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Our Party BlogHave your say about all things democraticJune 8, 2008"UNREMARKABLE" BY STUART JAMES
Let me share Stuart James' column about the Hillary Clinton campaign coming to an end and getting behind Barack Obama yesterday. Please share your remarks concerning the presidential election by emailing me at wbailes1@comcast.net or by replying below.Sen. Hillary Clinton suspended her campaign on Saturday. She ended a hard fight to be the first woman President of the United States, a fight resulting in record numbers registering to vote, a fight ending in more people voting in a presidential primary than in any presidential primary in American History. Her fight to become the first woman President of the United States is now, in her words, unremarkable…it is unremarkable because her campaign showed all of us that a woman can be President of the United States. Sen. Clinton said: "Now, on a personal note, when I was asked what it means to be a woman running for president, I always gave the same answer, that I was proud to be running as a woman, but I was running because I thought I'd be the best president. But... "But I am a woman and, like millions of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often unconscious, and I want to build an America that respects and embraces the potential of every last one of us. "I ran as a daughter who benefited from opportunities my mother never dreamed of. I ran as a mother who worries about my daughter's future and a mother who wants to leave all children brighter tomorrows. "To build that future I see, we must make sure that women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers and their mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay, and equal respect. "Let us resolve and work toward achieving very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits, and there are no acceptable prejudices in the 21st century in our country. "You can be so proud that, from now on, it will be unremarkable for a woman to win primary state victories .. unremarkable to have a woman in a close race to be our nominee, unremarkable to think that a woman can be the president of the United States. And that is truly remarkable, my friends." The race between Sens. Clinton and Obama is anything but unremarkable. This race makes history, it changes the political climate, it makes it possible for any woman, any minority, to run for and win the nomination for President of either political party. Eighteen million voters changed the political climate of this nation - these voters made history. Sens. Clinton and Obama made history. We are a better nation because of the work of these two political icons of our time. Sen. Clinton urged her supporters to aim high, to remain confident, and to keep the faith. She asked them to get back up when they are knocked down. Sen. Clinton spoke of fighting on: "To those who are disappointed that we couldn't go all of the way, especially the young people who put so much into this campaign, it would break my heart if, in falling short of my goal, I in any way discouraged any of you from pursuing yours. "Always aim high, work hard and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you're knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can't or shouldn't go on. "As we gather here today in this historic, magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House. "Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it .. and the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time. "That has always been the history of progress in America. Think of the suffragists who gathered at Seneca Falls in 1848 and those who kept fighting until women could cast their votes. "Think of the abolitionists who struggled and died to see the end of slavery. Think of the civil rights heroes and foot soldiers who marched, protested and risked their lives to bring about the end of segregation and Jim Crow. "Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote and, because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that children of all colors could go to school together." The Democratic Primary ends on a high note, a note of historical significance. We can now hope that our children can grow up thinking that electing a woman to the presidency is unremarkable. We can now hope that our children will grow up knowing that in this election Sen. Clinton broke the glass ceiling for woman who aspire to become leaders, for women who aspire to participate in the political process, for women who aspire to be President. We have, during this primary, done more than putting "18 million cracks" in a glass ceiling for women, we are demonstrating a willingness to move beyond our petty prejudices and to elect our leaders based upon who they are and what they believe, not based on their skin color or sex. It is now unremarkable for this nation to nominate a black for President. It is now unremarkable for a woman to mount a major political campaign motivating 18 million people to vote. It is now unremarkable for a woman to formulate political policy for this nation. It is now unremarkable for a woman or a black to be a major political force in our society. It is now unremarkable for people who love this nation to participate in record numbers to elect a President. This election is about change - change in our attitudes about women and race, change in our attitudes about who we elect as our leaders. With all of this in mind, there is only one thing left to say about the Clinton campaign and the Democratic Primary process… It was anything but unremarkable. This post has 1 reply... This article was remarkable.
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