Hillary Clinton Shuts Down Heckler: 'You Are Very Rude'
Heckler later said she wanted to ask about Bill Clinton's treatment of women.
DERRY, N.H. -- Hillary Clinton on Sunday confronted a female heckler who interrupted the Democratic candidate's first campaign event of the new year in an attempt to ask about Bill Clinton's conduct towards women.
"You are very rude and I'm not going to ever call on you," Clinton told the woman, who later identified herself as Republican New Hampshire State Rep. Katherine Prudhomme O'Brien.
Clinton's response drew applause and a standing ovation from many in the crowd of roughly 750 who were packed into an auditorium of a Derry, New Hampshire, middle school.
During the Q&A portion of the town hall, O'Brien, who represents Derry, the town where Clinton’s event was held, repeatedly stood up and yelled out to Clinton. What she was saying was inaudible to reporters sitting in the back of the room, and it’s unclear if Clinton was able to make out what she was saying.
Later, however, O’Brien told reporters she was trying to ask Clinton about Juanita Broaddrick a woman who in 1999 made rape allegations against Bill Clinton. According to a posting on O’Brien’s Facebook account, this is the third time she has attempted to ask Clinton about Broaddrick.
The exchange today comes one day before the former president will be in New Hampshire to campaign on behalf of his wife. It also comes amid ongoing attacks against the Clintons by Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, who recently tweeted that Bill Clinton has a "terrible record of women abuse."
In a statement responding to Trump, Clinton campaign spokeswoman Christina Reynolds said "Hillary Clinton won't be bullied or distracted by attacks he throws at her and former President Clinton."
But, Reynolds added, "When his insults are directed at women, immigrants, Asian-Americans, Muslims, the disabled, or hard working Americans looking to raise their wages, Hillary Clinton will stand up to him, as she has from the beginning. Donald Trump's words are demeaning, his policies are just as destructive. Hillary Clinton will challenge Donald Trump and all the other Republicans who will rip away the progress we've made."