Hillary Clinton photo

Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - What the Campaign Trail Looks Like Through the Eyes of an Artist

February 08, 2016

Campaigning is an art.

Illustrations by Julia Rothman

Outside the YWCA in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire, a winter storm is blanketing the city. There's nearly half a foot of fresh snow on the ground—and it just keeps coming down. The morning-drive DJs on local radio stations suggest staying indoors.

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But step inside the YWCA, and hundreds of Granite Staters are bustling about, getting ready to start knocking on doors. There are just a few days left until the New Hampshire primary, and a little snow won't keep them inside for long—not when their candidate, Hillary Clinton, needs them to talk to as many voters as possible before Tuesday's election.

As Joni, a 74-year-old veteran volunteer, says in between checking in fellow canvassers, "This is nothing. This is just a light snowstorm. And it's typical Hillary campaign behavior: Let's get this done, let's do it right, and let's win this election."

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But if there's anyone in the crowd who needs a little extra motivation to go out and knock doors in a snowstorm, they get it—in the form of a pep talk straight from the candidate (and a few of her most inspiring friends).

Hillary tells them: "You can tell people you're talking to today, bring both their heart and their head. Bring them both Tuesday. And help us all begin to move toward making sure we have a Democratic president once again in the White House."

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After Hillary says goodbye, the last selfie is taken, and the television cameras power down, the real work begins. The crowd inside the YWCA disperses across Manchester, bringing their hearts and their heads, their personal stories, and their best arguments to their neighbors—whatever it takes to get the job done for Hillary next Tuesday.

Everyone has their own reason for going out into the snow—here are four of them:

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JUDI: "I didn't realize how much passion I had until I started helping out on her campaign. She stands for what I believe in. Because of Hillary, I got involved in the political process back in 2007. Because of her, I kept on going—even after she didn't win the nomination. And I made a promise to her that it's going to happen this time. I believe in her. She's such a strong candidate, and I want so badly for her to be our president."

MAHENDRA: "I flew back from Mumbai yesterday. I landed in Boston at 5:30 p.m., which was two hours later than planned. I was supposed to be canvassing during the 6 p.m. shift that night. So I called my organizer, Katie, from Logan Airport and told her the plane got in too late, but I still wanted to start canvassing first thing today. It was my birthday, and I really wanted to canvass for Hillary on my birthday."

JEANIE: "I was in a local orphanage in the 1950s, when I was 5 years old. I didn't speak—I was too frightened. And when I grew up, I found my voice. I found out Hillary had been an advocate for kids since she got out of school. That was the hook for me—she has never stopped fighting for children. She would have been my voice as a little girl. And now that I'm retired, it's my time to be out there for her. I had this hat made just for the campaign. People ask me about it all the time, and it's my introduction to telling them about this very special woman named Hillary Clinton."

KATHLEEN: "When it comes down to it, Hillary stands for fairness. As a woman, she knows what it's like to fight to be treated with the same respect as a man. Unions are all about being treated fairly and with respect. We can cut wood, we can paint, we can do electrical work. We can do all the things men can do—including being president."

Hillary Clinton, Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - What the Campaign Trail Looks Like Through the Eyes of an Artist Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/317304

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