Hillary Clinton at the Regional Plan Association

Hillary delivered the keynote speech at the Regional Plan Association in New York this afternoon. She covered a range of topics from infrastructure through climate change. She spoke of her visit to Ground Zero on September 12, 2001 and how she and Chuck Schumer got GOP cooperation for recovery after the terror attack. She admitted that she likes policy while stressing that policy is only a first step that should lead to action.

The event was livestreamed on Facebook. If you missed it, you can catch it here. >>>>

Stop! Just stop telling Hillary Clinton what to do!

The stupidest thing people do is to tell others (especially those smarter than they) what they "should" do.
Case in point.

cnn.com

Why is Nigerian author Chimamanda upset with Hillary Clinton?

Munachim Amah and Bukola Adebayo, CNN

3-4 minutes

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Lagos, Nigeria (CNN)Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has ignited a debate about feminism and marriage following her conversation with Hillary Clinton at a literary event in New York.

The former US presidential candidate sat down to an interview with the novelist on Sunday after a lecture when Adichie asked about Clinton's twitter bio.

"In your Twitter account, the first word that describes you is wife. And then I think it's mom, and then it's grandmother," Adichie said at the PEN World Voices festival.
"And when I saw that, I have to confess that I felt just a little bit upset. And then I went and I looked at your husband's Twitter account, and the first word was not husband."

The novelist was referring to Bill Clinton's twitter bio which reads,

"Founder, Clinton Foundation and 42nd president of the United States."

Read more >>>>

You know what, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie? It is not your Twitter account. It is Hillary's. She gets to identify in any way she wishes, and you don't get to order her around.

Hillary Clinton is not a puppet. She is not a Democratic Party puppet, and she is not a feminist puppet.

She is her own person, experienced, sober, and wise.  She has the right to self-identify - as we all do.

Nothing irritates me more than people telling Hillary Clinton, who is brighter than most and has served longer and better than most, what she has to to.

No! She does not have to do what you want. She is not your slave.

She does not have to portray herself as you wish.

She is not your creation. This is not Westworld. You don't get to program her.

Hillary is proud to be a mom and grandma. Primary to those is being a wife.

Let Hillary be Hillary, and please stop pestering her about what you want her to be.

You don't own her.

Hillary Clinton Out and About

Sunday, Hillary attended the BeautyCon Festival at the Javits Center. For those who may have forgotten, that's the place with the glass ceiling where she was supposed to have announced that she had smashed it. The place where everyone was in tears on November 8, 2016. She is very strong to be able to go there.

Lucy Hale and Hillary Clinton attend Beautycon Festival NYC 2018 Beautycon Founder Moj Mahdara, Lucy Hale and Hillary Clinton
Hillary Clinton and Tyler Oakley


Tyler Oakley, Hillary Clinton and Beautycon Founder Moj Mahdara
Kandee Johnson and Hillary Clinton Beautycon Founder Moj Mahdara and Hillary Clinton
Creative Director & Co-Founder Beautycon Media Jonathon Burford (L) and Hillary Clinton

BeautyCon was not her only stop on Sunday. She delivered the 2018 Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture  at PEN America's World Voices Festival in the evening.

Clintons and Obamas Bid Farewell to Barbara Bush

Four former POTUSes in one tight shot.




It was solemn and joyful. There were tears, and there was laughter. The grandsons were pallbearers. The granddaughters read scripture with remarkable poise and composure though their grief was evident. There were three former first ladies along with Melania Trump. There were four former presidents, the eldest being her bereaved spouse who sported a special pair of socks in honor of her commitment to literacy promotion.



Jon Meacham, Jeb Bush, and Susan Garret Baker, wife of former Secretary of State James Baker and Barbara's good friend, all read eulogies.

Representatives of the Johnson and Nixon families were present. Media did not supply names but  Lynda Johnson Robb and Tricia Nixon Cox are my guesses as they are the usual representatives at formal occasions. Chelsea Clinton also attended.

It was a moment in history, non-partisan, unified, and respectful in honor of a former first lady with a quick wit, sharp tongue, and many friends and fans of every stripe.

