BROOKE WOLFE
Guest Writer
wolfebh@plu.edu
Dear Mrs. Hillary Clinton,
Watching your interview on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon unsettled me. I was far from moved to Team Hillary after multiple jokes about Republican candidate Donald Trump, the absence of any political conversation and your dancing around the email scandal.
As a college-age woman, I feel the Women’s Rights platform is empowering. Closing the wage gap, fighting to end sexual assault on college campuses and increasing funding for reproductive rights are a few winning stances which were left untouched while speaking with Fallon.
Telling the story of reading to your children nightly was charming. The relatable anecdote was pleasant but not compelling.
Last week before you were talking with Fallon, there were efforts to defund Planned Parenthood. While this is a complicated issue, Wednesday night gave you the opportunity to speak on how you would prevent further attempts to defund the healthcare provider, but instead, you talked about your children. This made me doubt your ability to see all rights equally.
Running as a presidential candidate involves being relatable, but I would suggest that your supporters are more diverse than was assumed on this program.
While you were giggling about reading to your daughter, other daughters were worried about not being able to receive cancer screenings, birth control and STI tests. I know that you stand with equality and equal access, but I wish you would have stood with them on live television.
Besides the motherly conversation, I was confused as to why the high number of jokes were necessary. Teasing Trump seemed to be the main reason you decided to be interviewed. The one-liners were not apart of a productive political conversation but instead were mild bullying remarks about hair and attitudes.
Talking about varying views on issues lightheartedly is much different that blatantly poking fun at another candidate. I would prefer to hear about the ways in which yourself and Trump differ than to hear about his hair.
Your interview on Wednesday night showed a new side to Team Hillary I had not seen before. This television show is seen as comical, which should draw another layer of empathy from myself and other voters. I hope that throughout the campaign, the bullying will be put aside and the strong, confident candidate you are will shine.
Sincerely,
Brooke Wolfe
