I suppose I am a member of the demographic that the Clinton Campaign has identified as the "loyal mature women" supporters. This came as a surprise to me, this sudden turn toward Hillary Clinton as the best possible candidate for president -- first WOMAN President -- of the United States of America. You see, I am a proud, registered independent. Last year, I watched cautiously as the dozen or so Democratic candidates started to amass. I listened to all of the debates carefully. And although the idea of a woman actually having a crack at this major-of-all-major jobs was intriguing to me; when asked, I told my friends (mostly women friends) that I had never been a big "Hillary-fan".
Then I met Hillary Clinton.
I met her at one of her million fundraisers. It was a beautiful Fall day. There were crowds of well-dressed people scattered in tents on a perfectly green lawn. As I looked around, admiring the spectacular setting, looking for familiar faces, I noticed that there were not a lot of men.
One of the event organizers, a pretty woman in stilettos, ushered those of us lucky enough to have green badges out of the tents and into a well-hidden Italian home, surrounded by lush shrubbery and rhododendrens. We walked into a large "holding area" -- more like someone's living room -- to line up and wait for Hillary to arrive. I had never been to an event like this before. Certainly never had the opportunity to pitch a presidential candidate on the cause most important to me: autism. I had my informational packet clutched tightly in my hand; the documentary I had produced about children recovering from autism was front and center. This was my chance to let Hillary know that there was so much more we could do to help all of our kids to get better. I crossed my fingers and waited.
A well-dressed woman swept into the room and informed the 40 or so of us who were destined to meet with Hillary that "she" was very close and we should line-up properly now. She took me graciously by the arm and said "Let's have you go first." Wow! Divine intervention! My heart started pounding a little. I spent the next few minutes going over my super-short speech in my head.
Then two young women in crisp white shirts opened a side door, and there she was: Hillary Clinton. I was surprised by how fresh and together she looked. This must be her tenth appointment of the day, I thought. And then, as she approached me, I instantly realized that this was a woman who was living her passion. She absolutely LOVES what she is doing. And she really wants this job!
"Hello," she said as she came directly to me, Ms. first-in-line. I shook her hand; I gave her my packet; I breezed through my speech. "I have heard about your film," she said. "I need to know more about this." This is amazing, I was thinking. She is honestly interested in what I am saying. She is concerned about autism. She wants to do something to help us when so many have not.
Then, we had our picture taken. And my role in this drama was done.
After I had gone away from this magical afternoon, I began to doubt that Hillary Clinton would take the time to watch the film I had spent 8 years making. I understand, I thought. But maybe a staffer, maybe one of those incredibly efficient, designer-clad women will watch it and let her know that this is an issue worth caring about. I crossed my fingers again.
One week later something miraculous happened. I got a letter from Hillary Clinton! A letter written on her personal letterhead, signed by her in her signature blue felt-tip pen.
In the note, she commented specifically about the film, and parts of the film, and some of the children in the film. I was floored!
That letter is now one of my prized possessions. It tells me many things that I don't want to forget. It tells me that Hillary Clinton just may do something about the autism epidemic if she becomes president. It tells me that she is compassionate enough to let someone like me know that she appreciates the hard work so many of us do to make the world better. It also tells me that she has an enviable infrastructure of capable, intelligent, ambitious women around her who will always make sure that she is well-briefed, well-dressed and that she follows up in a timely manner on all of those things that are of utmost importance to people like me.
I call those women Hillary's "high-heeled militia", and I guess I am one of them. We are a formidable group, indeed, and perhaps Hillary's best hope.
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Sorry to be the one to tell you that your prized possession was most likely written by a 19 year old intern.
"...the documentary I had produced about children recovering from autism..."
That was your most bogus statement. Autism is an inborn disorder, it is not curable; one cannot recover from it. The environment around the affected person can be shaped to allow them to thrive, however.
I just cannot believe that your mindset is typical of women, or that this is the way to reach women. If that is the case, it will be impossible for women to ever achieve parity with men. Our brains are simply too different to ever be considered "equal."
