Please Don't Let Hillary Down

Fellow Hillary supporters, yes, we are all heart-broken. We are all
wounded and scarred by the long, arduous and often biased battle we
have endured during Hillary's brave campaign. Most notable today is
how the press and pundants are glorifying the woman they all but
crucified a few weeks ago.

Yes, it is sickening, and it makes us wonder about the legitimacy of a Democratic party that silences
our 18,000,000 voices and binds our hands in favor of delegates and super delegates whose support
could be bought and sold at will.

Where is our president as our country cries out for hope? Why is he
silent? Is hope lost? Will we be forced to endure another four years
of Republican mismanagement, denial, greed and blatant disrespect
of our needs and concerns? A vote for McCain is a vote for Bush.
Hillary knows this. Listen to her, please.

Our leader, Sentator Clinton, has asked us to join forces to defeat the
Republican war machine and place this country back in Democratic
hands. Yes, we wanted those hands to be hers. Maybe, who knows,
it might still happen. But if it does not, if our great lady must wait until
2012, let her do her waiting and her service in a country that is free of
any shadow of GW Bush.

I will never campaign for Obama. I will never say, Yes, we can. But I
will join Hillary in saying, YES, WE WILL DEFEAT THE
REPUBLICANS. YES, WE WILL.

Please don't let our lady down. She never surrendered. She fought all the way and
she is still fighting for a better America for ALL Americans. Stand with her. Trust her. Hillary has a plan.

Thank You, America - Hillary's Speech

Posted on http://hillaryclinton.com/

(quote)

"Thank you so much. Thank you all.

Well, this isn’t exactly the party I’d planned, but I sure like the
company.

I want to start today by saying how grateful I am to all of you – to
everyone who poured your hearts and your hopes into this campaign,
who drove for miles and lined the streets waving homemade signs,
who scrimped and saved to raise money, who knocked on doors and
made calls, who talked and sometimes argued with your friends and
neighbors, who emailed and contributed online, who invested so much
in our common enterprise, to the moms and dads who came to our
events, who lifted their little girls and little boys on their shoulders and
whispered in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.”

To the young people like 13 year-old Ann Riddle from Mayfield, Ohio
who had been saving for two years to go to Disney World, and
decided to use her savings instead to travel to Pennsylvania with her
Mom and volunteer there as well. To the veterans and the childhood
friends, to New Yorkers and Arkansans who traveled across the
country and telling anyone who would listen why you supported me.
To all those women in their 80s and their 90s born before women
could vote who cast their votes for our campaign. I’ve told you before
about Florence Steen of South Dakota, who was 88 years old, and
insisted that her daughter bring an absentee ballot to her hospice
bedside. Her daughter and a friend put an American flag behind her
bed and helped her fill out the ballot. She passed away soon after,
and under state law, her ballot didn’t count. But her daughter later told
a reporter, “My dad’s an ornery old cowboy, and he didn’t like it when
he heard mom’s vote wouldn’t be counted. I don’t think he had voted in
20 years. But he voted in place of my mom.”

To all those who voted for me, and to whom I pledged my utmost, my
commitment to you and to the progress we seek is unyielding. You
have inspired and touched me with the stories of the joys and
sorrows that make up the fabric of our lives and you have humbled
me with your commitment to our country.

Eighteen million of you from all walks of life –
women and men, young and old, Latino and Asian, African-American and Caucasian, rich, poor
and middle class, gay and straight – you have stood strong with me.
And I will continue to stand strong with you, every time, every place,
and every way that I can. The dreams we share are worth fighting for.
Remember - we fought for the single mom with a young daughter,
juggling work and school, who told me, “I’m doing it all to better myself
for her.” We fought for the woman who grabbed my hand, and asked
me, “What are you going to do to make sure I have health care?” and
began to cry because even though she works three jobs, she can’t
afford insurance. We fought for the young man in the Marine Corps t
-shirt who waited months for medical care and said, “Take care of my
buddies over there and then, will you please help take care of me?”
We fought for all those who’ve lost jobs and health care, who can’t
afford gas or groceries or college, who have felt invisible to their
president these last seven years.

I entered this race because I have an old-fashioned conviction: that
public service is about helping people solve their problems and live
their dreams. I’ve had every opportunity and blessing in my own life –
and I want the same for all Americans. Until that day comes, you will
always find me on the front lines of democracy – fighting for the
future.

The way to continue our fight now – to accomplish the goals for which
we stand – is to take our energy, our passion, our strength and do all
we can to help elect Barack Obama the next President of the United
States.

Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory
he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him, and
throw my full support behind him. And I ask all of you to join me in
working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.

I have served in the Senate with him for four years. I have been in
this campaign with him for 16 months. I have stood on the stage and
gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I have had a front row seat to
his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his
grace and his grit.

In his own life, Barack Obama has lived the American Dream. As a
community organizer, in the state senate, as a United States Senator
- he has dedicated himself to ensuring the dream is realized. And in
this campaign, he has inspired so many to become involved in the
democratic process and invested in our common future.

Now when I started this race, I intended to win back the White House,
and make sure we have a president who puts our country back on the
path to peace, prosperity, and progress. And that's exactly what we're
going to do by ensuring that Barack Obama walks through the doors
of the Oval Office on January 20, 2009.

I understand that we all know this has been a tough fight. The
Democratic Party is a family, and it’s now time to restore the ties that
bind us together and to come together around the ideals we share,
the values we cherish, and the country we love.

We may have started on separate journeys – but today, our paths
have merged. And we are all heading toward the same destination,
united and more ready than ever to win in November and to turn our
country around because so much is at stake.

We all want an economy that sustains the American Dream, the
opportunity to work hard and have that work rewarded, to save for
college, a home and retirement, to afford that gas and those
groceries and still have a little left over at the end of the month. An
economy that lifts all of our people and ensures that our prosperity is
broadly distributed and shared.

We all want a health care system that is universal, high quality, and
affordable so that parents no longer have to choose between care for
themselves or their children or be stuck in dead end jobs simply to
keep their insurance. This isn’t just an issue for me – it is a passion
and a cause – and it is a fight I will continue until every single
American is insured – no exceptions, no excuses.

We all want an America defined by deep and meaningful equality –
from civil rights to labor rights, from women’s rights to gay rights, from
ending discrimination to promoting unionization to providing help for
the most important job there is: caring for our families.

We all want to restore America’s standing in the world, to end the war
in Iraq and once again lead by the power of our values, and to join
with our allies to confront our shared challenges from poverty and
genocide to terrorism and global warming.

You know, I’ve been involved in politics and public life in one way or
another for four decades. During those forty years, our country has
voted ten times for President. Democrats won only three of those
times. And the man who won two of those elections is with us today.
We made tremendous progress during the 90s under a Democratic
President, with a flourishing economy, and our leadership for peace
and security respected around the world. Just think how much more
progress we could have made over the past 40 years if we had a
Democratic president. Think about the lost opportunities of these past
seven years – on the environment and the economy, on health care
and civil rights, on education, foreign policy and the Supreme Court.
Imagine how far we could’ve come, how much we could’ve achieved if
we had just had a Democrat in the White House.

We cannot let this moment slip away. We have come too far and
accomplished too much.

Now the journey ahead will not be easy. Some will say we can’t do it.
That it’s too hard. That we’re just not up to the task. But for as long as
America has existed, it has been the American way to reject “can’t
do” claims, and to choose instead to stretch the boundaries of the
possible through hard work, determination, and a pioneering spirit.
It is this belief, this optimism, that Senator Obama and I share, and
that has inspired so many millions of our supporters to make their
voices heard.

So today, I am standing with Senator Obama to say: Yes we can.
Together we will work. We’ll have to work hard to get universal health
care. But on the day we live in an America where no child, no man,
and no woman is without health insurance, we will live in a stronger
America. That’s why we need to help elect Barack Obama our
President.

We’ll have to work hard to get back to fiscal responsibility and a
strong middle class. But on the day we live in an America whose
middle class is thriving and growing again, where all Americans, no
matter where they live or where their ancestors came from, can earn
a decent living, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we
must elect Barack Obama our President.

We’ll have to work hard to foster the innovation that makes us energy
independent and lift the threat of global warming from our children’s
future. But on the day we live in an America fueled by renewable
energy, we will live in a stronger America. That’s why we have to help
elect Barack Obama our President.

We’ll have to work hard to bring our troops home from Iraq, and get
them the support they’ve earned by their service. But on the day we
live in an America that’s as loyal to our troops as they have been to
us, we will live in a stronger America and that is why we must help
elect Barack Obama our President.

This election is a turning point election and it is critical that we all
understand what our choice really is. Will we go forward together or
will we stall and slip backwards. Think how much progress we have
already made. When we first started, people everywhere asked the
same questions:

Could a woman really serve as Commander-in-Chief? Well, I think we
answered that one.

And could an African American really be our President? Senator
Obama has answered that one.

Together Senator Obama and I achieved milestones essential to our
progress as a nation, part of our perpetual duty to form a more
perfect union.

