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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

15 - 32 | See all comments

Mairin67 | Aug 07, 2010, 01:41 PM EDT

COngratulations Chelsea. It's so nice to show the world that someone can rise up from poor beginnings (President Clinton), go on to become the most powerful man in the world, then raise a daughter with all the priviledges in the world and she turns out to be an ordinary, lovely, respectful person. Well done!

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mayoman | Jul 28, 2010, 01:28 PM EDT

Beautifully put duluthirish. We're all working for the corporations in this country, even if we don't see a paycheck.

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irishwxman | Jul 28, 2010, 08:56 AM EDT

It's good to see the left side of the fringe up and about kissing on the collective asses of the Clintons like the rest of the Irishcentral crew. Sure would be nice if Patrick actually did a story on something related to the Irish for once.

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maireadinmelb | Jul 28, 2010, 07:26 AM EDT

Compare Chelsea Clinton to other young American Ladies of her generation, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton - Its a pleasure to read something positive for once!

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imanirishbuckeye | Jul 28, 2010, 03:25 AM EDT

GOOOO CHELSEA!!! Enjoy your new life as a married woman. You have always been there for your parents. KEEP IRELAND IN YOUR HEART!!!!! GOD willing, one day there will be PEACE in all of IRELAND

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DennisQ | Jul 28, 2010, 01:26 AM EDT

It takes some doing to make sympathetic figures out of the Clintons, who are 100% out for themselves. But the frothing-at-the-mouth right wing attack makes victims of both Bill and Hillary. And incidentally, the column is about Chelsea - who has never offended anyone.

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nannyannk | Jul 28, 2010, 01:26 AM EDT

nice to hear a positive story about a young woman nowdays. I like her and wish her well!

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mcginleynj | Jul 27, 2010, 01:57 PM EDT

Very well said. So true! God bless Chelsea & Her handsome Husband!!!!!!!!!!!!

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shania17 | Jul 27, 2010, 09:22 AM EDT

GREAT

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NGrandquis | Jul 26, 2010, 08:01 PM EDT

wish I could be there..ho proud they must e

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Monsoonman | Jul 26, 2010, 05:52 PM EDT

er, Irishmetereologicalman...the cigars weren't lit.

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irishwxman | Jul 26, 2010, 05:44 PM EDT

It was merely reference to one of Bill hobbies as to insert "smoking material" in Monica Lewinsky's "private area".

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duluthirish | Jul 26, 2010, 04:45 PM EDT

A few comments. I agree with irishwxman in principle although..yes...his reference to placing smoking material inside one's rear end would be considered uncivil in many circles. It does become very boring to constantly be subjected to the groveling and fawning of mainstream media at the shoes of the latest political cronies(dynasties...oligarchies...you pick it). As far as the utterly useless labeling of politicians as 'liberal" and "progressive"...please wake up. We live under a rapidly maturing state of corporate fascism....the participatory politics ruse is but window dressing for the numb in the United States of Amnesia. Got war anyone?

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glorybe1929 | Jul 26, 2010, 02:54 PM EDT

God Bless Chelsea and the whole family and may they have a smooth running wedding etc.,

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VAirish | Jul 26, 2010, 02:12 PM EDT

I agree totally with irishwxman. I come on this site to read about Irish/Ireland matters. I get sick of reading about Progressive liberal democrats who happen to have 'some Irish genes' in them, therefore it "belongs in this publication". Nice try. Will remove this link from my computer.

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