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At Wellesley, Hillary Clinton Criticizes Trump and Invokes Nixon Resignation At Wellesley, Hillary Clinton Criticizes Trump and Invokes Nixon Resignation
(about 5 hours later)
WELLESLEY, Mass. — Hillary Clinton never named him, but she excoriated him.WELLESLEY, Mass. — Hillary Clinton never named him, but she excoriated him.
Speaking at the Wellesley College commencement on Friday, she alluded to Donald J. Trump, the man who defeated her for president, again and again. Mrs. Clinton referred to an “assault on truth and reason,” lambasted Mr. Trump’s proposed budget, and drew parallels to Richard Nixon and his ultimate fate, resignation from office under a threat of impeachment. Speaking at the Wellesley College commencement on Friday, she alluded again and again to Donald J. Trump, the man who defeated her for president. She referred to an “assault on truth and reason,” criticized Mr. Trump’s proposed budget, and drew parallels to Richard Nixon and his ultimate fate: being forced from office under a threat of impeachment.
These days, she said, those in power are discarding reality in favor of inventing their own facts, which, she warned, could lead to the beginning of the end of a free society. These days, she said, those in power are discarding reality in favor of inventing their own “alternative facts,” which, she warned, could lead to the beginning of the end of a free society.
“That is not hyperbole,” she said. “It is what authoritarian regimes throughout history have done” — attempting to control everything from budgets to thoughts. “That is not hyperbole,” she said. “It is what authoritarian regimes throughout history have done. They attempt to control reality — not just our laws and rights and our budgets, but our thoughts and beliefs.”
The graduates at Wellesley, Mrs. Clinton’s alma mater, cheered her thunderously and treated her like a returning hero, if not one who had conquered, at least one who in their eyes remained unbowed. The graduates at Wellesley, Mrs. Clinton’s alma mater, cheered her thunderously and treated her like a returning hero — if not one who had conquered, at least one who in their eyes remained unbowed.
But she was not finished laying out her critique of the current political culture. And she had plenty to tell them as she laid out her critique of today’s political culture.
“There is a full-fledged assault on truth and reason,” she declared. “People denying science, concocting elaborate hurtful conspiracy theories about child abuse rings operating out of pizza parlors, drumming up rampant fear about undocumented immigrants, Muslims, minorities, the poor, turning neighbor against neighbor and sowing division at a time when we desperately need unity.” “You are graduating at a time when there is a full-fledged assault on truth and reason,” she said. “People denying science, concocting elaborate, hurtful conspiracy theories about child abuse rings operating out of pizza parlors, drumming up rampant fear about undocumented immigrants, Muslims, minorities, the poor, turning neighbor against neighbor and sowing division at a time when we desperately need unity.”
Pausing, she added: “Some are even denying things we see with our own eyes, like the size of crowds.” Pausing, she added: “Some are even denying things we see with our own eyes, like the size of crowds,” alluding to President Trump’s comments about the attendance at his Inaugural Address.
Pointing to the administration’s proposed budget, she called it “an attack of unimaginable cruelty on the most vulnerable among us.” She said it “grossly underfunds public education, mental health and even efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.” Pointing to the administration’s proposed budget, she called it “an attack of unimaginable cruelty on the most vulnerable among us.” The proposal “grossly underfunds public education, mental health and even efforts to combat the opioid epidemic,” she said.
If the particulars of her words seemed pointed, the core of her message to the graduates was broad: Get involved and persevere. Harness your anger, she advised them. Stand up for truth and reason — not just privately, but also in public. Even run for office, she said. It may not be for everyone, she conceded, “but it’s worth it.” At one point, Mrs. Clinton, who as a young lawyer worked on the Watergate Committee, misremembered history. Referring to Nixon, she said that his presidency “would eventually end in disgrace with his impeachment for obstruction of justice.” While the House had begun impeachment proceedings against Nixon, he resigned before the full House voted. Still, her audience roared with approval as she hinted that the fate of the former president could befall this one.
She also told them that it was fine to change their minds from time to time: “Take it from me — the former president of the Wellesley College Young Republicans.” If the particulars of her words seemed pointed, her core message was broad: Get involved and persevere. Harness your anger. Stand up for truth and reason — not just in private but in public. Even run for office, she said. It may not be for everyone, she conceded, “but it’s worth it.”
For Mrs. Clinton, the stage was a familiar one. She began her political career here almost a half-century ago. She also told the young women that they should feel free to change their minds: “Take it from me — the former president of the Wellesley College Young Republicans.”
“I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be this year than right here,” she began, opening her speech on a somewhat wistful note.
“You may have heard that things didn’t exactly go the way I planned,” she said. “But you know what? I’m doing O.K.”
She said she had spent time with her family, taken long walks in the woods and organized her closets. “I won’t lie,” she added. “Chardonnay helped a little, too.”
She spoke under an enormous white tent as a persistent drizzle coated the lush campus, the top of Galen Stone Tower with its 32-bell carillon poking above the trees.She spoke under an enormous white tent as a persistent drizzle coated the lush campus, the top of Galen Stone Tower with its 32-bell carillon poking above the trees.
It is hard to imagine a more fitting place than Wellesley for Mrs. Clinton, 69, to reflect on her life’s trajectory. The college’s commencement has served as her platform twice before at major turning points in her life. “I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be this year than right here,” Mrs. Clinton said.
It is hard to imagine a more fitting place than Wellesley for Mrs. Clinton, 69, to reflect on her life’s trajectory. The college’s commencement has served as her platform twice before at major turning points in her life, starting almost half a century ago.
It was here in 1969 that a 21-year-old Hillary Rodham, the president of her class with a freshly minted degree in political science, was chosen by her classmates to be the first student to deliver a speech at commencement.It was here in 1969 that a 21-year-old Hillary Rodham, the president of her class with a freshly minted degree in political science, was chosen by her classmates to be the first student to deliver a speech at commencement.
And in 1992, during her husband’s first campaign for president — when she raised hackles for sounding more like a running mate with opinions and ambitions than an acquiescent wife — she spoke again at the Wellesley commencement. It was a politically safe speech, in which she mused on balancing family, work and public service.And in 1992, during her husband’s first campaign for president — when she raised hackles for sounding more like a running mate with opinions and ambitions than an acquiescent wife — she spoke again at the Wellesley commencement. It was a politically safe speech, in which she mused on balancing family, work and public service.
In 1969 she was more daring. She caused a stir by criticizing, however obliquely, the commencement speaker, a United States senator. Her comments landed her in Life magazine as a voice of her generation and catapulted her onto the public stage.In 1969 she was more daring. She caused a stir by criticizing, however obliquely, the commencement speaker, a United States senator. Her comments landed her in Life magazine as a voice of her generation and catapulted her onto the public stage.
Today, those remarks about the commencement speaker, Senator Edward Brooke, Republican of Massachusetts, seem quaint. Yet 48 years after her graduation, her words about the idealism of a student starting college and determined to change the world seem more significant.Today, those remarks about the commencement speaker, Senator Edward Brooke, Republican of Massachusetts, seem quaint. Yet 48 years after her graduation, her words about the idealism of a student starting college and determined to change the world seem more significant.
“We arrived not yet knowing what was not possible,” she said in 1969. “Consequently, we expected a lot.”“We arrived not yet knowing what was not possible,” she said in 1969. “Consequently, we expected a lot.”
Now, of course, she knows what is not possible.Now, of course, she knows what is not possible.
Mrs. Clinton has kept a low profile since her humiliating and unexpected loss for president in November. Her re-emergence onto the public stage has been slow and methodical. She delivered a political speech in March in San Francisco, in which she criticized the administration’s plans for overhauling health care and deplored the persistent indignities faced by women, and minority women in particular. She spoke in April at the Women in the World event in New York, admitting that she was devastated after her defeat and was still trying to figure out why having a female president had seemed so threatening to so many people. Still, her audience here on Friday seemed more inspired by her resilience than downcast over her loss.
“It was the first time I felt more hope than embarrassment and despair,” said Juliette Fry, a 2016 Wellesley graduate who had returned to campus for commencement.
Like many here, Ms. Fry had been devastated by Mrs. Clinton’s loss, and she said she was thrilled that the speech had taken a political turn. “It was like — what does she have to lose?” Ms. Fry said. “These things need to be said.”
Sophia Temkin, a graduate in women’s and gender studies, said she found the speech galvanizing. “It’s inspiring to remember how resilient we can be, because we will face barriers — as women, as religious minorities, whatever we might be,” she said.
Mrs. Clinton has kept a low profile since her loss. Her re-emergence onto the public stage has unfolded slowly and methodically. She delivered a political speech in March in San Francisco, in which she criticized the administration’s plans for overhauling health care and deplored the persistent indignities faced by women, and minority women in particular. She spoke in April at the Women in the World event in New York, admitting that she was devastated after her defeat and was still trying to figure out why having a female president had seemed so threatening to so many people.
In May, she announced that she would start a political action organization called Onward Together that would funnel money to groups that resist Mr. Trump’s policies.In May, she announced that she would start a political action organization called Onward Together that would funnel money to groups that resist Mr. Trump’s policies.
Before Mrs. Clinton spoke on Friday, Tala Nashawati, this year’s student speaker, who is a daughter of Syrian immigrants, addressed the graduates. In homage to Mrs. Clinton, she encouraged her classmates to “break every glass ceiling that still remains.” Before lacerating the Trump administration in her speech here on Friday, she had begun on an almost wistful note.
“You may have heard that things didn’t exactly go the way I planned,” she said. “But you know what? I’m doing O.K.” The audience cheered, both for her and, perhaps, for themselves.
She said she had spent time with her family, taken long walks in the woods and organized her closets. “I won’t lie,” she added. “Chardonnay helped a little, too.”
After her speech, Mrs. Clinton took her seat and watched as each student — from Likyelesh Abera to Diana Zwang — ascended the stage. She met up with former classmates, spent the day on campus and stayed for dinner.
On the stage with Mrs. Clinton was Tala Nashawati, this year’s student speaker, who is a daughter of Syrian immigrants. In addressing the graduates, she paid homage to Mrs. Clinton, encouraging her classmates to “break every glass ceiling that still remains.”
After the ceremony, Ms. Nashawati said Mrs. Clinton’s speech had been cathartic.
“It kind of pieced us together again a little, after that loss,” she said. “Having her here to tell us, ‘It’s O.K., it happens, I’m still here, I’m still going,’ meant a lot to us.”