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 I am a woman, and like millions
of women, I know there are still barriers and biases out there, often
unconscious.

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 lead all children to
brighter tomorrows. To build that future I see, we must make sure that
women and men alike understand the struggles of their grandmothers
and mothers, and that women enjoy equal opportunities, equal pay,
and equal respect. Let us resolve and work toward achieving some
very simple propositions: There are no acceptable limits and there
are no acceptable prejudices in the twenty-first century.

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.

To those who are disappointed that we couldn’t go all 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. When you stumble,
keep faith. 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 to segregation
and Jim Crow.

Because of them, I grew up taking for granted that women could vote.
Because of them, my daughter grew up taking for granted that
children of all colors could go to school together. Because of them,
Barack Obama and I could wage a hard fought campaign for the
Democratic nomination. Because of them, and because of you,
children today will grow up taking for granted that an African American
or a woman can yes, become President of the United States.
When that day arrives and a woman takes the oath of office as our
President, we will all stand taller, proud of the values of our nation,
proud that every little girl can dream and that her dreams can come
true in America. And all of you will know that because of your passion
and hard work you helped pave the way for that day.
So I want to say to my supporters, when you hear people saying – or
think to yourself – “if only” or “what if,” I say, “please don’t go there.”
Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward.
Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to
dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still
can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that
Senator Obama is our next President and I hope and pray that all of
you will join me in that effort.

To my supporters and colleagues in Congress, to the governors and
mayors, elected officials who stood with me, in good times and in bad,
thank you for your strength and leadership. To my friends in our labor
unions who stood strong every step of the way – I thank you and
pledge my support to you. To my friends, from every stage of my life
– your love and ongoing commitments sustain me every single day.
To my family – especially Bill and Chelsea and my mother, you mean
the world to me and I thank you for all you have done. And to my
extraordinary staff, volunteers and supporters, thank you for working
those long, hard hours. Thank you for dropping everything – leaving
work or school – traveling to places you’d never been, sometimes for
months on end. And thanks to your families as well because your
sacrifice was theirs too.

All of you were there for me every step of the way. Being human, we
are imperfect. That’s why we need each other. To catch each other
when we falter. To encourage each other when we lose heart. Some
may lead; others may follow; but none of us can go it alone. The
changes we’re working for are changes that we can only accomplish
together. Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are rights that
belong to each of us as individuals. But our lives, our freedom, our
happiness, are best enjoyed, best protected, and best advanced
when we do work together.

That is what we will do now as we join forces with Senator Obama and
his campaign. We will make history together as we write the next
chapter in America’s story. We will stand united for the values we hold
dear, for the vision of progress we share, and for the country we love.
There is nothing more American than that.

And looking out at you today, I have never felt so blessed. The
challenges that I have faced in this campaign are nothing compared
to those that millions of Americans face every day in their own lives.
So today, I’m going to count my blessings and keep on going. I’m
going to keep doing what I was doing long before the cameras ever
showed up and what I’ll be doing long after they’re gone: Working to
give every American the same opportunities I had, and working to
ensure that every child has the chance to grow up and achieve his or
her God-given potential.

I will do it with a heart filled with gratitude, with a deep and abiding love
for our country– and with nothing but optimism and confidence for the
days ahead. This is now our time to do all that we can to make sure
that in this election we add another Democratic president to that very
small list of the last 40 years and that we take back our country and
once again move with progress and commitment to the future.

Thank you all and God bless you and God bless America."

(end quote)

Why Hillary Will Never Surrender

A letter from Hillary to her supporters:

(quote)

Why I'm In:

"There are some people out there who want to declare this race over now, before all the ballots have been counted or even cast. There are some who say they don't know why I'm in this race. So let me tell you why I'm still running. I'm in this race for everyone who needs a champion.

For the hardworking families who are losing sleep over gas prices and grocery costs and mortgage payments and medical bills -- but who never lose that American can-do spirit and optimism. I'm in this race for the more than 16 million people like you who have supported me -- for the people who have put their hearts into winning this race.

You never gave up on me, and I'll never give up on you. We are in the homestretch. After sixteen months, there are only three weeks left to compete in the final contests. With your help I'm going to keep fighting until every last American has a chance to be heard, and as we learned last night in West Virginia, I know we can win.

Contribute now to keep our campaign going strong.

I'm also in this race because I have the best chance of beating John McCain in November and putting America on the right track. We proved something in West Virginia last night -- a state every Democratic president has won since 1916. And we proved something in a few other battleground states that have a history of picking presidents. Pennsylvania. Ohio. Arkansas. New Hampshire. New Jersey. New Mexico. Nevada. And, yes, Michigan and Florida.

