Fans of Hillary and Chelsea Clinton stood in line outside of the Strand Bookstore in Manhattan for several hours on Wednesday, anxiously awaiting a book-signing event by the mother-daughter duo.
Excited New Yorkers began lining up as early as 2 p.m., ahead of the 6 p.m. event, with the queue wrapping around the block by late afternoon.
“I just want her to know that she is still inspiring people,” said Queens resident Zinnia Arce, who brought her 9-year-old son. “He wants to be the New York senator one day, and what is better than to meet someone who was already there?”
When the doors finally opened, attendees were greeted by separate tables on the upper level of the bookstore – one for Hillary Clinton and one for her daughter.
The event required fans to purchase one of four ticket packages that included at least one book by the authors. Chelsea Clinton signed “She Persisted” and “It’s Your World,” while her mother put her signature on “It Takes a Village” and the recently released “What Happened.”
Published on Sept. 12, “What Happened” details Clinton’s experiences on the campaign trail as the Democratic candidate in the 2016 presidential election.
The Strand signing was Queens resident Corinne Pina’s seventh time meeting Hillary Clinton on her book tour. Approaching her table, Pina was immediately welcomed with a warm smile and a handshake, and it was clear that the two had known each other for some time.
Pina developed PTSD after surviving the 9/11 terror attack at the World Trade Center and was unable to fulfill her student visa requirements. She was threatened with deportation in 2001 but Clinton stepped in, stopped the process and took care of her legal fees, Pina said.
Now an American citizen, Pina makes sure she is present in Clinton’s company as often as possible.
“She just told me that every time she sees me, I put a smile on her face,” Pina said after the signing. “She gives me hope every time I see her.”
Jackie Graf, 19, who voted for the first time in the 2016 presidential election, was at a loss for what to say to her idol.
“She stands for everything I believe in, especially LGBTQ rights. She represents a lot for me, just as a strong, powerful woman,” she said. “I’m ecstatic to be able to meet her. She is like a beacon of femininity and power…I love her.”
While many expressed gratitude and excitement for the Clintons, attendees also doled out criticism of President Donald Trump.
“I think he is a corrupt person. He stole the election from her,” Far Rockaway resident Cyrus Goodman, 66, said. “I just want to tell her that I miss her. I think she should have been president.”
It was unclear Wednesday night how many tickets were sold for the book signing.
