In her first public appearance since conceding the election and the dignity of America to Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton hiked out of the woods for a speech Wednesday night at Newseum in Washington, D.C.
Related | 19 Quotes From Clinton's Concession Speech
"I will admit coming here tonight wasn't the easiest thing for me," Clinton said at the Beat the Odds gala for the Children's Defense Fund, where she worked as a young law student. "There have been a few times this past week when all I wanted to do is just to curl up with a good book, or our dogs, and never leave the house again."
Hills had agreed to the appearance before her world came crashing down on her, but like the trooper she is, she threw on a gem-colored pantsuit and showed up at the gala--the same gala, TheTimes points out, where she and Bill made their first public appearance in 1992 after he won the presidency. Bittersweet.
Though she's a frontrunner for "worst week ever," Hillary evoked the memory of her mother, who was abandoned at a young age, wishing she could tell her that she would survive and have a family of her own, including a bad ass daughter who would grow up "to be a United States senator, represent our country as secretary of state and win more than 62 million votes for President of the United States." Cue raucous applause.
Battered but not broken, Hillary acknowledged the fear and frustration felt by millions of disaffected people across the country, but urged her supporters to continue fighting for and believing in America.
"I know many of you are deeply disappointed about the results of the election. I am, too--more than I can ever express," she said. "I know this isn't easy. I know that over the past week, a lot of people have asked themselves whether America was the country we thought it was. The divisions laid bare by this election run deep. But please listen to me when I say this: America is worth it. Our children are worth it. Believe in our country, fight for our values and never, ever give up."
Check out Hillary's speech below:
