Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Receives Standing Ovation At Tony Awards

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton received a standing ovation at Sunday night’s 77th annual Tony Awards. Hosted by actress Ariana DeBose, Clinton took the stage to welcome a musical number from Suffs, a show based on women’s suffrage in the United States during Woodrow Wilson’s presidency.

Written by Shaina Taub, Taub stars as the titular character of Alice Paul. Suffs brought home a win for Taub for best musical book and best original score.

Clinton, an advocate of women’s rights, is a co-producer of the show along with Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. On stage, the former presidential nominee stressed the importance of voting and encouraged the audience to do so.

“Now, I have stood on a lot of stages, but this is very special,” said Clinton. “And I know a little bit about how hard it is to make change.”

“I’m extremely proud of this original American musical by Shaina Taub, now two-time Tony winner. And, of course, it is about some American originals — the suffragists — who fought so valiantly for so long to give women in our country the right to vote.”

In May, Clinton said she felt “abandoned” by women during her 2016 presidential campaign because she wasn’t “perfect” for them. Clinton criticized Democrats and voters for preferring to take a risk on former President Donald Trump, citing a double standard for men in politics.