What I Learned from Hillary Clinton

This article is not about who I'm supporting in the 2008 Presidential race. But it is an observation of Hillary Clinton and what I, as a woman, have learned from her.

I may not know what Hillary Clinton really stands for other than what she speaks on the campaign trail. What is a campaign promise and what it is she can really deliver, I don't know. In fact, I don't even know if she's speaking to me-so much of the criticism has been that she's speaking to Latinos and disadvantaged single mothers. I'm neither.

I may agree that Hillary is looking to the past at her accomplishments and not saying enough about what she will and can do in the future. I may also agree that she's spending too much time criticizing her competition; although I do think that what she and Obama are both saying sound awfully similar. When I listen to Obama, I realize I've already heard the same message from Hillary. But I like how Hillary is delivering the message better.

Hillary has impressed me with who she is and she just happens to be a woman-a woman I could embrace as a role model. Because, as a woman, I'm watching Hillary, and I'm taking notes.

What I've learned from watching Hillary Clinton is that she is strong, powerful, woman. She is willing to stand up for what she believes in and she speaks her mind. She's been criticized that she's targeting people not of her station, but, if so, she finds a way to relate to them, making herself available to them. She has spunk and she's willing to show it. When critics introduced what Bill Clinton has said or done, expecting her to answer for his actions, her feisty response was, "Bill isn't running for President--I am." That impresses me. She's a woman with attitude. And I like that.

But no wonder. In reading about Hillary I learn that her mother was raised by a strict grandmother who never knew love until she looked outside her family. Because of that, Hillary became a believer in a fierce sense of justice with a belief that no child should be mistreated, and that every child deserves to be loved. I agree with that.

Her beliefs led to a life of service to the underprivileged and families in general. Besides child abuse issues, she has spoken up for other women's issues such as sexual harassment, equal pay, and the degradation and abuse of women. She's even famous for saying that "women's rights are human rights." I also agree that. Why are we so segregated into genders?

Realizing I need to do more research to find out what else Hillary stands for, I discover that while many issues are "right on" with what I believe, I don't agree with everything she says. Will she make the best president? I'm undecided when it comes to any of the candidates. But I do know one thing-she is a powerful role model for women today. And that's what I learned by watching Hillary Clinton.