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| (Photo Source: Hillary Clinton Facebook) |
Guest Blog by Kathleen Kelley
Negative news coverage, Twitter feeds and Facebook posts about Hillary Clinton have been perplexing to watch and read. Hillary, who has the best chance at becoming our first female President, is a qualified, intelligent, experienced, determined, proven and compassionate leader. Yet those not ready for a woman President use words like "bitchy," "demon," "old," "witch" and "liar" to describe her. Having worked with Hillary and her agenda of programs in support of children and families since the early '90s, my first thought is: #ImWithHer.
Hillary's biography is available on Wikipedia, in one of the five books she has penned and in the numerous books about her. She is from a middle class, small business, intact Midwest family. She has always been competitive. She grew up in a time when the second wave feminism taught us that we could have it all: a career, a family and happiness. After Bill Clinton asked her to marry him, Hillary struggled with how to balance her career goals and maintain her identity while being a wife to such a dynamic man, and possible a future mother. We all struggled and continue to struggle with work-life balance--and, yes, we get a little "bitchy" when we are pigeonholed into one of these roles.
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Hillary has endured being critiqued for her fashion sense instead of focusing on her common sense. As First Lady, she got more coverage over a change of hairstyle than over her success with pushing for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). We all struggle with maintaining our feminine allure, but that struggle is heightened when public comments are about window dressings and not substance.
Presidents have given Hillary tough assignments because they know she will handle the process with intelligence and compassion. Many women in my era learned to multitask and juggle competing priorities. We (including Hillary) have gotten in over our heads but managed to do the job to the best of our ability. We are expert collaborators and do not let our ego get in the way of finding the appropriate support for projects. We connect the dots and use people in our lives to advance the community.
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Finally, Hillary has had her morals and principles challenged. She has chosen to "stand by her man" and to stand by her President. She is willing to consider alternative solutions. She will vet options thoroughly with the information at hand. But like everyone here on Earth, she is not perfect. She believes in a God that forgives and loves. Her belief gives her a moral compass and compassion for her family, her community and the world at large. Those charges of "lying" have been used against her to weaken her political power, yet she has confidently defended her positions.
I admire her honesty, stamina and energy to keep scaling walls placed in front of her toward her march to the White House. There is no one more qualified than Hillary Clinton to be the first female President of the United States of America. #ImWithHer
Follow Kathleen Kelley on Twitter @KathleenUKelley.
Follow Hillary In 2016 on Twitter: @HillaryIn2016.
