Opinion
PRESIDENTIAL SWEEPSTAKES
This is the second installment of a series of commentaries in support of the active candidates.
Clinton's Warmth Stirs Resolve
Barbara Rom
Special Commentary
Detroit
S
enator Hillary Clinton is clearly
known hi Washington as a work-
er in the trenches — someone
who actually gets things done rather than
just speak about them. She has accom-
plished this by forming relationships with
others in the U.S. Senate,
including Republicans.
New Yorkers realize
this fact, even voters in
largely Republican areas
of New York. She has
been seasoned by eight
years in the White House
Hillary Clinton while her husband, Bill,
was president and seven
as a U.S. senator. Her
efforts include moving programs ahead
in transit, housing and hospitals, among
others.
Equally important, she conveys strength
in professional and personal matters. I had
the privilege of dining at her home with a
handful of people early last year.
Local leader Florine Mark and I were
most impressed with her vast knowledge
of so many issues, but also with her very
unhurried, warm and genuine approach
to each of us individually — not the usual
quick hello and handshake prevalent at
most political encounters. It is a difficult
line to walk for a professional woman —
to convey strength of resolve and purpose,
but at the same time not lose the human
touch. I believe it is the tender human
concern for each person that manifests in
the senator's strength and resolve to actu-
ally implement changes, not just expound
about them.
Command Of National Security
Sen. Clinton's service, for instance, on the
Senate Armed Services Committee dem-
onstrated clearly that she had command
of the complicated and intricate details of
national security. She earned the respect
of the military in doing so. This is the
kind of experience that will serve us well,
particularly as she begins a delicate and
careful disengagement from Iraq, not a
precipitous withdrawal.
Her global travels as First Lady pro-
moted direct connections that she can call
upon to further our international agenda.
She was the embodiment to the rest of the
world of the values we Americans cherish
most. She has already demonstrated her
ability to reach across the aisle — now she
can reach across the world.
Women's And HUman Rights
Never to be forgotten is her message that
women's rights are also human rights. In
the Philippines, Mongolia and Soweto,
thousands were eager to hear her message.
Now we have the chance to not only hear
her voice, but also give her the means to
make a difference at home and abroad.
This is the first time a woman candidate
is in the forefront of the nomination race.
She is qualified by talent, knowledge, skills
and experience to tackle national and
international issues.
As an example on the domestic front, a
New York Times columnist proclaimed that
Senator Clinton's universal health plan
would cover twice as many uninsured than
the proposal of Senator Barrack Obama,
D-Ill. — at only slightly higher overall
cost. Columnist Paul Krugman wrote, "One
plan achieves more or less universal cover-
age; the other, although it costs more than
80 percent as much, covers only about half
of those currently uninsured!'
This shows that having done her home-
work, Senator Clinton developed a work-
able plan that achieves universal cover-
age, and she has the best chance to get it
adopted. On this issue, and many others,
she will be the effective voice, commander
and leader that we need and deserve.
❑
Barbara Rom, partner-in-charge of the Detroit
office of Pepper Hamilton LLP, has more than
33 years of experience specializing in work-
outs, bankruptcy, insolvency matters and com-
mercial litigation. She achieved the coveted
Fellow of the American College of Bankruptcy
designation in 1996.
McCain Is Well Prepared To Lead
Joe Lieberman
Special Commentary
Washington/JTA
A
11 across the nation, the
American people are participat-
ing in a tightly contested elec-
tion that will help determine who will be
the next president.
We are also choosing our commander-
in-chief — the person whose No. 1 job
will be to defend our nation at a time of
war.
And have no doubt: We are at war.
Although much of this war unfolds in
the shadows, it remains deadly real. Every
day, in fact, our terrorist enemies are
working feverishly to strike at us and our
allies around the world, from the deserts
of Iraq to the mountains of Afghanistan
and — if given the chance — right here at
home in America.
An Able Commander - In - Chief
From the moment the next president steps
into the Oval Office, he or she will be con-
fronted with life-and-death decisions that
will make the difference between victory
and defeat in this war.
A42
February 14 • 2008
JN
That is why I believe we need a presi-
negativism and pettiness of our politics
dent who is ready to be commander-in-
to get things done for the country he loves
chief from day one — a president who
so much.
won't need on-the-job training.
McCain has quite literally dedicated his
And that is why I have decided to cross
life in service to America. He has fought
party lines to endorse U.S. Sen. John
in uniform on the front lines against
McCain for president.
America's enemies and has been tested
I know that it is unusual
under fire like no other candidate
for someone who is not a
in this race.
Republican to support a GOP
candidate for president. But the
Character, Leadership
dangers we face as a nation are
It is more than his unrivaled
too profound, and the challenges
experience that makes McCain
we face too real, for us to play
so qualified to become president,
partisan politics with the presi-
however. It is character and lead-
dency.
ership.
John Mc Cain
After all, the Islamist extrem-
Throughout his career, McCain
ists we are fighting in this war
has proven that we can trust him to
do not distinguish between Democrats
do what is right for our country, not only
and Republicans. They want to kill all of
when it is easy, but when it is hard — and
us, irrespective of our political differences, to do what is necessary, not only when it
because we are all Americans.
is popular, but when it means standing
I have worked with McCain on just
against the tide.
about every major national security issue
When others were silent, John had the
over the past 20 years — from stopping
courage and the conviction to sound the
the genocide in the Balkans to reducing
alarm about the mistakes we were making
our dependence on foreign oil, to creat-
in Iraq and to call for more troops and a
ing the 9-11 Commission and enacting
new strategy there.
its recommendations into law. I have seen
And when others wavered, and were
McCain, time and again, rise above the
ready to flee the field of battle, John had
the courage and the conviction to stand
against public opinion and fight for the
surge in Iraq — where at last today the
forces of Islamist extremism are on the
run and we are winning.
This is the kind of leadership we as a
nation desperately need in the years ahead
— and it is the kind of leadership that you
can expect when McCain is in the White
House.
There are many fine people running
for the presidency this year. But when it
comes to keeping America safe and solv-
ing our most important problems, I firmly
believe that McCain is the candidate who
has the experience, the strength and the
character to bring our country together
and lead us forward.
We need a president who is a proven
leader on national security matters and
someone who can reunite our country,
restore faith in our government and
rebuild confidence in America's future.
John McCain is just that person and I
would urge you to vote for him when you
go to the polls.
❑
Joe Lieberman is a U.S. senator from
Connecticut. He was the Democratic vice presi-
dential candidate in 2000 when Al Gore ran.