Hillary Clinton Memes: Why Did They Go Viral?

Hillary Clinton was catapulted to internet stardom last week when the blog called, “Texts from Hillary Clinton” turned her into a viral sensation overnight.

The blog features a series of memes, including two photographs of Secretary Clinton taken by Diane Walker of Time Magazine, and Kevin Lamarque of Reuters. The memes, which are hilarious (my personal favorite below) have come to an end, now that Clinton has submitted her own addition for the site. The creators claim that the memes have gone as far as they can, but their impact lives on. 

There are hundreds of memes on the Internet today, so why is this one particularly entertaining? Hillary Clinton has been a prominent figure in politics since her time as First Lady, but this cannot be the only reason for the popularity of these images. Instead, it seems like the memes have become so popular because they show Clinton's increasingly prominent role in politics, and showcase her role as a women and leader.

Clinton has come a long way from being the First Lady trying to keep her poise during her husband’s sex scandal. She was an influential senator from New York, and then moved on to be the ice-cold presidential candidate in 2008. Her image was always taken seriously, and reviews tended to focus more on her tough demeanor. Clinton wanted to be considered as a serious candidate that could stand up to her male-counterparts. Any small slip in her image could make her seem like a “weak” or “incapable” woman, which is not anything that Clinton has ever reflected. 

Now as the Secretary of State, her accomplishments have mirrored her grace and intelligence, and have shown how essential she is as a leader. She created a Global Hunger and Food Initiative, played a central role in the Arab Spring, was in favor of military intervention during the Libyan Civil War, worked with other allies to help overthrown the Gaddafi regime, and has broken the record for most miles travelled of all former Secretaries of State.

Whether you agree with Secretary Clinton’s positions, the influence that she's had as Secretary have made her into an admirable leader. She has been successful, and has proven that she can hold her own, no matter what the situation. . 

These memes are so popular, because they celebrate the success of her political career, and moreover, they prove to the world that Hillary Clinton is pretty awesome. 

People are now calling for Clinton to run as a presidential candidate once again in 2016. Although it is unclear whether this will happen, the memes have exposed what we are looking for in a leader. With this newfound popularity, Clinton has finally been able to let loose, and show that she is a woman, she is human, she is intelligent, and she can still function as the Secretary of State, all at the same time. After all, if her male counterparts can do it, so can she.