I am in this race, and so are you, because we both know the stakes in this election are too high to stay on the sidelines. So let's keep going together, you and me. Let's keep driving our campaign forward, and let's keep winning. "

Hillary Rodham Clinton
(end quote)

YES, WE WILL!

Thank you, Pennsylvania!!!!!

Senator Hillary Clinton's Speech after Double-Digit Pennsylvania Win
(quote)

"Thank you so much. Thank you all. Thank you. Thank you very, very much. Oh, thank you.

It’s a long road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and it runs right through the heart of Pennsylvania.

For six weeks Senator Obama and I have crisscrossed this state, meeting people up close, being judged side by side, making our best case. You listened and today you chose.

With two wars abroad and an economic crisis here at home, you know the stakes are high and the challenges are great, but you also know the possibilities. Those possibilities are endless, if we roll up our sleeves and get to work with a president who is ready to lead on day one.

That means ready to take charge as Commander-in-Chief and make this economy work for middle class families. And I thank you. I thank you, Pennsylvania, for deciding I can be that president.

For me, the victory we share tonight is deeply personal. It was here in Pennsylvania where my grandfather started work as a boy in the lace mills and ended up as a supervisor five decades later. It was here where my father attended college and played football for Penn State. And I am back here tonight because of their hard work and sacrifice. And I only wish they could have lived to see this moment, because in this election I carry with me not just their dreams, but the dreams of people like them and like you all across our country - people who embrace hard work and opportunity, who never waver in the face of adversity, who stand for what you believe and never stop believing in the promise of America.

I’m in this race to fight for you, to fight for everyone who has ever been counted out, for everyone fighting to pay the grocery bills or the medical bills, the credit card and mortgage payments, and the outrageous price of gas at the pump today.

You know, the pundit's question whether Pennsylvanians would trust me with this charge and tonight you showed you do. You know you can count on me to stand up strong for you every single day in the White House.
This has been a historic race and I commend Senator Obama and his supporters tonight. We are, in many ways, all on this journey together to create an America that embraces every last one of us. The women in their nineties who tell me they were born before women could vote and they're hopeful of seeing a woman in the White House. The mothers and fathers at my events, who lift their little girls on their shoulders and whisper in their ears, "see, you can be anything you want."

Tonight, more than ever, I need your help to continue this journey. This is your campaign and this is your victory tonight. Your support has meant the difference between winning and losing. We can only keep winning if we can keep competing with an opponent who outspends us so massively. So, I hope you'll go to HillaryClinton.com and show your support tonight because the future of this campaign is in your hands.

Some people counted me out and said to drop out, but the American people don't quit and they deserve a president who doesn't quit either.

Tonight all across Pennsylvania and America, teachers are grading papers and doctors and nurses are caring for the sick, and you deserve a leader who listens to you.

Waitresses are pouring coffee and police officers are standing guard and small businesses are working to meet that payroll, and you deserve a champion who stands with you.

And of course, all across the world, our men and women in uniform, some on your second, third or fourth tour of duty, you deserve a Commander-in-Chief who will finally bring you home and who will rebuild our strained military, do whatever it takes to care for our veterans wounded in both body and spirit.

Today, here in Pennsylvania, you made your voices heard and because of you, the tide is turning."

In closing, she said:
"We still have a lot of work ahead of us, but if you're ready, I’m ready. I might stumble and I might get knocked down, but as long as you'll stand with me I will always get right back up. Because for me, in the end, the question isn't whether we can keep America’s promise, it's whether we will keep America’s promise.

So let me ask you tonight - will we once again be the can-do nation, the nation that defies the odds and does the impossible?
Will we break the barriers and open the doors and lift up all of our people?
Will we reach out to the world and lead by the power of our ideals again?
Will we take back the White House and take back our country?
I believe with all of my heart that together we will turn promises into action, words will become solutions, hope will become reality, so my answer to any who doubt is "yes, we will.

Thank you and God bless you."

Hillary is fighting for YOU, whoever you are.

Please go to http://hillaryclinton.com/ to help Hillary win her fight.

