What Happened

Acknowledgments

I dedicated this book to the team that stood with me in 2016.

I will always be grateful to Barack and Michelle Obama and their staffs for all their support before, during, and after the campaign; Tim Kaine, Anne Holton, and their family; everyone who spent endless days and nights working in our Brooklyn headquarters; the state directors and state staffs, field and advance teams, coordinated campaign staff, volunteers, interns, and fellows in all fifty states; our consultants, contractors, and vendors; the team at the DNC; our lawyers at Perkins Coie; House and Senate Democrats, Governors, Mayors, and their staffs; and all the friends and surrogates who poured their hearts into our campaign. I wish I could thank each and every one of you. In fact, I asked the publisher whether we could print all your names here—more than 6,500—but they said it would make this book twice as long. Please know that you are written in my heart, now and always.

What Happened wouldn’t have happened without the help and support of another great team. This process has been intensely personal, but there’s no way I could have done it alone. I’m grateful to everyone who lent a hand in big ways and small. They proved yet again that we really are stronger together.

This starts with Dan Schwerin, Megan Rooney, and Tony Carrk, who spent many hours with me around my kitchen table in Chappaqua, reliving memories and helping me discover what this book would be.

Dan walked into my Senate office a dozen years ago as a young staffer and has been with me ever since. He helped me with my last book, Hard Choices, led my speechwriting team in 2016, and signed on again with this book. I could not have done this and so much else without him. His keen intellect and superior organizational skills are unmatched. He wrestled to the ground reams of facts and arguments to help me make my case. And he’s a calm, steady presence in the midst of crisis, and good company all the rest of the time.

Megan Rooney was part of my team at the State Department and came back as a speechwriter for the campaign. She dove into the rigors of this book with thoughtful intelligence, wit, and a well-honed skill at storytelling, all of which made this better than I could have done alone. She was my partner in feminist mind melds and brought her good humor, mischievous smile, and twinkling eyes to many long nights when we all needed a lift.

She and Dan continued their long writing partnership and I loved watching them sitting side by side on my couch, computers on their laps, working on a piece of text, not talking but understanding each other and the task perfectly.

Tony Carrk joined me on my 2008 campaign as a researcher, and in 2016 took charge of that critical team. Through intense pressure and stressful days, he was the go-to guy who knew whatever we needed. His dedication and decency are evident to all. And he did it while becoming the father of a little girl, Celia, during the campaign and a little boy, Diego, during the book writing.

Huma Abedin, Nick Merrill, Cheryl Mills, Philippe Reines, Heather Samuelson, and Jake Sullivan have been by my side for years, through triumph and heartbreak. As they have so many times before, they supported this project and me with wise advice and perspective.

I’m indebted to everyone who shared memories and insights, offered advice, helped review pages and facts, and supported me and my work throughout this process, including Emily Aden, John Anzalone, Charlier Baker, Kris Balderston, De’Ara Balenger, Shannon Beckham, Daniel Benaim, Joel Benenson, Jonathan Berkon, David Binder, Allida Black, Sid Blumenthal, Susie Buell, Glen Caplin, Dennis Cheng, Corey Ciorciari, Brian Cookstra, Brynne Craig, Jon Davidson, Howard Dean, Karen Dunn, Marc Elias, YJ Fischer, Oren Fliegelman, Oscar Flores, Tina Flournoy, Danielle Friedman, Ethan Gelber, Teddy Goff, Jorie Graham, Shane Hable, Tyler Hagenbuch, Maya Harris, Trevor Houser, Jill Iscol, Jay Jacobs, Beth Jones, Elizabeth Kanick, Grady Keefe, Ron Klain, Jen Klein, Harold Koh, Elan Kriegel, Amy Kuhn, David Levine, Jenna Lowenstein, Bari Lurie, Moj Mahdara, Jim Margolis, Capricia Marshall, Marlon Marshall, Garry Mauro, Michael McFaul, Judith McHale, Kelly Mehlenbacher, Craig Minassian, Robby Mook, Minyon Moore, Lissa Muscatine, Navin Nayak, Kevin O’Keefe, Ann O’Leary, Jennifer Palmieri, Maura Pally, Adam Parkhomenko, Matt Paul, Lauren Peterson, John Podesta, Jacob Priley, Amy Rao, Ed Rendell, Mary Kate Rooney, Emmy Ruiz, Rob Russo, Sheryl Sandberg, Marina Santos, Kristina Schake, Oren Schur, Ella Serrano, Meredith Shepherd, Bill Shillady, David Shimer, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Craig Smith, Burns Strider, Donna Tartt, Mario Testino, Opal Vadhan, Lona Valmoro, Jon Vein, Melanne Verveer, Mike Vlacich, Rachel Vogelstein, Diane von Fürstenberg, Don Walker and the Harry Walker Agency, Maggie Williams, Graham Wilson, Theresa Vargas Wyatt, and Julie Zuckerbrod.

Thanks as well to all the experts and academics who helped me develop the policies mentioned in this book and many more that comprised the most progressive Democratic platform in history. Those policies continue to offer a road map for building a better future. You can read more about them at www.hillaryclinton.com/issues.

I couldn’t have gotten through the election and its aftermath without my friends. They kept me sane, took me to the theater, came for visits, went on walks, made me laugh, sustained my spirit, and endured an occasional venting session. I’m so looking forward to spending more time with all of you.

I’m indebted to Simon & Schuster, especially Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Reidy, and my editors Jonathan Karp and Priscilla Painton, all of whom spent many hours advising me and reviewing drafts. Thanks to their team: Tamara Arellano, Phil Bashe, Eloy Bleifuss, Alice Dalrymple, Amar Deol, Lisa Erwin, Jonathan Evans, Tiffany Frarey, Megan Gerrity, Cary Goldstein, Megan Hogan, John Paul Jones, Ruth Lee-Mui, Kristen Lemire, Dominick Montalto, Laura Ogar, Anne Tate Pearce, Emily Remes, Richard Rhorer, Jackie Seow, Elisa Shokoff, Laura Tatham, and Dana Trocker.

Thanks to my attorneys: Bob Barnett, debate prep sparring partner and publishing sage; David Kendall, who lived through the email craziness with me; and their team at Williams and Connolly—Tanya Abrams, Tom Hentoff, Deneen Howell, Michael O’Connor, Adam Perlman, Ana Reyes, Amy Saharia, Katherine Turner, and Steve Wohlgemuth.

To the men and women of the United States Secret Service, thank you for always having my back. Your professionalism and courage are an inspiration.

And to the 65,844,610 Americans who voted for me, thank you for your trust and confidence. We didn’t get there this time, but I hope you never lose faith in the vision we share for a better America.

The poet Max Ehrmann says, “Whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace with your soul.” My peace is only possible because of the love and support of Bill, Chelsea, Marc, Charlotte, Aidan, and our entire family. Thank you for being the greatest editors, sounding boards, stress relievers, and joy givers in the world. And thanks for being excited that I’m around a lot more these days.