Then and now: How Hillary Clinton launched her presidential campaigns
Hillary Clinton launched her two presidential campaigns by video, but the similarity ends there. A look at how she entered the 2016 and 2008 races:
2016 CAMPAIGN
How she did it
Technically, campaign chairman John Podesta made Clinton's candidacy official with an email to supporters. Minutes later, the campaign website -- hillaryclinton.com -- went live with a video message of a little more than two minutes. Clinton isn't seen initially: There are images of people at work and saying what they're getting ready for. Clinton speaks at about the 1:36 mark and says: "I'm getting ready to do something, too. I'm getting ready to run for president."
Why now?
As the best known candidate in either party and the leading Democratic contender, Clinton could have waited to officially jump in whenever she wanted. But the timing of the announcement became a foregone conclusion when she signed a lease on her Brooklyn campaign headquarters. Once Clinton started engaging in campaign business, she had a 15-day window to file the necessary paperwork.
Themes
Two messages are clear: Clinton is getting ready for new things and she hits hard that she'll be the champion of the middle class.
The images are unmistakable. There is a mother of young children getting ready to go back to work, a gay couple getting ready for their wedding and Hispanic brothers starting their own business. There are whites, blacks and an Asian woman, too.
She acknowledges the improving economy but notes "the deck is still stacked in favor of those at the top" and says she is running for president again "so you can do more than just get by, so you can get ahead and stay ahead."
2008 CAMPAIGN
How she did it
Clinton declared her candidacy on Jan. 20, 2007, with a statement posted on a website, along with a video of less than two minutes.
Why then?
Advisers told The New York Times that she wanted to announce on a Saturday to dominate the weekend news cycle and, in particular, the Sunday morning talk shows. Clinton's announcement also came three days before President Bush delivered his State of the Union Address.
Themes
"I'm in. And I'm in to win," Clinton said as she announced her exploratory committee for president. She was clear that her candidacy was aimed at undoing "Bush's mistakes" and addressing "big questions."
Clinton briefly mentioned these issues: ending the war in Iraq, giving all Americans access to health care, protecting the environment for future generations, achieving energy independence and reducing budget deficits threatening Social Security and Medicare.
She touched on her accomplishments — going back to her days as first lady of Arkansas through her then six years in the Senate. But there was no dwelling on her bid to become the first female president, except for a brief mention that her campaign would "make history."
As for politics, Clinton sought to make clear that she was ready to fight. "I have never been afraid to stand up for what I believe in or to face down the Republican machine," she wrote. "After nearly $70 million spent against my campaigns in New York and two landslide wins, I can say I know how Washington Republicans think, how they operate and how to beat them."
Contributing: Paul Singer