(Associated Press Photo)

Undecided Super Delegate asks for Your Opinion

Hillary supporters, speak up for our gal! On http:/ruralvotes.com Debra Kozikowski, an undecided super delegate, says:

“Here’s your challenge. Think about me wearing my super duper hat reading your posts. Convince me why I should deliver my superdelegate vote to Senator Obama or for the minority here who support Senator Clinton — you too can rise to the occasion with civility and grace.” (end quote)

Speak your heart, all you Dorothys out there. Tell Ms. Kozikowski why America needs her to vote for Hillary Clinton. Be warned, the web site is down frequently, but it does come back. Also, Ms. Kozikowski asks that everyone "be nice", a very reasonable request. She promises to read every word.

http://ruralvotes.com/thefield/?p=1007#comment-17791

Hillary Fights for America - Montana Speech

Excerpts: Hillary Clinton's speech at the Montana Democratic Party’s Mansfield-Metcalf Dinner:

"The American people need a fighter on their side. A President who will get up every day ready to work her heart out for you. And I am here tonight because I am ready to be that President. If there is one word that sums up what my campaign is all about, it’s solutions. I’m offering real solutions, not just speeches, to create a better future for everyone."

In closing Senator Clinton said: "When I say I’ll stand with you, I’ll stand with you. When I say I’ll fight for you, I’ll fight for you. That’s what I’ve done my whole life, and that’s what I’ll do in the White House. We need to keep fighting because this country’s worth fighting for."

(end quote)

Help Florida and Michigan Voters to Be Heard

In the Democratic Presidential primary, 2.3 million voters went to the polls to make their voices heard. These voters deserve to have their votes count.

Please add your name to the list to show your support for seating the Florida and Michigan delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this August.

Go to:

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/action/flmi/?sc=2406

Rise, Hillary, Rise

One of my heros, Hillary supporter and poet Maya Angelou wrote this remarkable tribute on the blog at HillaryClinton.com :

http://blog.hillaryclinton.com/blog/main/2008/03/31/154530

(the poem is an excerpt of Maya's poem, STILL I RISE)

(quote)

Celebrating Women: A Note from Dr. Maya Angelou

by Dr. Maya Angelou

3/31/2008 11:45:30 AM
This entry is part of a series in celebration of Women's History Month.

"You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

This is not the first time you have seen Hillary Clinton seemingly at her wits end, but she has always risen, always risen, much to the dismay of her adversaries and the delight of her friends.

Hillary Clinton will not give up on you and all she asks of you is that you do not give up on her.

There is a world of difference between being a woman and being an old female. If you’re born a girl, grow up, and live long enough, you can become an old female. But, to become a woman is a serious matter. A woman takes responsibility for the time she takes up and the space she occupies.

Hillary Clinton is a woman. She has been there and done that and has still risen. She is in this race for the long haul. She intends to make a difference in our country.

She is the prayer of every woman and man who long for fair play, healthy families, good schools, and a balanced economy.

She declares she wants to see more smiles in the families, more courtesies between men and women, more honesty in the marketplace. Hillary Clinton intends to help our country to what it can become.

She means to rise.

She means to help our country rise. Don’t give up on her, ever.

In fact, if you help her to rise, you will rise with her and help her make this country a wonderful, wonderful place where every man and every woman can live freely without sanctimonious piety, without crippling fear.

Rise Hillary.

Rise. " (end quote)

Why Hillary is READY to Answer that Red Phone

America's Generals on Why They Support Hillary Clinton to be Our Next Commander-in-Chief:

Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr.:

"As I think about the challenges facing the nation and having been in uniform for almost thirty years, worked with a number of presidents to include the last four, I can’t think of a single person - those generals included - who is better qualified to walk into the Oval Office than Hillary Clinton. I don’t make that statement very lightly. She is more qualified, in my view, than her husband Bill was when he entered the office. It is no surprise to me that you would have as many flag officers who serve this country and Secretaries of the Army and Navy who have served this country who would come out and support Hillary."

Lieutenant General Frederick E. Vollrath:

"I support Senator Clinton because I believe it’s time for change in our country, a new direction. And I know change carries with it risks. Senator Clinton is the candidate, in my opinion, with the proven experience that truly understands the risks and how to
possibly cope with those risks to get the job done. We shouldn’t shirk from change because of the risks, but we absolutely have to have a leader with the proven experience. America, in the area of national defense, must be successful and Senator Clinton has that experience to create change, to understand the risk, and to get the job done."

Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy:

"I support her because I trust her. I trust Hillary Clinton because of her judgment and her leadership. I have confidence that she is responsive to the needs of people. I believe that she understands leadership the way we do in the Army and that is that it’s about building connections and relationships and establishing guidance and leadership for others. I think she’ll rebuild relationships with other countries that have been suffering for the last seven or eight years; those relationships have really been strained beyond anything I would have anticipated. Another part of Hillary Clinton that I think is just tremendous is that she knows our reality. She is in touch with people, she listens to people. She decides what she believes about policy based on what’s right, she has integrity, and on what works, so she’s practical." (end quotes)

Hope Starts Here

Excerpt from Hillary Clinton's victory speech after Texas, Ohio & R.I wins:

"I want to end (this speech) by sharing with you a message that I got late last month from someone who didn't have much money to spare, but sent me $10 for my campaign and sent an e-mail in which she wrote: "My two daughters are two and four, and we chant and cheer for you at every speech we see. I want them to know anything is possible."

