Hillary Clinton has called the alleged conduct of Harvey Weinstein “disgusting” and “heartbreaking” before comparing the disgraced movie mogul to Donald Trump.
The failed candidate for US President heaped praise on the women who spoke out against the once-powerful film producer Weinstein, who now faces multiple accusations of sexual harassment, rape and assault.
But she swiftly pointed out how her former rival Trump was guilty of abusing women. Referring to the tape in which Trump said he felt free to “grab [women] by the pussy”, she added: “After all, we have someone admitting to being a sexual assaulter in the Oval Office”.
Asked on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show for her reaction to the accusations against Weinstein, Clinton said: “I was shocked and appalled because I have known him through politics as many Democrats have.”
Weinstein was a regular donor to the Democrats and has strenuously denied all of the allegations against him.
She went on: “It was just disgusting and the stories that have come out were heartbreaking and I really commend the women who have been willing to step forward now and tell their stories.”
She then drew the comparison with Trump, saying: “It is important we do not just focus on him and whatever consequences flow from his behaviour, but that we recognise that this behaviour cannot be tolerated anywhere, whether it is in entertainment, or politics – after all, we have someone admitting to being a sexual assaulter in the Oval Office.
“There has to be a recognition that we must stand against this kind of action, which is so sexist and misogynistic.”
Clinton made the same point to Channel 4′s Matt Frei in a previous interview.
When asked about Weinstein, she said: “Look, we just elected someone who admitted sexual assault to the presidency.
“So there’s a lot of other issues that are swirling around these kinds of behaviors that need to be addressed.
“I think it’s important that we stay focused, and shine a bright spotlight, and try to get people to understand how damaging this is.
“The women coming forward is the only way that that story will be told.”
On the Andrew Marr Show, Clinton said the saddest part of the US Presidential campaign was that voters discounted Trump’s sexist remarks about women.
“Trump had a very narrow view of women, and is focused on keeping women in their place,” she said, pointing to the way in which he refused to shake the hand of Angela Merkel in the Oval Office, or refused to look her in the eye, but grabbed the hand of Theresa May.
“He said the disparity showed Trump believes “there are two kind of women. Women I like and I can work with, and then there are women who I am afraid of and might challenge me.”
When asked about future female candidates for US President, Clinton highlighted Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama had said publicly they would not run.
She said her daughter, Chelsea Clinton, “might” run in 15 or 20 years’ time but had no current ambitions for high office.
Clinton, who is in the UK promoting her book on the 2017 Presidential race ‘What Happened’, was also asked about Brexit.
The former Secretary of State also laughed at the prospect of a UK trade deal with the US, claiming Trump “doesn’t believe in trade”.
She also said Britain crashing out of the EU without a trade deal would damage the UK economy.