Hillary Clinton criticizes photo of male Republicans talking women's health coverage

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gestures while speaking before the Professional Businesswomen of California (AP)

Hillary Clinton on Tuesday gave one of her first public speeches since losing the presidential election and criticized the much-circulated photo showing an all-male group of Republican lawmakers last month negotiating women’s coverage in health care legislation.

She mentioned a social-media parody of it that showed an all-dog panel deciding on feline care.

“I am here today to urge us not to grow tired. Not to be discouraged and disappointed. Not to throw up our hands because change is not happening fast enough,” Clinton said. “We need more women at any table, at any conference call or email chain where decisions are made.”

White House (The White House released a photo of a meeting with President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and the House Freedom Caucus last week)

Without mentioning President Trump by name, Clinton faulted the Republican presidential administration repeatedly, including calling its representation of women in top jobs “the lowest in a generation.”

She rebuked White House press secretary Sean Spicer, again not by name, for hours earlier Tuesday chiding a black woman journalist during a news conference for shaking her head.

“Too many women have had a lifetime of practice taking this kind of indignity in stride,” Clinton said. “I mean, it’s not like I didn’t know all the nasty things they were saying about me. I thought some of them were kind of creative."

Clinton cracked jokes about her November defeat and her months out of the limelight since, Clinton spoke to thousands of businesswomen in San Francisco, joking there was no place she’d rather be, “other than the White House.”

Trump has named four women to his Cabinet, the same number as in former President George W. Bush’s first Cabinet. Trump earlier this week pointed to the work he planned to have his daughter, Ivanka Trump Kushner, do on childcare and other issues involving working women and men in her unsalaried role in his administration.

The Associated Press contributed to this report