Tonight I say to them, keep on watching. Together, we're going to make history. To those little girls, I say this is America, and we do believe you can be anything you want to be, and we want our sons and our daughters to dream big. I have big dreams for America’s future. The question is not whether we can fulfill those dreams, it's whether we will. And here's our answer: yes, we will.

We will do what it takes, and we will once again make the kind of progress that America deserves. We’re going to protect our country and preserve our constitution. We’re going to lead with our values. We will reach out to those on the margins and in the shadows because that's what we do in America. We break barriers, we open doors, we make sure every voice is heard. Together, we will turn promises into action, words into solutions, and hope into reality." (end quote)

Yes, She Will!

Thank you Rhode Island, Ohio and Texas! In January 2009, the entire world will thank you when Hillary telephones world leaders, allies and supporters and says, "We're back."

Congratulations, team Hillary! Hope starts here.

This Writer Endorses Hillary Clinton - Senator, Mother, Wife, and My Favorite Dorothy

Women unite! We need a strong, dedicated voice of reason in the White House. We need someone who truly cares about every American, not just the privileged few. Hillary Clinton cares. Hope starts here. Go to:

http://hillaryclinton.com/ .

Logo is from Hillary's website.

Never Surrender, Hillary

Once upon a more gracious and generous time, the US Agency for International Development commissioned an eight hundred pound plaque to honor First Lady Hillary Clinton in recognition of her leadership on world issues, human rights, women's rights and for her work in reinforcing America's global status. The plaque, which was presented to Mrs. Clinton on March 16, 1999, said:

May all who pass through these portals recognize the invaluable contributions to worldwide development made by the First Lady of the US, Hillary Clinton.

This plaque and accompanying photos were displayed at the entrance to the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, DC until the new Bush Jr. Administration took office. Bush & party spent a fortune to cover the plaque with an unrelated photo collage, before finally having the exhibit removed and put in storage in a government warehouse.

Today, some in this country would like to put Senator Hillary Clinton in storage, and send a clear message to American women that they should learn their place as well. Why hasn’t this country advanced beyond hypocrisy and sexism? Perhaps her critics fear Hillary Clinton because she is a tough, sincere and determined woman who will use her power as President to make America a tough, sincere, determined country again.

As you read this, American wives, mothers, sisters and daughters are dying beside men in combat. These brave women soldiers are dying because they answered America’s call. If women can die in war for causes they believe in, a woman can work to end that war and bring those soldiers home.

A fierce defender of human rights, Senator Hillary Clinton is, in many ways, a combat veteran. When other leading Democrats meekly bowed to his will, Senator Clinton relentlessly challenged President Bush on numerous issues that affect the everyday lives, freedom and security of all Americans.

In December of 2007, Senator Hillary Clinton introduced legislation (S. 2426, the Congressional Oversight of Iraq Agreements Act of 2007) to prevent President Bush from tying the hands of his successor by negotiating a long-term security agreement with the Iraqi government.

By February 2008, Senator Clinton’s bill was uniting Democrats. Cosponsors for Senator Clinton’s bill include Senators Barack Obama (D-IL), Diane Feinstein (D-CA), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-PA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

Kudos to Senator Obama for joining Senator Clinton’s fight when asked; still, comparing the green young Senator to Clinton is like comparing a single apple seedling to a productive apple orchard. He has great expectations, but he is simply not ready to produce that which is necessary for change.

New presidents often have commendable ambitions, but no working knowledge of how to turn campaign promises into facts. Naïve and eager to please, they struggle through their freshman year, fumbling to make their noble agendas relate to the very challenging and very prohibitive real world.

In 2009, there will be no time for on-the-job-training by the new president.

When addressing global issues, Senator Clinton’s leadership as the first US Senator to serve on the Senate Arms Services Committee will prove invaluable. She repeatedly tackled the Sudanese regime, fighting to stop the genocide in Darfur. The Senate unanimously adopted legislation that Clinton co-sponsored that sought deployment of UN peacekeepers, strengthening of sanctions against the Government of Sudan and support for the African Union Mission in Sudan. That is on record.

Hope starts here.