You are so wrong. I know many children who have recovered from autism and there environments are no different from the other typical children who are sitting in the very same classes with them. Not all, but some children with intense 40-50 hours weekly or more of ABA, Speech, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, dietary interventions, vitamin supplements, biomedical approaches, Listening Therapy, Music Therapy, Social interaction groups, etc..have made enormous recoveries from Autism. When you have cancer, you are considered in remission, not necessarily cured. You may need ongoing treatment, but the prognosis is better with than without often times. This is similar to these individual cases of Autism. My son has made progress since he was a toddler. For all of these therapies and approaches, I am grateful. If we continue to encounter naysayers, there will be no chance for these children. We should be thinking positively and not tearing down the author because of our skepticism toward her message. Let's be more supportive and keep an open mind. Watch her documentary/movie. Another great one is Autism the Musical currently on HBO.
I've heard that Hillary is much more compelling in one-on-one interactions with voters then she is with crowds. I happen to accept this claim at face value, though it only reinforces my impression that many folks could only be persuaded to vote for her if she met with them personally. Therein lies the pretense of her electablity. She could win in November, but only if she met face-to-face with some several million voters.
as an Obama supporter... i was glad to read this. it won't change my mind about my vote... or even my feeling about her in general... but it was good know read something about her that says she is more ... or can be more.. than a "pollster's pol". we all hope more will be done .. and done soon in regards to autism. a prayer for anyone who has to deal with this (my best friends kid included)
So let me get this straight. You decided to support Hillary because you were at her fundraiser (she has to throw lots of those to get big checks from her smaller number of contributors while Obama mostly relies on small internet donors), and as a result of your presence at an event geared toward raising money for the candidate, you got to meet her. She listened closely while one of her potential contributors (you) spoke and then took a picture (again with someone at her fundraiser). Next she sent a signed follow up letter on personal stationary (although not necessarily written by her) to someone in attendance at her swanky fundraiser. Oh yes, she also looked good doing it as did the "crowds of well-dressed people," and the "pretty woman in stilettos" who organized the event. Not to mention the "perfectly green lawn" and the "well-hidden Italian home."
Oh God what was I thinking? Here I am about to miss the Hillary train. Thank goodness your compelling account has me hurrying down to the station before the train pulls out.
Is this what it's come down to for Hillary supporters? "Support our candidate because she throws better fundraisers for better looking people than does Obama?" Watching Hillary's campaign implode on the Huff has been like watching a horrific traffic accident in slow motion. You want to look away, but you just can't. So you keep on reading Hillary bloggers as they get crazier and crazier.
I am one of those women and this post embarrasses me to no end.
You know, those women "of a certain age," professional women mostly, who seem to have lost any brains they may once have had simply because another woman is running for president.
Doesn't matter what that woman who is running has or hasn't done. Doesn't matter what kind of character she has shown. Doesn't matter how little judgment she has demonstrated. Doesn't matter how incompetent her campaign has shown her to be in running anything, let alone the country.
She writes a pretty letter, pats her on the head, wears designer clothes, keeps the room neat, hires polite underlings, says inconsequential and glib things about her particular area of concern but has no real policy or legislative fixes for it, and packs the room full of women just like her.
If your vote is so cheap and your political ideals so shallow, I guess you should be voting for Hillary. Personally, I didn't go through and my mother didn't go through the trials of the women's movement be used so cynically or to be told how I should vote by a woman who obviously has no more dearly held political ideals than what brand of shoes someone wears, which designer created her suit, and how pretty I look in the photo op.
This is probably the stupidest reason I've ever heard for choosing a president I've ever heard.
What a cheap shot. What do you know except your preconceived biases, assumptions, and arrogance? She met Hillary, had a conversation with her; an experience most of us are not fortunate to have with a candidate for President. You simply put the nastiest spin possible on the meeting and believe the truth of everything you write. It's clear that there is nothing Ms. Nelson could have written to satisfy you. Instead of writing nasty, judgmental comments, why don't you tell us why you're voting for Obama? Do you have any special insight or are you basing your decision on Obama's glib comments about hope and "we are the change this country has been waiting for"? Why should anyone listen to you? I think one day you (and your like-minded) will look back on these days and regret these vicious attacks and see how over the top you've become. For shame.
Im happy women are support a woman, however my problem is that your only reason? Women are the most important gender in the world. if America did not have a rule that one a American citizen to run for president we may had a women president already. have hillary is not a good choice in my opinion. Hillary is a person that will do or say anything to win. In my opinion if I had a choice between hillary and Sectary Rice Rice win hand down. so its not a men women issues its a how is best for the country and the world.
It's astonishing how effectively Obamphiles can gear up their well-oiled slimed machine in their attempts to distort and diminish even the most moving tribute to Hillary Clinton.
