During a fiery commencement address Friday at her alma mater Wellesley College, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton took several shots at President Donald Trump without ever mentioning him by name.
Trump’s presidential opponent invoked the example of former President Richard Nixon’s fall and took aim at the Trump administration’s budget, which she said shows an “unimaginable level of cruelty” toward vulnerable Americans.
Clinton began her references to the President by discussing the Nixon era and the changes that came after Nixon left office.
“We were furious about the past presidential election of a man whose presidency would eventually end in disgrace with his impeachment for obstruction of justice,” Clinton said to cheers and applause from the class of 2017.
“After firing the person running the investigation into him at the Department of Justice,” she added in an allusion to Trump’s decision to fire James Comey as the director of the FBI earlier this month.
“We got through that tumultuous time and once again we began to thrive as our society changed laws and opened the circle of opportunity and rights wider and wider for more Americans,” she said.
“Now, of course today has some important differences,” Clinton continued, noting advances in technology and a “fragmented media landscape.”
“We can shut out contrary voices, avoid ever questioning our basic assumptions, extreme views are given powerful microphones, leaders willing to exploit fear and skepticism have tools at their disposal that were unimaginable when I graduated.”
Clinton told the class of 2017 that they are “graduating at a time when there is a full-fledged assault on truth and reason,” again to applause from the crowd.
“Just log on to social media for ten seconds; it will hit you right in the face. People denying science, concocting elaborate, hurtful conspiracies theories about child abuse rings operating out of pizza parlors,” she said. “Drumming up rampant fear about undocumented immigrants, Muslims, minorities, the poor. Some are even denying things we see with our own eyes. Like the size of crowds. And then defending themselves by talking about, quote, unquote, alternative facts.”
Clinton then criticized the budget proposal recently offered by the Trump administration.
“Let’s call it what it is. It’s a con. They don’t even try to hide it,” she said. “Why does all this matter? It matters because if our leaders lie about the problems we face, we’ll never solve them.”
A couple of minutes later, Clinton again called out the Trump administration for lying.
“As the history majors among you here today know all too well, when people in power invent their own facts and attack those who question them, it can mark the beginning of the end of a free society,” she said. “That is not hyperbole. It is what authoritarian regimes throughout history have done. They attempt to control reality. Not just our laws and our rights and our budgets, but our thoughts and beliefs.”
Clinton also said that Americans needed to address the concerns of those who feel left behind in the country.
“A lot of our fellow Americans have lost faith in the existing economic, social, political, and cultural conditions of our country. Many feel left behind, left out, looked down on. Their anger and alienation has proved a fertile ground for false promises and false information,” she said. “Their economic problems and cultural anxiety must be addressed or they will continue to sign up to be foot soldiers in the ongoing conflict between us and them.”
She encouraged Wellesley graduates to reach out to those people, noting that the same individuals may be hurt by the Republican budget and are not necessarily opposed to advancements in equality.
“Millions of people will be hurt by the policies, including this budget that is being considered, and many of those same people don’t want dreamers deported or health care taken away. Many don’t want to retreat on civil rights, women’s rights and LGBT rights,” Clinton said. “So if your outreach is rebuffed, keep trying. Do the right thing anyway. We’re going to share this future. Better do so with open hearts and outstretched hands than closed minds and clenched fists.”