Regarding health care: Hillary Clinton’s fight for affordable health care for all Americans is fact, not fiction. She helped create the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which currently provides health insurance for six million children. She has proven her dedication to providing quality, affordable health care to all Americans by standing up to her critics, challenging them eye-to-eye, never blinking.

Speaking up for the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: Senator Hillary Clinton challenged the Bush Administration to move thousands of victims out of contaminated Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) trailers into safe housing. She asked that immediate steps be taken to assess the health impact on those living in FEMA trailers, and to develop short and long term plans to address the victims’ health care needs. That is on record.

Hope starts here.

Fighting for an end to the mortgage crisis, Senator Clinton introduced the Mortgage Refinancing Initiative of 2008, which will provide an opportunity for at-risk households to refinance unfair mortgages. She urged the mortgage industry to end the foreclosure crisis and guarantee that it never recurs. Senator Clinton reintroduced the 21st Century Housing Act, which strengthens the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), makes FHA loans available to more Americans, and increases access to a responsible alternatives to subprime loans. This is a fact America can depend on, not a wish America hopes will comes true.

Senator Clinton’s vote (and those of the Senate) for the use of military force in Iraq was based on the information which she had at the time. George Bush's war machine drove that bus into the ditch. Hillary acted with leadership and courage at a time when some in the Senate were hiding behind indecision.

In January 2007, Senator Hillary Clinton traveled to Iraq to evaluate the situation there. During her third visit to the war torn area, she expressed her gratitude to our troops; then met with U.S. commanders and Iraqi leaders. She returned to the United States determined to stop President Bush’s war machine and bring our troops home.

In February 2007, Senator Clinton introduced the Iraq Troop Protection and Reduction Act to halt President Bush’s escalation policy and enable President Bush to end the war before he leaves office. Again, she challenged Bush on a matter close to the heart of every American. That is on record.

Hope starts here.

This election is about more than war, more than health care, more than affordable housing. Hillary Clinton knows it’s about other issues vital to the survival of every American, even the food we feed our children. In February 2008, Senator Clinton added her voice to those of Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) and several colleagues in a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees. This letter voiced support of the Farm Bill, which directs funds for the specialty crop industry, which comprises fifty percent of America’s cash crop receipts. She asked for full mandatory funding of programs that encourage healthy, better quality fruits and vegetables, and benefit conservation, trade and marketing. She supported projects that combat obesity and juvenile diabetes, and other programs crucial to agricultural communities across rural America. That is on record.

Hope starts here.

This election isn’t American Idol. It’s not reality TV. This election is not about which candidate oozes the most personality and charm, or who is the latest media darling. It’s not about being swept up in a flamboyant multimedia campaign that flashes a handsome face, winsome grin and inspiring rhetoric, but no solid, workable real world solutions, no outstanding knowledge and leadership in global issues, and no authority when it comes to taking a powerful stand for this country from day one.

Senator Hillary Clinton is one tough lady with a heart of gold. She is determined. She is passionate about America and its people. What other woman in the history of our nation made a stand for what she believed in and faced such rude, sexist, misogynistic name calling, slander and disrespect?

America, that is no way to treat a lady.

It is a sad testiment to a failed administration that Americans have been conditioned by the Bush regime to accept, even embrace, ignorance and mediocrity.

Point to ponder: Dumb and Dumber: Are Americans Hostile to Knowledge? By Patricia Cohen (published February 14, 2008, The New York Times.)

To quote Ms. Cohen: “Such, uh, lack of global awareness is the kind of thing that drives Susan Jacoby, author of The Age of American Unreason, up a wall. Ms. Jacoby is one of a number of writers with new books that bemoan the state of American culture. But now, Ms. Jacoby said, something different is happening: anti-intellectualism (the attitude that “too much learning can be a dangerous thing”) and anti-rationalism (“the idea that there is no such things as evidence or fact, just opinion”) have fused in a particularly insidious way. Not only are citizens ignorant about essential scientific, civic and cultural knowledge, she said, but they also don’t think it matters.” End-Quote.

Honorable Democrat Al Gore added his voice to this cause in his book, The Assault on Reason. New York Times literary critic Michiko Kakutani reviewed Gore’s book in her article: Al Gore Speaks of a Nation in Danger (The New York Times).

Kakutani says:
(quote) “Mr. Gore’s central argument is that “reason, logic and truth seem to play a sharply diminished role in the way America now makes important decisions” and that the country’s public discourse has become “less focused and clear, less reasoned.” This “assault on reason,” he suggests, is personified by the way the Bush White House operates. Echoing many reporters and former administration insiders, Mr. Gore says that the administration tends to ignore expert advice (be it on troop levels, global warming or the deficit), to circumvent the usual policy-making machinery of analysis and debate, and frequently to suppress or disdain the best evidence available on a given subject so it can promote predetermined, ideologically driven policies.” (end quote)

America, since when are on-the-job experience and credibility, global awareness, determination and intellect considered handicaps in a woman, or a presidential candidate?

