Aide clears up what happened with Bill Clinton, the balloon and the little girl
Thousands of star-spangled balloons falling from the rafters are to be expected at the end of a US political convention, but Bill Clinton’s refusal to give one up shocked one little girl. Now an aide of the former president is trying to clear things up.
At the conclusion of Hillary Clinton’s nomination acceptance speech on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, the tradition lived on. Untold numbers of balloons drifted to the floor, where ecstatic Democrats volleyed the symbols of joy in celebration of the historic moment.
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Thousands were clearly overjoyed, but former President Bill Clinton was rhapsodic.
I just want someone who thinks of me the way Bill Clinton thinks of balloons. pic.twitter.com/nc7M5X33Gx
— Savannah Smith (@savannahhhsmith) July 29, 2016
find someone who loves you as much as @billclinton loves balloons pic.twitter.com/d2e6NOu9Lw
— Morgan Anderson (@themorganleigh) July 29, 2016
.@billclinton got a balloon and he is keeping it. #DemConvention#DemsInPhillypic.twitter.com/nWeC8EkxAi
— Jeremy Art (@cspanJeremy) July 29, 2016
Video, photos, and GIFs of the 42nd commander-in-chief quickly made the rounds online, but one clip stood out above all.
Somewhere in the backstage area, along with Hillary, Huma Abedin, and other staffers and supporters, Bill Clinton carried off his prized balloon – a blue one covered in stars.
A little girl in a matching patriotic dress took notice and, assuming that Bill was handing it to her, attempted to take the balloon. The 69-year-old man from Hope, Arkansas yanked it back immediately, leaving the girl with a look of, “Well then.”
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The internet bowled over in laughter at the sight. How Bill Clinton loves balloons! Some even speculated on what he must have said to the child, from “it’s mine, all mine” to “No little girl, it’s MY balloon!” while others simply blamed the young ’un for daring to touch Bill’s balloon.
Girl gets stiffed by Bubba-"it's mine, all mine" https://t.co/uZlzh006Du
— Joel Belsito (@jbclemson) July 29, 2016
LOL, @BillClinton is like "No little girl, it's MY balloon!" https://t.co/NTHb7aABAm
— Jason aka Ratchet (@Jasonknowsbeer) July 29, 2016
Little girl, you do not steal a #balloon from Bill Clinton https://t.co/tDbpUtOeKg
— Sam Swire (@Sam_Swire) July 29, 2016
However, Bill Clinton had a good reason for his lack of generosity, an aide has been telling news outlets. The former president was saving the inflated sphere for his granddaughter, Charlotte Clinton Mezvinsky, who will turn two years old this September.
Tamara Keith of NPR, citing a Clinton aide, tweeted, “the former president gave the big balloon to Granddaughter Charlotte this morning.” NBC News soon reported the same thing.
Per a Bill Clinton aide, the former president gave the big balloon to Granddaughter Charlotte this morning.
— Tamara Keith (@tamarakeithNPR) July 29, 2016