I am still stunned that a campaign can present its leader as the messiah while his minions are out trashing anyone who has a different opinion from theirs.
When will all of those youngsters and elite, upscale extreme left Democrats come to their senses and realize the harsh contrast between what Obama says and what his machine is continuously up to in this race.
You have no facts just smear, shalom.
You're an excellent extension of the Obama machine. And just for that I'll send another donation to the Clinton campaign.
A fool and his money...
Maybe she'll be able to use that money to pay her campaign's outstanding medical insurance bills :o
What did you think of Ivins?
http://www.cnn.com/2006//POLITICS/01/20/ivins.hillary/index.html
Isn't war as interesting as stilettoes and blue felt-tip pens?
It is nice that Hillary is a woman. And she is -- as far as I know.
It is nice that she is usually well dressed. (She can affford it.)
It is nice that she said she had heard of your film.
It is nice that she (or someone nearby taking notes) remembered and wrote you the note.
But wouldn't it also be nice if she didn't lie so often?
And wouldn't it be nice if she didn't have to obligate herself to those right wing fellows who supported Bush and Cheney? Doesn't it make you wonder what they now see in her after noting all the rotten things they used to say about her. We have no reason to think they have changed, but her campaign isn't going well and they might possibly fix that. (For what price?)
Some things are nice;
some things are nicer.
some things are really nice;
some things, wow are they nice;
some things, are even nicer than the other things;
some things are nice but other things have more of a niceness to them;
some things are the most nice of all.
accusing her of liying so often is character assassination. and this isn't just coming from obama supporters, it is the tactic followed by the obama campaign. that and accusing her of racism (or using the race card). using your standard, obama is always lying also. his differing statements on rev wright are just one example. please just stick to the issues. attack her stance on the issues, if you can.
You invalidated your own argument with two words: Rev. Wright. Next!
Don't call her a liar even though she is lying. Brilliant! It fits right in with, I voted for the Iraq war, but somehow disagreed with it.
Thank you so much for this excellent post and all the good work you are doing.
I read through the comments and was appalled at the disrespectful and nasty tone of many of them. Reminds me of the Obama groupies who had just booed Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee at a public event in Texas -- doesn't reflect well on the guy they're supporting.
This is why I'm definitely going to vote for Hillary in the primary, even though I lean Republican.
Thank you Elizabeth. Thank you for being open to Hillary. I appreciated your surprise and gratefulness at Hillary's response. Hillary will be by your side as President in your need to raise awareness about autism in our children.
I remember the work Imus did on autism. It is my belief Obama got Imus fired. Since then, it has been hard to find persons raising the kind of awareness that is needed. Thank you for your own work in this area.
Imus was fired because he routinely used overtly racist humor in his show. Are you saying that it is alright to insult millions if thousands can occasionally have their plight broadcast? Where is the logic here?
Since then (Imus' firing), Bob Wright, former CEO of NBC/Universal, and his wife Suzanne have been very involved with the non-profit they founded, Autism Speaks, which has done a phenomenal job of raising the awareness of the terrible tragedy of autism. It is because of the Wrights that we all are aware that autism strikes 1 in 150 children. They and their foundation not only are promoting awareness but funding research for cures.
Imus did not do work for autism. His ranch is for children with life-threatening disease. And the idea that Obama got Imus fired is ridiculous.
It is too bad that you don't care about truth.
It is too bad that you don't care about wrongful wars.
It is too bad that you don't pay atterntion to women like my Molly who cared for such trivia. It makes me feel like an awful boor to mention Hilliary's support of the War on Iraq, and the possible extension to Iran.
It makes me fee something like a prig to notice her sniperfire. But then anyone who had actually faced the wrong end of guns is perhaps sensitive about things like that.
And there are some of us who are old enough to have seen over the years a political truth:
THEM WHAT PAY THE PIPER CAN PICK THE TUNE.
We have noticed Hillary's money sources, who gives her media support --- and what their interests are. On the basis of that, I predict that she would be another version of Bush.
But a female one -- if that is more important than truth, justice, and the American way.
Was Sinbad at the fundraiser as well?