It was a traditional Episcopal service with beautiful music chosen by Barbara Bush herself.
And thus Barbara Pierce Bush, originally of Rye, NY and a Texas transplant as were so many Navy wives after World War II, was sent to her eternal rest by those who loved her.

The Secret Service posted this. Her agents remained with her until her casket was in the ground.

Rest in Peace Tranquility. #barbarabushfuneral pic.twitter.com/nE8exQ29yO

— U.S. Secret Service (@SecretService) April 21, 2018

Rest in peace, Barbara Bush.



Our hearts go out to the Bush family, and particularly the former president, her spouse of 73 years, George H.W. Bush.

They were never going to cover Hillary's plans

I have no intention of buying or reading Amy Chozick's account of her 10 years following Hillary Clinton. I have my own 10 years archived here. The excerpt in yesterday's New York Times provides an interesting insight, for what that is worth, to how the campaign was covered in the media.

While it is perhaps laudable that Chozick takes some responsibility for the effect of reportage on the election outcome, she seems to have missed the most important fault. Emphasis below is mine. From the article:

“They were never going to let me be president.”

SNIP

She did a whole riff on making lists. “I have a plan for just about everything,” she said. “You know, maybe this is a woman thing. We make lists, right? I love making lists. And then I love crossing things off!”

SNIP

And they were The Times and me and all the other journalists who covered those stolen emails.

It was not only eternally and ever the emails or the failure to ascribe importance to the source (Wikileaks) of the leaked DNC and Podesta emails. It was the abdication of the primary duty of a campaign reporter: to inform the public of the plans.

Yes, Hillary did have a plan for just about everything. They were good plans. Unfortunately, like blueprints, plans are not especially sexy or exciting. That those plans got shunted off into dusty corners of office cubicles (Amy's and others') is, I would argue, the single most significant failure of reportage in the campaign.

As mea culpas go, meh. More a Greek apologia. Chozick writes, "She went through the motions." No! She did the homework! You dropped the ball. The ball was those plans.

Hillary Clinton, flanked by Bill Clinton, left, and Tim Kaine, giving her concession speech in Manhattan the day after Election Day in 2016. Credit Ruth Fremson/The New York Times.

Hillary Clinton Supports Alliance for Youth Action

It’s finally starting to feel like spring here in New York, and with that, a new generation of young people are getting ready to graduate from high school and college and head into the world. That world may look very different than the world my classmates at Wellesley and I entered many years ago, but the issues we’re facing -- issues of inequality and what feels like progress being undone -- aren’t really that different at all.
I have faith in this generation, though. Young people aren’t waiting to be invited to join the conversation anymore. They’re using their platforms to start critical conversations online and off. They’re taking the plunge and running for office themselves. They’re leading the largest march against gun violence our country has ever seen.
The Alliance for Youth Action, another one of the groups that Onward Together is proud to support, is committed to harnessing the power of young people across the country. Take a moment to read more about some of the incredible things that young organizers have accomplished through the Alliance for Youth Action today -- and we’ll talk again soon.
Onward!
Hillary

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Onward Together works to build a brighter future for generations to come by supporting groups that encourage people to organize in their communities or run for office. Because you're an important part of Onward Together, we wanted you to get a chance to know these groups a little bit better. To learn more about Onward Together, click here.
The organization: Alliance for Youth Action
The organizers: Sarah Audelo, Executive Director
The mission: To support and scale the work of local organizations, building a movement of young people, by young people, and for all people.
The story: The Alliance for Youth Action was founded as the Bus Federation, named for the famed bus trips taken to knock doors for progressive causes largely in the pacific northwest. As they pivoted into winning national issue campaigns and supporting locally rooted youth organizing everywhere, they became the Alliance for Youth Action -- and the rest is history. The Alliance for Youth Action has been critical in winning LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinances in some of America’s most conservative states, leading young voter engagement efforts in key races up and down the ballot, piloting new policy ideas to improve our democracy like Automatic Voter Registration, and so much more.
The latest: Wherever young people are doing good work in the progressive movement, the Alliance for Youth Action is likely to be found. #TurnUpTurnOut, their electoral engagement plan for 2018 includes registering thousands of young voters, pushing candidates on the issues young people care about most, and driving young voters to the polls via festive and fun tactics alongside more than 20 youth-led organizations in their network. They also produce the American Voter Guide, a handy reference that explains issues and candidates in a way that really makes sense and will be partnering with some of the biggest shops across the country to get these guides in the hands of potentially millions of young voters.
The next step: Head to allianceforyouthaction.org to learn more right now and get involved in an issue campaign that you care about.

