Quiet Sunday mornings aren’t very common at my house.
Just about every Sunday, my husband makes grits. And our kids and grandkids who live in St. Louis come over and fill our day with joyful chaos and conversation. We talk sports, movies and, of course, politics.
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I look at those grandkids of mine, and think about the kind of opportunities I want for them — and those are the moments when it’s clearest to me what this year’s election is about.
Presidential elections should be inspirational. These contests should appeal to the very best in our country, and underscore our values and our character as a nation. They should be about the future we want for the next generation, and what actions we can take today that our kids and grandkids will be proud of, knowing we made the right choices to make a better world for them.
When I look at this election through that lens, it’s not a close call. It’s a clear choice.
Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state and fellow grandmother, isn’t just “better” on issues for kids and families than her opponent — rather, those issues are the very things that drove her into public service, and have animated her work for our country ever since.
Instead of joining a big law firm, she went to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, fighting to expand access to education and to better serve kids with disabilities. She was a driving force behind the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which today provides healthcare to millions of kids across the country. She’s championed the safety and rights of women and girls in every corner of the globe.
It’s that depth of experience, and that consistent, unfailing commitment to our families that makes me so confident that future generations could look back with pride on a Hillary Clinton presidency.
I want my grandkids to look back and know that we elected a president who successfully fought to tackle the cost of college and student debt, and who made game-changing investments in American jobs. I want them to know that we chose a leader who dramatically strengthened early and secondary education, and laid the groundwork for American industries to better compete for the jobs of the future.
A better future also begins with protecting the safety of our communities. Serving on the Senate’s Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, I’ve examined the threats that face our nation. We live in an unpredictable world, and we need a president who’s steady and strong, and who will help keep America a beacon to the world for freedom and democracy.
Thoughtful, calm and resolute leadership is what Americans and the rest of world expect from our president — and they’re characteristics that define Hillary Clinton. I’ve watched Hillary work, and she’s exactly who I want in the room during a crisis.
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And, remembering my mom — a fighter, herself — and recalling what she demonstrated to us growing up, I want every little girl in this nation to see, once and for all, that they can be anything they want to be.
Most Americans already know the depth of Hillary’s qualifications. But what they might not know is the size of her heart.
Earlier this year, when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, Hillary called me to check in — not once, but several times. She asked how my treatments were going, and told me to keep up the fight. She was funny and warm, and her words gave me strength during one of the toughest tests of my life. And she didn’t do it because I’m a Senator. There are so many people across this country who could tell a similar story about her.
That’s who Hillary is. She has the intelligence, she has the work ethic, but most importantly, she has heart to lead this country.
It certainly would be an understatement to say that this year’s election hasn’t always risen to the expectations of an inspirational contest of policy ideas. That’s a shame — I wish this had been a campaign worthy of our values and goals, and of Hillary’s experience and her policy plans.
But it’s hard to wage a campaign of ideas against an erratic demagogue whose only consistent policy positions are ones to sow division among Americans.
Hillary’s opponent manipulates Americans’ anxiety, and harnesses hate for his own political ambition. He treats those different from him — women, African-Americans, Latinos, Muslims — with contempt.
And I dread what our kids would say about us if we gave in to fear and division, and elected as president a risky and reckless con-man.
Hillary’s not perfect, and she would be the first to say so. The scars she wears are from decades of public service, and of spending years in the crosshairs of a hyper-partisan Republican attack machine that has chainsaws for hands.
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She’s not flashy, she probably won’t ever have her own reality TV show. She is not the most polished candidate.
But Hillary is a fighter. She’s a hard worker. She believes that the leader of the free world should be thoroughly prepared and well-versed on the complicated and dangerous problems our country faces.
She will never, ever give up on the children and families of this great nation.
And in supporting Hillary, I can look my grandkids in the eyes and have confidence that their future is bright.
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Hillary Clinton Is the Clear Choice for President originally appeared on usnews.com
