Why Hillary Is The Right Choice For Women
by Martha Burk, Gloria Feldt, Cecelia Fire Thunder, Lulu Flores, Kim Gandy, Ellen Malcolm, Irene Natividad, Ellie Smeal, Gloria Steinem, Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones
As women who have spent our careers fighting to protect a woman's right to choose, we recognize that the next president will face serious challenges to safeguard the reproductive health of women. In our opinion, there is one candidate whose leadership on this issue is unparalleled: Hillary Clinton.
Hillary has been an uncompromising leader and loyal ally for each of us in our battles to ensure and protect a woman's right to choose in America and around the world. We know she will lead the fight for women's health and justice because we have worked with her on these issues for so many years.
· We know Hillary will appoint Supreme Court justices who honor a woman's right to privacy because she not only voted against John Roberts and Sam Alito but also spoke on the Senate floor about the threat they pose to privacy rights and Roe v. Wade in opposing their confirmations.
· We know Hillary will expand contraceptive options because she waged a successful three-year battle with Senator Patty Murray against the Bush administration to make Plan B emergency contraception available over the counter.
· We know Hillary will expand fair work-family policies because we worked with her to pass the original Family and Medical Leave Act and then to expand it to cover military families, to provide paid leave, and to improve childcare.
· We know Hillary will fight for access to family planning services for low-income women because she has fought to increase funding for contraception and family planning through Medicaid and Title X.
· We know Hillary will work to reduce the number of unplanned pregnancies because as First Lady, Hillary helped found the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancies and as Senator she spearheaded the Prevention First Act.
· We know Hillary will be mindful of the challenges that our sisters face abroad and at home because in 1995 she bravely stood before a global audience at the 1995 Women's Conference in Beijing and declared that "women's rights are human rights."
We trust Hillary Clinton because every time we needed her by our side, she has been there.
Let us be clear -- the stakes are high in this election. We firmly believe that no one is better situated to confront the challenges awaiting the next president. As a pro-choice president, Hillary Clinton will make Supreme Court appointments and decisions ensuring women's reproductive rights in this country.
We believe that Hillary Clinton is the best choice for president of the United States.
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Do women really care about reproductive rights anymore? Are women concerned about Obama's present votes on women's reproductive rights? I weighed the explanations for his votes and still feel the votes are problematic. Democrats need to stand in full support of the issue and have the legislative record to back it up. But with that said, I think there is a larger question -- Do we still care about women's reproductive rights?
It's not on the radar with men the way it is with women, especially women who remember a time before Roe v. Wade. What about young women? I think this is an issue that is fading to the back burner with them as other issues move forward. It's understandable. However, before we know it, a woman's right to choice may slip off the stove and off the law books. The Supreme Court is stacked to help out. If we have another Republican president, then Roe v. Wade will be challenged. I do think Obama can beat a Republican. A woman's right to choice should be considered when voting for our next president. I support Hillary on this issue.
This post would be wonderful for the general election, if Hillary is running, but none of these points distinguish her from Obama in a significant way. I would rather my daughter model herself after Michelle Obama, than after Hillary. Hillary is using her feminism to get women's votes in the same way that the Republicans have been using the social arguments to court the Christian vote. She has compromised too much, she says what we want to hear, then votes for the war anyway.
I understand that there is give and take in politics, but under Hillary and Reid and Pelosi, we are doing all the giving.
While you might think it's a good idea to have Hillary at the helm because she will "ensure and protect a woman's right to choose in America," know that if your "choice" is to end your pregnancy, you can never walk away from your abortion. Hillary cannot heal your pain after you eventually realize (and only the self-cente
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The implication here is that Obama will somehow appoint justices who will overturn Roe v. Wade?? I'm sorry that's unsupportable.
I find one-issue voting objectionable whether left or right. I'm pro-abortion, but the hysteria of this writer's opinion eerily reflects the furvor of the anti-abortion nuts.
I was an Edwards supporter, but I just want no more of the divisive politics that the Clinton's practice; I find it nearly impossible to embrace more Clintonism. I haven't fully jumped on the Obama wagon yet, but at least he doesn't have to consult polls before he has an opinion.
