While her husband works to get people to open their wallets for Hillary Rodham Clinton, Susan Turpen opens her home.
Susan Turpen has held three events in the past eight years for Clinton in the couple's Oklahoma City home.
"It's exciting that we finally have a real, real qualified person who's not just the best woman to ever run, but I think in 2008 is the best candidate running regardless of party,” Susan Turpen said.
She became acquainted with Clinton through her husband, Mike, a former state attorney general and state Democratic Party chairman who met Bill Clinton in 1983 and served as his Oklahoma campaign manager in 1992 and 1996.
Mike Turpen is Hillary Clinton's finance director in Oklahoma, and Susan Turpen said she likes organizing events and keeping her husband's fundraising database in order.
"I've done my time in phone banks and stuff like that,” she said.
"I bring the gifts of organization, good follow-up for Mike and event planning.”
A fundraiser for Hillary Clinton was held in 2000 in the Turpen home when she was running for the U.S. Senate seat from New York.
Her home was the site of another fundraiser last year for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign.
She held a breakfast last week at her house for about 85 women who either supported Hillary Clinton or wanted more information about the two-term New York senator.
Susan Turpen said she met the Clintons through her husband and the couple got to know the Clintons well, spending a couple of nights in the White House during Bill Clinton's presidency.
Why does woman look up to candidate?
Her enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton's presidential candidacy is more because of her long record of public service than out of friendship, she said.
Hillary Clinton early in her career worked for the Children's Defense Fund and she ran a legal aid clinic for the poor in Arkansas before her husband was elected governor.
"Her life has not been a career of self-promotion,” Susan Turpen said.
"It's been a life about helping other people. And now she's trying to get to the highest forum where she can then impact other people's lives and make a difference in their lives.”
Clinton also knows the issues, and she's willing to take risks for causes she believes in, Susan Turpen said.
"She was a risk-taker when she did the health care initiative when her husband was president,” she said.
"She's a good listener, too. And I think, gender wise, women are better listeners and perhaps have more empathy.”
Turpen said she also likes the idea that a Clinton win would bring Bill Clinton back to the White House as an adviser.
"She was a key policy adviser for him and I think he will be a key policy adviser for her,” she said.
"When you find that dynamic duo, that's just very exciting for not only America but for the world.”
No comments:
Post a Comment