In 1969, 21-year-old Hillary Clinton gave a beautiful commencement speech. Now we can listen to it.
In 1969, 21-year-old Hillary Clinton gave a beautiful commencement speech. Now we can listen to it.
Hillary Clinton may be the presumptive Democratic nominee, but back in 1969 Hillary Rodham was just a Wellesley College senior getting ready for life after graduation. Hillary was chosen by her fellow students to deliver a speech on the occasion of their graduation, and her words (even as a 21-year-old) are profound and moving.
A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on Sep 10, 2015 at 6:33pm PDT
Ruth Adams, the then-president of Wellesley, introduced Hillary (the school’s first student commencement speaker) lauding her academic achievements and her spirit by saying, “She is also cheerful, good humored, good company, and a good friend to all of us.”
A photo posted by Hillary Clinton (@hillaryclinton) on Sep 30, 2015 at 10:41am PDT
While the voice we hear on the recording is a much younger voice than the Hillary tone we’re used to in 2016, it’s clear that much of her philosophy is unchanged.
“Part of the problem with just empathy with professed goals is that empathy doesn’t do us anything. We’ve had lots of empathy; we’ve had lots of sympathy, but we feel that for too long our leaders have viewed politics as the art of the possible. And the challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible possible.”
Her speech, also includes an eerily prophetic message about fear; a message that we certainly need to hear during this election cycle. “Fear is always with us but we just don’t have time for it. Not now.”
Not now.
You can listen to the speech below.
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