>>> BEAUTIFUL SHOT OF CAPITOL HILL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AT 35 PAST THE HOUR. FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON HAS A NEW BOOK COMING OUT, AND "MORNING JOE" HAS AN EXCLUSIVE, FIRST LOOK AT ONE KEY PART OF IT. THE BOOK ENTITLED "SOMETHING LOST, SOMETHING GAINED, REFLEKS ON LIFE, LOVE, AND LIBERTY," GOES ON SALE NEXT TUESDAY. CLINTON WAS RECORDING THE AUDIOBOOK WHEN NEWS BROKE PRESIDENT BIDEN DROPPED OUT OF THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE. SHE DECIDED TO RECORD HER FIRST REACTION TO THAT MONUMENTAL SHIFT IN PRESIDENTIAL POLITICS AS AN EPILOGUE TO THE AUDIO VERSION. "MORNING JOE" HAS NOW AN EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT OF THAT EPILOGUE. TAKE A LISTEN. >> ON JULY 21st, 2024, WHEN JOE BIDEN ANNOUNCED HE WAS DROPPING OUT OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE AND ENDORSING KAMALA HARRIS, THE DREAM OF SEEING A WOMAN IN THE OVAL OFFICE WAS SUDDENLY BACK WITHIN REACH. IT WOULDN'T BE ME, BUT IT COULD BE KAMALA. HISTORY BECKONED. BUT A WHOLE LOT OF BIGOTRY, FEAR, AND DISINFORMATION, NOT TO MENTION THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, STOOD IN THE WAY. COULD WE DO IT? COULD WE FINALLY SHATTER THAT HIGHEST, HARDEST GLASS CEILING AND PROVE THAT, IN AMERICA, THERE IS NO LIMIT TO WHAT IS POSSIBLE? WHEN BILL AND I HEARD THE NEWS, THAT BIDEN WAS WITHDRAWING AND ENDORSING KAMALA, WE DRAFTED A STATEMENT SALUTING HIM AND ALSO ENDORSING HER. SHE IS TALENTED, EXPERIENCED, AND READY TO BE PRESIDENT, SO IT WAS AN EASY DECISION. AFTER OUR STATEMENT WENT PUBLIC, KAMALA CALLED US. SHE WAS REMARKABLY CALM FOR SOMEONE WHO HAD JUST BEEN THROWN INTO THE DEEP END OF A BOTTOMLESS POOL. SHE TOLD US SHE WANTED TO EARN THE NOMINATION. "I'M GOING TO NEED YOUR HELP," SHE SAID. "WE'LL DO WHATEVER YOU NEED," I TOLD HER. BILL AND I WERE BOTH READY TO DO EVERYTHING WE COULD TO HELP GET HER ELECTED. HISTORY IS FULL OF CAUTIONARY TALES, BUT 2024 IS NOT 2016. TRUMP'S VICTORY THEN AND THE UGLINESS OF HIS PRESIDENCY WOKE UP A LOT OF PEOPLE. THERE IS LESS COMPLACENCY NOW ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR DEMOCRACY AND MORE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE THREATS POSED BY DISINFORMATION, DEMAGOGUERY, AND IMPLICIT BIAS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE ASKED HOW I FEEL ABOUT THE PROSPECT OF ANOTHER WOMAN POISED TO ACHIEVE THE BREAKTHROUGH I DIDN'T. IF I'M BEING HONEST, IN THE YEARS AFTER 2016, I ALSO WONDERED HOW I WOULD FEEL IF ANOTHER WOMAN EVER TOOK THE TORCH THAT I HAD CARRIED SO FAR AND RAN ON WITH IT. WITH SOME LITTLE VOICE DEEP DOWN INSIDE WHISPERING, "THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN ME"? NOW I KNOW THE AFTER. AFTER I GOT OFF THE PHONE WITH THE VICE PRESIDENT, I LOOKED AT BILL WITH A HUGE SMILE AND SAID, "THIS IS EXCITING!" I FELT PROMISE. I FELT POSSIBILITY. IT WAS EXHILARATING. WHEN I IMAGINE KAMALA STANDING BEFORE THE CAPITOL NEXT JANUARY, TAKING THE OATH OF OFFICE AS OUR FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT, MY HEART LEAPS. AFTER HARD YEARS OF DIVISION, IT WILL PROVE THAT OUR BEST DAYS ARE STILL AHEAD. AND THAT WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS ON OUR LONG JOURNEY TOWARD A MORE PERFECT UNION. AND IT WILL MAKE SUCH A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF HARDWORKING PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. FOR NOW, THINK OF THIS MOMENTOUS PERIOD, I THINK BACK TO WHERE THIS BOOK BEGAN. AS JODIE MITCHELL SANG ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, "SOMETHING IS LOST, BUT SOMETHING IS GAINED." DEMOCRATS HAVE LOST OUR STANDARD BEARER. WE WILL MISS JOE BIDEN'S STEADY LEADERSHIP, DEEP EMPATHY, AND FIGHTING SPIRIT. HE IS A WISE AND DECENT MAN WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY WELL. YET WE HAVE GAINED MUCH, TOO. A NEW