The 2016 Presidential election was no stranger to heated debates and unexpected turns of events, but none took the nation by surprise more than when Hillary Rodham Clinton, former First Lady, Secretary of State, and New York Senator, announced her run for the highest office in the land. After a long and tireless campaign from all sides of the political spectrum, Hillary Clinton emerged as the Democratic Primary frontrunner and the likelihood of her becoming the first female President of the United States seemed to be becoming more and more of a reality.
But it was not to be. In early November of 2016 Clinton would meet an unexpected defeat at the hands of Republican challenger, Donald Trump. Her loss was a blow that rocked the world and sent the country spiraling into a frenzy of shock, disbelief and anger. For those who’d been following Hillary’s journey since the beginning, they wanted to know: What Happened?
It is this very question that ‘What Happened’ by Hillary Rodham Clinton attempts to answer. Written as a first-hand account of her 2016 presidential campaign, Clinton takes us through her life prior to the election and up until the moment of defeat in order to shed light on the unique realities and challenges she faced on the road to the White House. Throughout the book Clinton also explores the impact of sexism in politics, the Russian interference in the election, and the unexpected missteps her campaign took that ultimately sealed her fate.
The book begins with an introspective foray into Clinton’s life before presidential politics – her early career, her involvement in the Democratic Party, and the causes she held dear. The account lays the groundwork for understanding why she chose to embark on this journey in the first place. She candidly delves into her experience as the first woman nominated by a major party, her mindset during the campaign, and the struggles she faced when trying to convince the country she was ready for the role.
Next, Clinton looks at the chaotic state of the political terrain, detailing how the campaigns of Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders, and her own party rival, Barack Obama, changed the way the race was being waged. The book takes us through the highs and lows of her campaign, the unexpected surprises and harsh realities, the strategic decisions and their consequences, the probing attack ads and vitriolic debates that accompanied it all. She paints a vivid and heartbreaking picture of the enormous effort her team put into the fight, and the disappointing progress it all failed to yield.
Finally, Clinton delves into the controversial Russian interference in the election and the shocking email scandal that shook the country--side topics that continue to generate questions and controversy to this day. The book serves as an important document that provides further insight into the 2016 election and its effects on the world at large.
Despite Clinton’s unflinching exploration of her own mistakes and missteps along the way, ‘What Happened’ is far from a story of defeat. Instead, it’s a story of resilience and perseverance that inspires readers to stay the course amidst life’s many setbacks. Clinton’s tenacity and drive remain an example for future generations of truth-seekers and activists, and her ultimate message to the country--and to world-- rings out clear: “It was worth it.”
