In response to ?Clinton an apparition of Progress,? Feb.
21 by Andy Granias:
She was the first-ever student commencement speaker at
Wellesley College. She was a pioneer in securing children?s rights at Yale,
creating legal standards for identifying and protecting abused children when
they had virtually no rights at all. At the Children?s Defense Fund, she
pressed educational funding for students with disabilities. At only 26 years old,
she was one of three women lawyers of a staff of 42 to the House Judiciary
Committee considering the impeachment of President Nixon, one of the most
important investigations in Washington?s history.
All before she married Bill Clinton.
She ran a legal aid clinic for the poor, became a law
professor and was appointed to the board of the United States Legal Services
Corporation by President Jimmy Carter, creating a program that funds legal
assistance for the poor.
All before she became first lady of the United States.
As her husband became governor of Arkansas, she fought for
improvement in education and continued the battle for children?s rights. She
was named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America. Twice. And as first
lady of the United States, she fought for health care for every single
American, helped craft the Children?s Health Insurance Plan, insuring seven
million vulnerable children and wrote an international best-selling book.
All before she became a United States senator.
As senator she fought for the people of New York and drew support
from Democrats and Republicans alike on her way. She fought to expand
children?s health insurance, secure a woman?s right to Plan B and gave families
of the Sept. 11 attacks care and compensation.
As president she wants to push ?class-transcendent? policies
to lower taxes for middle income families, strengthen unions, provide universal
health care for everyone, increase funding for head start programs and pledge $700
million a year for autism research.
It?s a shame that Mr. Granias has reduced years of dedicated
public service and profound achievement to the success of Sen. Clinton?s
husband?s years in the White House.
It is about time the public and media recognize everything
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has accomplished in her own right and resist the
ignorant, sexist tendency to dismiss over 30 years of her work, progress and
popularity as a woman changing the country to ?only a residual effect stemming
from the widely popular Democratic presidency of her husband.?
Nancy McMurray
UW senior, journalism and English