Statement from Bill and Hillary Clinton on the Passing of Barbara Bush

Tuesday

Apr 17

2018

Statement from President Clinton and Secretary Clinton on the Passing of Barbara Bush

New York, NY

Statement

Barbara Bush was a remarkable woman. She had grit and grace, brains and beauty. She was fierce and feisty in support of her family and friends, her country and her causes. She showed us what an honest, vibrant, full life looks like. Hillary and I mourn her passing and bless her memory.
We will never forget the courtesy and kindness she and President Bush showed us, starting when I was governor in 1983. I’ll always treasure my summer visits to Kennebunkport. Barbara joked that George and I spent so much time together I had become almost a member of the family, the “black sheep” that had gone astray.

Our hearts and prayers go out to President Bush; to George, Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and to the entire Bush family she loved so much. We know that through them her remarkable strength, warmth and wit, and her devotion to our country will live on.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bush family, especially with the former president who lost his love of more than three-quarters of a century. That's some track record!
She was a Westchester girl, from Rye, NY, a young Navy wife during World War II, and her nickname in the family was "The Enforcer."  She spoke her mind. She hoped Sarah Palin would remain in Alaska, and when her son Jeb ran for president, she said the country had had enough Bushes. There were other talented people out there. She and H.W. (41) unofficially adopted Bill Clinton.
Now she is with her beloved daughter Robin, and I am certain Millie ran to greet her all wagging tail and wiggles.

Hillary Clinton at the Women in the World Summit 2018

Hillary led a panel discussion today. Look for her around the 2 hour 20 minute mark.

Hillary Clinton at the Ida's Legacy Fundraiser Luncheon In Chicago

Hillary was the keynote speaker at this event today where she was honored with their award for carrying on the legacy of  Ida B. Wells for whom the PAC is named. The committee works to assist progressive female African-American political candidates.

chicago.suntimes.com

Hillary Clinton warns Chicagoans of ‘war on truth,' celebration of ‘racist and white supremacist views’ in Trump White House, media

Hillary Clinton gives the keynote address at Ida B. Wells Legacy Committee’'s First Luncheon Fundraiser, Thursday, April 12. | Erin Brown/Sun-Times

Tina Sfondeles @TinaSfon | email

6-7 minutes

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Hillary Rodham Clinton didn’t pull any punches on Thursday, telling a Chicago audience that in America today “truth, facts and reason” are under siege and “racist and white supremacist views” are finding an ear in the media and the White House.
Clinton returned to her hometown to both receive an award and help raise money for a political action committee aimed at bolstering African-American women in politics — and to blast what she called the country’s “challenging times” in light of Donald Trump’s presidency.
“We are living in challenging times. We’re living through a war on truth, facts and reason, watching as racist and white supremacist views are lifted up in the media and in the White House. But despite it all, there are signs of hope and resilience and much of that is being led and shaped by black women like my dear friend [Congresswoman] Maxine Waters,” Clinton told hundreds at the Sheraton in Chicago.
Clinton’s visit is a big nod to a group of voters who were some of her biggest and most unwavering supporters. She last visited Chicago during a book tour last year. The Chicago native, former presidential candidate, first lady and secretary of state, spoke at the Ida B. Wells Legacy Luncheon.
Clinton stressed the importance of black women and their power to instill change: “Black women are not only the base of the Democratic party. You are essential to democracy.”

