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PEOPLE & ARTS Saturday 7 March 2020
In ‘Hillary,’ Clinton candidly surveys her ups and downs

By JAKE COYLE the popular vote, favors the
Associated Press abolition of the Electoral
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — College. “The person who
Since losing the 2016 elec- gets the most votes should
tion to Donald Trump, Hill- win,” she said. “The Elec-
ary Clinton has released a toral College is an anach-
memoir about that defeat, ronism that foils the rights of
launched a political action the majority of Americans
committee and penned to choose our leaders.”
another book about “gutsy Clinton also cited the role
women” with her daughter, of social media platforms
Chelsea. But Clinton’s most and, in particular, Face-
prominent return to the book, in a potential repeat
public eye has come in the of Russian interference.
form of a new candid four- “The attacks on the funda-
hour documentary series. mental right to vote and
Some, Clinton is aware, run our elections free from
thought she would slink illegal, unconstitutional and
away after 2016. certainly foreign interfer-
“Yes, they did, didn’t ence is going to be even
they?”says Clinton. “Well, more sophisticated today
that was never an option.” than it was four years ago,”
Nanette Burstein’s “Hillary,” Clinton said.
which Hulu will debut Fri- “Hillary” includes other
day, is a more direct and voices, including some
long-form portrait of Clinton critical commentators
than has ever been done (although Burnstein says
on camera. You might say most right-wing politicians
it’s a bid for Clinton to reas- declined to participate).
sert her legacy, to tell the Along with a survey of Clin-
story of a career and life ton’s life, it spends copious
that, she feels, has often amounts of time on the
been falsely distorted. 2016 election and the Mon-
Still, Clinton isn’t ready to ica Lewinsky scandal. That
contemplate her legacy. section includes Bill Clinton
What she thinks important is voicing his regrets, as well
situating her story in a larg- as Clinton saying she didn’t
er narrative. Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton attends the premiere of the Hulu documentary "Hillary" at speak to her husband for
“What Nanette does really the DGA New York Theater on Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in New York. weeks after he admitted
well is to place my story in Associated Press the affair.
the larger arc of women’s Clinton, who earlier revis-
lives, women’s history, waves. In the documen- unify if we’re going to de- woman could be president ited the 2016 election in her
women’s movement, and tary, she disparages Sen. feat Donald Trump and was just so off the radar.” 2017 memoir “What Hap-
also the political system,” Bernie Sanders, saying, what he stands for and the Clinton’s mind, at least in pened,” also analyzes that
said Clinton, speaking “Nobody likes him. Nobody danger he poses to undo- January, was mainly on crushing defeat. The 2020
alongside Burstein, in an wants to work with him.” It’s ing so much of what we as the upcoming election. election, though, she thinks
interview at the Sundance a small moment — 15 sec- a nation have achieved She said she’ll “absolutely” will be different.
Film Festival in January. “It onds, Clinton points out — through lots of struggle over endorse a candidate, but “I think there’s a story now
seems to me that part of from some 35 hours of con- 235 years.” hasn’t done so yet. One of to be told. Before he was a
the reason I became con- versation recorded more That Sanders has become her chief concerns is that blank slate. He was a guy
troversial is because I was than a year ago when the most headline-grab- the vote won’t be carried that people saw on their
thrust into the public spot- she wasn’t thinking about bing part of “Hillary” is iron- out properly. TVs. As you know, he was
light as a different kind of the 2020 election. She was ic. For Burstein, one of the “It is a concern because a reality TV star,” Clinton
first lady. thinking about the 2016 focal points of “Hillary” is to once the Supreme Court said. “Now I think there’s a
“And particularly when I election. not only represent Clinton gutted Section 5 of the Vot- record that he’s going to
took on the work of health “I will do whatever I can as a human being, rather ing Rights Act, they took have to be held account-
care reform, trying to get to support that person, than a political caricature, away one of the most use- able for.”
us to universal, affordable because that wasn’t my but to contextualize her, ful tools for holding states In “Hillary,” all questions
health care, I was being experience in 2016,” says and the polarizing effect and local jurisdictions ac- were on the table, Burst-
burned in effigy, which I Clinton. she has inspired, in the poli- countable for what they ein said. Clinton grants she
had forgotten,” Clinton Though Clinton stumped tics of gender. did around elections,” Clin- never expected to star in
said. “But she found foot- for Barack Obama after “There is this criticism that ton said. “And I was the first her own documentary.
age of it, which says more he won the nomination on she’s always known and candidate running for pres- “I am a little bit surprised
about the times and the delegates (but, Clinton re- calculated that she’s going ident on the Democratic to be sitting here talking
expectations about what minds, not in votes), Sand- to be president. Which, A, is side who faced both the about a documentary of
women and certainly first ers’ support for Clinton, she not a bad thing, and, B, is gutting of the Voting Rights four hours about my life
ladies should or shouldn’t feels, was minimal after actually not true,” Burstein Act and Citizens United. So and my times,” said Clinton,
do.” their race. said. “There is an interview I saw firsthand the concert- laughing. “But I’m really
Clinton’s return to the spot- “That didn’t happen in in the film with one of her ed effort to purge voters glad I did it. I am incredibly
light, in the midst of a com- 2016,” said Clinton. “And colleagues at Yale Law and suppress voters. That’s grateful. But I also think a lot
petitive Democratic pri- I’m just trying to sound the School who says in in the still going on.” of what’s in it is relevant to
mary, has already caused alarm that we need to early 70s the idea that a Clinton, who beat Trump in today.”q