--- title: Hillary Clinton's Van Is Named for Scooby Doo description: Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's new van is named for "Scooby Doo," a nickname she used in her successful Senate run. canonical: https://time.com/3819355/hillary-clinton-scooby-doo-van/ author: Zeke Miller article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-04-13T15:00:22.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-19T07:43:32.447Z article:section: Politics og:title: Hillary Clinton's Van Is Named for Scooby Doo og:description: It's not called the Mystery Machine, though. og:url: https://time.com/3819355/hillary-clinton-scooby-doo-van/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Hillary Clinton's Van Is Named for Scooby Doo twitter:description: It's not called the Mystery Machine, though. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Hillary Clinton's Van Is Named for Scooby Doo > Sponsored content. 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Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Apr 13, 2015 3:00 PM UTC by [Zeke Miller](https://time.com/author/zeke-j-miller/) ## Zeke Miller Apr 13, 2015 3:00 PM UTC Hillary Clinton is driving somewhere between her home in Chappaqua, New York, and her first official campaign stop in Monticello, Iowa, in a van named for a 1960s cartoon. The armored van — the same vehicle that usually shuttles her to events in New York — has been nicknamed “Scooby” because it reminds the former Secretary of State of the Mystery Machine, the vehicle used by the main characters in the classic “Scooby Doo” cartoons. Aides have gone out of their way to note that the drive was Clinton’s idea. “She loves her Scooby van,” [tweeted](https://twitter.com/jmpalmieri/status/587429754510401536) Clinton communications director Jen Palmieri Sunday evening. The 1,000-mile gambit is designed to help reinforce Clinton’s efforts to put a more down-to-earth spin on her campaign — a strategy she has employed successfully in her 2000 run for a U.S. Senate seat in New York. Here’s journalist Daniel Halper’s description of her first Senate run in New York in his critical book _Clinton, Inc._: --- > “” --- Clinton, who has said the last time she drove was in 1996, is not in the driver’s seat, instead leaving it to a member of her Secret Service detail. But that doesn’t mean she’s not paying attention to the road, according to Halper’s account. --- > “” --- Republican National Committee spokesman Sean Spicer criticized the van. “How stupid do the Clintons think the American people are?” he told TIME. “They pulled the same exact stunt in 2000\. This is not resetting, it’s recycling.” ### See an Intimate Portrait of Hillary Clinton  With an ice cream cone in hand, Hillary waves to the crowd in Weedsport, New York, as she heads to the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged in Auburn, New York, one of the stops on her Save America's Treasures tour, July 14, 1998. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Getting ready for President Clinton's second inaugural, Hillary gets her first glimpse of daughter Chelsea's short skirt. Jan. 20, 1997 Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  The President and the First Lady Share a private moment, one of their last in the Oval Office. Jan. 11, 2001. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary checks her messages upon departure from Malta for the as-yet-undisclosed location, Tripoli, Oct. 18, 2011\. This photo was turned into a meme that circulated around the world. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Before an appearance with David Letterman, Hillary checks her BlackBerry while Diana Walker takes their picture. Feb. 4, 2008. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary gathers her thoughts moments before her introduction at Nueva Esperanza Academy Charter High School in Philadelphia. Apr. 18, 2008. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary walks up the steps of the US Capitol to meet with Senate leaders. May 16, 2006. Diana Walker—Contour by Getty Images for TIME  Hillary enters a Super Bowl party at a bar and grill in St. Paul Minnesota, where she watches the New York Giants win the game, Feb. 3, 2008. 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