My 3-second interaction with Hillary Clinton, and why I said everything that I needed to say to her.
If you only had literally a couple of seconds to speak with someone important who you've long respected, what would you say?
I had to think about that question a few weeks ago when I watched Hillary Clinton meticulously work the line at a rally where I attended.
It's not the first time I've asked myself that question. It's not even the first time I asked myself that question about someone with the last name of Clinton.
A few months ago, I met former President Bill Clinton at a rally for Hillary. Well, technically I shook his hand, but that constitutes a meeting in my book. The still frame screen capture of our handshake from the news footage confirms this. President Clinton was the president in my formative years, and I've long been fascinated by his life story, so needless to say, it was a huge thrill to shake his hand. I believe I said something to the effect of, "Thank you for being my president," but honestly, I can't say for sure. The adrenaline rush I got from the encounter sort of clouded my memory.
I had a little bit more time to plan things out with Hillary. Unlike with Bill--where I had arrived long before the doors opened to guarantee I'd have a front and center spot for his speech--I was way back in the line to get into the Hillary rally. When I finally entered the venue, it was packed 3,000 strong, with more in an overflow venue. I was about 20 feet behind the stage and figured I wouldn't be shaking anyone's hand this time. Which was fine--I honestly just wanted to see her speak.
But as more people came in, the closer and closer I was pushed towards the stage. And by the time Hillary was done with her speech (which was great, by the way), I was only about 5 feet from the rope line between the crowd and the stage.
As I waited patiently to see whether Hillary would make her way to my side, it gave me some time to think about what I could possible say to her with full knowledge that dozens of other people were waiting for that same interaction.
And at some point, it dawned on me--I thought of my two elementary school aged daughters. They're too young to understand the intricacies of partisan politics, but when they heard that there could be a "girl president", they couldn't help contain their excitement. They knew that there had never been a female president before, but that there could be one in the near future. So their preference this election was unanimous, needless to say.
So as her detail finally moved in front of me and I saw her face to face, I reached out my hand and told her, "Hillary, my daughters are so excited about you!"
And she smiled her huge Hillary smile as she shook my hand and said, "Oh that's great!"
And that was it. She moved onto the next person in the throng, and I retreated from the line with glee. I don't think there was anything else I could have said or done that would have made the moment any better.
While meeting someone who will likely be our next president is undeniably a thrill, that's only part of it. I met someone who will be remembered forever in the history books as our first woman president. And that's a huge and momentous occasion. And for my little three-second interaction where I let this historical figure know the importance of what she's doing for my own girls....there's no other way I would have wanted to plan it.
And yes, my girls were super-excited when I told them I talked about them to the next "girl president", and that she knows who they are.
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I attended a dinner where she was guest speaker. After the event she stood and people were expected to come up and shake hands. I looked and saw no one walked up to her so I decided to approach her. I apologized to her for all the nasty things the press and republicans were saying about her and assured her all Americans were not like that. I also Thanked her for coming to our event. So proud I actually talked one one to the next President! She was charming and surprisingly shorter than I expected. A nice person.
Spot on, well done and congratulations for getting to meet our soon-to-be Madam President! 
Julie
When my dad was president of the Gridiron Club, and she was in Pakistan at the time, she made up for not being there by inviting my parents over to the White House (my dad's office was a five minute walk away) to have a 5 minute chat with them. They hit is off famously, and when her aide reminded her that the 5 minutes were up, she said she was having a great time with these people (i.e. my parents), and that she was taking more time with them. The five minutes stretched to half an hour.
I had no such luck the couple of times I have chatted with her, but Jim Hamilton, the Watergate lawyer who she tapped to vet her VP list of possibles, told me to contact a certain person on her transition team as I would be under serious consideration as potential ambassador to Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland or Sweden (I speak all languages of those countries except Rhäto-Romansch), and, except for Germany, we seldom send an ambassador who speaks the language well. I was flattered, but there are two major drawbacks: 1.) I'd have to quit my day job and take a big cut in pay, and 2.) My wife would cut off my arms, legs, and probably a few other essentials, if I told her we would have to move to Berlin, Stockholm, Den Haag or Bern.
One thing for which she seldom gets credit is the fact that she is GREAT in small settings. She does not spellbind a crowd like Bill does, and probably never will. But one on one? Warm, smart, funny, aware, and a very quick wit. Not only that, but she likes getting her picture taken with my daughters! 
She was expert at crossing the aisle when she was in the Senate and keeping the lines of communication open. One Republican Senator was quoted on the record as saying how much flak he was getting about this when he visited his home state. Everybody was waiting to hear about how much he hated Hillary, and he had to admit to them that she was a great person, and easier to work with than many of the other "libbruls (in English, that's "Democrats"
in the Senate.
well played! 