This is rather sad. This woman had convinced herself that Hillary was a goddess even before she met her, and because Hillary showed interest on a single issue (albeit a worthy one) she now is this woman's candidate. If Hillary was to become chair of some autism charity this would be apropos, but she is trying to become the POTUS, so it is not. Universal health care encompasses more than autism research, and there are other issues such as the war on Iraq and the tanked economy that more than trump a single medical issue. If there is a good reason to vote for Hillary, being a star-struck groupie isn't it.
being upbeat about Hillary is "rather sad'? Your comment is actually rather sad. and speaking of star-struck groupies, they're all following their pied-piper Obama over a cliff. For the good of the party and the good of the country, when is Obama going to withdraw ?
You are not addressing the greater point of being a one issue voter. While autism is a worthy cause, it is not and should not form the entire basis of ones political outlook. This is an issue which transcends this particular political cycle and its candidates. The U.S. has an extremely difficult future in store as a result of the cumulative effects of masses of single issue voters over the last twenty years. Why would you ignore this dynamic in favor of making cheap and ultimately pointless cracks at the expense of a more rounded conversation?
If you are unwilling to argue the points made in favor of cheap snark of dubious veracity, you only serve to undermine any efforts made on Clinton's behalf.
Agreed--this woman is looking out for her narrowly defined self-interest *of the moment," and fails to see the big picture.
Besides, like all talk show hosts and politicians, Hillary DOES have her staffer watch the movie and read what she needs to read. She gets briefed on the content (if it is important for her) and told what to say. If you asked Hillary personally, I bet she can't even remember the briefing!
This is a very good story and proves that Clinton has a grasp of what is going on. I do believe that you could post a column on tofu and the Obama group would turn it into a bash Hillary story.
OMG!!!! Hillary eats tofu! How repellent...well, I really could'nt vote for her now! This tofu issue is really disturbing.
Thank you for your important work on autism awareness, however, how do you know that Sen. Obama wouldn't have shown you the same courtesy had you extended it to him? Of course, it's harder to catch him at a fundraiser for the well-heeled since his contributions are coming from regular people over the Internet to the tune of $109 total (on average). If you were a journalist instead of a film maker, you would have noted the price to attend the fundraiser as part of your balanced reporting. My guess is that your ticket cost over $1,000, probably more like two thousand.
FYI: Obama is busy with his own campaign fundraisers -- recently had a fundraiser event at Credit Suisse, one of the top subprime underwriters.
(btw: The Obama campaign has received $1.8 million from the subprime industry -- and more money from the top ten subprime lenders than any other presidential candidate.)
The LA Times dismissed the Clinton talking points you used:
"Today, Sen. Obama gives an economy speech followed by a fundraiser at -- you guessed it -- one of the top 10 issuers of subprime loans in America," spokesman Phil Singer said in a perfectly timed statement. "In fact, Sen. Obama has taken more money from the top 10 issuers of sub-prime loans than both Sen. Clinton and Sen. McCain."
But those at the first dinner weren't all Credit Suisse employees. The suggestion that Obama was holding a fundraiser at the offices of a sub-prime lender drew a pointed response from his campaign....
"Today's event was a general fundraiser in a room paid for by our campaign and attended by people from varied backgrounds who are committed to changing the tone of our politics, and rejecting the kind of tactics that the Clinton campaign is now embracing," she said. "Any suggestion this was a fundraiser hosted by the mortgage industry is as imaginary as the other tall tales that have been coming out of the Clinton campaign lately."
So, Sen, Obama's campaign held the fundraiser at the sub-primer lender Credit Suisse's office building? But other people came too--not just Credit Suisse employees?!
Well, Sen. Obama certainly showed poor judgment in choosing Credit Suisse for the location of the fundraiser. (I never even said CS hosted it)
The shallow emptiness of women supporting Hillary simply because she is a woman.
Disregard her stance on the war and her vote to continue using cluster bombs that maims and destroys children.
Disregard her Right Wing hawkish saber rattling and Bellicose provocative language on the floor of the senate urging us to invade Iraq, the woman obviously has no judgment when it comes to understanding the consequences of bombing a sovereign nation that had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with 911.
Her vote to go to war is now bankrupting our country.
I'm grateful that the author has made a documentary relating to autism, there is so much that needs to be done in this country regarding autism beginning with the vaccinations that are administered to children. But as stated previously from other posts, this was an event where wealthy women who were smartly dressed were allowed an audience with the Pope, I mean Hillary. Supposedly, we are made to believe that Hillary is so passio
Posted March 31, 2008 | 10:59 PM (EST)