(Photo courtesy of The New York Times) “Hillary Clinton and Keren Yarhi-Milo teaching at Columbia University”
Sabine Laurent de Cannon
Connector Editor
On the evening of Sept. 27, the entrance to Boston’s Wang Theatre overflowed with people; it was so crowded they spilled onto Tremont and Stuart Street. Police cars blocked the roads, ensuring only foot traffic could enter. Just behind the police barricade, Palestinian flags and cardboard signs waved. At least 50 people walked in a circle, playing instruments and shouting chants in a protest of the Israel-Hamas war—a sharp contrast to the group on the sidewalk, waiting eagerly to enter the theater.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in Boston promoting her new book “Something Lost, Something Gained.” After announcing her tour dates in July, tickets for the Wang Theatre’s event were in high demand. Though the event did not sell out, it was far from unpopular. When the former Secretary took the stage with her interviewer, Jeff Kinney—author of the “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” series—she was greeted by the nearly filled theater with a standing ovation. During the two-hour event, Clinton and Kinney spoke about the former Secretary’s friendships, her inspirations, her views on the current election, and the work of her and former President Bill Clinton’s non-profit organization, The Clinton Foundation.
At various points throughout the night, one topic arose more than a few times: Hillary Clinton’s image. The former Secretary expressed resignation when asked about her reaction to people’s varying opinions of her. She stated, “At this point in my life, they’ve put nearly everything [about me] on Twitter. You can’t let that control your life.” At one point, Kinney asked, “How do you think young people perceive you?” Clinton continued with her theme of passivity, stating frankly, “I have no idea.”
According to Gallup’s most recent polling of Clinton’s unfavorability, she has risen eight percentage points since her 2016 presidential run (from 52% unfavorable to 60%). This rise in negative perception is especially reflected in the opinions of younger self-identified Democrats. In 2016, Clinton had trouble convincing young millennials to support her candidacy. And, with the increase of self-identifying “liberal” and “very liberal” Democrats, the former Secretary’s moderate image could be partly responsible for the rift between her and the up-and-coming generations.
When asked about her feelings on Clinton, political science student Emily Lindtviet shared, “In 2016…she was seen as so important and impactful, and after she didn’t win the election, it seemed like a good portion of her voter base turned against her…which I don’t agree with. For us to currently have Kamala Harris running…Hillary needed to run.” On the other hand, senior Nate Coady and junior John Liakakos expressed neutrality, with Coady saying, “I’m pretty neutral about her; I don’t think I’ve followed much about her since 2016.” Liakakos candidly stated that he did not feel educated enough about her to have an opinion but had a neutral impression.
After admitting she was unaware of the image she gave young people, Clinton commented further on the generational divide she felt: “It’s such a struggle to convey accomplishments…people don’t know what we have done.” The former Secretary then insinuated that this struggle stemmed from an uneducated generation. She elaborated, “I’ve found that a lot of the younger generation, especially the students I teach, don’t know a lot of history…I find that I really have to explain the historical context of the subjects that I teach.”
When informed of Clinton’s statements, sophomore Rena McFall responded, “Stating that young people are uneducated in their history and politics while being their teacher is a bit mind-blowing.” She continued, “Her students may be unaware of certain aspects of history and politics, but young minds, including those she teaches, are the most eager to learn and understand the world and hold a great capacity for knowledge. Clinton should be less worried about what the students already know and focus on teaching them.”
Liakakos was similarly critical: “More people are pursuing higher education now than in generations before…Some young people are uneducated due to public school systems and social institutions. However, many want to become involved in society and want to educate themselves when it comes to politics.” Coady agreed, “Generalizing a generation is a pretty ignorant thing to do…There’s a lot of history to learn… it’s a lot for those who are interested in civil engagement…But, I know plenty of young people who are very invested in and want to learn about the function of government as well as our history.”
