Buzz
1. She once dreamed of becoming an astronaut
At the age of 12, Hillary Clinton wrote a letter to NASA, inquiring about the possibility of becoming a female astronaut. However, she received a response saying that space missions were meant for men. Her mother comforted her, saying, 'Anyway, your eyesight is too poor.' Years later, she applied to join the U.S. Marines but was rejected once again.
2. She wrote a 92-page thesis on writer and political activist Saul Alinsky
During her time at Wellesley College, Hillary Clinton wrote an extensive 92-page thesis on the influential writer and political organizer Saul Alinsky. However, at the request of Bill Clinton's administration, the thesis was kept sealed and would not be made publicly available until after Hillary left the White House.
3. She worked as a dishwasher
While attending Wellesley, Hillary Clinton took a job as a dishwasher at a large cannery in Alaska. She was eventually fired from the position, and the plant was later shut down due to her complaints about unsafe working conditions.
4. Bill Clinton proposed to her multiple times
What Hillary found most charming about Bill Clinton was his persistence in proposing to her repeatedly until she finally said yes. Indeed, he was a determined man, and Hillary once remarked, 'He wasn’t afraid of me.' She continued to use her maiden name until Bill Clinton ran for a second term as Governor of Arkansas.
5. She won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album
In 1997, Hillary Clinton won a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her narration of the book 'It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us.' The book, which became a New York Times bestseller, was inspired by an African proverb: 'It takes a village to raise a child.' However, she faced criticism for not acknowledging Barbara Feinman, a journalism professor who helped edit, revise, and research the book.
6. She was the first woman on Walmart's board of directors
From 1986 to 1992, Hillary Clinton served on the board of directors of Walmart, the largest retail corporation in the United States. She was the first woman to hold such a position and used her platform to advocate for more female representation on the company’s board.
7. She was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed'
In 1965, Hillary Clinton was voted 'Most Likely to Succeed' during her senior year at Maine Township High School in Park Ridge, Illinois.
8. Before representing the Democratic Party, she supported the Republican Party
Though she later became a Democratic candidate, Hillary Clinton's parents, Hugh and Dorothy Rodham, were staunch supporters of the Republican Party. In 1965, during her freshman year at Wellesley College, Hillary served as the president of the college’s Young Republicans club.
9. She strongly supported anti-Vietnam War activist Eugene McCarthy
Hillary Clinton’s political views were liberal, especially during the 1960s. In 1968, as the civil rights and anti-Vietnam War movements gained momentum across the United States, she became a vocal supporter of Eugene McCarthy, a prominent anti-Vietnam War activist. Describing herself as 'a conservative in thought and a liberal in heart,' Hillary graduated from Yale Law School, worked as a lawyer for the Children’s Defense Fund, and later cast her vote in favor of sending U.S. troops to Iraq. While some viewed her as progressive, others considered her somewhat 'hawkish.'
10. She was a lawyer for a Congressional committee investigating the Watergate scandal
Hillary Clinton served as a lawyer for a Congressional committee that investigated the Watergate scandal, which ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon.
