Hillary Clinton warned Thursday that Russia "will be back time and time again" if the U.S. does not take "action together to hold whoever was involved accountable" for hacking in last year's presidential election.
"I am deeply concerned about what went on with Russia," the former Democratic candidate said in an interview at the "Women in the World" summit in New York City, CNN reported. "A foreign power meddled with our election and did so in a way that we are learning more about every single day.
"If we don't take action together to hold whoever was involved accountable, they will be back time and time again," she said.
Clinton called Moscow's meddling an "act of aggression" — accusing President Vladimir Putin of seeking to "sow distrust and confusion, as well as influence, our election.
"I don't want anybody running campaigns or the Republican Party to have their communications stolen, which is what it was.
"It was a theft," she said. "It was a more effective theft even than Watergate back in the day."
Putin has been a longtime adversary, dating from when Clinton served as Secretary of State, and that may have also been a factor in his efforts.
"People have asked me, 'Why do you think he did that to you?' and, I don't think it's too complicated," Clinton said. "I think he had his desire to destabilize us and others — and he's not exactly fond of strong women."
In assessing her campaign loss to Donald Trump in November, Clinton said "certainly misogyny played a role, that has to be admitted.
"It's a pretty simple, but unfortunate, phenomenon.
"With men, success and ambition are correlated with likability," she explained. "The more successful a man is, the more likeable he becomes.
"With a woman, guess what? It's the exact opposite.
"There are things we could have done better," Clinton said. "There are things I could've done better."
But she added FBI Director James Comey's disclosure in October about the agency's probe of Clinton's emails, along with the WikiLeaks drop of hacked documents, "played a much bigger role than I think many people understand . . . and had the determinative effect" in her loss.
However, Clinton said the Trump administration is "going through some very public growing pains" — and that worries her, as an American citizen.
"I will put it this way: As a person I'm OK. As an American, I'm pretty worried.
"So, I think I'll take off my person hat and put on my citizen hat — and there is a lot to be concerned about."
That includes the GOP effort to repeal and replace Obamacare, especially after the failure of the American Health Care Act last month in the House.
"I don't understand the commitment to hurt so many people that this White House seems to be pursuing," she said.
"Having listened to them talk about repeal and replace for eight years — or seven years, now — they had not a clue what that meant. They had no idea.
"I don't know that any of them even read the bill. Read the law. Understand how it worked.
"Healthcare is complicated, and they don't know what to do.
"I do admit that was somewhat gratifying" when the AHCA was pulled from the vote, Clinton said.
In addition, the former first lady weighed in on her future.
"I am looking at doing interesting things," Clinton said. "I don't think that will include ever running for office again."
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