Hillary Rodham Clinton Presidential Campaign
In December 2007, Clinton began campaigning in Iowa in support of her mother's bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. She appeared across the country, largely on college campuses. By early April 2008, she had spoken at 100 colleges on behalf of her mother's candidacy.
On the campaign trail, Chelsea answered audience questions but did not give interviews or respond to press questions, including one from a nine year old Scholastic News reporter asking whether her father would be a good "first man." She replied, ""I'm sorry, I don't talk to the press and that applies to you, unfortunately. Even though I think you're cute." Philippe Reines, her mother's press secretary, intervened when the press attempted to approach Chelsea directly.
When MSNBC reporter David Shuster characterized Chelsea's participation in her mother's campaign as "sort of being pimped out," the Clinton campaign objected. Shuster subsequently apologized on-air and was suspended for two weeks.
The first time a college student asked about her mother's handling of the Lewinsky scandal at a campaign stop she responded, "I do not think that is any of your business." But as she became a more experienced campaigner she refined her response and deflected questions on the issue with comments like "If that's what you want to vote on, that's what you should vote on. But I think there are other people going to vote on things like healthcare and economics."
On August 26 at the 2008 Democratic National Convention, Chelsea called Hillary "my hero and my mother" and introduced her with a long video tribute. After this appearance she returned to New York City and her private life.
Read more about this topic: Chelsea Clinton
Famous quotes containing the words hillary rodham clinton, presidential campaign, hillary rodham, hillary, rodham, clinton, presidential and/or campaign:
“I am surprised at the way people seem to perceive me, and sometimes I read stories and hear things about me and I go “ugh.” I wouldn’t like her either. It’s so unlike what I think I am or what my friends think I am.”
—Hillary Rodham Clinton (b. 1947)
“Because of these convictions, I made a personal decision in the 1964 Presidential campaign to make education a fundamental issue and to put it high on the nation’s agenda. I proposed to act on my belief that regardless of a family’s financial condition, education should be available to every child in the United States—as much education as he could absorb.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“[The health plan was] constructed to be deconstructed. [Instead,] it was described as an ultimatum by our opponents and therefore used to undermine the process of reaching agreement.”
—Hillary Rodham Clinton (b. 1947)
“What you don’t understand about this town is that they can fight about issues all they want, but they don’t really care about them. What they really care about is who they sit next to at dinner.”
—Anonymous “Prominent Woman,” Washington, DC, socialite. As quoted in The Agenda, ch. 20, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, to Bob Woodward (1994)
“You show people what you’re willing to fight for when you fight your friends.”
—Hillary Rodham Clinton (b. 1947)
“They may walk with a little less spring in their step, and the ranks are growing thinner, but let us never forget, when they were young, these men saved the world.”
—Bill Clinton (b. 1946)
“Because of these convictions, I made a personal decision in the 1964 Presidential campaign to make education a fundamental issue and to put it high on the nation’s agenda. I proposed to act on my belief that regardless of a family’s financial condition, education should be available to every child in the United States—as much education as he could absorb.”
—Lyndon Baines Johnson (1908–1973)
“Now, Mr. President, we don’t intend to trouble you during the campaign but after you are elected, then look out for us!”
—Susan B. Anthony (1820–1906)