Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton the eldest daughter of Dorothy and Hugh Rodham, was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 1947. Hillary’s brother Hugh was born in 1950, and Tony, followed in 1954.
Hillary Rodham was brought up in a happy disciplined home in Park Ridge, Illinois, where she was encouraged to study hard. She was a keen sports enthusiast and was also heavily involved in her local Methodist Church.
Early Drive
On graduating from High School, Hillary Rodham, entered Wellesley College, where she excelled in her studies, and was a member of the school government. On her graduation, she said ‘The challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible, possible‘.
During her summer holidays, Hillary Rodham, worked at various jobs. One of these summer jobs was in 1971, when she got her first taste of Washington, D.C. working on Senator Walter Mondale’s committee on migrant workers.
She then went on to study at Yale Law School. There she served on the Board of Editors. It was at Yale, that she met future President, Bill Clinton. She graduated with honours from Yale in 1973.
Married Life
Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton married on October 11, 1975, and moved to live in Little Rock, Arkansas. That same year she joined the faculty of the University Of Arkansas Law School. In 1978, Bill Clinton became Governor of Arkansas, and Hillary became the First Lady of Arkansas but lost her position in 1981, when Bill Clinton failed to be re-elected.
Nevertheless, she regained her title in 1983 when he was elected Governor once more and held it until 1992. Meanwhile in 1980, their daughter, Chelsea, was born.
She was twice named as one of the top 100 powerful lawyers in America by The National Law Journal.
1992 Presidential Election
During the 1992 Clinton Presidential Campaign, Hillary Clinton, was a tremendous positive source of strength to her husband. When Bill Clinton was elected President he appointed her to head the Task Force on National Health Reform. However, an initiative, the ‘Clinton Health Care Plan’, failed to win the approval of the U.S. Congress in 1993 and was abandoned, in September, 1994.
Bill’s Sex Scandal
In 1998, the Monica Lewinsky sex scandal broke. Though publicly Hillary Clinton supported her husband, it’s understood that privately, she was considering leaving him. President Clinton was impeached but the U.S. Senate failed to convict and he remained in office.
U.S. Senate
Hillary Clinton then set her sights on the U.S. Senate. The seat from New York was held by Daniel Patrick Moynihan, who was retiring after four terms. Hillary Clinton beat off stiff competition from popular Republican Rick Lazio to win by a margin of 55% to 43%.
This was the first time a wife of a former President had ever sought and won a national office position. She was also the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate from New York. In November, 2006, she was re-elected to the post.
Hillary For President
In 2007, Hillary Clinton, decided to throw her hat into the ring and again attempt to make history by becoming the first female President. However, she conceded her nomination to Barack Obama, who held the majority of the delegate vote.
Obama went on to win the Presidential election, making him the first black President of the United States. He nominated Hillary Clinton to become Secretary of State. She was officially approved by the senate on January 21, 2009.
Further Reading
Check out Yellow Magpie’s Hillary Clinton Quotes: Thoughts From America’s Most Famous Female Politician for insight into Hillary Clinton’s opinions and Barack Obama: New Leader Filling The Void.
A Woman in Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton written by Carl Bernstein is a fascinating account of Hillary Clinton’s upbringing and the influence her stern and humourless father Hugh Rodham brought to bear on his daughter.
Amazon.co.uk
For people living in Ireland or the United Kingdom, you can access A Woman In Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton here.
Amazon.ca
For those who live in Canada, you can obtain A Woman In Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton here.
Amazon.de
For Germany: A Woman In Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Amazon.fr
For France: A Woman In Charge: The Life of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Early Drive
Married Life
1992 Presidential Election
Bill’s Sex Scandal
U.S. Senate
Hilliary For President
Further Reading
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