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People and Politics by Patrick Roberts

The Chelsea Clinton I know will make Hillary and Bill proud

Posted on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at 10:45 PM

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Chelsea Clinton has always been a special kid.

I met her first at a White House event around St.Patrick's Day in the mid 1990s.

She was a gawky, teenager then, growing pains very evident, but what impressed was her nice easy manner and her ability to make you feel at ease.

The Dad's political magic had rubbed off somewhere.

I remember her mother Hillary saying that Jackie Kennedy had been a great inspiration and source of advice to her on how to bring up Chelsea.

Indeed, when you compare those two poised and successful ladies, Caroline Kennedy and Chelsea Clinton, you can see the similarities.

Chelsea and I next met during one of her father's triumphant trips to Ireland.

I knew she had done her thesis at Stanford on the Irish peace process and was delighted to discuss it with her.

She impressed me with her grasp of the topic.

We agreed it had been one of her father's greatest moments in power when the IRA ceasefire happened after he had taken a huge risk on the Gerry Adams visa.

The next time we met was when her mother was running for senate in New York and was attending our inaugural Irish Voice Top 50 Women.

Before going on we chatted backstage.

It was clear Chelsea was suffering from a haymaker of a cold.

She was in bad shape and her mother was quite worried about her, wanting to cancel the rest of her schedule.

Chelsea insisted she go on however, a steely determination evident that her mother not lose a single opportunity to get her message across on why she was running for senate.

The dynamic between mother and daughter was evident to me that night.

They are quite simply, best friends, who have shared trauma, heartache and thrilling triumph together.

Close staffers told me that Hillary was simply much better on the stump, in much better form, when Chelsea was around. A daughter can share no greater love than that.

The most recent time I met them was during the New Hampshire primary when Hillary was down and out but fighting back like a tigress.

Chelsea, who had seemed nervous and tentative speaking at public events in Iowa suddenly hit her stride too on college campuses and they pulled off a famous victory.

My sense of Chelsea is never to rule out a run at public office for her.

She has a combination of the parent's dynamic populism which could wow crowds in an instant if she ever decided to run.

That is for long in the future.

This week she marries.

If she is half the wife that she is the daughter to Hillary and Bill to her new husband he will be a lucky man indeed

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32 comments

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VAirish | Jul 26, 2010, 02:10 PM EDT

Have never seen such drooling in a newspaper/media article. My screen is dripping from the authors kool aid.

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irishwxman | Jul 26, 2010, 12:49 PM EDT

Not only is Bill a pervert, he made history as being only the second president in US history to be impeached.

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jdi2269 | Jul 26, 2010, 12:21 PM EDT

WHAT REAL CHANCE DOES SHE HAVE? SHE IS THE DAUGHTER OF A PERVERT AND SHE IS MARRYING THE SON OF A CONVICTED FELON!!!!!!!!!

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irishwxman | Jul 26, 2010, 11:55 AM EDT

Civil? How was I not civil? I really want to know how this relates to anything Irish Niall? What does your and Patrick's obsession have to do with Ireland, or Irish news in America? Nothing! I get so sick of coming on this website in the hopes or reading some interesting Irish news, or Irissh American news, and what do I get? Puff pieces on Obama and the Clintons. If you want to have pro-Obama and Pro Clinton pieces, then start and Pro-Obama and Pro Clinton website. Until then, keep the liberal lunacy opinions to yourselves and keep the Irish news coming. And FYI, my avatar name is not Irish woman, it Irish WXman...code for WEATHERman.

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1IrishMedic | Jul 26, 2010, 11:15 AM EDT

Chelsea Clinton had been in the background (which is normal for any child) but she showed her mettle when she worked her mother's Presidential Campaign. I agree with Patrick, that if she is even half the wife to her husband that she is the daughter of the Ciintons, the man has a hell of a catch. I would very much like to see her run for office in the future, because her daddy Big Bill would lead her on the correct political path.

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Niall O'Dowd | Jul 26, 2010, 11:14 AM EDT

irish wx woman, please keep comments civil

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Fran Connor | Jul 26, 2010, 10:53 AM EDT

"The steely determination" to go onstage with a COLD! Wow! Put her up for office! Maybe Chris Dodd's job, since she has experience working for a hedge fund. Nice, warm & fuzzy article, Partick.

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MavisPike | Jul 26, 2010, 10:45 AM EDT

Pass the sick bucket, please.

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Cherishfan | Jul 26, 2010, 10:09 AM EDT

I wish her the best. She's come through some tough times with class.

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irishwxman | Jul 26, 2010, 10:06 AM EDT

Patrick, what is your OBSESSION with the Clintons?? Did Bill shove a cigar up your ass? Do you have a man crush on him? What's your deal? never in my history on this planet have I seen anyone as obsessed with a family as I have seen you and Niall O'Dowd slobber over the Clintons. This is an IRISH NEWS WEBSITE! The Clintons are NOT Irish! WTF!!

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cthogan | Jul 26, 2010, 09:53 AM EDT

Love this article!

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URWORSTNIGHTMAR | Jul 26, 2010, 09:26 AM EDT

What happened to my comment???

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beachline | Jul 26, 2010, 09:15 AM EDT

You got it wrong again Patrick, Chelsea has always made her parents proud. I wish her every happiness in the future.

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John G. Hogan | Jul 26, 2010, 09:12 AM EDT

Why not let her be his wife first, and possibly future mother of their children......... now please dump the rest of your klintoon-aid

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URWORSTNIGHTMAR | Jul 26, 2010, 09:10 AM EDT

I have no doubt the "apple does not fall from the tree". I hope she will one day run for public office. AMERICA NEEDS NEW BLOOD TO REPLACE THE POLITICS OF OLD! President Barack Obama has been a good start so far. VIVA CHELSEA!

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