Remarks at the 2016 Democratic National Convention - July 26, 2016

I have a questions: Are you ready to elect the very first woman president of these United States of America? Let me hear it! Yes!

I want to talk to you very personally, because I have known Hillary Clinton for more than 20 years. We're actually family. My daughter was married to her brother, so my beloved grandson is her beloved nephew. Yes. So I know her as the loving aunt who helped plan my grandson's birthday parties when he was a toddler.

I saw her rush over after a busy day at the State Department to cheer him on at his high school football games. She was often joined by her devoted mother, Dorothy—Dorothy, who overcame a painful childhood and taught Hillary how one caring person can make a change in a child's life. Dorothy once wrote me a letter, and she said this: "I can't remember when Hillary didn't take the long view of things. Never instant gratification." And she wrote, that strong sense of empathy for others and a great sense of humor have served her well. Now that's a mom who knew her daughter well.

We saw Hillary's heart—her heart- when, as First Lady, she worked across party lines to bring health care to millions and millions of children. We saw her strength when after 9/11 she stood with first responders and tirelessly fought for them! We saw her strength. We saw her leadership when, as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton restored America's standing in the world—you remember that, after the Bush administration. And I, I personally saw the light in her eyes when she became a grandmother, and her fight for a better America became even more personal and even more urgent.

During this campaign, we have seen something else: her toughness. And I know a little bit about toughness. The right wing has thrown everything at Hillary—not only the kitchen sink, not the stove, but the refrigerator and the toaster, too. And you know what? She's still standing! They've thrown everything at her, and she's still standing.

America's families need Hillary in the White House, standing with all of us! We need a president who knows it's just plain wrong that women make 79 cents for every dollar paid to a man. And yet her opponent refuses to support equal pay. He says, "The marketplace is going to make sure of it." Well, it's 2016 and we're still waiting, Mr. Trump.

We can count on Hillary to fight to raise the minimum wage. Her opponent "wages are too high." That's un-American because in our great country, if you work full-time, you should never, ever have to live in poverty! We can count on Hillary.

And we can count on Hillary to protect our right to choose. Her opponent said a woman should be "punished" for exercising her right to choose and then picked a running mate who believes Roe v. Wade belongs in the "ash heap of history." Well, I have a message for Donald Trump and Mike Pence: we are not going back to the dark days when women died in back alleys! We are never, ever, ever going back! Never! We are moving forward with Hillary Clinton!

You know, there's a lot of talk about what makes America great. Well, I'll tell you this, it's not when we insult each other, it's not when we tear each other down. It's when we stand together, it's when we work together, it's when we build together, it's when we fight together! That's what makes America great! That's what Hillary Clinton will do!

And that's why, I'm telling you tonight, Hillary Clinton will be our next president of the United States of America!

Thank you California, thank you America! Thank you!

2020 Democratic National Convention. "Senator Barbara Boxer at DNC 2016." YouTube video, 6:40. July 27, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzTSvWgoDSE.