Hillary Clinton Tells Democrats: ‘We Just Put the Biggest Crack in That Glass Ceiling Yet’
Clinton appears on video from New York after her nomination at the Democratic Convention
Tim Molloy | July 26, 2016 @ 8:21 PM
Last Updated: July 26, 2016 @ 10:23 PM
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Hillary Clinton closed the second night of the Democratic Convention with her first remarks since being named the party’s nominee: “We just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet.”
Clinton addressed the Philadelphia crowd by video live from New York. She was joined by several women, one of them a young girl who stood at her side.
“This is really your victory,” she told Democrats. “This is really your night. And if there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, I may become the first woman president — but one of you is next.”
Clinton appeared after a video that showed every previous president — all of them male — followed by a shattering effect and her smiling face breaking through.
Her comments Tuesday echoed those she made in 2008 when her first presidential campaign ended with her endorsing Barack Obama.
“Although we weren’t able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it’s got about 18 million cracks in it,” she said at the time.
Her reference to that theme Tuesday came after a day in which she made history as the first female nominee for a major party.
One speaker after another noted the significance of the moment, including Oscar winner Meryl Streep, who said it was hard to become the first woman anything — much less the first woman president.
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.
