Hillary Clinton Launches Book Tour

Carla Babb
June 10,2014

Former First Lady, Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has launched an international book tour for her memoir “Hard Choices” Tuesday.

Let the Hillary Clinton media blitz begin. Clinton started her book tour at a New York Barnes & Noble store. Hundreds lined up down the block, eager for the chance to say "hello" and get a signed copy of her memoir.


Political pundits and journalists say the book appears to be tied to another run for the presidency in 2016, even though she has not yet announced her intent to run.

Washington Post reporter Anne Gearan has covered Clinton since the 1990s and purchased an advanced copy of her memoir.

“The book sort of leaves off with a very tantalizing comment about whether she would or would not run and she says she hadn’t decided yet. So it kinda leaves you hanging," said Gearan.

The memoir “Hard Choices” highlights Clinton’s decisions as secretary of state and explores causes dear to the diplomat, from slowing the growth of poverty to advancing opportunities for women.

Rangita de Silva de Alwis directs the Women in Public Service Project launched by Clinton and several women’s colleges in 2011.

“Secretary Clinton has put in a lot of effort for us to amplify women’s voices around the world. Women galvanize around her leadership. She is not seen just as a woman who belongs to the United States, she belongs to the world and wherever we go women say she is “one of us," said de Alwis.

“I couldn’t imagine a better role model or partisan or partner than my mom.”

Clinton’s daughter, Chelsea, and husband, former President Bill Clinton, have been united in their support. Clinton will take time off from her international book tour to join her family for an annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting in Denver.

But the Post's Anne Gearan says Clinton should not assume her book tour and media rollout will commence with all positive reinforcement.

“Anything Hillary Clinton says or does from now until the moment she announces will be in some way countered by Republicans trying to figure out, trying to knock a couple holes in the person they see as not only the most likely candidate but the strongest of the potential field of Democrats," she said.

Clinton’s last memoir sold 40,000 copies in 24 hours. People close to the former secretary of state say they hope to surpass that number as a sign of widening support.