Oxon Hill, MD - White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, far from being “sidelined,” was the first speaker to take the stage at the 2017 Conservative Political Action Conference at the Gaylord National Convention Center on Thursday. She took part in a conversation with Washington Times columnist and FOX News contributor Mercedes Schlapp about her successful career and, more importantly, her family.
Although she grew up in a house of all women, Conway said she never heard the word “feminist.” She learned to be an independent woman without the label.
Conway observed that many women like her “looked past the commonality of gender" in the November election, voting for Donald Trump instead of Hillary Clinton and her radically liberal agenda.
Yet, it's hard to ignore the millions of women who write Trump off as a fascist and a sexist. Schlapp wondered what Conway thought of the Women’s March protests that took place a day after Trump’s inauguration, which featured vulgar signs and expletive-heavy speeches. They were largely organized in the name of feminism.
“It’s difficult to call myself a feminist,” Conway said, because “it seems to be anti-male and very pro-abortion.”
The White House senior counselor explained why she chooses to stand by Trump’s side. She praised his “leadership skills” and “resoluteness,” adding Americans were craving those kinds of characteristics. He also his priorities in order, she said.
“I witnessed his family,” she said. “He’s a family man. He is happiest when he’s with his family.”
"Think about all the things he could be doing" instead of working in the Oval Office, she asked the crowd. Money, power and prestige were “not a political motivator” for him. He and his family sacrificed because they “believe in this country, its people and its promise.”
Looking toward the future, Conway had a challenge for the conservative young women in the audience.
“The job for first female president remains open, so go for it.”