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Hillary Clinton is the first female presidential nominee for a major political party
The former first lady, senator and secretary of state triumphed in a roll call vote at the Democratic convention
(CNN) —
Democrats on Tuesday made Hillary Clinton the first woman to head a major party ticket – and during an emotional night, her family and supporters asked voters to give her a second look.
At the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, just three miles from Independence Hall where the nation was born, a sense of history is palpable – as is Clinton’s willingness to finally enjoy it.
“What an incredible honor that you have given me, and I can’t believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet,” Clinton said via satellite after a video montage showed the faces of all 44 male presidents before shattering like glass to reveal Clinton waiting to address the convention from New York.
Photos: Female firsts in politics
Hillary Clinton, a former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, claims her place in history on Tuesday, July 27, after becoming the Democratic Party's nominee for U.S. President. She would be the first woman in U.S. history to lead the ticket of a major political party.
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Photos: Female firsts in politics
Elizabeth Cady Stanton was the first woman to run for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was a leader of the suffragette movement along with Lucretia Mott and Susan B. Anthony. She was also the editor of the feminist magazine "Revolution."
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Photos: Female firsts in politics
In 1916, Jeannette Rankin was the first woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republican from Montana was the only member of Congress to vote against U.S. entry in both World War I and World War II.
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Feminist reformer Victoria Claflin Woodhull was the first woman to run for U.S. President from a nationally recognized ticket. She was the candidate of the Equal Rights Party in 1872.
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Frances Perkins was the first woman to serve as a member of the President's Cabinet. She was appointed labor secretary by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933.
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Shirley Chisholm, a Democrat from New York, was the first African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She was elected in 1968.
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Sandra Day O'Connor was the first woman to be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court. She was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
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In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman to run on a major party's national ticket. She was Walter Mondale's running mate.
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U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican from Florida, was elected in 1989. She is the first Hispanic woman and Cuban-American to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
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Carol Moseley Braun, a Democrat from Illinois, was the first African-American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate. She served from 1993 to 1999.
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Dee Dee Myers was the first woman to serve as White House press secretary. She was appointed by President Bill Clinton and held the position from January 1993 to December 1994.
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Madeleine Albright was the first woman to serve as U.S. secretary of state. She was appointed to the position by President Bill Clinton in 1997.
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U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, is the first openly gay woman to be elected to Congress. She was elected to the House in 1999 and to the Senate in 2012.
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House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat from California, is the first woman to lead a party in Congress.
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Sonia Sotomayor is the first Hispanic woman to serve on the Supreme Court. She was nominated by President Barack Obama in 2009.
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U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, is the first woman of color to serve in both chambers of Congress. Hirono was elected to the House in 2007 and to the Senate in 2012.
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“This is really your victory. This is really your night,” Clinton told the cheering crowd. “And if there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, let me just say I may become the first woman President. But one of you is next.”
Bill Clinton embraces role of political spouse
The Clinton campaign hoped the day would build momentum and goodwill to repair the deep divides that still linger after her bitter primary duel with Bernie Sanders. The goal is to reshape national perceptions of a candidate with negative approval ratings and who was lambasted last week at the Republican National Convention as a criminal and liar.
Former President Bill Clinton weaved a parable of Clinton’s work for children, the sick and the disabled into the story of their relationship. More than two decades after Hillary Clinton became a fixture in national politics, Bill Clinton’s folksy, sometimes meandering testimony was aimed at revealing a softer side of the Democratic nominee to a nationwide television audience.
’Best darned change-maker’
The 42nd President hailed his wife as “the best darned change-maker I have ever known” as he sought to debunk Republican nominee Donald Trump’s claim that Clinton is the epitome of the status quo. Bill Clinton framed the election as a choice between the flattering picture he painted of his wife and the damning portrait the GOP laid out in Cleveland last week.
“One is real, the other is made up. You just have to decide which is which, my fellow Americans,” Clinton said. “Earlier today, you nominated the real one.”
Hillary Clinton’s historic status was confirmed earlier in a roll call vote of the states – one of the great traditions of American politics.
State roll calls: What RNC, DNC delegates want you to know
Rebecca Wininger, 49, a Clinton delegate from Arizona, had tears streaming down her face as the convention floor erupted with applause when Clinton formally went over the top and secured the necessary delegates to become the nominee.
Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Hillary Clinton accepts the Democratic Party's nomination for president at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia on July 28, 2016. The former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state was the first woman to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Before marrying Bill Clinton, she was Hillary Rodham. Here she attends Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Her commencement speech at Wellesley's graduation ceremony in 1969 attracted national attention. After graduating, she attended Yale Law School.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Rodham was a lawyer on the House Judiciary Committee, whose work led to impeachment charges against President Richard Nixon in 1974.
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In 1975, Rodham married Bill Clinton, whom she met at Yale Law School. He became the governor of Arkansas in 1978. In 1980, the couple had a daughter, Chelsea.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Arkansas' first lady, now using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton, wears her inaugural ball gown in 1985.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The Clintons celebrate Bill's inauguration in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1991. He was governor from 1983 to 1992, when he was elected President.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Bill Clinton comforts his wife on the set of "60 Minutes" after a stage light broke loose from the ceiling and knocked her down in January 1992.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
In June 1992, Clinton uses a sewing machine designed to eliminate back and wrist strain. She had just given a speech at a convention of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
During the 1992 presidential campaign, Clinton jokes with her husband's running mate, Al Gore, and Gore's wife, Tipper, aboard a campaign bus.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton accompanies her husband as he takes the oath of office in January 1993.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The Clintons share a laugh on Capitol Hill in 1993.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton unveils the renovated Blue Room of the White House in 1995.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas. The Clintons' business investment was investigated, but ultimately they were cleared of any wrongdoing.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The Clintons hug as Bill is sworn in for a second term as President.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The first lady holds up a Grammy Award, which she won for her audiobook "It Takes a Village" in 1997.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The Clintons dance on a beach in the U.S. Virgin Islands in January 1998. Later that month, Bill Clinton was accused of having a sexual relationship with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton looks on as her husband discusses the Monica Lewinsky scandal in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on January 26, 1998. Clinton declared, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." In August of that year, Clinton testified before a grand jury and admitted to having "inappropriate intimate contact" with Lewinsky, but he said it did not constitute sexual relations because they had not had intercourse. He was impeached in December on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The first family walks with their dog, Buddy, as they leave the White House for a vacation in August 1998.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
President Clinton makes a statement at the White House in December 1998, thanking members of Congress who voted against his impeachment. The Senate trial ended with an acquittal in February 1999.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton announces in February 2000 that she will seek the U.S. Senate seat in New York. She was elected later that year.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton makes her first appearance on the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Sen. Clinton comforts Maren Sarkarat, a woman who lost her husband in the September 11 terrorist attacks, during a ground-zero memorial in October 2001.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton holds up her book "Living History" before a signing in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2003.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton and another presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, applaud at the start of a Democratic debate in 2007.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Obama and Clinton talk on the plane on their way to a rally in Unity, New Hampshire, in June 2008. She had recently ended her presidential campaign and endorsed Obama.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Obama is flanked by Clinton and Vice President-elect Joe Biden at a news conference in Chicago in December 2008. He had designated Clinton to be his secretary of state.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton, as secretary of state, greets Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a meeting just outside Moscow in March 2010.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
The Clintons pose on the day of Chelsea's wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in July 2010.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
In this photo provided by the White House, Obama, Clinton, Biden and other members of the national security team receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in May 2011.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton checks her Blackberry inside a military plane after leaving Malta in October 2011. In 2015, The New York Times reported that Clinton exclusively used a personal email account during her time as secretary of state. The account, fed through its own server, raises security and preservation concerns. Clinton later said she used a private domain out of "convenience," but admits in retrospect "it would have been better" to use multiple emails.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton arrives for a group photo before a forum with the Gulf Cooperation Council in March 2012. The forum was held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Obama and Clinton bow during the transfer-of-remains ceremony marking the return of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, who were killed in Benghazi, Libya, in September 2012.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton ducks after a woman threw a shoe at her while she was delivering remarks at a recycling trade conference in Las Vegas in 2014.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton, now running for President again, performs with Jimmy Fallon during a "Tonight Show" skit in September 2015.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton testifies about the Benghazi attack during a House committee meeting in October 2015. "I would imagine I have thought more about what happened than all of you put together," she said during the 11-hour hearing. "I have lost more sleep than all of you put together. I have been wracking my brain about what more could have been done or should have been done." Months earlier, Clinton had acknowledged a "systemic breakdown" as cited by an Accountability Review Board, and she said that her department was taking additional steps to increase security at U.S. diplomatic facilities.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders shares a lighthearted moment with Clinton during a Democratic presidential debate in October 2015. It came after Sanders gave his take on the Clinton email scandal. "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about the damn emails," Sanders said. "Enough of the emails. Let's talk about the real issues facing the United States of America."
