Hillary Clinton used her Democratic Convention speech to paint herself as the polar opposite of GOP nominee Donald Trump, telling the crowd that “love trumps hate” and saying she didn’t grow up with her name on buildings.
Clinton’s acceptance speech made history, as she formally became the first woman presidential candidate for a major party. She praised everyone from 9/11 first responders to President Obama and Bernie Sanders, while portraying Trump as an egomaniac bully. Clinton said that Americans are not afraid because we “will rise to the challenge, just as we always have.”
Seventeen minutes into her 57-minute speech, Clinton finally said the words, “I accept your nomination.”
Her first mention of Trump came nine minutes in, when she said, “He wants to divide us from the rest of the world and from each other.” Her anti-Trump messages came early and often.
“We will not build a wall, instead we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one. And we’ll build a path to citizenship for million of immigrants,” she said before chants of her name broke out.
“America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart. Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. And just as with our founders there are no guarantees. It truly is up to us. We have to decide whether we will all work together so we can all rise together,” she said.
Many political pundits accused Trump of trying to scare Americans during his sometimes angry-sounding acceptance speech. Clinton essentially promised to keep America great with talk of perseverance and prosperity.
“So I want to tell you tonight how we’re going to empower all Americans to live better lives. My primary mission as president will be to create more opportunity and more good jobs with rising wages right here in the United States,” she said.
Like Trump, she tried to recruit Sanders supporters.
“I want to thank Bernie Sanders,” she said. “Bernie, your campaign inspired millions of Americas… Your cause is our cause.”
Clinton highlighted many elements of her platform, such as affordable prescription drugs and the opportunity for all children to attend decent schools. She said focusing on small details should be a big deal to the president.
“Don’t let anyone tell you our country is weak, we’re not,” she said, before citing part of Trump’s acceptance speech in which he said of America, ‘I alone can fix it.”
“Don’t believe anyone who says, ‘I alone can fix it,'” she said. “Americans don’t say ‘I alone can fix it.’ We say we’ll fix it together.”
“Trump says he wants to make America great again. Well, he can start by actually making things in America,” she said after naming Trump products made overseas.
When the crowd booed Trump’s name, Clinton called back President Obama’s line from Wednesday, “Don’t boo, vote.”
She said that Trump “is in the pocket” of gun lobbyists and said she won’t appeal the 2nd Amendment, but doesn’t want Americans being shot by people who shouldn’t possess guns in the first place.
Vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine joined her on stage and eventually, her family followed as Perry’s anthem blasted inside the convention. Balloons fell from the ceiling, covering the convention floor as history was made in Philadelphia.
How Hillary Did: Democratic Convention Speeches Ranked From Worst to Best (Videos)
With the Democratic Convention already half over, TheWrap is ranking the speeches so far. There are too many people taking the podium for us to include them all, so we're only evaluating the most memorable.
Howard Dean
His delivery Tuesday was stilted and felt off, until his conclusion, a callback to the speech that helped bury his 2004 presidential run. It's cool that he can joke about it, but disappointing he didn't have a better closer.
Bernie Sanders
The former presidential candidate got almost three minutes of cheers before he spoke, but delivered a long speech that didn't say much new. And he took 10 minutes to clarify that yes, he's still endorsing Hillary Clinton. His speech was just OK.
Elizabeth Warren
The Massachusetts senator is one of the Democrats' most energetic advocates for economic justice, but she was relatively low-key Monday. Warren may have been thrown off by people in the crowd who booed or heckled her for getting behind Clinton. But she did land some punches against Trump, her occasional Twitter antagonist.
Madeleine Albright
The first female Secretary of State, one of Clinton's predecessors in the job, made a passionate argument that Donald Trump has hurt U.S. national policy just by running for president.
Tim Kaine
He did a good job doing the attack-dog thing vice presidential candidates are supposed to do, and spoke a little Spanish, calling Clinton "lista" -- ready.
The comedian and former Sanders supporter said something no politician has had the guts to say when she accused the Bernie-or-Bust crowd of acting "ridiculous." Whether or not you agree, give her points for saying what she believes. The onetime Sanders surrogate made a strong case for switching over to "pretty kick-ass woman" Hillary Clinton.
Cory Booker
The New Jersey senator got the audience fired up by quoting Maya Angelou: "You may write me down in history / With your bitter, twisted lies / You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I'll rise."
Bill Clinton
He's had the same issue with Democratic Convention speeches since his first one in 1988: He goes on too long. But his slow, relaxed style is so much a part of his charm. His encomium to his wife and her great advice was lovely -- we could listen to hours about how they first started dating -- but he could have tightened up his long list of her accomplishments. Key line: "She's the best darn changemaker I've ever met in my entire life."
Joe Biden
He walked out to the theme from "Rocky" -- get it? We're in Philly, and he was born in Pennsylvania? -- and then paid tribute to the Rockys of the world. He said blue-collar people may not be respected in Washington, but celebrated people who get up every morning and "put one foot in front of the other." He also started a new anti-Trump chant: "Not a clue. Not a clue."
Michelle Obama
The first lady set the standard for convention speakers with these words: "I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves. And I watch my daughters, two beautiful, intelligent, black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn. And because of Hillary Clinton, my daughters, and all our sons and daughters, now take for granted that a woman can be president of the United States. So, don't let anyone ever tell you that this country isn't great, that somehow we need to make it great again, because this, right now, is the greatest country on Earth."
Hillary Clinton
She was the first presidential nominee in modern history to dress all in white, but she tried to share the spotlight with everyone she could. President Obama set her up Wednesday by portraying Trump as a man who claimed only he could rule. On Thursday, Clinton praised everyone from 9/11 first responders to Obama to Bernie Sanders. "Love trumps hate," she said, and made the case that as the first female presidential nominee, she isn't just in it for herself: "When any barrier in America falls, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit."
President Barack Obama
We know, he said his wife's speech would be better. And Clinton's did the job. But this was one for history. Rejecting the idea that dark forces are hurting America, he said the values of his ancestors -- hard work, honesty and kindness -- are as strong as they've ever been. He said shortcuts and demagogues will never win, and belittled Trump's proposed border wall. "The American dream is something no wall with ever contain," Obama said.
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Clinton, dressed all in white, gives credit to ”people who inspired me“
With the Democratic Convention already half over, TheWrap is ranking the speeches so far. There are too many people taking the podium for us to include them all, so we're only evaluating the most memorable.
