Hillary Clinton encouraged Americans to “keep going” as she discussed the possibility of Vice President Kamala Harris becoming the first female president on Monday night.
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After receiving enthusiastic applause that she described as a shift in “energy” throughout the country, the former Secretary of State expressed to the audience that the “future is here,” referencing the “glass ceiling” she had talked about in her 2016 presidential election concession speech.
“Together we made significant progress in breaking through the highest, toughest glass ceiling and tonight, we are closer than ever to shattering it once and for all,” Clinton stated. “And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris, raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th President of the United States.”
On Thursday, Harris will become the second woman to formally accept the party’s nomination for president, following in Clinton’s historic footsteps when she secured the nomination for her 2016 campaign.
Despite losing the election to former President Donald Trump in 2016, Clinton emphasized during her DNC speech that “progress is possible. But not guaranteed.”
“We have to fight for it. And never, ever give up,” Clinton declared. “There is always a choice. Do we push forward or pull back? Come together as ‘We The People’ or split into us versus them? That’s the choice we face in this election.”
Clinton, who also supported President Biden’s campaign in 2020, recognized Harris as a symbol of a new beginning in American politics, highlighting the challenges she faces as the first Black and South Asian woman at the top of a major party’s ticket. Despite these challenges, Clinton expressed confidence in Harris’s ability to lead and succeed.
In her DNC speech, Clinton emphasized the bond she shares with Harris as lawyers who have worked to protect vulnerable children and families.
“That kind of work changes you. Those kids stay with you. Kamala carries with her the hopes of every child she protected, every family she helped, every community she served,” Clinton remarked. “So as President, she will always have our backs. She will fight to lower costs for hard-working families. Open the doors wide for good-paying jobs. And, yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide.”
