Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Chelsea Clinton Presents Dad with Father of the Year Award

Chelsea Clinton presented her dad with the Father of the Year Award yesterday, and he recounted a sweet story about the night she was born.

Named 'Father of the Year,' Bill Clinton Recounts Chelsea's Birth Story 

June 11, 2013 
By 
(Getty Images)

In his acceptance speech, Clinton also recounted a touching story about Chelsea’s birthday in 1980. “On the night she was born, I came home from Washington, D.C., from a governors’ conference. And Hillary’s water broke 15 minutes later,” he said. Upon arriving at the hospital, the Clintons were told that the baby was in a breech position and would have to be delivered via Cesarean section—and that fathers weren’t allowed in the operating room, he said.

The former president, who was the governor of Arkansas at the time, said he protested to the hospital staff. “If you send her into that room without me, I think you’re making a big mistake … I want to see my daughter born,” he recounted saying. Eventually, the doctors relented, he said. “They let me go in and hold Hillary’s hand. I saw Chelsea come out, and it changed the hospital’s policy on letting fathers into the delivery room when surgery was required. And from that day to this, I have believed without the shadow of a doubt that it was the greatest thing that ever happened to me.”

Held her hand. So protective. He always must have that physical connection with her.