On Wednesday, MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” had an exclusive first look at Hillary Clinton’s new memoir, What Happened, detailing her experiences in the 2016 election. In the audio excerpts, read by Clinton herself, the former secretary of state and presidential candidate addressed the infamous town hall debate where now-President Donald Trump stood right behind her and followed her around the tiny stage as she spoke.
The rocky second presidential debate took place at Washington University in St. Louis last October, just two days after Trump’s “grab them by the pussy” tape was released.
“It was incredibly uncomfortable,” Clinton said in the excerpt. “My skin crawled.”
Clinton reflected on the moment, parodied by Saturday Night Liveas a scene out of the movie of Jaws.
“It was one of those moments where you wish you could hit pause and ask everyone watching, 'Well, what would you do?'" Clinton asked. "Do you stay calm? Or do you turn and say loudly and clearly: 'Back up you creep. Get away from me. I know you love to intimidate women, but you can’t intimidate me. So back up.'”
While she chose the first option back in October, Clinton said she “wonders if she would have chosen option B.”
Despite the mixed feelings about her experience and decisions, Clinton didn't let the campaign make her bitter. As she tweeted the day after the election:
"I want you to remember this: Our campaign was never about one person or even one election. It was about the country we love.” —Hillary
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 9, 2016
Throughout her memoir, , Clinton described moments in the campaign she wished she could do over — and the ones she will never forget.
"This is my story,” she said. “I want to pull back the curtain on an experience that was exhilarating, joyful, humbling, infuriating, and just plain baffling."