Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said she thought it was difficult for Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonWhat Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies Bipartisan praise pours in after Ginsburg's death Trump carries on with rally, unaware of Ginsburg's death MORE to “get by the macho atmosphere” dominating the 2016 presidential election.

CNN's Poppy Harlow asked Ginsburg at an event at Columbia University Sunday to clarify her comments last year that sexism was a “major factor” in the election.

“I think it was difficult for Hillary Clinton to get by the macho atmosphere prevailing during that campaign, and she was criticized in a way I think no men would have been criticized,” Ginsburg said.

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“I think anyone who watched that campaign unfold would answer the same way I did, yes that sexism played a prominent part,” she continued.

Harlow then asked the justice if the U.S. wasn’t ready for a female president.

“I think we were and will be the next time,” Ginsburg said.

“Anyway, we should be careful about getting me too much into the political arena,” she added, to laughs.

Ginsburg, who has described herself as a "flaming feminist litigator," apologized after she criticized Trump during his candidacy.

She told The New York Times that she “can’t imagine what the country would be — with Donald Trump Donald John TrumpObama calls on Senate not to fill Ginsburg's vacancy until after election Planned Parenthood: 'The fate of our rights' depends on Ginsburg replacement Progressive group to spend M in ad campaign on Supreme Court vacancy MORE as our president.”