It turns out Hillary Clinton was thinking exactly what many women across the country were thinking, as then-Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump attempted to physically intimidate Clinton on a debate stage by lurking over her shoulders. Trump’s behavior, which Clinton described as “incredibly uncomfortable,” came just days after the infamous Access Hollywood recording of Trump openly bragging about sexual assault was released.
“It was the second presidential debate and Donald Trump was looming behind me,” Clinton revealed in a new excerpt of her forthcoming memoir obtained by MSNBC. “Two days before, the world heard him brag about groping women. Now we were on a small stage and no matter where I walked, he followed me closely, staring at me, making faces.”
"Back up, you creep!" Our @Morning_Joe EXCLUSIVE first look at @HillaryClinton's new book "What Happened" https://t.co/FQg4t4N8A3
— Jesse Rodriguez (@JesseRodriguez) August 23, 2017
Clinton reveals that although she chose not to call out Trump’s behavior on stage, she now wonders whether she should have.
“Do you stay calm and 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.’”
“Maybe I have over-learned the lesson of staying calm, biting my tongue, digging my fingernails into a clenched fist, smiling all the while, determined to present a composed face to the world.”
Clinton’s book, titled What Happened, is set to be released on September 12.
