--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I have tried to emphasize to people that…" description: "\"I have tried to emphasize to people that, hey, just like President Obama was a really good president, and the fact that he was black I think was histor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/hillary-clinton-51_black_i-have-tried-to-emphasize-to-people-that_918931.jpg" --- # I have tried to emphasize to people that, hey, just like… ![“I have tried to emphasize to people that, hey, just like President Obama was a really good president, and the fact that he was black I think was historic and unprecedented, but he also claimed and owned his excellence, and that's why I'm saying, okay - I think it's really exciting and historic…” quote by Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/hillary-clinton-51_black_i-have-tried-to-emphasize-to-people-that_918931.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/hillary-clinton-51_black_i-have-tried-to-emphasize-to-people-that_918931.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d22/hillary-clinton-51_black_i-have-tried-to-emphasize-to-people-that_918931.jpg) > “I have tried to emphasize to people that, hey, just like President Obama was a really good president, and the fact that he was black I think was historic and unprecedented, but he also claimed and owned his excellence, and that's why I'm saying, okay - I think it's really exciting and historic that I would be the first woman president, but I have a lot of work I want to do. And I hope that people will say, "Hey, she's getting it done." That's how I think about it.” [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She frames historic milestones as platforms for continued effort, emphasizing competence over identity. **In simple terms:** Historic firsts should spark action, not complacency. Key Takeaway Focus on achievement, not just symbolism. Themes leadership gender race politics achievement Mood determined inspirational Type political motivational When to use this quote - campaign speeches - policy advocacy - public speaking Key Concepts identity politics historical precedent accountability Questions to Reflect On - How can leaders turn symbolic victories into concrete progress? - What responsibilities accompany historic firsts? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic barriers that persist beyond individual success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Getting It Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-it-done/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Woman president](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-president/) ## Related quotes > [I really do hope that we have a woman president in my lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-really-do-hope-that-we-have-a-woman-president-in-my-lifetime/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Don't you someday want to see a woman president of the United States of America?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/don-t-you-someday-want-to-see-a-woman-president-of-the-united-states/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Tonight, tonight we've reached a milestone in our nation's march toward a more perfect union: the first time that a major party has nominated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/tonight-tonight-we-ve-reached-a-milestone-in-our-nation-s-march/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'd be just incredibly humbled and honored to be the first woman president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-d-be-just-incredibly-humbled-and-honored-to-be-the-first-woman/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [From her concession speech: Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/from-her-concession-speech-although-we-weren-t-able-to-shatter-that/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Well, I may not be the youngest candidate in this race. But I will be the youngest woman President in the history of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/well-i-may-not-be-the-youngest-candidate-in-this-race-but-i-will-be/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [ Senator \[Bernie\] Sanders is the only person who I think would characterize me, a woman running to be the first woman president, as exemplifying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/senator-bernie-sanders-is-the-only-person-who-i-think-would/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I cannot imagine anyone being more of an outsider than the first woman president.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-cannot-imagine-anyone-being-more-of-an-outsider-than-the-first/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [While I may not be the youngest candidate in this race, but I will be the youngest woman president in the history of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/while-i-may-not-be-the-youngest-candidate-in-this-race-but-i-will-be/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I took the unprecedented step of asking that the State Department make all my work-related emails public for everyone to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-took-the-unprecedented-step-of-asking-that-the-state-department/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The bottom line on nuclear weapons is that when the president gives the order, it must be followed. There's about four minutes between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/the-bottom-line-on-nuclear-weapons-is-that-when-the-president-gives/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Those self-evident principles of life and liberty, pursuit of happiness, they're not self-executing. They require each of us to get engaged. And what Barack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-jarrett/those-self-evident-principles-of-life-and-liberty-pursuit-of/) [Valerie Jarrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-jarrett/) > [The prime minister in Belgium gave our album to Barack Obama. I was really surprised that he decided to give a CD of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/the-prime-minister-in-belgium-gave-our-album-to-barack-obama-i-was/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [Obama has had a really tough time, but there have been a lot of things that he's compromised on that I never would have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shepard-fairey/obama-has-had-a-really-tough-time-but-there-have-been-a-lot-of-things/) [Shepard Fairey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shepard-fairey/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. McWhorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-mcwhorter/) ## More by Hillary Clinton > [When it comes to bullying small businesses, Donald Trump is the poster boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/when-it-comes-to-bullying-small-businesses-donald-trump-is-the-poster/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I'm going to do everything I can to get myself elected, but that's not enough. I'm going to try to help move the Senate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-m-going-to-do-everything-i-can-to-get-myself-elected-but-that-s-not/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I think we have to take a look at corporate law. We have to take a look at the incentives that we can perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-we-have-to-take-a-look-at-corporate-law-we-have-to-take-a/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I am somewhat influenced by the years that I've spent trying to actually get things done, whether it was reforming education in Arkansas or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-somewhat-influenced-by-the-years-that-i-ve-spent-trying-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know in New York we have several million at any one time who are in New York illegally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-know-in-new-york-we-have-several-million-at-any-one-time-who-are/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I have always believed that women are not victims, we are agents of change, we are drivers of progress, we are makers of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-always-believed-that-women-are-not-victims-we-are-agents-of/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We now have power under the Dodd-Frank legislation to break up banks. And I've said I will use that power if they pose a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-now-have-power-under-the-dodd-frank-legislation-to-break-up-banks/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I am not going to make promises I can't keep. I am not going to talk about big ideas like single-payer and then not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-am-not-going-to-make-promises-i-can-t-keep-i-am-not-going-to-talk/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It's important to recognize that expanding the circle of opportunity and increasing the democratic potential of our own society, as well as those across…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-important-to-recognize-that-expanding-the-circle-of-opportunity/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We're living in a technological world. You cannot tell me we can't do a better job getting that information.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-re-living-in-a-technological-world-you-cannot-tell-me-we-can-t-do/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I do not think homosexuality is immoral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-do-not-think-homosexuality-is-immoral/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We need to have more second chance programs. I'm glad that we're ending private prisons in the federal system; I want to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/we-need-to-have-more-second-chance-programs-i-m-glad-that-we-re/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) [Explore all 1,911 Hillary Clinton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) Frank B. Wilderson III > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Nowadays most people wear black most of the time anyway: go to a literary party and one would imagine everyone there was in perpetual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fay-weldon/nowadays-most-people-wear-black-most-of-the-time-anyway-go-to-a/) [Fay Weldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fay-weldon/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [We do not want to be reminded that it is we, the indigenous people, who are poor and exploited in the land of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-biko/we-do-not-want-to-be-reminded-that-it-is-we-the-indigenous-people-who/) [Steven Biko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-biko/) Browse all 11,655 Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I have tried to emphasize to people that, hey, just like President Obama was a really good president, and the fact that he was black I think was historic and unprecedented, but he also claimed and owned his excellence, and that's why I'm saying, okay - I think it's really exciting and historic that I would be the first woman president, but I have a lot of work I want to do. 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