Hundreds Pay Tribute to Hillary at Chappaqua Library Book Signing
Despite the results in last year’s presidential election, the reaction to Hillary Clinton at the Chappaqua Public Library shows that you can always go home again.
About 1,000 Clinton supporters lined up at the library in her adopted home community, some for several hours, to have a copy of her new book “What Happened” signed and get a chance to briefly meet the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee and former U.S. senator and secretary of state.
The book signing was part of Clinton’s ongoing promotional tour for “What Happened,” a 512-page post-mortem on last year’s divisive and historic campaign.
With some in the long lines, which snaked from the entrance of the library’s theater and around bookshelves, wearing 2016 campaign outerwear and several others outfitted in homemade shirt designs, visitors came from throughout the New York metropolitan area for their brief encounter with Clinton.
“It’s important for my girls to see her,” said Marie Short of Millwood, who stood with her two daughters. “They were a big fan of Chelsea’s book and they were very upset with the results of the election, and I think it’s important (for them) to see that you get up, get out the door, move on, sign some books. So we came.”
Shortly before 3 p.m., Clinton entered the library’s theater to a burst of applause. She then participated in a photo op on the theater’s stage with dancers from Dance Artistry Project in Pleasantville, who made a video that paid tribute to her.
There were diehard supporters in attendance who either worked on Clinton’s campaign while others wanted to meet one of the people who has served as an inspiration to countless women.
“I wanted to look her in the eye and tell her that she has changed my life,” said New Milford, Conn. resident Jill Reis. “She has persevered through gross misogyny and sexism, and nothing stops her. It makes me emotional to think about it because she does not waver from her past and that’s inspiring for me, that’s inspiring for my daughter, inspiring for my friend, my husband.”
Alex Sanchez of Larchmont worked spent the last three weeks before Election Day campaigning for Clinton in Pennsylvania. He said her loss was one of the most disappointing event of his life, in part because many potential voters he spoke to didn’t believe she could lose and may not have voted.
“We felt like we let her down not helping her get Pennsylvania, which was key,” Sanchez said. “We were telling people they are the most important people in America right now, Hillary support from you will affect the actual election.”
Others said that they stood in line because they wanted to thank her for her having a positive impact on the lives of so many.
“My take on it is people came out to pay tribute to Hillary for service, and at least in New York State a lot of people are upset at the results of the election and this is their way of telling Hillary, job well done, we’re still behind you,” said Bill Kemps of Union County, N.J.
Chappaqua Public Library Director Pamela Thornton said 1,000 tickets went on sale and quickly sold out. In the first week of its release earlier this month, “What Happened” sold 167,000 hardcover copies and about 300,000 copies across all formats, according to published reports.
With Saturday’s event, Clinton follows her husband, former President Bill Clinton, and daughter Chelsea with book signings in recent years at the Chappaqua Public Library.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
