“There was just silence and then so much sadness and also so much anger that this was happening.”
Chelsea Clinton is recalling the moment she broke the news to her mom, Hillary, about the U.S. Capitol riots.
During a virtual appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show” Thursday, the former first daughter expressed her thoughts on Wednesday’s tragic events, while also revealing Hillary’s initial reaction.
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Late Night Hosts React to Violence In U.S. Capitol, Slam Trump and His Enablers
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“I spoke to my mom yesterday at about 3PM and she had just come from back from her walk,” Chelsea began. “Because in this moment of staying separate and apart and safe she goes on these walks every day to go outside, get some fresh air, in a mask of course and she hadn’t seen what happened, Drew.”
“I said, ‘Mom you have to turn on the television’ and there was just silence,” Chelsea continued. “There was just silence and then so much sadness and also so much anger that this was happening.”
“When we spoke later last night, there was this real sense of we have to hold people accountable because we do,” Chelsea added. “The insurrectionists, the terrorists, the mob who overwhelmed our Capitol. We have to hold those people accountable and we have to hold our President accountable who incited them, egged them on.”
The author — who is the only child of Hillary and former President Bill Clinton — said while it’s notable that Trump’s social media accounts have been temporarily locked, she said it’s not enough.
“It’s insufficient to put it mildly,” Chelsea explained. “We have to stop not only the amplification but the injection of hate and instability and violence that he has personified over the last couple of years.”
Chelsea went on to express her sadness over the fact that rioters, whom she described as “white nationalist terrorists,” were able to infiltrate the Capitol, noting that it hasn’t occurred since 1814.
“I’m sad is the overwhelming emotion I feel,” she said. “I’m just so achingly sad that we had insurrectionists storm our Capitol. It hadn’t happened since 1814, since the war of 1812, when the British invaded our country and that we had white nationalist terrorists effectively overwhelm our Capitol, terrorize our elected men and women of Congress, our Capitol police. Defame and deface the Capitol building, loot the Capitol building wearing camp Auschwitz sweatshirts, waving confederate flags, it’s just horrifying to me and then trying to explain what was happening to our children.”
While she’s “very sad” at the moment, Chelsea said she’s “incredibly grateful and proud” that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will soon be President and Vice President of The United States.
“I’m holding that pride deep in my heart and my soul,” Chelsea told Drew. “I’m just really sad, really sad today.”
On Wednesday, Both Hillary and Bill Clinton released statements in which they condemned the pro-Trump riots.
“Today, domestic terrorists attacked a foundation of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power following free elections,” Hilary tweeted. “We must reestablish the rule of law and hold them accountable. Democracy is fragile. Our leaders must live up to their responsibility to protect it.”
Similarly, Bill wrote, “Today we faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country. The assault was fueled by more than four years of poison politics spreading deliberate misinformation, sowing distrust in our system, and pitting Americans against one another.”
“The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost,” he continued, adding that the election was “free” and “fair,” with a “final” result. “We must complete the peaceful transfer of power our Constitution mandates.
“I have always believed that America is made up of good, decent people. I still do,” Clinton concluded. “If that’s who we really are, we must reject today’s violence, turn the page, and move forward together — honoring our Constitution, remaining committed to a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
