Five things you didn't know about Chelsea Clinton
From her political aspirations to her former friendship with the daughter of her mother's nemesis
Chelsea Clinton was in the public eye well before her father became president more than two decades ago, but with her mother now running in the same race, the media attention has intensified.
Bill and Hillary's 36-year-old daughter has her own personal and political aspirations and has succeeded in carving out an identity for herself that extends far beyond the infamous Clinton name.
"Gone is the Chelsea who tried to blend in," says Vanity Fair. "She has fully embraced being a Clinton and is now deliberately, wilfully, on the road to greatness."
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Chelsea is vice chair of the Clinton Foundation, which works on multiple issues including women's rights, climate change and global health.
Here are five things you may not know about the woman who could become America's first daughter – for the second time:
She nearly has the same number of degrees as her parents – combined
Chelsea has an impressive academic record, even by the high standards of Washington's political class. She completed her undergraduate degree at Stanford University, her masters at Columbia University and finally her doctorate degree from Oxford University in global governance structures.
But as the daughter of the president of the United States, Chelsea's first university experience was far from typical. "She was accompanied by plain clothes Secret Service officers and had bulletproof windows in her dorm," says Cosmopolitan. "Chelsea was away at school when news broke of her dad's affair with intern Monica Lewinsky, which, Hillary [said] led [her] to her being more protective of her privacy."
She used to be close friends with Ivanka Trump
Chelsea and Donald Trump's daughter were reportedly introduced by their husbands several years ago and regularly appeared at red-carpet events together. They seemed to "genuinely delight" in each other's company and had a lot in common, says Politico.
"But with Hillary and Donald Trump now on track for a King Kong versus Godzilla political collision in November, that friendship has been put temporarily on hold," it adds. "Given the personal nastiness and vitriol of the campaign already, it may be difficult for the relationship to recover."
She helped change her father's position on gay marriage
Bill Clinton infamously signed off on legislation that defined marriage as between a man and a woman in 1996. However, in 2013 he finally admitted: "I now know that, even worse than providing an excuse for discrimination, the law itself is discriminatory. It should be overturned." Chelsea believes that exposing her father to many of her LGBT friends and discussing the issue with him helped change his position on gay marriage. "Those conversations often start in families and then billow out into the community. Change is hard. And I was really proud of my dad," she said.
She would consider running for President
Chelsea has said that running for office one day is "absolutely" a possibility. "With her father's magnetism and her mother's discipline, [she] is finally embracing her political birthright," says Vogue. Asked if it was part of her future plans, she responded: "Before my mom's campaign I would have said no. Not because it was something I had thought a lot about but because people have been asking me that my whole life."
However, she adds: "If there were to be a point where it was something I felt called to do and I didn't think there was someone who was sufficiently committed to building a healthier, more just, more equitable, more productive world, then that would be a question I'd have to ask and answer."
But her main focus is still her family
Married to hedge-fund manager Marc Mezvinsky with two children, Chelsea is a devoted mother and partner. "I'm so grateful for his dedication, his support, his love," she says of her husband. Friend and actress Katie Couric said that balancing work and family life means it's safe to say, Chelsea is "probably a Mom of the Year".
She also has an incredibly close relationship with both her parents and reflects on a happy childhood. "Even during my father's first campaign for president, there were only three nights when I wasn't with one or both of them," she said. "Wherever they were, at least one of them would fly home to be with me while I was doing my homework and to tuck me in at night."
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