Clinton claims she has real experience

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., Sunday brushed aside assertions she only has sidelines experience, not game experience, in facing presidential issues.

Speaking on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," the presidential hopeful said the criticism emanating from the rival campaign of Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn. -- that her years as first lady while her husband was president are irrelevant -- is to be expected in the final run-up to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary.

"But I think the reality and the evidence is far different," she said. "I was intimately involved in so much that went on in the White House, here at home, and around the world."

As an example, she pointed out she went to China to push for women's rights.

"When I went to Beijing, I wasn't a witness. I was a spokesperson and proud to be for the proposition that women's rights are human rights, and that cascaded across the world," she said.

Clinton acknowledged she didn't sit in on National Security Council meetings.

"But I had direct access to all of the decision-makers," she said. "I was briefed on a range of issues, often provided classified information."