--- title: DNC: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination description: Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton will be the grand finale at her own party: The Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia canonical: https://time.com/4429397/dnc-hillary-clinton-speech/ author: Will Drabold article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-07-28T22:00:56.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-13T05:07:09.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination at the DNC og:description: "Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart" og:url: https://time.com/4429397/dnc-hillary-clinton-speech/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9998b0cd8081c5ef/6988a03fbc6cfc0eaa3de0c8/ben-lowy-hillary-clinton-democratic-national-convention-dnc-59.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 6000 og:image:height: 3375 og:image:alt: TIMEPOL DNC og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination at the DNC twitter:description: "Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt9998b0cd8081c5ef/6988a03fbc6cfc0eaa3de0c8/ben-lowy-hillary-clinton-democratic-national-convention-dnc-59.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination at the DNC > Sponsored content. 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It explains the politics, personalities and power dynamics behind the headlines, twice a week. #### Where can I get analysis of Washington politics by email? D.C. Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3/newsletters?i=52db0817-65a6-4353-974e-b74c7f4c7d48&cr=time-nl-dcbrief-2026q3-v1) ## Video: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination at the DNC [Watch (HLS stream): Hillary Clinton Accepts the Democratic Nomination at the DNC](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Cd03sFfv.m3u8) (4:03)  _Published 2016-07-29. Hillary Clinton formally accepted the party’s nomination for President, speaking at the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia._ by [Will Drabold](https://time.com/author/will-drabold/) ## Will Drabold Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:07 AM UTCPublished: Jul 28, 2016 10:00 PM UTC by [Will Drabold](https://time.com/author/will-drabold/) ## Will Drabold Updated: Dec 13, 2023 5:07 AM UTCPublished: Jul 28, 2016 10:00 PM UTC Hillary Clinton formally accepted the party’s nomination for President, [speaking](http://time.com/4429984/dnc-hillary-clinton-speech-video-transcript/?xid=homepage) at the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. “It is with humility, determination and boundless confidence in America’s promise that I accept your [nomination](http://time.com/4428973/dnc-black-pastors-religion-faith/?xid=homepage) as President of the United States,” Clinton said. She used the prime-time opportunity to preach a message of hope — and contrast herself with rival Donald Trump. “Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart,” she said. “Bonds of trust and respect are fraying. And just as with our founders, there truly are no guarantees. It is up to us. We must decide if we will all work together so we can all rise together.” Trump, she said, has “taken the Republican party a long way, from morning in America to midnight in America.” “He wants us to fear the future and fear each other,” she added. Hitting Trump’s notion that he alone can fix the nation’s problems, Clinton stressed unity. “He’s forgetting every last one of us,” she said. “Americans don’t say, ‘I alone can fix it.’ We say, ‘We’ll fix it together.'” The historic nature of her speech drew wild applause. “We have reached a milestone, the first time our party has nominated a woman for President,” Clinton said. “I am so happy this day has come … When any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. When there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit.” Clinton said her focus as President will be on growing opportunity for all Americans. And she targeted industry and banks as needing to do more for workers. “It’s wrong to take tax breaks with one hand and give out pink slips with the other,” Clinton said. “And I believe Wall Street can never be allowed to wreck Main Street again.” She also reached out to supporters of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders — some of whom had expressed skepticism of her candidacy. “I want to thank Bernie Sanders,” she said. “Bernie, your campaign inspired millions of Americans, particularly the young people who threw their hearts and souls into our primary. You’ve put economic and social justice issues front and center, where they belong.” “To all of your supporters here and around the country, I want you to know, I’ve heard you. Your cause is our cause.” Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother at the convention. She described her “mom” as a grandmother who loves family and understands what it means “to be smiled on by fate.” “My earliest memory is my mom picking me up, after I’d fallen down, giving me a big hug and reading me _Goodnight Moon_,” Chelsea said. ### See Rare Photos of a Young Hillary Clinton  Hillary at Lake Waban on the Wellesley College Campus, 1969. Wellesley College Archives  Hillary, c. 1960. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary at Lake Waban on the Wellesley College Campus, 1969. Courtesy Wellesley College Archives  Hillary as an intern with Congress, Summer 1968. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary joins students and a faculty member at the Wellesley College Alumnae Council Student Panel, 1968. Courtesy Wellesley College Archives  Hillary (center) attends a student rally at Wellesley College, October 8, 1968. Wellesley College Archives  Hillary (center) attends a student rally at Wellesley College, October 8, 1968. Courtesy Wellesley College Archives  Hillary at commencement with Ruth M. Adams, president of Wellesley, and distinguished guests, 1969. Wellesley College Archives  Bill and Hillary at Yale Law School, 1972. Courtesy Clinton Foundation  Hillary (bottom right) and her classmates at Yale, 1973. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary and Bill on their wedding day, October 11, 1975. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary and Bill on their wedding day, October 11, 1975. Courtesy Clinton Foundation  Hillary and Bill playing volleyball, Fayetteville, N.C., 1975. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary, c. 1979. Courtesy Butler Center, Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock  Hillary and Bill, c. 1979. Courtesy Butler Center, Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock  Hillary and Bill, c. 1979. Courtesy Butler Center, Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock  Hillary and Bill, c. 1979. Courtesy Butler Center, Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock  Hillary and Bill meeting President Reagan, March 1983. Courtesy William J. Clinton Presidential Library  Hillary, c. 1976 or 1980. Courtesy Butler Center, Arkansas Studies Institute, Little Rock  Bill and Hillary Clinton celebrate victory in the Democratic runoff in Little Rock, Ark. June 8, 1982. AP The theme for Thursday is “Stronger Together” and featured other speakers and performers, including Senator Sherrod Brown, minority leader Nancy Pelosi, artist Katy Perry and retired basketball player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. “Hillary Clinton is a woman of steel,” Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar told the Democratic National Convention. That was the message the Democratic women from the U.S. Senate sent as they spoke individually about the strength they see in Clinton. The Senators [touched on the historic nature of Clinton’s nomination](http://time.com/4429762/dnc-women-senators-hillary-clinton/?xid=homepage), but mainly focused on personal stories about the party’s first female nominee. They said she has fought for children and families for decades. “Hillary is building the foundation of an economy that works for everyone, and that’s real change,” said Washington Senator Maria Cantwell. Twelve of the 14 Democratic female Senators appeared on the convention stage. Claire McCaskill told a story about Clinton contacting her when the Missouri Senator found out she had breast cancer. As Clinton campaigned around the country, McCaskill said, she checked in with the Senator several times. “She told me to keep up the fight,” McCaskill said. “Her words gave me strength during one of the greatest tests of my life.” “Hillary Clinton knows how to fight back against dangerous, loud-mouthed bullies,” said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. “She doesn’t run to Twitter to give people ugly nicknames. And she sure as heck doesn’t quit. She keeps on fighting for the people who need her most.” Even a Republican spoke in favor of Clinton. “I’m hear to say, Donald Trump, you are no Ronald Reagan,” said Doug Elmets, a former speechwriter for Reagan, who said he would vote in 2016 for a Democrat for the first time. “Donald Trump says, build the wall. Ronald Reagan said, tear down this wall.” House minority leader Pelosi also took the stage, giving a short speech in which she expressed confidence in Democrats doing well this election. “Our convention is different, and so is our mission. We come to public service and to this convention not to trumpet darkness but to fight a way forward for our country, a bright light forward. We come here confident that we are approaching a milestone in our nation’s history: the election of the first woman President of the United States,” Pelosi said. ## Transcript Now America is once again, at the moment of reckoning. We will not build a wall instead we will build an economy where everyone who wants a good job can get one. We will not band a religion that's why stronger together It's not just a lesson from our history, it's a guiding principal and so my friends it is with humility, determination, and boundless confidence in America's promise that I accept your nomination for President of the [ APPLAUSE ] United States. Well I will be a President for Democrats, Republicans, Independents, for the struggling, the striving, the successful. For all those who vote for me, and for those who don't. For all Americans together. Tonight we've reached a milestone in our nation's march toward a more perfect union. The first time that a major party has nominated a woman for President. I'm so happy this day has come. I'm happy for grandmothers and little girls and everyone in between. I'm happy for boys and men, because when any barrier falls in America, it clears the way for everyone. After all, when there are no ceilings, the sky's the limit. We need to appoint Supreme Court justices who will get money out of politics and expand And voting rights, not restrict them. I believe in science. I believe that when we have millions of hardworking immigrants contributing to our economy, it would be self- defeating and inhumane to try to kick them out. If you believe that your working mother, wife, sister or daughter deserves equal pay join us . >> [ APPLAUSE ] In my first 100 days we will work with both parties to pass the biggest investment in new good paying jobs since World War 2 Bernie Sanders and I will work together to make college tuition free for the middle class and debt free for all. [ APPLAUSE ] If fighting for affordable child care and paid family leave is playing the woman card then deal me The end. Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again, we'll he could start by actually making things in America again. Donald Trump says and this is a quote, I know more about ISIS than the generals do No Donald, you don't. I'm not here to take away your guns. I just don't want you to be shot by someone who shouldn't have a gun in the first place. We will defend all our rights Civil rights, human rights, and voting rights, women's rights, and workers' rights, LGBT rights, and the rights of people with disabilities. [ APPLAUSE ] Progress is possible. I know. I know because I've seen it in the lives of people across America, who get knocked down and get right back up. More than a few times I've had to pick myself up and get back in the game. Let's build a better tomorrow for our beloved children and our beloved country and when we do, America will be greater than ever. Thank you and may God bless you and the United States of America. 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