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www.ambiente.us MAY / MAYO 2008
OPEd: Why we can't quit on Hillary Clinton now!
by Paula Xanthopoulou
News yesterday that John Edwards and NARAL had endorsed Barack Obama
made me sick...This morning, I contributed $100 more to Hillary Clinton.
We must continue to support her, and I hope you can take the time to
read why:
1) Senator Hillary Clinton still is the most qualified to be president, and I admire her
ability/willingness to continue putting herself and her policies on the line in spite of daunting
delegate math. She has waged one of the most incredible presidential campaigns in history, and I
hope that she does not drop out until the last state votes and we get a final tally for 2008. Not
incidentally, this campaign is also about the future of women running for higher office. Call it
symbolic, call it pride, call it ambition -- I call it a HUGE step forward for a women, and an amazing
performance by one of the most amazing women of our times.
2) As you well know, HRC has waged her campaign in the face of ongoing sexism - including the
criticism of how she has run her campaign and that senators generally have no executive
experience. No one mentioned this while one-term Senators Obama and Edwards were prancing in
the limelight yesterday, nor has John McCain come under similar criticism even though his
campaign imploded and went broke last summer. McCain got this far because his competitors
were sketchy. Hillary Clinton keeps coming back in the face of Obamamania and 101 ridiculous
reasons to not like her. (Had the Democrats used-winner-take-all rules like the GOPers to divide up
delegates instead of proportional apportionment, Hillary Clinton would now be the Democratic
nominee!)
3) The NARAL announcement was not only cruelly-timed, but reminded me immediately of Connie
Morella. You may remember that in 2000 NARAL endorsed, supported, and applauded Democrat
Chris Van Hollen's win over Maryland Congresswoman Morella -- having been convinced that this
would help the Dems take back Congress, which it did not. Ms. Morella was a strong, loyal
pro-Choice Republican who had been endorsed by NARAL in previous cycles. Mr. Van Hollen is now
the zealous chair of the DCCC, and has not championed any sort of program to elect women to
OPEN SEATS. DNC rules can be changed to negate the votes of Democrats in Florida and Michigan,
but they apparently cannot be changed to accelerate the election of women to
Congress...Women's issues will only be seriously addressed when a critical mass of women are
elected to higher office - a concept that has never been grasped by women's groups like NARAL,
which continue to endorse/support men in a misguided effort to be major political players instead
of focusing on empowering women. Women will vote for Barack Obama if he is the nominee
because Hillary Clinton will ask them to, NOT because NARAL made this endorsement while she was
still a candidate.
4) MOST IMPORTANTLY: If Senator Clinton continues on to come close if not win, this increases her
political power/leverage going forward -- which can effect VP choice, cabinet appointees, party
platform, convention protocol, even help retiring her debt, etc. There a many ways that Hillary
Clinton can still make our voices heard and forward her policies. Some people will say that these
inside baseball issues are all about her, but I for one truly believe in her 30-year deep commitment
to public service and women. In any case, we need women at the highest levels of
political/government decision-making. We should applaud and support the women who can play
politics on par with the boys, not denigrate them -- otherwise, back to square one.
That's why I continue to support Hillary Clinton, both with my hard-earned dollars and however else I
can. If you do, too, please do go to www.hillaryclinton.com/contribute/UQM4 and give what you
can today - it's critically important that we don't quit now either.
Emphatically yours,
Paula X
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAULA XANTHOPOULOU (paulax@withoutboundaries.com)
Paula was born and educated in Stockton, California, attending the University of the Pacific and
majoring in International Relations. She spent ten years as a teacher and administrator at the
American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece -- followed by consulting and working for non-profit
organizations when she returned to the U.S. and a 6-year stint managing opera singers for her own
company. In New York City, Paula was involved in a myriad of community efforts, which has also
been the case since moving to Miami in 1994. She headed the Miami Shores Brockway Memorial
Library Building Fund and serves on Executive Committee of the Miami-Dade County Commission
for Women. Paula served two terms as president of the National Women's Political Caucus of
Florida (2001-2005). During that time, she worked on the Janet Reno for Florida Governor campaign
and later served as Deputy Campaign Manager on the Carol Moseley Braun for President campaign
based in Chicago.
In 2002 Paula was a Miami-Dade "In the Company of Women" honoree for her work and was
honored with the NWPC/FL 2005 "Elaine Gordon Leadership Award."
As a writer and commentator, she is a committed advocate for the creation of a real power base
for women by electing many more women. Paula also publishes and maintains her own website
(www.equalrepresentation.org) as a hub for strategies like "Every OPEN SEAT A Woman's Seat" and
related issues/information.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
OPEd: Why we can't quit on Hillary Clinton now!
by Paula Xanthopoulou
News yesterday that John Edwards and NARAL had endorsed Barack Obama
made me sick...This morning, I contributed $100 more to Hillary Clinton.
We must continue to support her, and I hope you can take the time to
read why:
1) Senator Hillary Clinton still is the most qualified to be president, and I admire her
ability/willingness to continue putting herself and her policies on the line in spite of daunting
delegate math. She has waged one of the most incredible presidential campaigns in history, and I
hope that she does not drop out until the last state votes and we get a final tally for 2008. Not
incidentally, this campaign is also about the future of women running for higher office. Call it
symbolic, call it pride, call it ambition -- I call it a HUGE step forward for a women, and an amazing
performance by one of the most amazing women of our times.
2) As you well know, HRC has waged her campaign in the face of ongoing sexism - including the
criticism of how she has run her campaign and that senators generally have no executive
experience. No one mentioned this while one-term Senators Obama and Edwards were prancing in
the limelight yesterday, nor has John McCain come under similar criticism even though his
campaign imploded and went broke last summer. McCain got this far because his competitors
were sketchy. Hillary Clinton keeps coming back in the face of Obamamania and 101 ridiculous
reasons to not like her. (Had the Democrats used-winner-take-all rules like the GOPers to divide up
delegates instead of proportional apportionment, Hillary Clinton would now be the Democratic
nominee!)
3) The NARAL announcement was not only cruelly-timed, but reminded me immediately of Connie
Morella. You may remember that in 2000 NARAL endorsed, supported, and applauded Democrat
Chris Van Hollen's win over Maryland Congresswoman Morella -- having been convinced that this
would help the Dems take back Congress, which it did not. Ms. Morella was a strong, loyal
pro-Choice Republican who had been endorsed by NARAL in previous cycles. Mr. Van Hollen is now
the zealous chair of the DCCC, and has not championed any sort of program to elect women to
OPEN SEATS. DNC rules can be changed to negate the votes of Democrats in Florida and Michigan,
but they apparently cannot be changed to accelerate the election of women to
Congress...Women's issues will only be seriously addressed when a critical mass of women are
elected to higher office - a concept that has never been grasped by women's groups like NARAL,
which continue to endorse/support men in a misguided effort to be major political players instead
of focusing on empowering women. Women will vote for Barack Obama if he is the nominee
because Hillary Clinton will ask them to, NOT because NARAL made this endorsement while she was
still a candidate.
4) MOST IMPORTANTLY: If Senator Clinton continues on to come close if not win, this increases her
political power/leverage going forward -- which can effect VP choice, cabinet appointees, party
platform, convention protocol, even help retiring her debt, etc. There a many ways that Hillary
Clinton can still make our voices heard and forward her policies. Some people will say that these
inside baseball issues are all about her, but I for one truly believe in her 30-year deep commitment
to public service and women. In any case, we need women at the highest levels of
political/government decision-making. We should applaud and support the women who can play
politics on par with the boys, not denigrate them -- otherwise, back to square one.
That's why I continue to support Hillary Clinton, both with my hard-earned dollars and however else I
can. If you do, too, please do go to www.hillaryclinton.com/contribute/UQM4 and give what you
can today - it's critically important that we don't quit now either.
Emphatically yours,
Paula X
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAULA XANTHOPOULOU (paulax@withoutboundaries.com)
Paula was born and educated in Stockton, California, attending the University of the Pacific and
majoring in International Relations. She spent ten years as a teacher and administrator at the
American Farm School in Thessaloniki, Greece -- followed by consulting and working for non-profit
organizations when she returned to the U.S. and a 6-year stint managing opera singers for her own
company. In New York City, Paula was involved in a myriad of community efforts, which has also
been the case since moving to Miami in 1994. She headed the Miami Shores Brockway Memorial
Library Building Fund and serves on Executive Committee of the Miami-Dade County Commission
for Women. Paula served two terms as president of the National Women's Political Caucus of
Florida (2001-2005). During that time, she worked on the Janet Reno for Florida Governor campaign
and later served as Deputy Campaign Manager on the Carol Moseley Braun for President campaign
based in Chicago.
In 2002 Paula was a Miami-Dade "In the Company of Women" honoree for her work and was
honored with the NWPC/FL 2005 "Elaine Gordon Leadership Award."
As a writer and commentator, she is a committed advocate for the creation of a real power base
for women by electing many more women. Paula also publishes and maintains her own website
(www.equalrepresentation.org) as a hub for strategies like "Every OPEN SEAT A Woman's Seat" and
related issues/information.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source.