Not only is Senator Clinton being openly disrespected for possessing these qualities; Clinton supporters are being trashed for exercising their freedom of choice. To slander even one Clinton supporter is to slander all Clinton supporters.

A cross section of Clinton supporters and endorsers includes (among many): The New York Times; Des Moines Register; New York Daily News; The Concord Monitor; American Federation of Teachers; The American Nurses Association (2.9 million reg. nurses); International Alliance Of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists And Allied Crafts Union; SEIU Locals 1199 And 32BJ; Office and Professional Employees International Union; Sheet Metal, Air Rail and Transportation Workers; American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (1.4 million members nationwide); International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers; Amalgamated Transit Union; United Transportation Union; numerous Governors, Congress-persons and Senators, including Sen. John Glenn; Rob Reiner; Quincy Jones; Ted Danson; Eva Longoria Parker; Mary Steenbergen; Jack Nicholson; Former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller; Barbra Streisand; author Anne Rice; Earvin "Magic" Johnson; Stephen Spielberg; Key Texas leaders Former U.S. Congressman and Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox, Former U.S. Congressman Jim Chapman and State Sen. Gonzalo Barrientos, an icon for the Hispanic community throughout Texas.

Some say she s not ready to answer that 3 am call. Try telling these American heros:

TESTIMONIALS: Former Admirals, Generals and Senior Defense Officials on Why They Support Hillary Clinton to be the Next Commander-in-Chief

http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=6298

Flag Officers Endorsing Hillary Clinton for President and Commander-in-Chief:
General Wesley Clark; General John M. Shalikashvili; General Henry Hugh Shelton; General Johnnie E. Wilson; Admiral William Owens; Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard; Lt. Gen. Robert Gard; Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy; Lt. Gen. Donald L. Kerrick; Lt. Gen. Frederick E. Vollrath; Vice Admiral Joseph A. Sestak; Major General Roger R. Blunt; Major General George A. Buskirk, Jr. ; Major General Edward L. Correa; Jr. Major General Paul D. Eaton Major General Paul D. Monroe. Jr.; Major General Antonio M. Taguba; Rear Admiral Connie Mariano; Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman; Rear Admiral David Stone; Brigadier General Michael Dunn; Brigadier General Belisario Flores; Brigadier General Evelyn "Pat" Foote; Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr; Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard; Brigadier General Preston Taylor; Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr. ; Brigadier General Jack Yeager.

Civil-rights leader Rep. John Lewis’s endorsement of Clinton over Obama dealt a blow to the Obama campaign.

Speaking of Clinton, Lewis said:
(quote) “I have looked at all the candidates, and I believe that Hillary Clinton is the best prepared to lead this country at a time when we are in desperate need of strong leadership. She will restore a greater sense of community in America, and reclaim our standing in the world.” (end quote)

Environmental activist and icon of one of the nation's most prominent political families, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Hillary saying:

(quote) "Hillary Clinton has the strength and experience to bring the war in Iraq to an end and reverse the potentially devastating effects of global warming," Kennedy said in a statement released by Clinton's campaign. "I watched proudly as Hillary won over New Yorkers across the state in her race for the Senate seat my father once held. Since then, she's been re-elected in a landslide victory and proven that she is ready to lead this nation from her first day in office. Hillary will inspire the real change America needs." (end quote)

Sharing her opinion of Hillary Clinton, African-American Poet and Author Maya Angelou, whose magnificent voice has risen for global causes countless times with dignity, grace, wisdom and brilliance, said:

(quote) "Each generation of African-Americans stands on the shoulders of those who came before. Today, the challenges facing us threaten the dreams we have had for our children. We need a president with the experience and strength to meet those challenges" (end quote)

At this time in our history when so many are lifting bowed heads and crying out for hope, Ms. Angelou’s quote in support of Hillary Clinton unites every American, black, brown, white, young, old, male or female.

Make history, America. Defend Hillary Clinton in her battle to restore the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Hope starts here.

NEVER SURRENDER, HILLARY!

The adventure has just begun.

Bravo, Senator Clinton. Stand tall. Hold your ground. When you win your battle for the White House, America wins.

This essay (c) 2008 by http://neversurrenderdorothy.blogspot.com/. Thank you.