More excerpts from Hillary Clinton’s new memoir “What Happened” are hitting the internet this week in the wake of its release, including one in which the former Democratic candidate for president compares herself to a “Game of Thrones” character.
“Crowds at Trump rallies called for my imprisonment more times than I can count,” she wrote, arguing that sexism played a role in her failed presidential bid.
“They shouted, ‘Guilty! Guilty!’ like the religious zealots in ‘Game of Thrones’ chanting, ‘Shame! Shame!’ while Cersei Lannister walked back to the Red Keep,” she continued.
Clinton said the political climate changed drastically when she ran for president in 2016, compared with any other moment in politics she had experienced before it — and she’s seen a lot.
“Now people seemed to think I was evil… Was this all because I’m a woman? No. But I believe it was motivation for some of those chanters and some of that bile.”
In case you’re unaware of the events of “Game of Thrones,” Clinton is referring to a moment in Season 5 when Cersei, played by Lena Headey, has to do a walk of shame — nude, with her hair shaved — in front of the citizens of King’s Landing. She gets berated and attacked as a way to repent for her sins across multiple seasons.
Throughout “What Happened,” Clinton offers up explanations as to why she lost the election to Donald Trump. She talks about the role former FBI director James Comey’s Oct. 28 decision to reopen an investigation into her emails had among voters, Russia’s involvement and her Democratic opponent Bernie Sanders.
She also goes deeper into the sexism she experienced on the campaign trail, specifically from Trump himself.
“It was the second presidential debate and Donald Trump was looming behind me. Two days before the world heard him brag about groping woman. Now we were on a small stage and no matter where I walked, he followed me closely, staring at me, making faces,” Clinton wrote. “Well, what would you do? Do you stay calm, keep smiling and carry on — as if he weren’t repeatedly invading your space? Or do you turn, look him in the eye, and say loudly and clearly ‘back up you creep, get away from me! I know you love to intimidate women, but you can’t intimidate me, so back up.’”
“What Happened” hit book stores on Tuesday, Sept. 12.