"Barriers can come down. Justice and equality can win. Our history has moved in that direction — slowly at times, but unmistakably — thanks to generations of Americans who refused to give up or back down," she said.

For Swanson, who first heard Clinton speak when she was an intern in Washington 20 years ago, watching that speech was the kind of thing that "makes the hair stand up on my head in a good way."

"She’s worked 10 times harder. She’s had to cross every threshold — delegates and superdelegates, winning a majority [of contests], being 3 million, now 4 million votes ahead," she said. "She had to check every single box, and that was never expected of any previous candidate."

Now, Swanson said the task at hand for her and other Clinton backers is to persuade Sanders supporters to help Clinton check that last box in November. And if they're successful, she's looking forward to buying her son, Logan, a brand-new presidential place mat.

"As soon as they make it, I’ll go. This one’s covered in applesauce, anyway," she said with a laugh. "So it might be time to buy a new one."