Community & Government

Exclusive: The “Would-Be" Victory Speech

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Lesson time 19:51 min

For the first time ever, Hillary presents the speech that she would have given if she had won the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

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Topics include: Exclusive: The 'Would-Be' Victory Speech •

Preview

[MUSIC PLAYING] [CROWD CHEERING] HILLARY CLINTON: Being resilient is toughest when you have to push through your biggest disappointments and find the will to keep going. But our failures are not things we have to shy away from. In this lesson, I'm going to face one of my most public defeats head-on by sharing with you the speech I had hoped to deliver if I had won the 2016 election. - Settled in, everyone? [MUSIC PLAYING] So this was supposed to be the victory speech that I would have delivered on election night in New York on November the 8 of 2016. I've never shared this with anybody. I've never read it out loud. But it helps to encapsulate who I am, what I believe in, and what my hopes were for the kind of country that I want for my grandchildren and that I want for the world-- that I believe in is America at its best. - "My fellow Americans, today you sent a message to the whole world. Our values endure, our democracy stands strong, and our motto remains, "E pluribus unum"-- "Out of many, one." We will not be defined only by our differences. We will not be an "us versus them" country. The American dream is big enough for everyone. Through a long, hard campaign, we were challenged to choose between two very different visions for America, how we grow together, how we live together, and how we face a world full of peril and promise together. Fundamentally, this election challenged us to decide what it means to be an American in the 21st century. And by reaching for unity, decency, and what President Lincoln called "the better angels of our nature," we met that challenge. Today, with your children on your shoulders; neighbors at your side; friends, old and new, standing as one; you renewed our democracy. And because of the honor you have given me, you changed its face forever. I've met women who were born before women had the right to vote. They've been waiting 100 years for tonight. I've met little boys and girls who didn't understand why a woman has never been president before. Now they know, and the world knows, that in America, every boy and every girl can grow up to be whatever they dream, even president of the United States. This is a victory for all Americans, men and women, boys and girls, because as our country has proven once again, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit. Now we must not rest until every remaining ceiling is shattered, every standing barrier is broken, and every single American can live up to her or his God-given potential. That is the promise of America, and it will be my promise to you as the 45th president of the United States. My friends, I am humbled and grateful to stand with you on this historic night. To Bill, Chelsea, Mark, Charlotte, Aiden, and our entire family, my love for you means more than I can ever express. To Tim Kaine and Anne Holton, thank you for being our partners in this incredible journey. I can't wait to start this next chapte...

About the Instructor

With a lifetime of smashing barriers and achieving at the highest levels of public service, Hillary Rodham Clinton has learned to tap deep wells of resilience to reach her goals. Now the former U.S. senator and secretary of state is teaching the values, lessons, and practical tools that help her rise above, even sharing her never-before-heard 2016 presidential victory speech. Be inspired to own your ambition and make your mark.

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Hillary Rodham Clinton

Barrier-smashing leader Hillary Rodham Clinton teaches you how to overcome setbacks and build a life of principle and purpose.

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