The February 26, 2008 Democratic Presidential Debate at Cleveland
State University was the most important and exciting presidential
debate in the history of the United States: One woman, Senator Hillary
Clinton, representing the female gender versus one African American,
Senator Barak Obama, representing the minorities. I am sure all
Cleveland area residents and especially CSU faculty and students were
bubbling with excitement over the evening debate at Wolstein Center.
The Debate was sponsored by MSNBC and moderated by Brian Williams, the
anchor of “NBC Nightly News, and Tim Russert, the NBC News’ Washington
Bureau Chief and the host of NBC “Meet the Press.”
Cleveland China Town is just around the corner from
where the debate took place. Being a Chinese American woman and a U.S.
citizen, it was an honor to be in the audience at the debate. Mrs.
Anne Pu, the ECJ publisher, and I were fortunate to get the front seat
to watch the debate on the stage closely and take good pictures. The
Wolstein Center was filled with people from all walks of life: famous
movie actors and actresses, Governor Ted Strickland, Cleveland Mayor
Frank Jackson, Dr. Michael Schwartz, President of CSU and many
students and faculty. It was an in-depth and good debate. Both Senator
Clinton and Senator Obama are eloquent and forceful in presenting
their points of view. The debate centered around the issues of health
care, trade, their own campaign tactics, war on Iraq and foreign
policy.
The first 16 minutes was spent debating over the health care plan for
the nation. Both candidates propose universal health coverage to be
made available for everybody. On many aspects, their plans are
similar. But Senator Clinton's plan requires everyone to enroll where
as Obama’s plan does not - only children are required to enroll. He
has not clearly indicated how everyone would be motivated to enroll.
Mrs. Clinton objected to Obama’s accusation that she would force
people to have health care coverage whether they can afford it or not.
Clinton said her proposal would not force low-income Americans into
poverty by compelling them to pay for full health care coverage.
Instead it will include surplus funding to subsidize coverage for
families that could not afford it.
On the delicate trade issue for the Ohioan, both stated that
they would renegotiate NAFTA, the free trade agreement between the
U.S., Canada and Mexico. Neither said that they were ready to withdraw
from the trade agreements. Senator Clinton said she would make sure
that there would be core labor safety and environmental standards in
the agreement and it would be enforceable. Senator Clinton pointed out
that the Cleveland Plain Dealer examined Senator Obama's attacks on
her regarding NAFTA and found they were erroneous.
The 2008 Presidential Election is getting closer. It is very
important for every citizen to participate in this important event.
Doesn’t matter whether you are Asian, Latino, African American, Native
American or Caucasian, we all are united. Each can make his or her own
choice to elect the best next president to lead our great country. |
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小知識
現在世界有21位女性當過總統(代總統除外),至今還有7位在任。就任時年紀最輕者39歲,最老者達79歲
世界第一位女總統是阿根廷的伊莎貝爾.貝隆夫人,1974年7月1日至1976年3月24日在任,就職時43歲。
亞洲第一位女總統是菲律賓的科拉松?阿基諾夫人,1986年2月25日至1992年6月30日在任,當選時53歲。
北美第一位女總統是海地的艾爾塔.帕斯卡爾?特魯洛夫人,1990年3月13日至1991年2月7日在任,就任時47歲。
東歐的第一位女總統是前東德的薩賓娜.伯格曼?普爾夫人,1990年4月5日至10月2日在任,當選時44歲。
愛爾蘭第一位女總統瑪麗.羅賓遜夫人,1990年12月3日至1997年9月12日在任,當選時46歲。
圭亞那第一位女總統珍妮特.賈根夫人,1997年12月19日至1999年8月11日在任,當選時77歲,爲年齡最大的女總統。
進入21世紀的第一位女總統是菲律賓的格羅麗亞.馬卡帕加爾-阿羅約夫人,2001年1月20日至今在任,就職時53歲。
印尼第一位女總統梅加瓦蒂.蘇加諾普特麗,2001年7月23日至今在任,就職時54歲。
希拉里還能不能再進白宮?
希拉里于1947年出生於美國伊利諾伊州,從小就表現出爭強好勝的一面。15歲時,希拉里就對政治産生了濃厚的興趣,她常常在下課後與幾個要好的同學,討論時政問題或組織模擬政府進行裁決。
從耶魯大學畢業時,她是當時27名女生中的佼佼者。1975年,已是全美百佳律師的希拉里,放棄了在華盛頓的律師工作,來到阿肯色州嫁給了大學同窗克林頓。有人説,希拉里的愛情觀極爲現實,那就是抓住了克林頓,就抓住了希望,魅力、才幹超凡的克林頓是她上昇的基石。
克林頓競選總統時,希拉里一改女強人的形象,換上長裙,剪掉劉海。希拉里讓人們看到了一個女強人甘願爲政治而做出的改變。不過,在克林頓擔任總統期間,希拉里並沒有扮演傳統意義上的第一夫人,她參與、從事了大量社會活動,先後出訪過50個國家。
1999年,當克林頓與萊溫斯基的性醜聞仍然是人們津津樂道的話題時,希拉里宣佈要競選紐約州參議員。2000年11月,克林頓卸任總統之前的兩個月,她成功當選參議員,並成爲美國歷史上首位成功競選公職的第一夫人。
6年間,希拉里憑藉自己非凡的政治才能和孜孜不倦的工作,在被稱爲“老男孩俱樂部”的參議院里站穩了腳跟,贏得了尊重。因此在2006年的中期選舉中,輕鬆擊敗對手獲得了紐約州參議員的連任。
2007年1月20日,正式宣佈將參加2008年的美國總統大選。如故她被選上總統,她將是美國歷史上第一個女總統。 |
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