It’s been noted that Hillary Clinton’s surrogate speakers may be overpowering her campaign. All these big names like Bill Clinton and the Obamas sometimes overshadow the candidate herself.
These big names are recent additions to the Hillary campaign and it is important to remember earlier, smaller speakers who may have had just as significant contributions.
Clinton had multiple appearances from mothers whose children were victims of gun violence, known as Mothers of the Movement. This group includes the mothers of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown. They used their personal stories of interactions with law enforcement as well as their experience meeting with Hillary to draw positive attention to Hillary’s stand on racial issues.
These mothers stood in front of the DNC and talked bluntly and openly about burying their daughters or finding their daughters dead in jail cells. Their harsh language illustrated the reality of the situation.
The authenticity continued to exude as the mothers recalled how they got to sit down with Clinton and her staffers and voice their concerns, which were then written in to policy. They gathered in a journalist-free location for hours as Clinton wrote her own notes as each mother told her story.
The stories these ladies told and the emotions they got the audience to feel used simple narrative and pathos to help convince voters that she cares about racial injustice and give her campaign a more raw and human feeling. These stories also really helped Clinton to appeal to African American voters because these women are so powerful and draw in a lot of sympathy.