Clinton Slams GOP Women, Calls Female Republican President 'Handmaiden to Patriarchy'

In a sharp-tongued jab, Hillary Clinton dismissed the prospect of a Republican woman as president, claiming such a figure would merely serve as a "handmaiden to the patriarchy." Speaking at New York City's 92nd Street Y on May 1, Clinton offered advice for the first female U.S. president, urging her to resist patriarchal structures—a dig that seemed to target nearly all GOP women.

Clinton singled out Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski as a rare exception, praising her occasional defiance of Donald Trump, including her vote to convict him in his 2021 impeachment trial. She also nodded approvingly at former Rep. Liz Cheney, who backed Kamala Harris in 2024 and led the January 6 investigation. "There’s a few," Clinton quipped, her words dripping with selective admiration.

The remarks echo Clinton’s past controversies, like her 2016 "basket of deplorables" comment, which alienated many Trump supporters. She also stirred debate by suggesting White women voted against her under spousal pressure. Her latest barb comes as the U.S. grapples with the elusive goal of electing a female president, a milestone Clinton herself failed to achieve against Trump in 2016, as did Harris in 2024.

Reflecting on Harris’s recent campaign, Clinton remained optimistic yet realistic: "It’s harder than it should be, but I’ll support any woman I believe would be a strong leader." Her words underscore the persistent gender barriers in politics while revealing her unyielding partisan lens.