At some point, we have to realize that there is a hierarchy of values.
War limits choice more than a law against abortions. That law is unlikely to be passed in the US, and it would be overturned if by some fluke it passed.
Victims of war, on the other hand, don't get a second chance.
Similarly, a candidate who would support war for crass political reasons (and who triangulates on a host of other moral issues as well), is unacceptable regarless of her stance on choice.
Your position seems to be that if the candidate is right on choice, then all manner of immoral and political expedience is OK.
Sorry. Not so.
Finally, Barrack is pro-choice too, so your argument is baseless.
And if it's just all about gender, do yourself a favor -- get a female candidate who has integrity; charisma; who is honest; and who has the courage to stand up to issues rather than trying to skirt them.
I'm strongly pro-choice, but it's one of many issues I assess in a candidate. Beyond that, our political choices shouldn't be about what's between our legs; it should be about what's between our ears -- what's in our hearts. It should be about courage, conviction, and honesty -- not about poltical pandering, calculation and triangulation.
Obama would also appoint Supreme Court justices that would protect a women's right to choose. So what's the point you are trying to make on this blog? The choice issue isn't an issue among Democrats, electability is. The question is, "Who can get elected President?" Get Hillary nominated thereby getting independent males to crossover and get McCain elected and you can kiss your choice goodbye.
You seem to be a lone voice-- the mo for feminists and womens' rights is not going the way you express it in this article...
A woman will be president in the near future. Hopefully it will not be Hillary.
Nice to see a positive word on Hillary in this jungle of Obama supporters, thanks.
Voting for the only one of two Democratic candidates for president who have a legitimate chance of winning the presidency, on the basis of what is essentially an unimportant social issues is absurd and incredibly self-centered. Mired in an never-ending occupation for oil, wasting trillions of dollars on this debacle, while at home the economy sinks into a deep recession are the issues that we should be concerned with. Choosing a candidate, while America's survival stands in the balance, on a social issues is disgusting and disgraceful.
WOMEN are natural nurturers. Therefore, most women place their children's needs BEFORE theirs. As a MOTHER, I try to motivate my children in a positive way EVERYDAY. I encourage, motivate, incite, promote, and advance my children (on a daily basis) toward successful hopes and confidences.
I've instilled in them to NEVER, NEVER stop questioning. So when my children asks me WHY IS HILLARY SO NEGATIVE-----THAT'S the answer for me when going to the voting booth. I need a ROLE MODEL for my children (five GIRLS). I will NOT, I repeat, I will NOT RESCIND all that I've tried to teach my children by telling them that Hillary is the best I can offer you as a role model.
Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength. Being astute about this decision of selecting a leader is important to me and what I show my GIRLS.
HILLARY IS NOT THAT ROLE MODEL!!!
As a woman, I prefer to vote for someone who is good for the country and that is Obama!
Go see "4 Months, 3 Days, 2 Hours" for a reminder of what a loss of abortion rights will entail for women.
That's is? Vote for Hillary because she's pro-choice? And Obama's not? Are you sure she won't triangulate reproductive freedoms like she does everything else?
I have never seen a presidential candidate in our party with a weaker set of rationales for their candidacy. her experience is modest, yet she tells us experience is all important; she emphasizes "results", yet has few achievements of her own to point to; she claims to be "ready" to "roll up her sleeves" and "get the job done", promises you expect to hear from student council candidates. I mean, really! Even Haldeman and Ehrlichman worked hard!
There's just so little "there" there, as Dorothy Parker would have said of her.
In the span of the primary elections, we have seen Hillary Clinton and her campaign cause divisions within NARAL, NOW, the Labor movement, the Black and Hispanic communities, and the Democratic Party. And for what?
I continually scratch my head in amazement, because it didn't have to be this way. If Sen Clinton had run a positive campaign, she would have certainly increased her national standing and perhaps would have won the election. She may still win the primary election, but at what cost? The ends do not justify the means.
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