Hillary Clinton has said she takes 'personal responsibility' for losing the 2016 presidential race to Donald Trump.
However, she also claimed there were additional factors in her loss, including Russian interference and a letter from the FBI about an investigation into her leaked emails.
Speaking about her defeat at an event called Women for Women, she said: "I take absolute personal responsibility.
Credit: PA
Advert
"I was the candidate, I was the person who was on the ballot. I am very aware of the challenges, the problems, the shortfalls that we had."
During the interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, she said she was 'on track' to become the first female president in US history, until she was derailed by a number of obstacles.
She said: "It wasn't a perfect campaign. There is no such thing; but I was on the way to winning, until a combination of Jim Comey's letter on 28 October and Russian WikiLeaks raised doubts in the minds of people who were inclined to vote for me but got scared off."
Hillary Clinton at Donald Trump's inauguration in January. Credit: PA
Ten days before polling day, FBI director Jim Comey announced the FBI would be reviewing newly discovered emails as part of its investigation into Clinton's use of a private email server, while she was heading up the Department of State.
Clinton also pointed out that leaked emails from her campaign chairman, John Podesta, popped up on WikiLeaks less than an hour after Trump's infamous Access Hollywood tape had surfaced, revealing his notorious 'grab her by the pussy' remarks.
Credit: PA
Advert
Clinton said: "What a coincidence. You just can't make this stuff up. Did we make mistakes? Oh, course we did. Did I make mistakes? Oh my gosh, yes. You'll read my confession and my request for absolution. But the reason why I believe we lost were the intervening events in the last 10 days."
Russia's role in the election
and its potential contacts with Trump's campaign is currently being
investigated by the FBI.
Clinton added that had the election been held on 27 October she would be president.
Advert
Sources: The Guardian
Featured Image Credit: PATopics: Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump