---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she…"
description: "\"Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely wallpapered domestic sphere with a slam of the door, took up public life on her own, leaving bi..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png"
---

#  Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely…

![“Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely wallpapered domestic sphere with a slam of the door, took up public life on her own, leaving big feminist footprints all over the place, and without so much as an apology.” quote by Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png)

> “Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely wallpapered domestic sphere with a slam of the door, took up public life on her own, leaving big feminist footprints all over the place, and without so much as an apology.”

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote criticizes Hillary Clinton for abandoning traditional domestic expectations and entering public life unapologetically, highlighting her bold feminist impact.

**In simple terms:** Clinton left home life, entered politics, and made strong feminist marks without apologizing.

Key Takeaway

Embrace bold choices despite societal expectations.

Themes

feminism politics gender roles individualism

Mood

defiant empowering

Type

critical commentary

When to use this quote

- career advancement
- political campaigns
- activism
- public speaking

Key Concepts

public sphere social change personal agency

Questions to Reflect On

- How does one balance personal ambition with collective responsibility?
- What risks arise when challenging entrenched gender norms?

A Different Perspective

May overlook the value of collaborative compromise in politics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Feminist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminist/) [Hilary clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hilary-clinton/) [Public life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-life/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/)

## Related quotes

> [“The world you live in is a lot like that broken-down house. Every single room has been dirtied and damaged by sin. Not one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/the-world-you-live-in-is-a-lot-like-that-broken-down-house-every/)

[Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/)

> [Once you've got a big feminist and political justification for talking about how you went round to Benedict Cumberbatch's house and did period all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/once-you-ve-got-a-big-feminist-and-political-justification-for/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [Bill Clinton was a great politician. Bill Clinton loved a fight. He was willing to fight. But he also wanted to be loved. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/bill-clinton-was-a-great-politician-bill-clinton-loved-a-fight-he-was/)

[Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/)

> [I am proud of Hillary Clinton because she has been and is a great history maker - in everything she has done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-kaine/i-am-proud-of-hillary-clinton-because-she-has-been-and-is-a-great/)

[Tim Kaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-kaine/)

> [ There's always a little bit of disappointment. At the same time, number one, \[Hillary Clinton\] made a great choice. Secondly, I'm 41. And so… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-castro/there-s-always-a-little-bit-of-disappointment-at-the-same-time-number/)

[Julian Castro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-castro/)

> [I think Hillary Clinton - first of all, it's a great victory, acknowledge it. She has made history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shields/i-think-hillary-clinton-first-of-all-it-s-a-great-victory-acknowledge/)

[Mark Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shields/)

> [Vladimir Putin has to create foreign enemies, and he also has to justify... he has to claim... he can't acknowledge that there's a legitimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-browder/vladimir-putin-has-to-create-foreign-enemies-and-he-also-has-to/)

[Bill Browder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-browder/)

> [ Actually, they \[ Hilary Clinton or Donald Trump\] are doing pretty well on their own. They don't need my character to step in. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-bullock/actually-they-hilary-clinton-or-donald-trump-are-doing-pretty-well-on/)

[Sandra Bullock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-bullock/)

> [Michelle has had to grapple with Hilary Clinton's legacy as First Lady... Michelle Obama never wants to be seen as the kind of First…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-kantor/michelle-has-had-to-grapple-with-hilary-clinton-s-legacy-as-first/)

[Jodi Kantor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-kantor/)

> [The question is how does Hilary Clinton fit in this broader network? She's a centralising cog. You've got a lot of different gears in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-assange/the-question-is-how-does-hilary-clinton-fit-in-this-broader-network/)

[Julian Assange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-assange/)

> [What I'm loving about Hilary Clinton is that she has the job that's been held mostly by men. She's made it her job, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlo-thomas/what-i-m-loving-about-hilary-clinton-is-that-she-has-the-job-that-s/)

[Marlo Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlo-thomas/)

> [Not everybody who supports Donald Trump, not everyone who supports Hilary Clinton, are exactly the kind of people that you want as supporters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-spicer/not-everybody-who-supports-donald-trump-not-everyone-who-supports/)

[Sean Spicer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-spicer/)

> [Hilary Clinton said you know, it takes a village to raise a child and somebody said it takes a village idiot to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/hilary-clinton-said-you-know-it-takes-a-village-to-raise-a-child-and/)

[Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/)

> [You've also heard stories about how the military-industrial complex really does prefer Hilary Clinton because they know that she's not nuts like some of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-stone/you-ve-also-heard-stories-about-how-the-military-industrial-complex/)

[Oliver Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-stone/)

> [I like Hilary Clinton. I think she's - she's a fantastic leader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-clark/i-like-hilary-clinton-i-think-she-s-she-s-a-fantastic-leader/)

[Wesley Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-clark/)

## More by Patricia J. Williams

> [We humans have always needed rituals to draw like curtains over the chasms of the unknown. Without them we go mad, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/we-humans-have-always-needed-rituals-to-draw-like-curtains-over-the/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [witch-hunting misogyny is fiercely recurrent in this nation, even if its forms vary with the ages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/witch-hunting-misogyny-is-fiercely-recurrent-in-this-nation-even-if/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [to speak as black, female, and commercial lawyer has rendered me simultaneously universal, trendy, and marginal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/to-speak-as-black-female-and-commercial-lawyer-has-rendered-me/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [I have no fresh-from-the-oven mother-daughter recollections - only the daily creaking of cans being opened and the sucking sound of gelatinous vegetables splurting from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/i-have-no-fresh-from-the-oven-mother-daughter-recollections-only-the/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [the solution to racism lies in our ability to see its ubiquity but not to concede its inevitability. It lies in the collective and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/the-solution-to-racism-lies-in-our-ability-to-see-its-ubiquity-but/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [Within the world of TV land, into which American life has been reduced as well as reproduced, the phenomenon of the talk show has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/within-the-world-of-tv-land-into-which-american-life-has-been-reduced/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [The polemics of right-wing radio are putting nothing less than hate onto the airwaves, into the marketplace, electing it to office, teaching it in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/the-polemics-of-right-wing-radio-are-putting-nothing-less-than-hate/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [Viktor Frankl's timeless formula for survival. One of the classic psychiatric texts of our time, Man's Search for Meaning is a meditation on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/viktor-frankl-s-timeless-formula-for-survival-one-of-the-classic/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [Martin Luther King's 1963 'I have a dream' speech was a thrilling milestone in the civil rights movement, so enduring that we tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/martin-luther-king-s-1963-i-have-a-dream-speech-was-a-thrilling/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [“From time to time I try to imagine this world of which he spoke--a culture in whose mythology words might be that precious, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/from-time-to-time-i-try-to-imagine-this-world-of-which-he-spoke-a/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [“From time to time I try to imagine this world of which he spoke--a culture in whose mythology words might be that precious, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/from-time-to-time-i-try-to-imagine-this-world-of-which-he-spoke-a-2/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [In the law, rights are islands of empowerment. . . . Rights contain images of power, and manipulating those images, either visually or linguistically,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/in-the-law-rights-are-islands-of-empowerment-rights-contain-images-of/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

> [the very notion of blindness about color constitutes an ideological confusion at best, and denial at its very worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/the-very-notion-of-blindness-about-color-constitutes-an-ideological/)

[Patricia J. Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

[Explore all 14 Patricia J. Williams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/)

## More Apology quotes

> [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/)

[Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/)

> [Apologies are not pass/fail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/apologies-are-not-pass-fail/)

[Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/)

> [“Why do we apologize for advocating for ourselves? Why do we apologize for taking up space that we are entitled to? Why do we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-tambascio/why-do-we-apologize-for-advocating-for-ourselves-why-do-we-apologize/)

Elizabeth Tambascio

> [It's hard to say sorry when It's really your fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakii-retondo/it-s-hard-to-say-sorry-when-it-s-really-your-fault/)

[Rakii Retondo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakii-retondo/)

> [“A lady need never apologize. ~ Joseph de Bonaparte (Brother of Napoleon)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-pataki/a-lady-need-never-apologize-joseph-de-bonaparte-brother-of-napoleon/)

Allison Pataki

> [And apologies, once postponed, become harder and harder to make, and finally impossible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mitchell/and-apologies-once-postponed-become-harder-and-harder-to-make-and/)

[Margaret Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mitchell/)

> [In the formation of such a government, it is not only the right, but the indispensable duty of every citizen to examine the principles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/in-the-formation-of-such-a-government-it-is-not-only-the-right-but/)

[Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/)

> [Apologizing does not always mean you are wrong, it just means that value your relationships more than your ego.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinier-bennett/apologizing-does-not-always-mean-you-are-wrong-it-just-means-that/)

[Chinier Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinier-bennett/)

> [If I can get enough signatures, to present an apology to slavery, I will present it to the President. The House of Representatives has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/if-i-can-get-enough-signatures-to-present-an-apology-to-slavery-i/)

[Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/)

> [“I don’t care if you’ve changed. I don’t care who you are now. I don’t need or want your explanations because what you did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/i-don-t-care-if-you-ve-changed-i-don-t-care-who-you-are-now-i-don-t/)

[Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/)

> [I never said Kristen ruined my wedding. At the time, when a million other things had fallen apart that day, I felt like she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scheana-shay/i-never-said-kristen-ruined-my-wedding-at-the-time-when-a-million/)

[Scheana Shay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scheana-shay/)

> [The greatest form of maturity is at harvest time. This is when we must learn how to reap without complaint if the amounts are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-greatest-form-of-maturity-is-at-harvest-time-this-is-when-we-must/)

[Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/)

> [“It's clear he still feels something, but what? Is the whole reason he made such a big deal about wanting to talk to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carey-heywood/it-s-clear-he-still-feels-something-but-what-is-the-whole-reason-he/)

[Carey Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carey-heywood/)

> [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/)

[John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/)

> [For every person who atones, a hundred others find regret sufficient.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/for-every-person-who-atones-a-hundred-others-find-regret-sufficient/)

[Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/)

[Browse all 1,300 Apology quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely wallpapered domestic sphere with a slam of the door, took up public life on her own, leaving big feminist footprints all over the place, and without so much as an apology.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Patricia J. Williams"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she-left-the-nicely-wallpapered/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Apology"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she-left-the-nicely-wallpapered/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d03/patricia-j-williams-34748_apology_hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she_400906.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Hilary Clinton's great sin was that she left the nicely wallpapered domestic sphere with a slam of the door…” — Patricia J. Williams",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Patricia J. Williams",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-j-williams/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Hilary Clinton's great sin was that...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she-left-the-nicely-wallpapered/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-j-williams/hilary-clinton-s-great-sin-was-that-she-left-the-nicely-wallpapered/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