SNIP
Clinton became the first recipient of the new PAC’s award for carrying on the legacy of Wells.
She was handed the award alongside former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun and former state Sen. Alice Palmer. Cook County Clerk David Orr, Cook County Commissioner and congressional candidate Jesus “Chuy” Garcia and Chicago Police Board President Lori Lightfoot were in attendance.

Read more >>>>

Hillary Clinton Celebrates Betty Ford's Centennial

woodtv.com

Betty Ford celebrated at centennial event

Rick Albin

5-6 minutes

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GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A celebration of First Lady Betty Ford's centennial birthday brought out big names and big crowds to Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park near Grand Rapids Wednesday.
Former First Lady, U.S. Sen., Secretary of State and Democratic nominee for president Hillary Clinton was among the people who joined in praise of Ford.
The celebration was also a testimony the positions Ford took, which many see as groundbreaking.
"In my opinion, (Ford) was one of the most transformational Americans in the last half of the 20th century. I didn't say first ladies, I said Americans," Clinton said.
Read more >>>>

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mlive.com

Hillary Clinton: America needs people with 'bedrock values,' like Betty Ford

Updated April 11, 2018 at 4:01 PM;

5-6 minutes

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- Former first lady, secretary of state and 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton brought a message of cooperation to Michigan this week.
Talking about a recent conversation with Mike Pompeo, President Donald Trump's nominee to replace Rex Tillerson as secretary of state, Clinton said she was happy to talk to Pompeo despite the fact he once, as a congressman, called her "morally reprehensible" in connection with the deadly 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya.
"I think we've got to get back to talking to each other and more importantly listening to each other," Clinton said. "We can't allow the partisanship and politicization of everything to interfere with our national interests."
Clinton was a featured guest for a special event honoring the legacy of first lady Betty Ford held at Frederick Meijer Gardens Wednesday, April 11.
Read more >>>>

Hillary Clinton's Guardian Op-Ed on the Brexit Danger to the Good Friday Agreement

theguardian.com

 

Don’t let Brexit undermine Ireland’s peace | Hillary Clinton | Opinion

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="620"] ‘The principles of the Belfast agreement are more important than ever.’ Stormont. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images[/caption]

Hillary Clinton

6-8 minutes

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Twenty years ago, the Good Friday/Belfast agreement helped bring an end to decades of conflict and violence in Northern Ireland. It was a watershed moment – the result of diplomatic efforts within the halls of government and extraordinary actions of ordinary women and men who reached across longstanding and bitter divides.
Today, the agreement stands not only as a local framework for shared understanding, but as a shining example of what’s possible when citizens come together to demand peace, and preserve it across generations. As the world celebrates this significant anniversary, we must also remain vigilant in protecting the agreement in the face of our current challenges – from the uncertainties heralded by Brexit to the hurdles posed by the impasse in devolved government in Northern Ireland – and do all we can to deliver on the unrealised aspirations of human rights and equality that were espoused that day in April 1998.
Even now, I can picture clearly my husband’s first trip to Northern Ireland as president. On a cold winter night in 1995, Bill and I joined thousands of people at Belfast city hall for the lighting of the Christmas tree. As Catholics and Protestants alike came to that spot from their deeply divided neighbourhoods, there was no guarantee that violence wouldn’t break out; yet they came with a sense of hope, after so many seasons of darkness.
Read more >>>>

THANK YOU HILLARY: LGBT Equality

WOW! This April marks 5 years since Hillary Clinton PUBLICLY announced her support for Marriage Equality:

We want to thank her for her advocacy for LGBT people, and fighting for Marriage Equality until it PASSED. YES!!

That’s why we’ve made a card to THANK her for her tireless support of the LGBT community -- but it’s not complete without YOUR signature!

SIGN TO THANK HILLARY →

We are SO lucky to have progressive leaders like Hillary who stand up for LGBT rights. She is truly the best.

We hope you’ll sign her card so that we can give it to her on April 28!!

SIGN HILLARY’S CARD →

https://go.fightforequality.org/Hillary-Marriage-Equality

Thanks for signing your name,
Equality PAC