The first day in the rest of Hillary Clinton’s political life

last updated 8 January 2015

What happened

Hillary Clinton was welcomed with cheers from Senate colleagues and staff as she returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday for the first time since ending her presidential campaign. Clinton said her next goal was to do the best job possible as a senator. "I am rolling up my sleeves and getting back to work," she said. (Bloomberg)

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

“The return made Clinton appear larger than life,” said Dana Milbank in The Washington Post. She was swarmed by journalists and greeted with high-fives from colleagues, and Sen. Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) said the scene was “like a Roman triumph.” The other senators told Clinton they needed her back, but what they really need is “her 18 million supporters—and they were tripping over themselves to make nice to the fallen candidate.”

It was clear by her reception in the Senate “Clinton will be a far more prominent figure than the usual measures of Senate power might suggest,” said Richard Simon in the Los Angeles Times. Her legions of supporters are still loyal. She and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, are political superstars, "and her words and actions will be sifted like tea leaves in the coming presidential campaign and beyond.”

Subscribe to The Week

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox