Hillary Rodham Clinton
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Hillary Rodham Clinton | |
| | |
| 2001 – present | |
| Political party: | Democratic |
|---|---|
| Preceded by: | Daniel Patrick Moynihan |
| Succeeded by: | Incumbent (2013) |
| Born: | October 26 1947 Chicago, Illinois |
| Spouse: | Bill Clinton |
| Religion: | Methodist |
Hillary Rodham Clinton (born Hillary Diane Rodham on October 26, 1947) is the junior United States Senator from New York. She is married to Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of the United States, and was First Lady of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Before that, she was a lawyer and the First Lady of Arkansas. She is a member of the Democratic Party.
Departing from the traditional role of the First Lady, Clinton was directly involved in policy-making during her husband's presidency. She headed the task force that proposed the Clinton health care plan, which was not enacted by Congress, and initiated the Children's Health Insurance Program and the Adoption and Safe Families Act. Her prominent role has been at times controversial, and generated debate on the changing status of women in America.
In 2000, Clinton was elected to succeed Pat Moynihan in United States Senate, becoming the only First Lady ever to run for public office and the first female senator representing New York. She was re-elected in 2006. As senator, she sits on the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Environment and Public Works, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions and the Special Committee on Aging. Although she has not stated her intentions, Clinton is widely seen as a potential candidate for president in the 2008 presidential election.
Early life and education
Hillary Rodham was born in Chicago, Illinois, and was raised in a Methodist family in Park Ridge, Illinois. Her father, Hugh Ellsworth Rodham, a conservative, was an executive in the textile industry, and her mother, Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham, was a homemaker. She has two brothers, Hugh and Tony.
As a child, Hillary was involved in many activities at church and at a public school in Park Ridge. Rodham was fond of sports, including tennis, ice skating, ballet, swimming, volleyball, and softball. She earned many awards as a Brownie and Girl Scout.<ref name = "Clinton.org education">Hillary Clinton's Education. Hillary-Rodham-Clinton.org. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Prior to graduating from Maine South High School, she attended Maine East High School, where she served as class president, a member of the student council, a member of the debating team, and as a member of the National Honor Society. During her last year of high school (Maine South High School), she received the school's first social science award. In 1964 (at age 16) Hillary Rodham campaigned for Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater.<ref name = "Whitehouse.gov" >Hillary Rodham Clinton. White House. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Her parents encouraged her to pursue the career of her choice.<ref name = "Whitehouse.gov" />
In 1965, Rodham enrolled at Wellesley College in Massachusetts where she became active in politics, serving as president of the Wellesley College Chapter of the College Republicans. During her junior year in 1968, Rodham was affected by the death of civil rights leader Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whom she had met in person in 1962.<ref name = "Clinton.org education" /> After attending the "Wellesley in Washington" program at the urging of Professor Alan Schechter, her political views became more in tune with American liberalism and she joined the Democratic Party. Named valedictorian of her graduating class at Wellesley, Rodham graduated in 1969 with departmental honors in Political Science. She became the first student in Wellesley College history to deliver a commencement address.<ref>Lawson, Betsy (1999-07-19). Hillary D. Rodham's Student Commencement Speech 1969. Wellesley College. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> The Associated Press reported at the time that her speech received a standing ovation lasting seven minutes <ref> "Brooke Speech Challenged by Graduate," in "Fitchburg Sentinel," June 2, 1969; "Brooke Speech Draws Reply," in "Nevada State Journal," June 2, 1969. </ref>. She was featured in an article published in Life magazine because of the response to her speech, which was controversial in that it criticized Republican Senator Edward W. Brooke, who had given his remarks before her.<ref name = "Clinton.org education" />
In 1969, Rodham entered Yale Law School, where she served on the Board of Editors of Yale Review of Law and Social Action and worked with underprivileged children at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. During the summer of 1970, she was awarded a grant to work at the Children's Defense Fund in Cambridge, Massachusetts. During the summer of 1971, she traveled to Washington to work on Senator Walter Mondale's subcommittee on migrant workers, researching migrant problems in housing, sanitation, health and education. For the summer of 1972, Rodham worked in the western states for Democratic presidential candidate George McGovern's campaign. During her second year in law school, she volunteered at the Yale Child Study Center, learning about new research on early childhood brain development. She also took on cases of child abuse at Yale-New Haven Hospital and worked at the city Legal Services, providing free legal service to the poor. She received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Yale in 1973, having written a thesis on the rights of children<ref name = "Clinton.org education" />, and began a year of post-graduate study on children and medicine at the Yale Child Study Center.
Marriage and family, lawyer and First Lady of Arkansas
During her post-graduate study, Rodham served as staff attorney for the Children's Defense Fund, and as a consultant to the Carnegie Council on Children <ref>"Adults Urge Children's Rights," The Arizona Sentinel, October 4, 1974 </ref>. She joined the presidential impeachment inquiry staff advising the Judiciary Committee of the United States House of Representatives during the Watergate Scandal. Rodham became a faculty member (one of only two women in the faculty) at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville School of Law, where her Yale Law School classmate and boyfriend Bill Clinton was teaching as well. In 1975, Rodham and Clinton were married and moved to Little Rock, Arkansas. In 1976, Hillary Rodham joined the venerable and influential Rose Law Firm, specializing in intellectual property cases while doing child advocacy cases pro bono. In 1979, she became the first woman to be made a full partner of Rose Law Firm.<ref>Hillary Rodham Clinton. Edwardsly.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> President Jimmy Carter appointed Rodham to the board of the Legal Services Corporation in 1978.
In 1978, with the election of her husband as Governor of Arkansas, Rodham became First Lady of Arkansas, her title for a total of 12 years. On February 27 1980, Rodham gave birth to Chelsea, their only child.
In 1980, Bill Clinton was defeated in his re-election bid for governor and the couple left the statehouse. In February 1982, Bill Clinton announced his bid to regain the office, which would be successful; at the same time, Rodham began using the name Hillary Rodham Clinton.<ref>Living History, page 93</ref>
As First Lady, Clinton chaired the Arkansas Educational Standards Committee, where she successfully fought (against some opposition) for improved testing standards of new teachers.<ref>"Hillary Clinton Guides Movement to Change Public Education in Arkansas", The Arkansas News, Spring 1993. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> She also chaired the Rural Health Advisory Committee and introduced a pioneering program called "Arkansas' Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youth," which trains parents to work with their children in preschool preparedness and literacy. Hillary Rodham Clinton was named Arkansas Woman of the Year in 1983 and Arkansas Mother of the Year in 1984.<ref>Hillary Rodham Clinton. Scholastic Press. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Throughout her time as First Lady, Clinton continued to practice law with the Rose Law Firm. In 1988 and 1991 National Law Journal named Clinton one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America.<ref>"Clinton, Hillary Rodham", 300 Women who Changed the World, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Clinton co-founded the Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and served on the boards of the Arkansas Children's Hospital Legal Services and the Children's Defense Fund.<ref name = "Whitehouse.gov" />
From 1985 to 1992, Clinton served on the Board of Directors for both TCBY ("The Country's Best Yogurt") and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.<ref>Harkavy, Ward. "Wal-Mart’s First Lady", The Village Voice, May 24-30, 2000. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
First Lady of the United States
After Bill Clinton was elected to the White House in 1992, Hillary Rodham Clinton became the First Lady of the United States in 1993. She was the first First Lady to hold a post-graduate degree and the first to have her own successful professional career.<ref name = Encarta> "Hillary Rodham Clinton", Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2006. Retrieved on August 22, 2006.</ref> She is regarded as the most openly empowered presidential wife in American history other than Eleanor Roosevelt.<ref>Rajghatta, Chidanand (1st quarter 2004). "First Lady President?". Verve magazine 12 (1). Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
In 1993 the President appointed his wife to head the Task Force on National Health Care Reform. The recommendation of this task force, commonly called the Clinton health care plan and nicknamed "Hillarycare" by its opponents, failed to gain enough support to come to a floor vote in either house of Congress, although both had Democratic majorities, and was abandoned in September, 1994. In her Living History memoirs, Clinton acknowledged that her political inexperience contributed to the defeat, but also said that many other factors were responsible as well. A decade later, "Hillarycare" would still be used as a label, sometimes pejoratively, for plans perceived as implementing universal health care.<ref>Klein, Joe. "The Republican Who Thinks Big on Health Care", Time, 2005-12-04. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> At the time, Republicans used its unpopularity as a campaign issue in the 1994 midterm elections which saw a net Republican gain of 53 seats in the House election and 7 in the Senate election.
Some critics called it inappropriate for a First Lady to play a central role in matters of public policy. Supporters, by contrast, argued that Clinton was no different than other White House advisors and that voters were well aware that she would play an active role in her husband's Presidency.<ref>Peart, Karen N.. "The First Lady: Homemaker or Policy-Maker?", Scholastic Press. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Indeed, during the campaign, Bill Clinton had stated that voting for him would get "two for the price of one."<ref>First Lady: Biography. AmericanPresident.org. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> This remark led some opponents to refer derisively to the Clintons as "co-Presidents"<ref>Greenberg, Paul. "Israel's new friend: Hillary, born-again Zionist", Jewish World Review, 1999-07-15. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>, sometimes nicknamed "Billary."<ref>A perilous portmanteau?. Language Log (2005-11-01). Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
As First Lady, Clinton won many admirers for her staunch support for women's rights around the world and her commitment to children's issues.<ref name = "Whitehouse.gov" /> She initiated the Children's Health Insurance Program in 1997, a federal effort that provided state support for those children whose parents were unable to provide them with health coverage. She also successfully sought to increase the research funding for illnesses such as prostate cancer and childhood asthma at the National Institutes of Health. The First Lady worked to solve the mystery behind the illnesses that were affecting veterans of the Gulf War. She initiated and shepherded the Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997, which she regarded as her greatest accomplishment as First Lady.<ref>First Lady Biography: Hillary Clinton. National First Ladies' Library. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Clinton hosted numerous White House conferences that related to children's health, including early childhood development and school violence. She fought for nationwide immunization against childhood illnesses and supported an annual drive to encourage older women to seek a mammogram to prevent breast cancer, coverage of the cost being provided by Medicare. With Attorney General Janet Reno, Clinton helped to create the Department of Justice's Violence Against Women office. She was one of the few international figures at the time who spoke out against the treatment of Afghani women by Islamist fundamentalist Taliban that had seized control of Afghanistan. One of the programs she helped create was Vital Voices, a U.S.-sponsored initiative to promote the participation of international women in their nation's political process.
Clinton performed many less-political activities in her role as First Lady. With a lifelong interest in regional American history, she initiated the Save America's Treasures program, a national effort that matched federal funds to private donations to rescue from deterioration and neglect, or completely restore, many iconic historic items and sites, including the flag that inspired the Star Spangled Banner and the First Ladies Historic Site in Canton, Ohio. Clinton initiated the Millennium Project with monthly lectures that both considered America's past and forecasted its future. One of these lectures became the first live simultaneous webcast from the White House. Clinton also created the first Sculpture Garden, which displayed large contemporary American works of art loaned from museums in the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden on a rotating basis.
In the White House, Clinton placed the donated handicrafts (pottery, glassware, etc.) of contemporary American artisans on rotating display in the state rooms. She oversaw the restoration of the Blue Room on the state floor, and the redecoration of the Treaty Room into the presidential study on the second floor. In a unique venue of large white tents on the South Lawn that could accommodate several thousand guests, Clinton hosted many large events such as a St. Patrick's Day reception, a state dinner for visiting Chinese dignitaries, and a contemporary music concert that raised funds for music education in public schools. For all the foods served in the White House, Clinton hired a chef whose expertise was in American regional cooking. She hosted a massive New Year's Eve party on the turning of the twentieth century into the twenty-first century, as well as a state dinner honoring the November 2000 bicentennial of the White House, which gathered more former Presidents and First Ladies together in the mansion than had ever been present at any other time in its history.
Marriage with Bill Clinton
Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton met at Yale Law School where both were students. On October 11 1975, when Hillary was 27 years old and Bill was 28 years old, the Clintons married in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Before he proposed marriage to Hillary Rodham, Bill Clinton secretly purchased a small house in Fayetteville that she had noticed and remarked that she had liked. When he proposed marriage to her and she accepted, he revealed that they owned the house. They married and lived there, briefly, before relocating to the state capital of Little Rock, from which Bill conducted his first campaign, for U.S. Congress.
In 1998, the Clintons' relationship became the subject of much speculation and gossip after the Lewinsky scandal, when the President admitted to a sexual affair (short of sexual intercourse) with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. During the Lewinsky scandal, Clinton initially claimed that the allegations against her husband were the result of a "vast right-wing conspiracy".<ref>"Hillary Clinton: 'This Is A Battle'", 1998-01-27. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref> After the evidence of President Clinton's encounters with Lewinsky became incontrovertible, she remained resolute that their marriage was solid. Both Clintons' memoirs later revealed that the revelation of the affair was in reality a very painful time in their marriage.
For much of his political career, President Clinton was dogged by rumors of extramarital affairs. These rumors gained credibility following the Lewinsky scandal. In his memoirs, President Clinton confirmed a "relationship that I should not have had" with Gennifer Flowers, an Arkansas lounge singer.<ref>Boggs, Kelly (2004-06-27). CLINTON'S 'MY LIFE' - FACT OR FICTION. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref> These revelations and rumors resulted in a mix of sympathy and scorn for the First Lady. While many women sympathized with her as a victim of her husband's insensitive behavior, others criticized her as being an enabler to her husband's indiscretions by showing no interest in obtaining a divorce. In her book Living History, Clinton explains that love is the reason she stays with her husband. "[N]o one understands me better and no one can make me laugh the way Bill does. Even after all these years, he is still the most interesting, energizing and fully alive person I have ever met. Bill and I started a conversation in the spring of 1971, and more than thirty years later we're still talking."<ref>Hillary and Bill: "It Works". AdvisorTeam.com. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref>
When President Clinton required immediate heart surgery in October 2004, Clinton, the junior senator of New York, canceled her public schedule to be at his side at the Columbia University Medical Center of New York Presbyterian Hospital.
The 2000 Senate race
When long-time New York Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan announced his retirement, prominent Democratic politicians and advisors, including Charlie Rangel, urged Clinton to run for the New York Senate seat in the U.S. Senate, 2000, elections. When she chose to run, the Clintons purchased a home in Chappaqua, New York, north of New York City. She became the first First Lady of the United States to be a candidate for elected office. She was initially expected to face New York City's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, but Giuliani withdrew after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. Instead, Clinton faced a lesser-known candidate, Rick Lazio, who was a Congressman representing Suffolk County on Long Island. The contest drew considerable national attention and both candidates were well-funded. By the end of the race, Democrat Clinton and Republicans Lazio and Giuliani had spent a combined $78 million.<ref name = "historic win">"Hillary Rodham Clinton scores historic win in New York", CNN, 2000-11-08. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
While Clinton had a solid base of support in New York City, candidates and observers expected the race to be decided in upstate New York where 45 percent of the state's voters live. During the campaign, Clinton vowed to improve the economic picture in upstate New York, promising that her plan would deliver 200,000 New York jobs over six years. Her plan included specific tax credits with the purpose of rewarding job creation and encouraging business investment, especially in the high-tech sector. She called for targeted personal tax cuts for college tuition and long-term care.<ref name = "historic win" /> Clinton began her campaign by visiting every county in the state, in a "listening tour" of small-group settings. During the race, she spent considerable time in traditionally Republican upstate regions.
Clinton faced charges of carpetbagging since she had never resided in the State of New York nor directly participated in state politics prior to her Senate race. Opponents made the carpetbagging issue a focal point throughout the race and during debates. Exit polls revealed that more than two-thirds of the voters dismissed the carpetbagging issue as unimportant.
Clinton won the election on November 7 with 55% of the vote to Lazio's 43%.<ref>Federal Elections 2000: U.S. Senate results. Federal Election Commission. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Clinton won the traditionally Democratic base of New York City by large margins, carried suburban Westchester County, lost Lazio's home base of Long Island, and showed surprising strength in upstate regions including Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.
United States Senator
When Clinton joined the Senate, she was widely reported to have kept a low public profile and learned the ways of the institution while building relationships with senators from both sides of the aisle, thus countering her polarizing celebrity.<ref name = Encarta /><ref>Chaddock, Gail Russell. "Clinton's quiet path to power", Christian Science Monitor, 2003-03-10. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>Hunt, Albert R.. "A Tale of Two Clintons", Wall Street Journal, 2001-04-07. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>Kuhn, Martin. "Sen. Clinton Stresses Chronic Disease Needs", National Press Club, 2001-07-26. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Indeed when Elizabeth Dole (R-North Carolina) joined the Senate in 2003 in somewhat similar circumstances, she modeled her initial approach after Clinton's<ref>Stolberg, Sheryl Gay. "In Senate, a Dole Is Following a Clinton Path", New York Times, 2003-05-09, p. A01. Retrieved on 2006-08-22. (preview only)</ref>, as did the nationally visible Barack Obama (D-Illinois) in 2005.<ref>Bacon, Jr., Perry. "Barack Obama Steps (Carefully) Into the Spotlight", Time, 2005-09-28. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Senator Clinton sits on five Senate Committees with a total of nine subcommittee assignments: the Senate Committee on Armed Services with three subcommittee assignments, on Airland, on Emerging Threats and Capabilities, and on Readiness and Management Support; the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee with three subcommittee assignments on Clean Air, Wetlands, Private Property, and Nuclear Safety, on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water and on Superfund, Waste Control, and Risk Assessment; the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, with two subcommittee assignments, on Aging and on Children and Families; and the Senate Special Committee on Aging.
Senator Clinton has made homeland security one of her top issues following the September 11 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in downtown New York City, especially regarding obtaining funding for recovery from the attacks and for improving security capabilities in the New York City area. She was audibly cheered and booed in an audience of New York firefighters and police officers during her on-stage appearance at The Concert for New York City on October 20, 2001.<ref>"Heckling Hillary / A New York rock-concert crowd boos Sen. Clinton", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2001-10-29. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Senator Clinton worked with Senator Charles Schumer to secure $21.4 billion in funding to assist clean up and recovery, to provide health tracking for first responders and volunteers at Ground Zero, and to create grants for redevelopment. In 2005, Clinton issued two studies that examined the disbursement of federal homeland security funds to local communities and first responders.
Clinton has used her membership on the United States Senate Committee on Armed Services to take a strong position in favor of U.S. military action in Afghanistan – with the additional benefit that it greatly improved the lives of women in that country, who had suffered terribly under the rule of the Taliban<ref>Clinton, Hillary. "New Hope For Afghanistan's Women", Attacks on World Trade Center/Pentagon, Time, 2001-11-24. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> – and a somewhat weaker position regarding action in Iraq (her vote in support of the Iraq War Resolution was criticized for being equivocal). Senator Clinton has visited U.S. forces (such as the Fort Drum, New York-based 10th Mountain Division) in both countries. In February 2005 she stated that much of Iraq was functioning well, elections in Iraq had succeeded, and that the insurgency there was failing.<ref>"Clinton says insurgency is failing", Associated Press, 2005-02-19. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref> In July 2005 she co-introduced legislation to increase the size of the regular United States Army by 80,000 soldiers.<ref>Turner, Douglas. "Clinton wants increase in size of regular Army", The Buffalo News, 2005-07-14. Retrieved on 2006-08-22. (no longer free) </ref> By late 2005, with domestic debate intensifying over whether and when the U.S. should remove its forces from Iraq, Clinton stated that immediate withdrawal would be "a big mistake", leading to Iraq becoming "a failed state", but that the Bush administration's open-ended commitment to stay in Iraq was also misguided, as it gives Iraqis "an open-ended invitation not to take care of themselves."<ref>Fitzgerald, Jim. "Hillary Clinton says immediate withdrawal from Iraq would be 'a big mistake'", Associated Press, 2005-11-21. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> This centrist and somewhat vague stance caused frustration among the Democratic party's anti-war activists<ref>Balz, Dan. "Hillary Clinton Crafts Centrist Stance on War", Washington Post, 2005-12-12, p. A01. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>, who have even occasionally protested outside Clinton fundraisers.<ref>O'Reilly, Bill. "A Tale of Two Demonstrations", 2005-10-18. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> On June 13, 2006, Clinton was heckled as she restated her long-standing position against setting a timetable for withdrawing U.S forces from Iraq, while speaking in front of activists at the Take Back America conference in Washington. Though she was applauded while speaking on domestic issues and criticizing President Bush's handling of the war, boos, hisses and chants were heard when she spoke against a timetable.<ref>Balz, Dan. "Liberal Activists Boo Clinton", Washington Post, 2006-06-14, p. A10. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Senator Clinton also became a national advocate for retaining and improving health and other benefits for veterans. By the end of 2005, her standing among the military community was much higher than it had been during her days as First Lady.<ref>Meadows, Susannah. "Hillary's Military Offensive", Newsweek, 2005-12-12. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Senator Clinton was a vocal opponent of the Bush Administration's tax cuts.
Clinton has pressed for education, labor, and technology infrastructure programs to assist economic development in upstate New York and similar regions, with mixed results. Though she had promised to bring 200,000 jobs to the area during her 2000 campaign, the entire state has lost over 170,000 manufacturing jobs since then.<ref>“Bearing the Brunt: Manufacturing Job Loss in the Great Lakes Region, 1995-2005”, Table 2. The Brookings Institution (2006-06). Retrieved on 2006-09-03.</ref> (The state's overall jobless rate has risen .7%<ref>New York State Unemployment Statistics. U.S. Dept. of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (2006-07). Retrieved on 2006-09-03.</ref>.) In 2003, Clinton touted her success in soliciting offshoring firm Tata Consultancy Services to set up shop in economically beleaguered Buffalo, New York.<ref>"Asia’s largest technology firm opens office in Buffalo", Tata Group, 2003-03-10. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> She was criticized when it was discovered that much of Tata's business involves outsourcing American jobs overseas<ref>""FEARS AMID CHEERS ; WILL MAKING TATA CONSULTANCY SERVICES A PARTNER IN BUFFALO'S BIOINFORMATICS INITIATIVE CREATE JOBS HERE, OR IN INDIA?"", Buffalo News, 2003-03-16. Retrieved on [[2006-09-03]]. (no longer free) </ref> In 2004, Clinton co-founded and became the co-chair of the U.S. Senate India Caucus<ref>Krishnaswami, Sridhar. "India Caucus launched in U.S.", The Hindu, 2004-04-29. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref> with the encouragement and aid of the USINPAC Political Action Committee.<ref>Photo Topic Records - Launch of the Senate India Caucus on April 30, 2004. US India Political Action Committee. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref><ref>"Indian-Americans bat for N-deal", Rediff.com, 2006-06-05. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref> In 2005, Clinton co-sponsored with Senator Lindsey Graham the American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition proposal regarding incentives and rewards for completely domestic American manufacturing companies.<ref>2005 issues. American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> As an advocate for her state, Senator Clinton led a bipartisan effort to bring broadband access to rural communities; co-sponsored the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act; included language in the Energy Bill to provide tax exempt bonding authority for environmentally conscious construction projects; and introduced an amendment calling for funding of new job creation to repair, renovate and modernize public schools.
In May 2005, Senator Clinton joined forces with her former adversary, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, on a proposal for incremental universal health care.<ref>Klein, Joe. "Which Brand Would You Buy?", Time, 2005-06-05. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> In June, 2005, Senator Clinton united with Senator Bill Frist to push for the modernization of medical records, claiming that thousands of deaths caused by medical mistakes, such as misreading prescriptions, can be prevented by greater reliance on computer technology.[citation needed]
In July 2005, Senator Clinton called for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate how hidden sex scenes showed up in the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.<ref>"Clinton wades into GTA sex storm", BBC News, 2005-07-14. Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref>
In 2005, during the intense debate over the filibustering of some of President George W. Bush's federal judicial nominations, Senator Clinton generally kept a low profile.<ref>Feldmann, Linda. "A win for McCain, but not Frist", Chicago Sun-Times, 2005-05-25. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> She was not part of the "Gang of 14" that resolved the dispute short of the "nuclear option", but she did vote to endorse that resolution and end debate on the nominations, thereby allowing the nominations to come to a vote. She subsequently voted against three of the nominees, but all were confirmed.<ref>"Senate Confirms Owen", Fox News, 2005-05-25. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Regarding the Supreme Court nomination of John Roberts, in September 2005 Clinton voted against his confirmation, saying "I do not believe that the Judge has presented his views with enough clarity and specificity for me to in good conscience cast a vote on his behalf," but that she hoped her concerns would be unfounded.<ref>Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Nomination of John Roberts to be Chief Justice of the United States. Clinton.Senate.gov (2005-09-22). Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Roberts was confirmed by a solid majority, with half the Senate's Democrats voting for him and half against.<ref>"Roberts sworn in as chief justice", CNN, 2005-09-29. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Regarding the Supreme Court nomination of Samuel Alito, in January and February 2006 Clinton not only joined almost all Senate Democrats in voting against his confirmation, but also joined about half the Democrats in supporting a filibuster against bringing his nomination to a vote<ref>Groppe, Maureen. "Alito filibuster fails; Bayh, Lugar split", The Indianapolis Star, 2006-01-31. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>, saying he would "roll back decades of progress and roll over when confronted with an administration too willing to flaunt the rules and looking for a rubber stamp."<ref>Remarks of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on the Senate Floor on the Nomination of Judge Samuel Alito. Clinton.Senate.gov (2006-01-25). Retrieved on 2006-10-12.</ref> That effort failed and Alito was confirmed on a largely party-line vote.
Clinton sought to establish an independent, bipartisan panel patterned after the 9/11 Commission to investigate what went wrong with federal, state and local governments' response to Hurricane Katrina. She failed to win over a two-thirds majority needed to overcome procedural hurdles in the Senate rules.<ref>Jordan, Lara Jakes. "Senate Kills Bid for Katrina Commission", Associated Press, 2005-09-14. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
On November 29, 2005, Clinton, together with Joe Lieberman and Evan Bayh introduced the Family Entertainment Protection Act. The act is intended to protect children from inappropriate content found in video games. Similar bills have been filed in some U.S. states such as Michigan and Illinois, but were ruled to be unconstitutional.
In July 2004 and June 2006, Clinton voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment that sought to prohibit same-sex marriage; the Amendment fell well short of passage both times.
On June 27, 2006, Clinton voted against the Flag Desecration Amendment, after her attempt to find middle ground by introducing legislation instead against flag burning (but that would pass Constitutional muster) was voted down.<ref>Hook, Janet. "Once Symbolic, Flag Amendment Close to Passage", Los Angeles Times, 2006-06-25. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> The Amendment failed by one vote.
The 2006 Senate race
Clinton announced in November 2004 that she would seek a second term in the Senate. No major Republican entered the race; the presumptive nominee, Westchester County District Attorney Jeanine Pirro, dropped out in December 2005 after her campaign failed to gain traction.<ref>Hirschkorn, Phil. "Sen. Clinton's GOP challenger quits race", CNN, 2005-12-21. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Clinton easily won a September 2006 primary against labor activist and anti-war candidate Jonathan Tasini, gaining 83 percent of the vote. <ref>"GOP Primary Turnout Was Lowest In More Than 30 Years". </ref> Clinton's eventual Republican opponent was former Yonkers Mayor John Spencer; several third-party candidates were also running. Polls during the campaign generally showed Clinton with a 20-point lead or better over Spencer.
Clinton won the election on 7 November with 67% of the vote to Spencer's 31%. <ref>"State Races, New York", CNN, 2006-11-08. Retrieved on 2006-11-08.</ref> Despite the lack of serious opposition, Clinton spent $36 million towards her re-election, well more than any other candidate for Senate in the 2006 election cycle; she received criticism from other Democrats after the election for lack of spending discipline and from potential supporters for not leaving more funds in the bank for a potential 2008 presidential bid.<ref>Anne E. Kornblut and Jeff Zeleny, The New York Times, "Clinton Won Easily, but Bankroll Shows the Toll", November 21, 2006, page A1.</ref>
Speculation about possible 2008 presidential bid
Clinton has expressed interest in the 2008 United States presidential race. No woman has ever been nominated for President by a major party. Clinton's 2008 campaign has been the subject of media speculation for years.
Although not announced as a candidate, it is widely expected that she will be running for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2008. Nationwide polls place her well ahead of other potential Democratic presidential candidates and most pundits, as of November 2006, consider her the presumptive frontrunner for the nomination. <ref>"Rupert Murdoch Loves Hillary Clinton", CBS, 2006-05-09. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>Yen, Hope. "Gingrich Says Hillary Clinton Is Beatable", Associated Press, 2006-05-14. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>Heilemann, John. "Al Gore: The Comeback Kid", New York, 2006-05-29. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref><ref>Graham, Lindsey. "Hillary Rodham Clinton", TIME 100: The People Who Shape Our World, Time, 2006-04-30. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref> Speculation of a presidential bid and her senate profile helped place Clinton in the rankings for the world's most powerful people by Forbes magazine<ref name = "Forbes Most Powerful Women">The 100 Most Powerful Women. Forbes magazine.</ref> and Time magazine's Time 100.
Political views
In a Gallup poll conducted during May, 2005, 54% of respondents considered Senator Clinton a liberal, 30% considered her a moderate, and 9% considered her a conservative.<ref name = Mixedmessages />
In 2004, the National Journal's study of roll-call votes assigned Clinton a rating of 30 in the political spectrum, relative to the current Senate, with a rating of 1 being most liberal and a rating of 100 being most conservative.<ref>Curry, Tom. "Clinton burnishes hawkish image", MSNBC, 2005-07-14. Retrieved on 2006-08-23.</ref> The 2006 Almanac of American Politics rated her, with most Liberal = 100, most conservative = 0, according to a three-dimensional spectrum: Economic = 63, Social = 82, Foreign = 58. Average = 68. <ref> (2006) Almanac of American Politics.</ref> Another analysis by three political scientists found her as likely being the sixth-to-eighth-most liberal Senator. <ref>Clinton, Joshua D.; Jackman, Simon; Rivers, Doug (October 2004). "“The Most Liberal Senator”? Analyzing and Interpreting Congressional Roll Calls" (PDF). Political Science & Politics.</ref>
Hillary Clinton received an "A" on the Drum Major Institute's 2005 Congressional Scorecard on middle-class issues.<ref>Clinton SENATE VOTING SUMMARY. Drum Major Institute. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
Clinton's writings and recordings
As First Lady, Clinton published a weekly newspaper column entitled "Talking It Over", focusing on her experiences and her observations of women, children, and families she encountered during her travels around the world.
The 1996 book It Takes a Village: And Other Lessons Children Teach Us, largely written by ghostwriter Barbara Feinman, became a best-seller, and Clinton received the 1997 Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for her recording of it. The book's title refers to the African proverb that "it takes a village to raise a child."
Other books released by Clinton as First Lady include An Invitation to the White House: At Home with History (2000) and Dear Socks, Dear Buddy: Kids' Letters to the First Pets (1998). In 2001, she wrote the foreword to the children’s book, Beatrice’s Goat.
Clinton's 562-page memoir Living History was published in 2003, and relied upon ghostwriting contributions by Maryanne Vollers and Alison Muscatine and research by Ruby Shamir. The book sold more than one million copies in the first month following publication. In anticipation of these sales, the publisher Simon & Schuster paid Clinton an advance of $8 million—a record figure at that time. Clinton's recording in that year of Living History earned her a second Grammy nomination in the Best Spoken Word Album category. Living History was translated into several foreign languages.
