FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 6, 2008
EXCERPTS: Hillary Clinton Discusses What's at Stake for Women in the 2008 Election at 8th Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee Luncheon
The following are excerpts from Hillary Clinton’s remarks this afternoon to the 8th Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Committee Luncheon in New York, NY.
“I come today with a very clear, unequivocal message. We are facing extremely difficult times in New York and America. It will be challenging for our nation and our state to navigate through these unchartered waters. We will need leaders who will understand what it takes to reassert our economic stability, create new jobs while at the same time remembering those who are most likely to be left out and left behind.“I am absolutely positive with every fiber of my being that we must elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden to be our President and Vice President on November 4. “As a woman, as a lifelong advocate for women, children and families, as a New Yorker, as a Senator and as an American, this is not even a close choice. This must be approached with the same level of commitment and intensity that we have ever seen by any campaign and by any citizen movement. Because we cannot afford the same failed policies for the next four years that we have endured for the last eight years. “Especially for women, we have a lot riding on this election. Whether it is equal pay for equal work - something which I have fought for my entire life and during my time in the Senate. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is having control and choice over the most intimate and personal decisions in our lives. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is expanding Family and Medical Leave so that more people – men and women – can balance family and work in those difficult times when you’re under so much pressure. It needs to be expanded and protected. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is universal health care. Quality, affordable health care for every single American. Barack Obama is for it and John McCain is against it. “And whether it is a Supreme Court that will protect our rights and side with people who are disadvantaged who are disempowered or not. Barack Obama will appoint justices who will get back on the side of the constitution and our people and John McCain will not. “Clearly, in a time of such serious economic consequences we see the difference in the economic philosophies between Barack Obama and the Democrats, and John McCain and the Republicans. We have had nine straight months of job losses. Costs are going up for average families while wages are stagnant. We know women face economic challenges often first and more personally. Anxiety about paying for gas and groceries and retirement and paying for healthcare bills and keeping up with the mortgage. Small businesses are struggling today. Hardworking men and women are wondering what happened to them.”“Now, Eleanor Roosevelt is a good person to channel these days and to think through another time when Democrats again came to the rescue. It seems that Democrats are always rescuing America from profligate Republican policies. “To paraphrase one of my favorite Eleanor Roosevelt quotes: ‘a woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong she is until she’s in hot water.’ Well, the same is true for America. We’re in hot water. But we will with the right leadership show strength and resolve. We will roll up our sleeves and get to work. But the only way we will find our way forward is by electing a President and Vice President who understand what’s at stake, who share the values that America represents here at home and around the world that will come with solutions that work. “We need a fresh start, and the Obama-Biden Administration will provide that. America can rise again as we have before from the ashes of the Bushes. And get back on a confident and optimistic path into the future. “The biggest risk for America is four more years of the last eight years. It is the economy and the last thing I want and I hope you agree is to put mavericks in charge of the United States economy at this moment of need. Mavericks in Washington and on Wall Street got us into this mess. Let’s have some adult supervision again and pull ourselves out of it. “I have been all over this country on behalf of the Obama campaign - from Florida to Ohio to New Mexico to California with the same message: that it is time for us to unite. “Not just Democrats and Independents and even repented Republicans, who recognize the stakes of this election are too high for politics as usual. “As I have said many times, No way. No how. No McCain. No Palin. That is not the path that we need to be taking. This is a fight for our future and it is a fight we must win. I have done over 40 events for Barack Obama and at every one I see people moving toward us, making up their minds. “Barack and I may have started on different paths, but we are on the same journey now, and it is a journey to return Democratic leadership to the White House and to America at a time it is desperately needed. “I am hoping under Chuck Schumer’s leadership we will obtain a filibuster-proof Senate which I think is in the realm of the possible. Chuck and I were in LA Friday night raising money for these great Senate candidates we have across our country. I hope we return all of our Democratic incumbents in the House, which I suspect we will, and add to their numbers which I believe we can. “As November 4 approaches, more and more people will be making up their minds to get on the right side of history. The side with the America we believe in, the values we hold dear, that can-do spirit that is unafraid to look reality - no matter how harsh it is - in the face and determine that we can move forward. So I’m hoping that especially those of you who especially worked so hard for me will work as hard if not harder this next month on behalf of our Presidential ticket, Senate candidates and House candidates, and all of the candidates across New York.”
