Hillary Clinton speaks at the annual Hillary Rodham Clinton awards ceremony at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., February 5, 2018. (Aaron P. Bernstein/Reuters)

Hillary Clinton rejected calls for a return to civility in American politics during an interview on Tuesday, arguing instead that civility can only return once Democrats take back control of Congress.

“You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for, what you care about,” Clinton told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour. “That’s why I believe, if we are fortunate enough to win back the House and or the Senate, that’s when civility can start again. But until then, the only thing that the Republicans seem to recognize and respect is strength.”

Hillary Clinton: "You cannot be civil with a political party that wants to destroy what you stand for" https://t.co/8QI5BoEN6t pic.twitter.com/P04am7WREQ — CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 9, 2018

Clinton, who frequently maligns President Trump and his fellow Republicans for disregarding the norms of civility in public discourse, went on to cite a number of high-profile public controversies that she believes display Republicans’ unscrupulous approach to politics.


“I remember what they did to me for 25 years — the falsehoods, the lies, which unfortunately people believe because the Republicans have put a lot of time, money, and effort in promoting them,” Clinton said. “So when you’re dealing with an ideological party that is driven by the lust for power, that is funded by corporate interests who want a government that does its bidding, it’s — you can be civil, but you can’t overcome what they intend to do unless you win elections.”


Clinton announced on Monday a 13-stop North American speaking tour with her husband. The event, “An Evening with the Clintons,” offers attendees a “one-of-a-kind conversation with two individuals who have helped shape our world and had a front seat to some of the most important moments in modern history.”

The tour is scheduled to begin on November 8, and tickets are being sold for as much as $288.44.

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