Hillary Clinton Jokes Friend Anna Wintour Has Been ‘Tolerant’ of the Former First Lady’s ‘Less Than Fashion Icon Status’

During a book talk at Carnegie Hall, the former Secretary of State urged everyone to vote, saying 'I don't think there could be higher stakes' in the election

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention DNC on August 19, 2024

ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty

Hillary Clinton at the Democratic National Convention DNC on August 19, 2024

When Hillary Clinton moved into the White House in 1993 as First Lady, she started noticing that some of her favorite wardrobe items were nowhere to be found.

“I did not know until I left the White House that my staff had actually hidden certain clothes that I brought with me,” the former Democratic presidential nominee recalled while discussing her latest book, Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty at a book tour stop in New York City.

“I didn't know what had happened to them,” she said as the Carnegie Hall audience erupted in laughter. “Where is that Christmas sweater? I know I had it somewhere!”

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During her talk, Clinton spoke about the long-lasting friendships she’s had over the years, the focus of one of the chapters in her latest New York Times bestselling memoir.

“My very good friend Anna Wintour is here," she added, joking that the iconic Vogue editor “has been very tolerant of me and my, I’m going to say, less than fashion icon status.”

Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton

Moderator Mika Brzezinski, who co-hosts MSNBC’s Morning Joe with husband Joe Scarborough, interviewed Clinton about the book, which covers everything from her 50-year marriage to being in the “exclusive club of former First Ladies.”

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Brzezinski focused most of her questions on what is going on in the news, particularly the election.

“I think that the voters, as well as Vice President Harris and her campaign are very, very well prepared for these last six days because what they know is that the polls are unreliable,” said Clinton, who noted she has traveled all over the country talking to audiences in the last month.

“We also know that the Trump campaign and their allies know how to flood the zone with a lot of polls that are very favorable to him. So the most important thing to remember,” she added, “is that it matters only who shows up and votes.”

In a conversation about reproductive rights, Brzezinski asked Clinton, “Am I wrong to fear the future?”

“We should fear the future," Clinton replied. “If Trump were to be re-elected, there will be a national abortion ban,” she continued. “Make no mistake that the agenda that Trump, the allies he has who have written Project 2025, and all the people who are working to get him re-elected have is a deeply sexist, anti-woman agenda.”

DREW ANGERER/AFP/Getty Bill and Hillary Clinton at a state dinner on April 10, 2024

DREW ANGERER/AFP/Getty

Bill and Hillary Clinton at a state dinner on April 10, 2024

Project 2025, she added, "is a roadmap for doing away with democracy. And by doing away with democracy, undermining not only our constitution, our institutions, the rule of law, but our fundamental freedoms and rights. And so I don't think there could be higher stakes than what we see in this election."

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Citing a recent speech made by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, Clinton said, “this Supreme Court, which never fails to side with Trump, is possibly going to send other very important rights back to the states: gay marriage, contraception, even, some have speculated, interracial marriage.”

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, on the other hand, supports women’s reproductive and other freedoms — and will make a great president, she said.

As for whether a woman can run the biggest economy in the world and serve as the commander in chief of the American military, Clinton said, “The answer is obviously yes.”

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Something Lost, Something Gained: Reflections on Life, Love, and Liberty, is available now, wherever books are sold.