He followed the comment with another lighthearted jab at the vice president’s Ohio roots, declaring, “Wolverine 1, Buckeye 0,” a reference to the long-standing rivalry between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University.
But while the election has introduced El-Sayed to a much larger audience, his journey began long before he entered the political arena. And one particular encounter with a former U.S. president would eventually make him reconsider what he could accomplish.
The Former President Who Saw Something Special in Him Nearly 20 Years Ago
Long before El-Sayed became a Senate candidate, he was a University of Michigan student preparing to graduate with an ambitious plan to pursue medicine.
In 2007, he graduated with the highest distinction and delivered the student commencement address. That year, the university’s commencement speaker was former President Bill Clinton, who made an unexpected observation about the young graduate.
During his address, Clinton publicly praised El-Sayed’s speech, saying, “I wish every person in the world who believes that we are fated to have a clash of civilizations and cannot reach across the religious divides could have heard you speak today. I just wish every person in the world could have heard you speak today.”