“I come today with a very clear, unequivocal message. We are facing extremely difficult times in New York and America. It will be challenging for our nation and our state to navigate through these unchartered waters. We will need leaders who will understand what it takes to reassert our economic stability, create new jobs while at the same time remembering those who are most likely to be left out and left behind.
“I am absolutely positive with every fiber of my being that we must elect Barack Obama and Joe Biden to be our President and Vice President on November 4. “As a woman, as a lifelong advocate for women, children and families, as a New Yorker, as a Senator and as an American, this is not even a close choice. This must be approached with the same level of commitment and intensity that we have ever seen by any campaign and by any citizen movement. Because we cannot afford the same failed policies for the next four years that we have endured for the last eight years. “Especially for women, we have a lot riding on this election. Whether it is equal pay for equal work - something which I have fought for my entire life and during my time in the Senate. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is having control and choice over the most intimate and personal decisions in our lives. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is expanding Family and Medical Leave so that more people – men and women – can balance family and work in those difficult times when you’re under so much pressure. It needs to be expanded and protected. Barack Obama is for it. John McCain is against it. “Whether it is universal health care. Quality, affordable health care for every single American. Barack Obama is for it and John McCain is against it. “And whether it is a Supreme Court that will protect our rights and side with people who are disadvantaged who are disempowered or not. Barack Obama will appoint justices who will get back on the side of the constitution and our people and John McCain will not. “Clearly, in a time of such serious economic consequences we see the difference in the economic philosophies between Barack Obama and the Democrats, and John McCain and the Republicans. We have had nine straight months of job losses. Costs are going up for average families while wages are stagnant. We know women face economic challenges often first and more personally. Anxiety about paying for gas and groceries and retirement and paying for healthcare bills and keeping up with the mortgage. Small businesses are struggling today. Hardworking men and women are wondering what happened to them.”
“Now, Eleanor Roosevelt is a good person to channel these days and to think through another time when Democrats again came to the rescue. It seems that Democrats are always rescuing America from profligate Republican policies. “To paraphrase one of my favorite Eleanor Roosevelt quotes: ‘a woman is like a teabag, you never know how strong she is until she’s in hot water.’ Well, the same is true for America. We’re in hot water. But we will with the right leadership show strength and resolve. We will roll up our sleeves and get to work. But the only way we will find our way forward is by electing a President and Vice President who understand what’s at stake, who share the values that America represents here at home and around the world that will come with solutions that work. “We need a fresh start, and the Obama-Biden Administration will provide that. America can rise again as we have before from the ashes of the Bushes. And get back on a confident and optimistic path into the future. “The biggest risk for America is four more years of the last eight years. It is the economy and the last thing I want and I hope you agree is to put mavericks in charge of the United States economy at this moment of need. Mavericks in Washington and on Wall Street got us into this mess. Let’s have some adult supervision again and pull ourselves out of it. “I have been all over this country on behalf of the Obama campaign - from Florida to Ohio to New Mexico to California with the same message: that it is time for us to unite.
“Not just Democrats and Independents and even repented Republicans, who recognize the stakes of this election are too high for politics as usual.
“As I have said many times, No way. No how. No McCain. No Palin. That is not the path that we need to be taking. This is a fight for our future and it is a fight we must win. I have done over 40 events for Barack Obama and at every one I see people moving toward us, making up their minds. “Barack and I may have started on different paths, but we are on the same journey now, and it is a journey to return Democratic leadership to the White House and to America at a time it is desperately needed. “I am hoping under Chuck Schumer’s leadership we will obtain a filibuster-proof Senate which I think is in the realm of the possible. Chuck and I were in LA Friday night raising money for these great Senate candidates we have across our country. I hope we return all of our Democratic incumbents in the House, which I suspect we will, and add to their numbers which I believe we can. “As November 4 approaches, more and more people will be making up their minds to get on the right side of history. The side with the America we believe in, the values we hold dear, that can-do spirit that is unafraid to look reality - no matter how harsh it is - in the face and determine that we can move forward. So I’m hoping that especially those of you who especially worked so hard for me will work as hard if not harder this next month on behalf of our Presidential ticket, Senate candidates and House candidates, and all of the candidates across New York.”
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