Hillary Clinton Was Both Mom & Nominee At The DNC

As Chelsea Clinton stood behind the big blue podium at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Philadelphia on Thursday, Hillary Clinton stood in front of a TV screen backstage, taking it all in. She would soon walk out onto the same stage her daughter stood on and make a long-awaited historic goal come true, but for the few moments that Chelsea spoke, Clinton wasn't a politician, a change-maker, or an icon — she was a proud mom. In that moment, Clinton's reaction to Chelsea's DNC speech was touching and fitting — and not to be overshadowed by the historic moments that would occur immediately afterward.

Chelsea took the stage after a crowd-pleasing performance by Katy Perry and before a much-anticipated speech by the former secretary of state. Her job was to introduce her mom to the audience. Certainly, Clinton needed no introduction, but Chelsea's speech was an opportunity to humanize Clinton, to show a softer, more personal side of the candidate. Show that side of her mother she did. Chelsea spoke of bedtime stories and piano recitals, of family movie nights and long-learned lessons. She told the audience that she was proud of her mother — while her mother showed the Twittersphere how proud she was of Chelsea.

Clinton's campaign tweeted the image of the candidate watching her daughter shortly after Chelsea's speech started. It's not the first time that Clinton has shared a touching behind-the-scenes moment just before a historic turning point in her campaign. Back in June, as she became her party's "presumptive" nominee, Clinton's Instagram showed a celebratory dance she shared with a young female supporter. The dance — and the post — took place just as Clinton was about to walk out onto a rally stage and claim a historic victory: She had earned enough primary delegates to declare herself the first female presumptive nominee of a major party.

On Thursday, the campaign moment was perhaps a little more historic: She would actually accept that long-presumptive nomination. But the behind-the-scenes moment was also maybe a little more touching. It was a message from mother to daughter, and it's a sentiment that echoed the feelings being expressed on stage.

"I hope that my children will someday be as proud of me as I am of my mom," Chelsea said on stage. Her mother watched from backstage and expressed her own pride online. Meanwhile, Chelsea's father watched from the audience and found a way to show his pride. In other words, it was a good night to be a Clinton.