Detail

At 9:24:31 PM (EST) on November 8, 2016, President Bill Clinton—42^nd President of the United States—watched the election results with his wife of 41 years, Former Secretary of State, Former Senator from New York, Former First Lady of the United States, Former First Lady of Arkansas, and current Democratic Nominee for President, Hillary Rodham Clinton. As they watched the election returns on CNN News Network—Anderson Cooper reporting—they were shocked at what was happening. Secretary Clinton was losing bigly—Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Ohio were not looking good. At 9:48:57 PM (EST), President George H.W. Bush—41^st President of the United States—called Bill Clinton. Laughter was all Bill could hear for 16 seconds. George asked Bill if he could believe that neither his wife nor George’s son—former Florida Governor John Ellis “Jeb” Bush—were going to be the next President of the United States. Both men sat in silence for 47 seconds as they pondered the future. Laughter simultaneously consumed them both at 9:51:10 PM (EST). The phone call ended at 9:52:01 PM (EST).