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Hillary Clinton's impact on, future in Democratic party is great

BY JEHMU GREENE | Jehmu Greene, former president of Rock the Vote, is political director of WomenCount.org.

August 24, 2008

You either love her or you hate her. That is the sentiment that wise men and women of political punditry wanted voters to believe about Sen. Hillary Clinton going in to the 2008 presidential cycle.

But after 18 million votes, 1,906 delegates, and a new generation of women finding their political voice for the first time, there's only one truth about Sen. Clinton that no one can dispute - she is a fighter. And she will continue to fight for New York.

As we head into the Democratic National Convention, which starts Monday in Denver, pundits are now asking, what is Clinton's endgame? What will be her legacy? What future does she have within a reshaped Democratic Party?

I can only wonder where these folks have been for the past three decades. The answers they seek are not hidden in some secret playbook shared only by Sen. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton. Her legacy is embedded in the seeds she planted at the Children's Defense Fund. They sprouted while she served as the youngest National Chair of Legal Aid, and were nurtured when she was first lady of Arkansas, as she championed early-education programs for low-income families. Her roots were grounded as she did time as first lady of our country and marshaled in the Children's Health Insurance Program.

When she was elected as the junior U.S. senator from New York, her branches reached across the aisle to work with proponents of her husband's impeachment, delivering health care for our national guardsmen as well as expanding access to care for those impacted by 9/11.

And in the longest primary season to date, Clinton's limbs soared to unprecedented heights as she became the first woman to win a state primary as well as the candidate who by some counts received the highest number of votes - ever - in a presidential primary.

At the end of some long days on the campaign trail, and after a barrage of senseless comments in the media about pantsuits or cackling, I admit that there were brief moments when, as a surrogate for Clinton, I felt beat down. But all I needed for inspiration was to ask myself, "What would Hillary do?" She would get up to fight another day.

When masses of African-American voters took the bait and tried to rewrite the accomplishments of a woman who has spent the majority of her adult life delivering meaningful programs to single black mothers, Clinton continued to fight to help black families. When politicians she had helped elect and lifelong friends turned their backs on her, she kept fighting.

Being attacked didn't faze her, because she has always been laser-focused on the bigger picture: making a difference. And now that this chapter in her career is passing, Clinton will resume her role as the junior U.S. senator from New York. She will return to the Senate chambers, where she will continue making a difference.

Contrary to the latest buzz, Clinton doesn't have to reinvent herself. She isn't Madonna. With many milestones left to come, the final page of her legacy hasn't yet been written. But the primary campaign did add several new pages to her already long, storied resume.

Because Senator Clinton is a fighter, state Democratic Parties raised more money and built up their grassroots organizations earlier than ever before. Because she refused to give in until every state had its say, Democratic voters in places that hadn't received visits from a single primary candidate in 20, 30 and sometimes 40 years, were given the opportunity to cast a meaningful ballot.

Because of Clinton, the Democratic Party now knows that its nomination process has to go through a major overhaul, to open our doors to veterans, shift workers and the elderly, who have traditionally been discriminated against through exclusionary caucuses.

Because Clinton endured vile comments that have never been leveled at other presidential candidates, Democratic leaders will include language in the National Platform to stop the silence on sexism.

Because Clinton ran such a close race, my niece, and every other baby girl in America, can now dream about being president one day. Because "Hillary" inspired them, women who never participated in politics have been activated. Her legacy? A new playing field in Democratic politics.

Clinton showed that she could tough it out in one of the closest primary elections ever. Then, while still bloodied and bruised, she immediately turned her focus to electing her opponent. Her legacy? New rules for when you lose a primary race: honor and grace.

Clinton has more than earned a prime-time speaking role at the convention and the right for her name to be placed on the roll call vote.

This week, some of her supporters will march and protest in Denver. Others will celebrate a new political movement for women. Those of us who joined her cause - those of us who traveled state-to-state and those who could only get to the polls to pull the lever for her - we will continue to fight for her causes.

How could we not? We learned from the master.

When Sen. Clinton takes the stage at the convention Tuesday night, there may be a few crabs still stuck in their barrels, trying to find everything wrong with what she says and wears.

But the majority of people - Democrats and now even some Republicans - will tune in to watch the woman they have come to either like or love. She'll call on her delegates to throw their support behind our nominee. Most will listen.