Hillary Clinton says her granddaughter, Charlotte, can call her “whatever she chooses” but offered “Grandma” or “Madame President” as suggestions in an exclusive interview with ABC News’ David Muir on Tuesday.
“I want to wait to see what she does call me,” Clinton told Muir when asked how she would like her granddaughter to address her. “Grandma’s fine. Madame President’s fine. Whatever she chooses.”
Clinton explained that Charlotte, who turns one at the end of the month, “doesn’t talk yet” but that she “makes lots of sounds” and has “got a few words out.”
Clinton often invokes her granddaughter while on the campaign trail. And in an interview last month with Univision, said the hardest part of the campaign was being away from her.
Hillary Clinton on Private Email: ‘That Was a Mistake. I’m Sorry’ Hillary Clinton Calls Donald Trump’s Claims About Women’s Health ‘Laughable’ Hillary Clinton Says Joe Biden 'Could Be A Good President'During the interview, which took place in New York City, Clinton also choked up talking about her late-mother, Dorothy Rodham.
“As you probably know, my mother had a terrible childhood. She was abandoned by her parents. She was rejected by her grandparents. She was literally working as a housemaid at the age of 14. And she told me every day, ‘You've gotta get up and fight for what you believe in no matter how hard it is,’” Clinton told Muir, her eyes swelling. “I think about her a lot. I miss her a lot. I wish she were here with me. And I remember that.”
Clinton explained that she has a "perfectly fine life not being president" and that she wants to "fight for all the people, like my mother, who need somebody in their corner."
Clinton’s interview, her first national television interview with an evening news anchor since launching her campaign five months ago, comes after a rocky summer where she faced growing scrutiny over her use of a private email account and dropping poll numbers.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that 53 percent of Americans now see Clinton unfavorably, up 8 points since midsummer.
Despite the challenges, Clinton, who in the interview said she is “sorry” for using her a personal email account while Secretary of State, told Muir she is still having fun.
“It’s hard, but it’s fun,” Clinton said. “Most of the things that are hard in life are fun.”