How Hillary Clinton Inspires Mothers
When Hillary Clinton became the Democratic nominee for president, it was a monumental day in history. Beyond the historical significance for the nation as a whole, it was a big day for many mothers. For the first time in American history, a mother is very close to the White House. More significantly, Clinton has defied the norms projected upon mothers and made being a mother an advantage to her campaign. From incorporating The Mothers of the Movement and Michelle Obama to her own mother and daughter, Clinton’s campaign’s covert message was about empowering mothers.
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The Mothers of the Movement are mothers who lost their children to police brutality or gun violence. On July 26, seven women walked on stage at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and made a powerful and moving case for Clinton, touting the power and emotion behind motherhood.
“I’m here with Hillary Clinton because she is a leader and a mother who will say our children’s names.
Hillary knows that when a young black life is cut short, it’s not just a personal loss. It is a national loss. It is a loss that diminishes all of us,” Geneva Reed-Veal, mother to Sandra Bland, said.
Lucia McBath, mother to Jordan Davis, continued “You don’t stop being a parent when your child dies. I am still Jordan Davis’s mother. His life ended the day he was shot and killed for playing loud music. But my job as his mother didn’t. I still wake up every day thinking about how to parent him. How to protect him and his legacy. How to ensure his death doesn’t overshadow his life.”
Screen Shot Via Hillary Clinton’s YouTube Channel
Michelle Obama has been a constant fixture of Clinton’s campaign. A prominent moment occurred on October 13 when Obama responded to the video leak revealing Donald Trump boasting about sexually predatory behavior.
“It reminds us of stories we heard from our mothers and grandmothers about how, back in their day, the boss could say and do whatever he pleased to the women in the office, and even though they worked so hard, jumped over every hurdle to prove themselves, it was never enough,” Obama said.
Connecting the history of woman and mothers from the past to today, Obama elaborated “while our mothers and grandmothers were often powerless to change their circumstances, today, we as women have all the power we need to determine the outcome of this election.”
Most importantly, Obama made Clinton’s role as a mother an advantage: “So in Hillary, we have a candidate who has dedicated her life to public service, someone who has waited her turn and helped out while waiting. She is an outstanding mother. She has raised a phenomenal young woman. She is a loving, loyal wife. She's a devoted daughter who cared for her mother until her final days. And if any of us had raised a daughter like Hillary Clinton, we would be so proud. We would be proud.”
Dorothy Rodham was Clinton’s mother. Throughout her life, Rodham faced a variety of hardships that inspired Clinton’s passion as an advocate for children and families. Clinton began to work her mother into her campaign’s appeal by utilizing a mother and daughter’s connection to appeal to the middle class and highlight the importance of government aid.
Chelsea Clinton continued the emphasis on service and motherhood.
“I am here as a proud American, a proud Democrat, a proud mother and tonight in particular, a very, very proud daughter,” she said.
The speech focused heavily on being a mother and her life with Hillary Clinton.
“As her daughter,” Chelsea Clinton explained, “I’ve had a special window into how she serves. I’ve seen her holding the hands of mothers, worried about how they’ll feed their kids, worried about how they’ll get them the healthcare they need. I’ve seen my mother promising to do everything she could to help. I’ve seen her right after those conversations getting straight to work, figuring out what she could do, who she could call, how fast she could get results. […] So, this November, I’m voting for a woman who is my role model, as a mother, and as an advocate. A woman who has spent her entire life fighting for families and children.”
The speech continued the path connecting motherhood to the presidency.
“And, mom, grandma would be so, so proud of you tonight. To everyone watching here and at home, I know with all my heart, that my mother will make us proud as our next President. This is the story of my mother, Hillary Clinton,” Chelsea Clinton said.
Across her social media, Hillary Clinton continues her portrayal as a maternal figure. In an interview on Conan O’Brien’s show Conan, guest Louis C.K. endorsed Hillary Clinton saying it is time for a mother to be in the White House.
“It’s really exciting to have the first mother in the White House. […] It’s not about the first woman; it’s the first mom. Because a mother, she’s got it,” C.K. said.
It matters that this campaign mentions daughters, mothers, and grandmothers. For generations, they have been made to feel less than. With a campaign riding on mothers, Clinton has made being a mother a noble profession on par with being president of the United States. It is more than time for a woman in the Oval Office.
