Hillary Clinton had three “G”s in mind when she came to address the Clinton community: gridlock, growth, and global leadership. On October 3rd, a standing ovation of 5,800 people greeted Clinton as she took the stage in the Margaret Bundy Scott Field House, and she began by complimenting Hamilton College and its students for their ambitious work ethic and innovative projects. Apart from Hamilton, she raved about the tremendous agricultural work done in upstate New York and the initiatives taken by farmers to connect their products to businesses and restaurants in New York City. Finding common ground between two unlikely sources was a reoccurring theme of her speech that night, wasting no time addressing the current gridlock and ensuing government shutdown.
Using Hamilton College’s founding father as a reference, Clinton emphasized compromise as the foundation upon which our country is based and the only way that progress can be made. She cited the making of our Constitution as a physical manifestation of compromise between Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton, and denounced our current representatives in the House for prioritizing their own interests over the interests of the American people. Notable quotes of the night include: “We can’t let partisanship override citizenship,” and “we have emphasized scorched earth over common ground.” After her speech, Clinton took a seat on the stage with the president of Hamilton College, Joan Hinde Stewart, and answered questions submitted by various students and faculty members. One question she eagerly answered was if she believes female politicians are more scrutinized than their male counterparts. Clinton laughed before answering that in her personal experience, she has learned to take the criticism “seriously, but not personally” and to be wary of political or commercial motives behind these criticisms. She went on to mention how superficial details such as hairstyle or dress are always commented upon for female politicians. Another interesting question for Clinton was to describe the most difficult change in her career. Without pinpointing one specific turn of events, she concluded that she has always managed to make the most of whatever situation she was in.
Comfortable and charming, Clinton captivated the audience with anecdotes about herself and the local communities that she has worked with; she impressively commended various students and alumni on their achievements in close detail without any notes. With a lifetime of experience in the political arena under her belt, I’m impressed to see Hillary undaunted, resilient and still determined to serve the American people. And who knows, we might be seeing a lot more of her in 2016!