Letter: Why Hillary women are disappointed

July 11, 2008 12:19 am

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To the editor:

I agree 100 percent with Ian Wallis's column, "Why are Hillary women angry at Obama?" (As I See It, July 8), and although I cannot answer that particular question, I would like to help him understand why so many middle-aged and older women passionately desire to have a woman president.

We grew up in a time when opportunities for women in all professions and positions of power were non-existent: law firms wouldn't hire us, medical schools didn't accept us, the police force didn't want us; we couldn't drive buses or trains, build houses or get business loans. National political office was out of the question.

We have supported and enjoyed the changes Mr. Wallis points out — our female Speaker of the House, 13 women in the Senate, 61 women in the House of Representatives and 29 past and present state governors — but we saw Hillary as probably our last hope of seeing a woman president in our lifetime. One day it will happen, and I hope sooner rather than later, but many of us may not be alive then, and Hillary almost made our dreams come true. That is why we are so disappointed.

I have licked my wounds and recovered. I will happily vote for Barack Obama.

MARGARET PAGE ALBRECHT

Newbury