Gillibrand: Colleagues Called Me 'Fat,' 'Porky,' 'Chubby'

New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand has a new book, Off the Sidelines, out next month, and it takes a frank look at the reality of being a woman on Capitol Hill. Among the more surprising and perhaps not-so-surprising tidbits:

• Gillibrand reveals she had lost 50 pounds after giving birth when a male senator squeezed her waist from behind. "Don't lose too much weight now," he said. "I like my girls chubby." The Washington Post notes that Gillibrand says "he was one of her favorite senators(!)."

• People picks up another quote from a male colleague, handed out while Gillibrand was exercising at the congressional gym: "Good thing you're working out, because you wouldn't want to get porky!" Talking Points Memo notes Gillibrand's acerbic response in the book: "Thanks, a--hole!"
• A Southern congressman even told her once, "You know, Kirsten, you’re even pretty when you're fat," Gillibrand wrote, per the New York Post. "I believed his intentions were sweet, even if he was being an idiot."
• Perhaps all the sexist idiocy helped her bond with Hillary Clinton. "I will help Hillary get elected," she told People while promoting the book. "In my mind, she's definitely running" in 2016, Gillibrand adds. "Anytime I've ever talked to her, I've offered every bit of help in the world and she's never said no."
• In other way-out-of-date-politician news: A report from two Republican groups finds 49% of female voters view the GOP "unfavorably," including as "intolerant," "lacking in compassion," and "stuck in the past." That isn't likely to help the party if Clinton does indeed decide to run, Politico notes.

(More Kirsten Gillibrand stories.)