Jennifer Palmieri, who served as Hillary Clinton’s communication director during the 2016 presidential election, got a front row seat to see the dejection that women felt when the candidate lost. But looking back, Palmieri sees the defeat as a triggering moment. “It might not have been a glass ceiling...but something sure shattered and women decided to react in a very powerful way,” she told Cheddar Monday. Since President Trump was voted in, movements such as the Women’s March and #MeToo have taken hold and inspired change. Palmieri isn’t giving up on the idea of a female president, perhaps even as soon as 2020. But to get there, she says, there are two big hurdles female candidates will need to overcome. The first is ambition. “Where I think we still struggle is thinking about women and ambition,” she explained. “It was a question of, ‘Well, why does she want the job? What’s her motivation behind it?’ That’s different from the questions people have for male candidates. “It’s the suspicion about motivations...that’s what was underneath comments that you would hear.” The second is that they’re in uncharted territory. “What I’m telling women now is...you are in a new universe...you have to understand you are charting a new path and there isn’t a manual here.” Palmieri is the author of “Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World.” For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/hillary-clintons-former-director-of-communications-on-the-democrats-she-thinks-can-beat-trump-in-2020).

Share:
More In Politics
Biden Marks LGBTQ+ Pride Month With Celebration on White House South Lawn
 President Joe Biden welcomed hundreds to the White House on Saturday for a delayed Pride Month celebration aimed at showing LGBTQ+ people that his administration has their back at a time when advocates are warning of a spike in discriminatory legislation, particularly aimed at the transgender community, sweeping through statehouses.
Lawmakers Propose Weakening Rule for Airfare Price Transparency
“Any consumer can tell you that online airline bookings are confusing enough," said William McGee, an aviation expert at the American Economic Liberties Project. "The last thing we need is to roll back an existing protection that provides effective transparency.”
Next Week on the Street: Trump in Court, Fed Meeting and More Earnings
Cheddar News checks in to see what to look out for Next Week on the Street as former president Donald Trump makes an appearance in federal court after being indicted. Investors will also keep an eye on the Federal Reserve meeting to see what comes out of that while earnings continue to pour in.
Load More