The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Fangirl’ Nicola Sturgeon meets ‘trailblazer’ at New York event
First Minister and former presidential candidate share stage
Nicola Sturgeon spoke of her excitement before meeting “trailblazer” Hillary Clinton at a women’s event in New York, adding: “I’ve got to be careful I don’t act like a fangirl.”
The First Minister and former presidential candidate were both speakers at the Women in the World summit.
Journalist Tina Brown, who founded the event, shared a picture of herself with the political “power couple”, calling them “two women I admire most anywhere”, while Ms Sturgeon’s husband, Peter Murrell, also tweeted a picture of the pair meeting.
Speaking to Ms Brown on stage, Ms Sturgeon said: “I look at Hillary (Clinton) and she has been a trailblazer for women in politics, whatever you think about her politics.
“I find many of her qualities are admirable. Her sheer resilience I find utterly amazing, but she has made it easier for women like me in politics, and I think that I and women across the world really owe Hillary Clinton a debt of gratitude.”
She also touched on the decision to go public about her miscarriage in 2011.
“It wasn’t a decision I took lightly, but I decided to speak out about it because it’s one example of a position I’m in to change the attitude toward certain things,” she told the audience.
On being asked why she doesn’t have children, she made the point: “My predecessor didn’t have children, and I’m not aware that he was ever asked that question.”
The SNP leader travelled to the event as part of a US tour, criticised by some opponents as a waste of taxpayers’ money. Ms Sturgeon insisted the visit had been trade-focused, telling the Press Association: “There is, I detect, a real desire to strengthen economic links between the United States and Scotland. That’s been the focus of the trip.”