Thank You, Hillary Clinton

(Photo Source: Hillary for Iowa Facebook Page)

Thank You, Hillary Clinton.

Thank you, Hillary, from the bottom of my heart. You have met thousands upon thousands of supporters over the years, and I am one of them. You have meant more to me than you can even imagine. There is no other politician that has inspired me more than you have.

I grew up with Bill Clinton as our President and you as our First Lady. I even did a report/presentation about President Clinton in 4th grade. One of my friends told me afterwards that even though he didn't side with your husband, he still thought I did a great job with my report.

I was a teenager when George W. Bush was President and in my first year of college when you first ran for President. (The previous summer, I turned 18 and immediately registered to vote.)

During the 2008 election, the two candidates I liked were you and then-Senator Obama. When my state's caucus came around, the first time I could vote in a presidential election, I voted for you. When you lost the Democratic nomination, I knew we were still going to be in good hands with Barack Obama--and we were.

I watched as you traveled around the world as Secretary of State to repair relations and to make our country and the world a safer place. You were the epitome of a true leader during those four years. That obviously didn't come as a surprise, since you have been in every position you've held.

The night President Obama was re-elected, the hashtag #Hillary2016 was trending. That inspired me to create the @HillaryIn2016 Twitter account the very next day. In the four years since, I've met so many fantastic people who were also supporting you, as well as meeting supporters in person (including Captain Hillster) when I attended one of your rallies in Everett, WA. (Being able to see you in person and shake your hand was a very surreal experience.)

[More: Reflecting on the 2016 Presidential Election: Coming to Terms with the Results]

When you announced that you were running for President again, I donated to a political candidate for the very first time. I helped spread your message online. I was chosen as a delegate at my precinct caucus and made it all the way to the Washington State Democratic Convention as a Clinton delegate. I very much wanted to make it to the National Convention, but I fell short, just like in 2012 as an Obama delegate. That didn't stop me from continuing to help you get elected in the months since the convention.

Throughout this election--throughout your whole public life, really--I have watched you handle everything with grace and dignity, even when you were unfairly attacked on a constant basis. The way the media treated you, the way your opponents treated you, I don't know if I could have dealt with all of that. And I don't know how you did, but your calm presence always reassured me that if you can deal with that opposition, then all of us can deal with anything that we face.

Not a day went by when I didn't feel proud to be supporting your candidacy. You were the most qualified candidate ever. That should have been enough. The sexism that's been on full display has been unbelievable. We all were ready for you to be the first female President. You did win the popular vote, so that's proof enough that we are ready to shatter that "highest, hardest glass ceiling."

Your entire life, you have fought for all of us, especially women and children. And for that, our country--and many countries around the world--will forever be grateful for everything you've done. We did what we could to help you become President. There were supporters who did a lot more than I did, and I know I could have done more, but know this: you did not let us down. We will always be proud of what you have accomplished (including everything you've done to help the LGBT community) and the history that you've made.

As you said in your concession speech, "This is painful, and it will be for a long time." We're all there with you. But like you have said many times on the campaign trail, we've been knocked down, but we haven't been knocked out.

No matter what you do going forward, we will be there to support you. I'm sure you're looking forward to spending a lot more time with your grandchildren, and you deserve to go on a million vacations.

We can't thank you enough for everything you have done. Like I said, you have not disappointed us. We are more proud of you than ever before.

Thank you, Hillary Clinton.

Sincerely,

Jeff Dodge

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Reflecting on the 2016 Presidential Election: Coming to Terms with the Results

(ABC Screenshot Source: Jeff Dodge)

Empty.

That's the only way I can describe how I felt the night of November 8, 2016, because I literally didn't feel any emotion on Election Night, only a deep emptiness. I wasn't angry or sad or disappointed. Just empty.

It wasn't until the next day that a sadness started creeping in and a heavy heart got heavier. And it wasn't until sometime during Hillary's concession speech Wednesday morning that I started getting a little emotional.

I woke up the day after the election realizing that, yes, this had really just happened. Hillary Clinton, the most qualified candidate and someone who has gone farther than any other woman in presidential politics, had lost. And Donald Trump, the least qualified candidate with no previous political or military experience--not to mention a racist, sexist, xenophobic bigot--had won. We knew it was going to be hard to keep the same party in the White House for a third term; that doesn't make the results any easier to swallow, though.

Over the next couple days, I didn't have a lot of energy. I wasn't able to genuinely smile or laugh, except for something my great-aunt said to me over the phone. I even said to someone on Wednesday, "The past 12 hours have felt like living in an alternate universe."

It wasn't until Friday that things started to improve and some of my energy returned, but just barely. Aside from watching This Week with George Stephanopoulos (which I watch every Sunday without fail), I decided to have a politics-free weekend, where I stayed off social media and stayed away from the news. That heaviness I was feeling did dissipate a lot, and I finally felt like I was getting back to normal--or as normal as I can be under the circumstances.

[More: Thank You, Hillary Clinton]

People process these things differently. Some were furious over the results. Understandable. Some felt a deep sadness. I can relate. And others were immediately ready to put this behind us and start looking to 2020. As a political news junkie, I'm very intrigued to see which Democrats run next time, but on that last point, I can't bring myself to get over this election yet--and I don't think I will for a long time.

It's not just that Donald Trump won. There's of course a lot of fear and uncertainty involved in that. But it's that Hillary Clinton lost. I am one of her diehard supporters. To me and millions around the country and the world, she wasn't just another politician. She was a truly remarkable leader who has spent her whole life fighting for us (breaking down barriers and making history along the way), and she would have been our first female president.

Some people went, well, we'll see that happen in our lifetime, most likely soon, just not right now. Sure, that's true. I will see that "highest, hardest glass ceiling" shattered in my lifetime--and I'll be excited and proud when that day comes. But, again, to me and millions of others, there was only one person who should have been the first female president--and that's Hillary Clinton.

All of this adds up to a disappointment that, like I said, will take a while to get over, if ever.

I waited a week to write this because of the way I was feeling in those first few days. I wanted to wait until I could properly express my thoughts with a level head. So before I end this, I want to also mention a couple other related topics.

Was Hillary Clinton the right person for the Democrats to nominate? She surely was. I will never budge from that position. I've heard some Bernie Sanders supporters go, you know, Bernie would have won this. To that, I say--no! When you look at why Trump won and why Hillary lost, it's clear that Bernie would have lost as well. The polls were wrong because a lot of Trump supporters didn't want to publicly reveal their support. Then you have lower turnout from African American voters, to bring up just one example. Considering Bernie's demographic is white people (he comes from a very white state and minority voters rejected him in the primaries), his non-white turnout if he was the nominee would have been much worse than Hillary's.

Let's face it: Bernie got easy treatment during the primaries. The media never vetted him, so he didn't have to face any sort of scrutiny over things that he should have been criticized for. And you can bet Hillary's campaign had a lot of opposition research on him, but they didn't use it. Something else you can bet? That Trump's campaign would most definitely have used that oppo. Skeletons would have come out. Us Hillary supporters already knew about some of them.

[More: Why I Proudly Support Hillary Clinton for President]

Then there's the very real possibility of Michael Bloomberg getting in the race as an independent candidate. Bloomberg said that if Bernie was the nominee, he would seriously consider running. That would have pulled a lot of Democratic votes away from Bernie.

But the primaries are behind us. In fact, this whole election is behind us, and now we have to live with the consequences. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote, which means she's the people's president, the candidate who a majority of voters chose. Donald Trump won the Electoral College. So he did not win outright. Most people are not happy with this outcome.

Despite that split, Republicans now control the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives. Elections come and go. But that control that the GOP has right now, and what they do with it, will reverberate for years, even generations, to come--especially when it comes to the Supreme Court.

I'm not someone who's saying, "He's not my president," because that's a lie. (#NotMyPresident was trending on Twitter on Election Night.) I may not have voted for him, but he won and he will be my president. That doesn't mean I have to go along with everything he does, and we should certainly not forget the racist and sexist remarks he made throughout the election. Trust and respect have to be earned.

Like I said, it will take a while for me to fully process the results and to be able to move on from the fact that the political figure who has inspired me more than anyone else, Hillary Clinton, will not be president. As Hillary said in her concession speech, "This is painful, and it will be for a long time." But I'll leave with this: we've been knocked down, but we haven't been knocked out.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Why I Proudly Support Hillary Clinton for President

(Photo Source: Hillary Clinton Facebook)

I proudly and enthusiastically support and have voted for Hillary Clinton for President.

I've been waiting for this moment for years. 2008 was the first year I could vote in a presidential election--and I voted for Hillary in the primaries. Eight years later, after electing our first African American President, it's time to make history again.

Hillary's passion throughout her life has always been fighting for women and children. On the campaign trail, whenever you hear her talking about expanding access to education, helping those in need and making sure struggling families have the same opportunities in life as everyone else, you can trace the roots of that passion to her work with the Children's Defense Fund. After graduating law school, Hillary joined this non-profit organization that does so much good in this country, especially for disadvantaged kids. The work that she and others did helped get legislation passed requiring schools to educate children with disabilities.

That passion never left her. As First Lady of Arkansas, she put her position to good use by fighting for expanded access to health care, as well as making sure progress was being made on education standards.

[More: Democratic National Convention Night 4: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Nomination]

She didn't back down on these fronts after moving into the White House as First Lady of the United States. She was a forceful leader in support of health care reform. Of course, Republicans did what they do best: they rejected a bill that would have helped millions of Americans. Hillary (and Americans without health insurance) may have been knocked down by this defeat, but she wasn't knocked out. So what did she do? She formed a bipartisan coalition in Congress to pass a bill, called the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), that delivered health care to over 8 million children.

Hillary is a champion of women's rights and has a history of empowering women and girls not just here in the United States, but around the world as well. One of the most consequential speeches ever given by a political figure came on September 5, 1995, in Beijing, China, at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women. In this speech, Hillary delivered a line that continues to reverberate in a strong and meaningful way to this day: "Women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights."

A statement like that, a speech like this one, shouldn't be seen as controversial or new or radical or something to dismiss, whether in China or in the United States, but at the time, it was groundbreaking. The basic fundamentals of that line are still in the spotlight even now, when we see leaders trying to deny basic rights that men have freely enjoyed and taken advantage of since the beginning of time. Whether it's education or health care or a whole host of other issues, Hillary has led the way and has been a fighter for women and girls, for children, for poor people, for everyday Americans of all backgrounds.

When Hillary served in the Senate, she worked across the aisle by teaming up with both Democrats and Republicans to make progress in this country. That bipartisan mentality seems to be missing in today's Congress. But Hillary has a history of working with those she disagrees with--and she'll do it again as President. As a Senator from New York, she stepped up after September 11, 2001, and secured health care funding for 9/11 first responders.

As Secretary of State, she restored our standing in the world, employed a "smart power" strategy (always use diplomacy first), brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, advised President Obama to take out Osama bin Laden and made LGBT rights a priority at the State Department and around the world, all while continuing her passion of empowering women and children.

[More: Guest Blog--Hillary Clinton: A Proven and Compassionate Leader]

Hillary will bring this wealth of experience and accomplishments with her into the Oval Office. If you care about the direction of the Supreme Court; acting on climate change, campaign finance reform, criminal justice reform, immigration reform, college affordability and gun control; protecting LGBT rights, women's rights and voting rights; protecting and improving the Affordable Care Act; making the wealthy pay their fair share--the list goes on and on--then Hillary is your candidate.

Hillary is without a doubt the most qualified candidate running for President, and one of the most inspirational politicians I've ever seen. I wholeheartedly believe in her. She admits to her mistakes when she's wrong and she never quits, no matter what obstacles are thrown her way. Things aren't going to magically be perfect once she's President, but that's why we need someone who is willing to put in the hard work that's necessary to take on those challenges, someone who's been there and who knows how to work with both parties, who knows how to bring people together, who knows how to find common ground to get things done. We need someone with a vision to lead this country and that person is Hillary.

And it's finally time to shatter that "highest, hardest glass ceiling" by electing our first female President. People have been trying to tear her down for years--the not-so-subtle hints of sexism have been on full display. And while that won't go away when she's elected, her presidency sends a strong message that can't and shouldn't be ignored.

Hillary's not running for President for any of the reasons her critics think; she's doing it to continue the passion she's held with her throughout her life--helping women and children. We need a President who is passionate about helping others. That's the Hillary Clinton I know--and that's the Hillary Clinton we'll have as our President.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Live Stream: Watch the Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump Presidential Debate #3

(Photo Source: @Politico)

It's time for the third and final 2016 presidential debate between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump!

The debate, moderated by FOX News' Chris Wallace and held at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, Nevada, starts at 9pm ET/6pm PT (90 minutes without commercials). You can watch it on a whole host of networks, including ABC, CBS, FOX, PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC and FOX News.

[More: Democratic National Convention Night 1 Speeches: Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders]

But if you're not able to watch it on TV, you can check out the live stream, courtesy of NBC News, below:


I will be live-tweeting the entire debate over at @HillaryIn2016. Feel free to follow along with my tweets and join in on the discussion.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Live Stream: Watch the Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump Presidential Debate #2

(Photo Source: @Jezebel)

Is everyone ready for the second presidential debate of the 2016 election? Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump are squaring off again, this time in a town hall format.

The debate, moderated by ABC News' Martha Raddatz and CNN's Anderson Cooper, and held at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, starts at 9pm ET/6pm PT (90 minutes without commercials). You can watch it on a whole host of networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC and FOX News.

[More: Democratic National Convention Night 2 Speeches: Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton]

But if you're not able to watch it on TV, you can check out the live stream, courtesy of NBC News, below:


I will be live-tweeting the entire debate over at @HillaryIn2016. Feel free to follow along with my tweets and join in on the discussion.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Live Stream: Watch the Tim Kaine vs. Mike Pence Vice Presidential Debate

(Photo Source: @JDashiell)

Now that the first Hillary Clinton versus Donald Trump presidential debate, in which Hillary completely dominated on every level, is behind us, all eyes are now on their running mates' one and only debate, with Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican Mike Pence.

The Vice Presidential Debate, moderated by CBS News' Elaine Quijano and held at Longwood University in Farmville, Virginia, starts at 9pm ET/6pm PT (90 minutes without commercials), and you can watch it on a whole host of networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, C-SPAN, CNN, MSNBC and FOX News.

[More: Democratic National Convention Night 3 Speeches: Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, President Obama]

But if you're not able to watch it on TV, you can check out the live stream, courtesy of NBC News, below:


I will be live-tweeting the entire debate over at @HillaryIn2016. Feel free to follow along with my tweets and join in on the discussion.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Live Stream: Watch the Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump Presidential Debate #1

(Photo Source: @HillaryClinton)

The primaries and conventions are over, and the nominees (and their running mates) have been chosen. With 43 days left until we elect our next President, it's time for the first of three general election debates between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump.

The debate, moderated by NBC News' Lester Holt and held at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, starts at 9pm ET/6pm PT (90 minutes without commercials), and you can watch it on a whole host of networks, including ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, PBS, CNN, MSNBC, C-SPAN and FOX News.

[More: Democratic National Convention Night 4: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Nomination]

But if you're not able to watch it on TV, you can check out the live stream, courtesy of ABC News, below:


I will be live-tweeting the entire debate over at @HillaryIn2016. Feel free to follow along with my tweets and join in on the discussion.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Democratic National Convention Night 4: Hillary Clinton Accepts the Nomination

(Photo Source: @HillaryClinton)

History was made on the final night of the Democratic National Convention (July 28, 2016) as Hillary Clinton accepted the Democratic nomination for President of the United States!

First, Chelsea Clinton introduced her mother, which you can watch below, along with a great introduction video.

Chelsea Clinton:


Hillary watched her daughter's speech from backstage:

So proud. pic.twitter.com/ketX6fS9NY

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 29, 2016

Tuesday I said Chelsea’s birth was the greatest moment of my life. Seeing her introduce her mother tonight is right up there! #DemsinPhilly

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) July 29, 2016

[More: DNC Night 3 Speeches: Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, President Obama]

Afterwards, Hillary came out on stage, and mother and daughter embraced:

#DNC2016 Night 4: #ChelseaClinton introducing her mother @HillaryClinton. #ImWithHer #StrongerTogether #DNCinPHL #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention #HillaryClinton

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton 2016 (@hillaryin2016) on Jul 28, 2016 at 10:46pm PDT

Then Hillary delivered the biggest speech of her campaign so far as she accepted the nomination! As I described it, her speech was "beautiful, heartfelt, passionate and inspiring."

Hillary Clinton:

Hilary gave a beautiful, heartfelt, passionate & inspiring speech as she accepted the nomination. SO proud of her! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

After Trump's doom&gloom speech last week, who knew a nominee could give a positive & optimistic acceptance speech! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

Of course Hillary would spread a positive message because she knows America is great &... #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly https://t.co/MfNDNDzSYB

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

...we need to work together to make it even better, to face challenges head on. #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly https://t.co/txk0BspzIa

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

[More: DNC Night 2 Speeches and Roll Call: Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton]

Bill and Chelsea Clinton, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama reacted to the speech on Twitter:

More than ever, I’m with her, our next President.

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) July 29, 2016

Mom, I love you, I am so proud of you & I am grateful every single day you're my mom. It meant so much to be able to tell the country why.

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 29, 2016

Great speech. She's tested. She's ready. She never quits. That's why Hillary should be our next @POTUS. (She'll get the Twitter handle, too)

— President Obama (@POTUS) July 29, 2016

So moved and so inspired by that powerful speech from our next President! #ImWithHer and I am fired up and ready to go. -mo

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) July 29, 2016

When the speech ended, her running mate, Senator Tim Kaine, and his wife joined her on stage, followed by Bill Clinton, Chelsea and her husband, and many more. The balloons and confetti were released, and it was time to celebrate!

#DNC2016 Night 4 After @HillaryClinton's Speech: 1) @TimKaine & Hillary, 2) Hillary & #BillClinton, 3) Release the balloons! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly #DNCinPHL #DemConvention #HillaryClinton #HistoryMade #TimKaine

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton 2016 (@hillaryin2016) on Jul 28, 2016 at 11:21pm PDT

[More: DNC Night 1 Speeches: Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders]

The results of a CNN Instant Poll said that an overwhelming majority found Hillary's speech to be positive, are more likely to vote for her and believe her policies will move the country in the right direction:

CNN Instant Poll: An overwhelming majority said Hillary's speech was positive! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/oURa5DT83H

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

CNN Instant Poll: 60% are more likely to vote for Hillary after this speech! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/ZiMMcQzfLs

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

CNN Instant Poll: 82% believe Hillary's policies will move USA in the right direction! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly pic.twitter.com/15o7PTMeYg

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

The end of the convention means that it's time for the general election to begin...

The #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention is over! What a fantastic week! Let the general election begin! #ImWithHer #ClintonKaine

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 29, 2016

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Democratic National Convention Night 3 Speeches: Joe Biden, Tim Kaine, President Obama

(Photo Source: @HillaryClinton)

The Democratic Party has a plethora of well-respected politicians who are beloved by people all over the country and even the world. Every night of the 2016 Democratic National Convention has featured more and more of them. Night 3 (July 27, 2016) was no different.

One of the first items of business, though, was nominating Tim Kaine as the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate:

@TimKaine has been nominated by acclamation to be the Democratic Vice Presidential nominee! #ImWithHer #StrongerTogether #DemsInPhilly #DNCinPHL #DemConvention #TimKaine #ClintonKaine

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton 2016 (@hillaryin2016) on Jul 27, 2016 at 1:39pm PDT

Then when primetime rolled around, Vice President Joe Biden, Hillary's running mate Senator Tim Kaine and President Barack Obama all made their mark at the DNC.

If you missed these speeches or want to re-watch them, check out the videos below, along with some of my Twitter comments while they were speaking.

[More: DNC Night 2 Speeches and Roll Call: Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton]

Vice President Joe Biden:

Biden: "That's a bunch of malarkey!" How can you not love Joe Biden?! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

They say running mates are supposed to be the attack dogs. Well, Joe Biden is doing a great job at going after Trump! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

I don't think anyone can match Joe Biden's passion and energy right now! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Joe Biden's speech will go down as one of the best speeches of this #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention!

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine:

Just like at Saturday's #ClintonKaine rally, Tim Kaine is speaking in Spanish at times. Love it! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine: "I humbly accept my party's nomination to be Vice President of the Unites States!" https://t.co/vGgwM2mg2u #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine is imitating Donald Trump! #DemsInPhilly #ClintonKaine #NeverTrump

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

You can tell that Bill Clinton loves Tim Kaine's Trump imitation. #DemsInPhilly #ClintonKaine

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine is fitting into the attack dog role just fine. #DemsInPhilly #ClintonKaine

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Tim Kaine's speech was fantastic! He used 1st part to introduce himself, the middle to attack Trump & the end to talk Hillary. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

President Barack Obama:

#POTUS Obama's speech was the perfect way to end Night 3 of #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention! What else is there to say? #YesWeCan #DontBooVote

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

First Lady Michelle Obama responded to her husband's speech on Twitter:

That's my man! Your truth, dignity and grace reminds us what real leadership looks like. I am always proud of our @POTUS. -mo

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) July 28, 2016

[More: DNC Night 1 Speeches: Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders]

After President Obama's speech ended, Hillary Clinton surprised everyone and joined Obama on stage, and the two embraced each other:

#DNC2016 Night 3: @HillaryClinton joined @BarackObama on stage after Obama's speech! #ImWithHer #DemsInPhilly #DenConvention #DNCinPHL #POTUS #BarackObama #HillaryClinton

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton 2016 (@hillaryin2016) on Jul 27, 2016 at 10:02pm PDT

The #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention, on Night 3, was a huge success yet again! Can't wait for @HillaryClinton's acceptance speech tomorrow!

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 28, 2016

Can you believe the convention is almost over? The speeches over these first three days have been spectacular. But Thursday night will be the biggest one of them all. After Chelsea Clinton's introduction, Hillary Clinton will give her historic speech and accept the Democratic nomination!

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Democratic National Convention Night 2 Speeches and Roll Call: Madeleine Albright, Bill Clinton

(C-SPAN Screenshot Source: Jeff Dodge)

Day 2 of the 2016 Democratic National Convention (July 26, 2016) was one for the history books. The roll call occurred, with each state announcing their delegate totals. On this day, Hillary Clinton officially became the Democratic nominee!

During the #RollCallVote, @HillaryClinton has officially won the Democratic nomination, making history! #StrongerTogether #ImWithHer #DemConvention #DemsInPhilly #DNCinPHL #HistoryMade

A photo posted by Hillary Clinton 2016 (@hillaryin2016) on Jul 26, 2016 at 3:46pm PDT

"I move that @HillaryClinton be selected as the Democratic nominee for President." -- @BernieSanders https://t.co/F7wB6ku1h7#DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

Hillary and her family celebrated the moment on Twitter:

History. pic.twitter.com/1ayWTx8SPH

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) July 26, 2016

So proud of you, Hillary. #DemsInPhilly

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) July 26, 2016

It’s official. I couldn’t be more proud to call @HillaryClinton my mom - today & every day. #ImWithHer

— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) July 26, 2016

The night ended with speeches from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the headliner himself, former President Bill Clinton.

[More: DNC Night 1 Speeches: Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders]

If you missed these speeches or want to re-watch them, check out the videos below, along with some of my Twitter comments while they were speaking.

Madeleine Albright:

Great speech @Madeleine! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton:

When Bill met Hillary... #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton sure knows how to tell a story. I love it! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

I have no doubt the entire country is captivated by Bill Clinton's speech right now. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton: Hillary's "always making things better." #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton: "I married my best friend." #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton doing a great job interweaving his and Hillary's personal story with Hillary's accomplishments. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Anyone getting emotional hearing Bill Clinton talk about Chelsea being born? #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton is completely right: Hillary is a change maker! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

After going through Hillary's accomplishments, Bill Clinton is bringing it home now! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton's speech was perfect! That was more than just a politician giving a speech-that was a husband who loves his wife. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

[More: Hillary Clinton Chooses Tim Kaine as Her Running Mate: Rally Speech]

Afterwards, Hillary spoke live via satellite to acknowledge this history-making day:

Pictures of all the Presidents are being displayed back to back on the screen! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Day 2 of the #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention is over! What an electrifying night! Let's do this again tomorrow, shall we? #ImWithHer

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 27, 2016

Bill Clinton's speech really was magnificent and will no doubt be considered one of the highlights of this year's Democratic National Convention.

Wednesday night, we'll hear from President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary's running mate Senator Tim Kaine. Then Hillary Clinton will give her acceptance speech (with an intro by Chelsea) on Thursday.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Democratic National Convention Night 1 Speeches: Cory Booker, Michelle Obama, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders

(Photo Source: @HillaryClinton)

The 2016 Democratic National Convention started off with a bang during Night 1 (July 25, 2016), which featured primetime speeches by Senator Cory Booker, First Lady Michelle Obama, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders.

If you missed any of these speeches or want to re-watch them, then check out the videos below, along with a few of my Twitter comments during the speeches.

Cory Booker:

Cory Booker was fantastic! It was like a mix between Obama's 2004 DNC speech & Lin-Manuel's Tonys acceptance speech. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

So...Cory Booker for President 2024?! #DemsInPhilly https://t.co/Ir9Q3lVhD3

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

First Lady Michelle Obama:

Michelle is getting emotional! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

Michelle Obama!!! Did anyone else get emotional watching that? #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

President Obama shared his thoughts on Michelle's speech on Twitter:

Incredible speech by an incredible woman. Couldn't be more proud & our country has been blessed to have her as FLOTUS. I love you, Michelle.

— President Obama (@POTUS) July 26, 2016

Elizabeth Warren:


Bernie Sanders:

I had issues with @BernieSanders during primary. I thank him for his passionate speech urging everyone to vote for Hillary. #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

To me, the two best speeches of the night were from Michelle Obama and Cory Booker! #DemsInPhilly

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

Night 1 of the #DemsInPhilly #DemConvention is over! Such a positive night, the exact opposite of the #RNCinCLE!

— Hillary Clinton 2016 (@HillaryIn2016) July 26, 2016

There were some fantastic speeches throughout the first day of the Democratic National Convention.

I'm looking forward to the next three days, where we'll get speeches from former President Bill Clinton on Tuesday (along with the roll call, when Hillary will officially become the nominee); President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Hillary's running mate Senator Tim Kaine on Wednesday; and Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and her daughter Chelsea on Thursday.

Follow Me on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge

Follow Me on Instagram: @HillaryIn2016 & @TheJeffDodge