Former Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spoke on the first night of the 2024 Democratic National Convention, rallying support for Vice President Kamala Harris to break the proverbial glass ceiling to become the first female U.S. President.
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The following transcript was prepared and provided to TIME by Rev, using AI-powered software, and it was reviewed and edited for accuracy by TIME staff.
Thank you, my fellow Democrats. Thank you, my fellow Americans. Thank you so much. Thank you all…
Wow. There’s a lot of energy in this room, just like there is across the country. Something is happening in America, you can feel it. Something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time. First though, let’s salute President Biden.
He has been democracy’s champion at home and abroad. He brought dignity, decency, and confidence back to the White House, and he showed what it means to be a true patriot. Thank you, Joe Biden, for your lifetime of service and leadership.
And now we are writing a new chapter in America’s story.
You know, my mother Dorothy was born right here in Chicago before women had the right to vote. That changed 104 years ago yesterday. Think about it: Tennessee became the final state to ratify the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The state legislature was deadlocked until one lawmaker’s mother, a widow who read three newspapers a day, sent a letter—a letter to her son. “No more delays,” she wrote. “Give us the vote.” And since that day, every generation has carried the torch forward.
In 1972, a fearless black congresswoman named Shirley Chisholm, she ran for President. And her determination let me and millions of others dream bigger. Not just because of who she was, but because of who she fought for: working parents, poor children, the last, the least, and the lost.
In 1984, I brought my daughter to see Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman nominated for vice president. If we can do this, Gerry said, we can do anything.
And then there was 2016, when it was the honor of my life to accept our party’s nomination for President. And nearly 66 million Americans voted for a future where there are no ceilings on our dreams.
And afterwards, we refused to give up on America. Millions marched. Many ran for office. We kept our eyes on the future.
Well, my friends, the future is here.
I wish my mother and Kamala’s mother could see us. They would say, “Keep going,” surely. And Gerry would say, “Keep going.” Women fighting for reproductive healthcare are saying, “Keep going.” Families building better lives, parents stretching to afford childcare, young people struggling to pay their rent—they’re all asking us to keep going.
So with faith in each other and joy in our hearts, let’s send Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to the White House.
You know, the story of my life and the history of our country is that progress is possible, but not guaranteed. We have to fight for it and never, ever give up. There is always a choice. Do we push forward or pull back, come together as we the people or split into us versus them? That’s the choice we face in this election.
Kamala has the character, experience, and vision to lead us forward. I know her heart and her integrity.
We both got our start as young lawyers helping children who were abused and neglected. That kind of work changes a person. Those kids stay with you. Kamala carries with her the hopes of every child she protected, every family she helped, every community she served. So as President, she will always have our backs, and she will be a fighter for us. She will fight to lower costs for hardworking families, open the doors wide for good paying jobs. And yes, she will restore abortion rights nationwide.
As a prosecutor, Kamala locked up murderers and drug traffickers. She will never rest in defense of our freedom and safety. Donald Trump fell asleep at his own trial. And when he woke up, he made his own kind of history—the first person to run for President with 34 felony convictions.
But we also know as Vice President, Kamala sat in the situation room and stood for America’s values. I know what it takes, and I can tell you as commander-in-chief, Kamala won’t disrespect our military and our veterans. She reveres our Medal of Honor recipients. She won’t be sending love letters to dictators. She will defend democracy and our Constitution and will protect America from enemies foreign and domestic.
Think about it. The Constitution says, the President’s job is to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” Those are the words of our founders: “take care.” Just look at the candidates. Kamala cares—cares about kids and families, cares about America. Donald only cares about himself.
On her first day in court, Kamala said five words that still guide her: “Kamala Harris, for the people.” That is something that Donald Trump will never understand. So it is no surprise, is it, that he is lying about Kamala’s record, he’s mocking her name and her laugh. Sounds familiar?
But we have him on the run now. So no matter what the polls say, we can’t let up. We can’t get driven down crazy conspiracy rabbit holes. We have to fight for the truth. We have to fight for Kamala as she will fight for us. Because you know what? It still takes a village to raise a family, heal a country, and win a campaign. And America needs every one of us, our energy, our talents, our dreams. We’re not just electing a President. We are uplifting our nation. We’re opening the promise of America wide enough for everyone.
Together, we’ve put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling. And tonight, tonight’s so close to breaking through once and for all.
I want to tell you what I see through all those cracks and why it matters for each and every one of us. What do I see? I see freedom. I see the freedom to make our own decisions about our health, our lives, our loves, our families. The freedom to work with dignity and prosper, to worship as we choose or not. To speak our minds freely and honestly. I see freedom from fear and intimidation, from violence and injustice, from chaos and corruption. I see the freedom to look our children in the eye and say, “In America, you can go as far as your hard work and talent will take you,” and mean it.
And you know what? On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris raising her hand and taking the oath of office as our 47th President of the United States. Because my friends, when a barrier falls for one of us, it falls, it falls and clears the way for all of us.
So for the next 78 days, we need to work harder than we ever have. We need to beat back the dangers that Trump and his allies pose to the rule of law and our way of life. Don’t get distracted or complacent. Talk to your friends and neighbors. Volunteer. Be proud champions for the truth and for the country that we all love.
Read More: Clinton, Speaking From Experience, Warns Democrats: ‘Don’t Get Distracted or Complacent’
I want my grandchildren and their grandchildren to know I was here at this moment, that we were here and that we were with Kamala Harris every step of the way. This is our time, America. This is when we stand up. This is when we break through. The future is here. It’s in our grasp. Let’s go win it.
