Hillary Clinton says 'vote for me on the merits' — and includes her womanhood as a merit

(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

published 23 July 2015

Although she has been accused of playing the gender card, Hillary Clinton wants to make one thing clear — don't vote for her because she's a woman.

Okay, well, maybe vote for her because she's a woman.

During a stop in West Columbia, South Carolina, on Thursday, a man told Clinton that his 10-year-old daughter was convinced men had held the presidency for "long enough."

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"Clearly, I'm not asking people to vote for me simply because I'm a woman," Clinton responded. "I'm asking people to vote for me on the merits."

Then she added: "I think one of the merits is I am a woman. And I can bring those views and perspectives to the White House."

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.