Watch Hillary Clinton Claim Victory in Democratic Race With a Moving Speech

By Eleanor Sheehan
click to play video

After a whirlwind and unrelentingly eventful primary, the Democratic race seems to be over. In a speech Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton claimed victory and a place in history as the first woman to ever lead a major political party by becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee. While Senator Bernie Sanders has vowed to keep fighting until the convention, Clinton technically has all of the pledged delegates she needs for the nomination.

Clinton spoke to an audience in Brooklyn, NY, and poetically pointed out that the crowd was perched below an actual glass ceiling. While she laughed as she admitted they would not be smashing it tonight, Clinton emphatically thanked her supporters for carrying her to this moment. She also made a point to congratulate her rival Sanders for the "incredible campaign he has run."

The victory speech was compelling and a testament to the barricades America has broken through to arrive at Clinton's nomination. Though you can watch her entire speech above, we've highlighted some of the most moving quotes below.

  • "Tonight's victory is not about one person; it belongs to generations of women and men who struggled and sacrificed and made this moment possible."
  • "We are stronger when we respect each other, listen to each other, and act with a sense of common purpose."
  • "Whether you supported me or Senator Sanders, or a Republican, we all need to keep working toward a better and stronger America."
  • "We want to write in American Greatness, with a 21st century that lifts everyone who has been left out and left behind including those who may not vote for us."
  • "We all want a government that listens to the people. We all want a society that is tolerant, inclusive, and fair . . . We believe that cooperation is better than conflict . . . we believe that bridges are better than walls."