A student's words, a candidate's struggle. In 1969 thesis, Clinton tackled radicalism tag

[Ian David]

By Michael Levenson, Globe Staff | March 4, 2007

In the acknowledgments, she jokes about not having a "loving wife" to thank for keeping the kids at bay while she wrote. On page 65, she decries the pervasiveness of racism and bigotry. And in the notes at the end, she talks about her decision to forgo a job for the rigors of law school.

But what is perhaps most striking about Hillary Rodham Clinton's senior thesis at Wellesley College is the way in which she grapples with such labels as radical and liberal and what they mean, questions she is wrestling with now as she runs for president.

The 92-page thesis, "There is Only the Fight: An Analysis of the Alinsky Model," explores the life and methods of Saul D. Alinsky , a firebrand activist who organized the poor in Chicago to lobby in the 1930s for better housing and social services.

During Clinton's tenure as first lady, the thesis was kept under lock and key in the Wellesley library, and its legend grew among conservatives. Many speculated the thesis, written in 1969, would prove the 21-year-old political science major was an extremist in the thrall of an avowed political radical.

But a closer look at the text, which has been available to the public since 2001, paints a more complex portrait. While Clinton defends Alinsky, she is also dispassionate, disappointed, and amused by his divisive methods and dogmatic ideology.

"Those who are anti-Clinton have made all kinds comments with reference to this thesis, which they haven't even read," said Alan H. Schechter , an emeritus professor of political science at Wellesley, who was one of Clinton's thesis advisers. "But if you take a look at it, you can see that it's quite nuanced."

More:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/03/04/a_students_words_a_candidates_struggle/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News

[Sadie4629]

1. Senator Clinton--

--scares them to death. A strong, intelligent woman is the right-wing's boogeyman.

[Clark2008]

2. Sadly, it scares the population, too.

I have few beefs with HRC - I just don't think she can win the general election because we are, still, a very sexist society when it comes to the top jobs in this country.

How many female CEOs are there, for example? I mean, of major corporations?

[Sadie4629]

3. Still sexist for sure--

however, I think Sen. Clinton's major problem is going to be all the crap the right-wing can dig up, make up, exaggerate, etc. You're going to see stuff taken out of context from all of her writings and spun by Limbaugh, Hannity, et al so they can say, "Yep, um hm, see? She's a commie. She'll take away your guns, your property, and your kids." They'll revive their dead to vote against her.

[Alamom]

4. Looks like the "Scared Issue" is even across the board & CRAP,

http://www.pollingreport.com/wh08gen.htm



There will be CRAP about all of them. There are no perfect people.



In Hillary's case, most of it is old crap. There is new crap to be found about others, sadly.