Controversies
Awards and honors
- Around 1994, Clinton received the Living Legacy Award from the Women's International Center, in recognition of "her vast contributions in so many fields, especially honoring her work for women and children."<ref>Hillary Rodham Clinton. Women's International Center. Retrieved on 2006-08-22.</ref>
- In May 1998, Clinton received the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize for her work in health and social welfare, especially as it related to women, children, and families.<ref>HILLARY CLINTON AWARDED UNITED ARAB EMIRATES HEALTH FOUNDATION PRIZE. World Health Organization (1998-05-12). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- In April 1999, Clinton was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Children of Chernobyl Relief Fund for her support of that Ukrainian organization's efforts regarding legacy effects of the Chernobyl accident.<ref>Krill, A.. "First Lady Hillary Clinton receives "Lifetime Achievement Award" from CCRF", Ukrainian Community Press Releases, 1999-04-19. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- In June 1999, Clinton received the "Mother Teresa Award", the highest honor given to civilians by Albania. This was in recognition of her humanitarian efforts following the Kosovo War and worldwide.<ref>"Hillary Clinton awarded Albania's highest civilian honor", CNN, 1999-06-22. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- On March 26, 2004, Clinton was presented with the inaugural Nursing Health and Humanity Award from the University of Rochester School of Nursing.<ref>"Sen. Hillary Clinton to Receive Health Award from School of Nursing", University of Rochester, 2004-03-24. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- On February 13, 2005, Clinton was awarded the German Media Prize 2004, "Hillary Clinton is a model politician for millions of women around the world" who "represents in an exemplary way women's rights", the jury for the prize said.<ref>Excerpts from Remarks of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton German Media Prize Dinner. Clinton.Senate.gov (2005-02-13). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref>
- On February 15, 2005, Clinton was given the American Medical Women's Association's "President’s Vision & Voice Award", for being an advocate for women's health and related issues.<ref>"AMWA Honors Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton", American Medical Women's Association, 2005-02-15. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- On July 30, 2005, Clinton was given the Reserve Officers Association's National President's Award.<ref>Meadows, Susannah. "Hillary's Military Offensive", Newsweek, 2005-12-12. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref><ref>Reserve Officers Association National Convention. Clinton.Senate.gov (2005-07-30). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- In September 2005, Clinton initially accepted but later rejected honorary membership into Alpha Kappa Alpha due to its exclusive requirements which would prevent her from accepting honorary membership in other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.<ref>Senator Hillary Clinton unable to accept invitation for honorary membership. Alpha Kappa Alpha. Retrieved on 2006-05-09. (archive)</ref>
- On October 9, 2005, Clinton was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.<ref>HALL NAMES 2005 INDUCTEES. National Women's Hall of Fame (2004-07-14). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.</ref>
- In April 2006, Clinton was honored with the Remembrance Award from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.<ref>Senator Clinton Calls for Action to Help People Suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. Clinton.Senate.gov (2006-06-06). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
- On June 14, 2006, Clinton received an Energy Leadership Award from the United States Energy Association's Energy Efficiency Forum, in recognition of her leadership on energy issues.<ref>"Sen. Hillary Clinton to Be Recognized for Leadership on Energy Issues on June 14", The Auto Channel, 2006-06-12. Retrieved on 2006-08-24.</ref>
Electoral history
2000 race for U.S. Senate
- Hillary Rodham Clinton (D), 55.27% / 3,747,310
- Rick Lazio (R), 43.01% / 2,915,730
2006 race for U.S. Senate
(preliminary figures, need updating when final certified tallies are announced)
- Hillary Rodham Clinton (D), 67% / 2,811,981
- John Spencer (R), 31% / 1,320,571
References
<references />
Further reading
External links
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Image:Wikiversity-logo-Snorky.svg Learning resources from Wikiversity
Official links
- Senator Clinton's official web site
- HillaryClinton.com: Official 2006 Senate campaign website
- Biography of First Lady Clinton
Unofficial links
- The rise and rise of Saint Hillary
- Voting record maintained by the Washington Post
- Hilldabeast: A Website Against Hillary Clinton for President
- Draft Hillary Rodham Clinton for President 2008 site
- Hillary Clinton on the issues
- 2008 Presidential Wire - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Open Directory Project - Hillary Rodham Clinton directory category
- DemsWillPrevail2008
- Photograph shows soldier shaking hands with Sen. Hillary Clinton while crossing his fingers
Senate races
- Hillary Clinton for Senate
- Clinton's positions in 2000 Senate Race
- Clinton enjoys strong support from Jewish voters
- Allegations during the Senate Race
- Jewish Vote Crucial
- Results & Demographic Breakdown of Votes
- New Square
- Prosecutors Clear Clintons in Hasidic Case
Possible presidential race
- HillPAC - Leadership PAC
- VoteHillary - Unofficial Hillary Clinton For President Committee
- Draft Hillary for President 2008 - Draft Hillary Rodham Clinton For President 2008
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| Preceded by: Daniel Patrick Moynihan | United States Senator (Class 1) from New York 2001– Served alongside: Charles Schumer | Incumbent |
| First Ladies of the United States
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| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Clinton, Hillary Rodham |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Rodham, Hillary Diane |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | U.S. Senator, U.S. First Lady. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 26 1947 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Chicago |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
da:Hillary Clinton de:Hillary Clinton et:Hillary Clinton es:Hillary Clinton fa:هیلاری کلینتون fr:Hillary Rodham Clinton ga:Hillary Rodham Clinton hr:Hillary Rodham Clinton it:Hillary Clinton he:הילרי רודהם קלינטון nl:Hillary Rodham Clinton ja:ヒラリー・クリントン no:Hillary Rodham Clinton pl:Hillary Rodham Clinton pt:Hillary Clinton ru:Клинтон, Хиллари sq:Hillary Clinton simple:Hillary Clinton sr:Хилари Клинтон sv:Hillary Clinton vi:Hillary Clinton zh:希拉里·克林顿
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