Book Report: Obama Had to Pressure Clinton Several Times to Concede on Election Night

Donald Trump winning the presidential election in 2016 shocked the world, but no one was more shocked than Hillary Clinton.

A new book titled “Shattered” offers insight into how the Clinton campaign operated behind closed doors and what was said during certain events.

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One exchange in the book highlights election night, when then President Obama pressured Clinton into conceding that night rather than waiting until the next day.

“POTUS doesn’t think it’s wise to drag this out,” White House political director David Simas reportedly said to Robby Mook, Clinton’s campaign manager.

The campaign refused to concede at that point, dragging it out into the early morning of the next day.

It is then reported that President Obama himself called to tell Clinton, “You need to concede.” Clinton did not listen at that point.

Obama then called and repeated the demand to Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta.

Clinton never conceded on election night despite repeated attempts from Obama. Clinton did, however, concede election the following morning when she addressed her supporters with the news.

The Washington Post reports that Obama’s calls to the Clinton campaign had the desired impact.

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“At last, Clinton said, ‘Give me the phone.’ And then the first woman who was going to be president got her opponent on the line and said two words she never expected to say: ‘Congratulations, Donald.’”

Obama reportedly made his first call to the Clinton campaign after Trump won Wisconsin. “President Barack Obama thought it was over and did not want a messy recount,” The Post reports.

The notable insight and exchanges are thoroughly detailed in the new book, “Shattered” by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes.

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