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton is reflected in a teleprompter during a campaign rally in Alexandria, Virginia, in October 2015.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton walks on her stage with her family after winning the New York primary in April.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
After Clinton became the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee, this photo was posted to her official Twitter account. "To every little girl who dreams big: Yes, you can be anything you want -- even president," Clinton said. "Tonight is for you."
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Obama hugs Clinton after he gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. The president said Clinton was ready to be commander in chief. "For four years, I had a front-row seat to her intelligence, her judgment and her discipline," he said, referring to her stint as his secretary of state.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton arrives at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony in New York on September 11. Clinton, who was diagnosed with pneumonia two days before, left early after feeling ill. A video appeared to show her stumble as Secret Service agents helped her into a van.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
Clinton addresses a campaign rally in Cleveland on November 6, two days before Election Day. She went on to lose Ohio -- and the election -- to her Republican opponent, Donald Trump.
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Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight
After conceding the presidency to Trump in a phone call earlier, Clinton addresses supporters and campaign workers in New York on Wednesday, November 9. Her defeat marked a stunning end to a campaign that appeared poised to make her the first woman elected US president.
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“We made history today by nominating the first woman for president. To be part of that moment was inspiring, overwhelming,” Wininger said.
Nancy Pelosi, a history maker in her own right after becoming the highest-ranking woman in the history of the US government when she was elected House speaker in 2007, was also overcome.
“It’s beyond thrilling. It’s very exciting and to see at the end she’s the nominee. It’s going to be spectacular,” Pelosi told CNN’s Dana Bash.
Bittersweet feeling
But there was also a bittersweet feeling about the night.
For Sanders supporters, it was a moment of loss as well as pride in a well-run campaign. Sanders stood on the floor to officially proclaim his former rival the party nominee.
“I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for President of the United States,” Sanders said.
Often a gruff figure on the campaign trail, Sanders also showed unusual signs of sentiment. In one of the night’s most moving moments, his brother, Larry, who lives in England, rose to deliver the votes of the Democrats Abroad movement to his sibling and remembered their parents.
A timeline of Michelle Obama saying she’ll never run for office
“They did not have easy lives and they died young,” said Larry Sanders. “They would be immensely proud of their son’s accomplishments,” said Sanders, who was also choking back tears as the crowd gave him a rousing ovation.
Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Hillary Clinton, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, takes the stage before giving a speech Thursday at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton walks on stage with her running mate, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Balloons fall from the ceiling of the Wells Fargo Center after Clinton's speech.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton arrives for her speech.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
During her speech, Clinton ripped into Republican nominee Donald Trump for his convention pitch "I alone can fix it." She said: "He's forgetting every last one of us. Americans don't say: 'I alone can fix it.' We say: 'We'll fix it together.' "
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton acknowledges the crowd before her speech.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton's husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, applauds along with their daughter, Chelsea.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton is the first woman in U.S. history to lead the presidential ticket of a major political party. "It's true," she said in her speech, "I sweat the details of policy -- whether we're talking about the exact level of lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan; the number of mental health facilities in Iowa; or the cost of your prescription drugs. ... Because it's not just a detail if it's your kid, if it's your family. It's a big deal. And it should be a big deal to your President."
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton gives a thumbs-up to the crowd.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Clinton embraces her daughter before speaking.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Bill Clinton becomes emotional Thursday as he listens to Chelsea introduce her mother.
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Photos: The Democratic National Convention
Chelsea Clinton said her mother is a "listener and a doer, a woman driven by compassion, by faith, by kindness, a fierce sense of justice, and a heart full of love."
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