Clinton blames loss on Putin, FBI letter

The Democratic former secretary of state won the popular vote but lost the crucial Electoral College

NEW YORK: Hillary Clinton blames Russian President Vladimir Putin, who had a "personal beef" against her, and a late-hour FBI intervention over her email scandal for her loss to Donald Trump in the US election.

The Democratic former secretary of state won the popular vote by more than 2.7 million ballots but lost the crucial Electoral College by 232 to 306.



Trump walked away with the election because he won a string of swing states. Crucially his wins in three of those states, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, amounted to a combined total of around 100,000 votes.

In the immediate aftermath of the election, however, some Democrats including advisers close to her husband, former president Bill Clinton, directed blame at Clinton's own campaign.

The campaign reportedly ignored calls from Bill Clinton to spend more time focusing on disaffected white, working class voters -- a key demographic that elected Bill Clinton twice and backed Trump.