith This case was nearly 40 years ago. There have been significant developments in most jurisdictions in the US about what can and cannot be said in court about a victim of sexual assault.

CateBlanket - yes, Hillary is on a publicity tour (she did a similar event with the Grauniad and I'm sure others) but still a coup for MN to be one of the organisations asked to participate.

juneau - very disappointed for you, the two gun questions were not similar and both deserved to be asked.

I thought that was fab - HRC is clear and articulate, with a genuine warmth.

In fact looking through the list of questions that we voted on, you chose not to ask several of them - those questions that we MNers wanted asked - and just chose a random selection of other questions to ask her about 'standing by her man' and being a grandmother! Talk about dumbing things down.

juneau I realize you are a bit bitter your question didn't get answered but there really is no reason to be rude. You're a grown up.

gretchen trib My question here was based on the fact that the media was genuinely discussing a woman's ability to do a job while being a grandmother, I certainly was no implying she couldn't do both. WOmen being asked how they can hold down employment and be mothers is a problem all over the world.

I wanted to know what her opinion on the sexism (and really the agism too) behind the discussion in the media. I'm American and I had been following the story. If you don't understand the background behind something your best bet is to research it. It will save you looking a bit silly on a forum where you don't get to delete your posts.

My actual question was as below

I'm a stay at home parent, but I recognise the massive value to the economy (and to society) that mothers who work out of the home provide. I assumed in 2014 that most people did, but I have seen that people have genuinely been concerned about your ability to be a grandmother and president.

I'm not sure if the assumption was that you and Bill would be packing it all in to provide free child care for Chelsea or what but do you have anything to say to the people who think a woman can't be an employee and a mother (or grandmother!)

won't provide links as they have already been provided brilliantly by other posers up thread

As for her favorite biscuit:

HRC's famous chocolate chip cookies

mostwicked I'm really disappointed your question wasn't asked - I came to the thread too late to vote for it but was pleased to see it in the top 10.

I found some of her answers just politician-speak, nothing really unexpected. It's a shame she didn't address her attack on the rape victim as the accepted form of defense in 1975. Why can't she just say "I wouldn't mount such a defense these days"? I'm a totally different person now to the one I was at 27 and I'm not ashamed to admit it, surely that goes for most people.

Lots of talk here about what we asked or didn't ask...

As for how she came across I thought this was interesting. I've read her but never actually watched a video of her. She comes across equally well and impressive. I respected, for better or worse, that she drew a reasonable line with what she felt could and couldn't be addressed currently in American politics. I really thought her shot at the presidency was in the election before last, but I'd be thrilled to see her in the White House - I think she'd be hampered by her husband though - I was so proud of what he achieved during his presidency and I think he would take some of the shine off her own achievements.

Thank you Franke I would like to know if my question was vetoed. It didn't seem any more controversial than several of the other questions. I was pleased that so many other MNers felt it was important.

For the record, the question was:
How do you feel about the fact that America is the only country in the world that sentences children who have committed a crime, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

HRC is a brilliant role model for women everywhere.

I thought the interview achieved a good balance of questions about her personal and professional life. Well done, Mumsnet!