Encomium on Hillary Clinton in Recent History,

Encomium on Hillary Clinton

In recent history, no other First Lady has engendered as much admiration and criticism as Hillary Rodham Clinton. While her immediate predecessors were content to wield their influence indirectly or to busy themselves with uncontroversial social projects, Clinton follows in the footsteps of their earlier counterparts. Indeed, Clinton has much more in common with first ladies like Abigail Adams, Dolly Madison and the outspoken Eleanor Roosevelt.

Unlike First Ladies like Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan, Clinton always had an interest in public service. In fact, it may even surprise many of her critics to find that Clinton started her political career as a Republican. She evidenced leadership skills early, even participating as a teenager in Republican-led efforts to prove that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley stole the election from Richard Nixon through "creative vote counting." At Wellesley College, she also served as president the Young Republicans Club and even worked on Nelson Rockefeller's presidential campaign.

For many critics, Clinton's political switch is an early indicator of her opportunism. This has given rise to charges that she is an opportunist, one who sways with the political winds and who therefore lacks a key leadership trait - integrity. She has also been criticized for overstepping her role as First Lady, first in Arkansas and later, on the national stage.

Furthermore, throughout her career, Clinton has made remarks that have been taken as insults by many less liberal women, particularly in southern states. Finally, she has also been vilified for running as a representative of New York, rather than in her hometown of Chicago or in her adopted state of Arkansas.

However, in explaining her conversion to the Democratic Party, Clinton remarked, "I didn't leave the Republican Party as much as it left me." In her book Living History, Clinton recalls being dismayed over the Republican Party's rightward drift. She was further disillusioned with her former party's stand during the Vietnam War.

By the early 1970s, Clinton found her party membership at odds with her strong commitment to individual rights. It was during this time that she made the decision to break with her old leanings, a decision she clearly did not take lightly.

Rather than a decision of convenience, the political shift was precipitated by her own disagreement with her old party's stand, a sign that she is already an astute political analyst who was willing to stand up for her decisions and principles. It is an early indication of her move from a mere party follower to a person who could lead.

And lead she did.

Clinton had never been one to conform to other people's preconceived notions, a fact that often got her into trouble.

Clinton drew much fire, for example, when she kept her maiden name of Rodham, a fact that many traditionalists in Arkansas looked upon unfavorably. When she finally did take the name of Clinton, detractors found fault again, saying she changed her name for purposes of "image."

She had drawn much fire when she took on the question of universal healthcare, a task for which she was eminently qualified. However, her strong personality worked against her.