Friday, December 7, 2001

Cohen: Where is Sen. Clinton when we need her?

An open letter to Sen. Clinton:

Wherefore art thou, Hillary Clinton? Oh ye of the great concern for stumbling upstate economies? Oh ye of ample solutions?

Back when we lived in your favorite stumping grounds, things seemed so hopeful for us. But that was thousands of jobs ago, an era that seems as distant now as the Pleistocene.

You came, you saw and -- against all odds -- you conquered our hearts and won our votes in Broome County. You did this because we believed in you and your clever pamphlet on growing our economy. You said you understood our pain.

Sweet, convincing words.

Alas, in these hard times, Senator Clinton, you are rarely around with your soothing words, plans for recovery or pamphlets to assuage our wounds.

The word is you have been keep busy understanding the pain of Afghan women, these days. This is a noble cause indeed, as well as a far more popular and newsworthy pain to share than our backwater woes.

Last week you had full day meetings on the needs of Afghan women. You heard stories; you made grand announcements: Afghan women must be fully represented in their government. Their civil rights must be upheld.

Well, nobody would argue with that. It is a position that can only be admired, a use of time that will only win you praise. "Champion of Afghan women" is a descriptive clause anyone would covet.

But Senator Clinton, the place you were elected to represent was not Kabul, but New York. Us. Here. And we've got troubles.

No, they may not rank with those of Afghan women. Yet they are the ones you are paid to care about. We voted you into office to help us out here and things have disintegrated considerably since then.

It is interesting how so few people cared about the women of Afghanistan until Sept. 11, when terrorists whose leader was based in their country struck against us. Their horrific plight was non-news, even a sort of anti-news. Now they are the cause celebre' du jour. The president's wife, a woman whose husband once said only Christians can go to heaven -- is now their staunch advocate. If Laura Bush cares, I guess you have to make it clear that you care, too.

Nobody is disputing, Senator, the true horror of the plight of these women. But there is a question about the sincerity of a politician who only becomes interested in that plight when it guarantees a sound bite, when it is hip to care.

It isn't hip to care about us. Broome/Tioga and Chenango counties and our new jobless 400, well, perhaps we don't make for high ratings. But our suffering, Senator, I assure you, is real.

We do not wear burqas, and yes, our women are allowed to work. But we need the jobs to go to -- and that is becoming a problem as good jobs evaporate from our region.

We know that you are intelligent and strategic. You came here and spoke our language and sounded like you cared. You said you would address our needs in legislation that could aid us.

Was all this artifice? Just politic posturing to nab our votes and move on down to the prime time Manhattan office where now you reign? Was it true when they said you were just preening for a presidential run in 2004?

As this Christmas season unfolds, we look around us in the Southern Tier. We see a beautiful place with an increasing number of empty store fronts, shrinking industries, businesses in danger of collapsing. We see need.

What we do not see is you.

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2001

Answers

Obviously they don't know what's good for them. they should be rejoicing that she is not around.

Unless they feel the need to boo something and there's no roadkill around...

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2001

They ask ...Where is Hillary when you need her ??? WHO NEEDS HER ??!!!!!

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2001

seemed like the best thread to put this on...LOL

-- Anonymous, December 08, 2001

Barefoot, are you comparing Hillary to a dirty old sock? Hard, man, very hard.

-- Anonymous, December 08, 2001