It was the flawless appearance for Hillary Clinton to do, and she got a ton more stage time and lines in the sketch than then-Senator Barack Obama did when he visited the show in 2007.
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After overhearing denizens in a bar discuss which Republican presidential candidate they like most, Hillary Clinton (Kate McKinnon) drowns her sorrows.
After discussing several other issues, McKinnon asked the bartender her thoughts about gay marriage, where Clinton responded that she supported it. The best part of the skit is when Hillary nails an impression of Donald Trump (skip to 3:03 for it).
Throughout the skit, McKinnon pokes fun at the candidate, like when asked what she does for a living and McKinnon answered with, “First, I am a grandmother”.
During Weekend Update, Pete Davidson makes the argument that Donald Trump’s candidacy for president was “funny at first“, but has gone on too long!
This opening joke reminded me exactly what Hillary’s biggest challenge is this time around; it’s not her laugh or personality like it was in 2008 (after all, it’s been decided she’s “likable enough”).
“I will destroy him and I will mount his hair in the Oval Office”, McKinnon joked. This way, Clinton got a chance to slowly change the narrative and get the attention of key Democratic constituencies a week before the first Democratic presidential debate. “Second, I am a human, entrusted with this one green earth”.
In the thick of election season, the SNL skits were in full political satire mode and it was a huge platform as any for Clinton to kick off her campaign with…a drink! They ended up with their arms round one another, and Clinton embraced a number of what ails her as a candidate.
Former cast member, Darrel Hammond also joined in and when he looked at Clinton and Mc Kinnon he said: “My God, they’re multiplying”.
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“It could have been sooner”, pressed fake-Clinton, to which the real Clinton responded, “Fair point”. It’s in putting on a ridiculous spectacle and then somehow, miraculously, making us think – even cry? – about real things, even when she doesn’t mean to. McKinnon said shook the patron’s hand and said, “You’re welcome”. Clinton didn’t clarify she would welcome a ruling from the Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage until April. “You give off such a younger, cool vibe”, she assured faux Clinton. It was a pretty good one, actually, in that Hillary way: Awkward, halting, but still efficient and vaguely indicative of a little bit more prominent of a amusing bone in private than we ever see in public.
