Hillary Listens To Queens: From Forest Hills To Flushing

 
This Tuesday, First Lady Hillary Clinton swept into Queens on a cloud of celebrity and press attention. Her visit to Queens was part of her much-heralded listening tour prior to her decision whether or not to run for the Senate from New York State. This wasn’t her first trip to Queens she has made dozens of trips here over the last six years– but it was the most decidedly political. Hillary’s first stop was an 8:30 a.m. meet and greet session with Queens" Democratic Organization. County Leader Tom Manton introduced her to the 64 Democratic District Leaders (plus about 20 staffers) present at the County Democratic headquarters on Austin St. in Forest Hills. She made a short speech about President Bill Clinton’s memories of his first introduction to the Queens Democratic Party six years ago, but quickly plunged into the crowd, talking to the Democratic leadership and answering their inquiries. There, she was treated respectfully, and almost reverentially, as befits a loyal County Organization whose leader, Tom Manton, strongly supports Clinton’s potential candidacy. 
Meeting each leader, the wife of the President of the United States was friendly, a bit seductive, and often quite emotional. She embraced people, talked animatedly, and seemed most at home listening to stories of people’s problems. To most, her answers were not prescriptive, as in "I have an answer that will solve everything" and not angry, as in "That’s outrageous." Her answer to most problems was "I understand" and "Here’s something to begin your search for an answer." Hillary’s highly emotional. "I feel your pain’ response carried forward into her next event, a two our session at the Electchester Joint Industry Board (JIB) auditorium. Queens liaisons were responsible for setting up both events. 
County Leader Tom Manton helped put the Democratic County event together, and both Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin and Congressman Gary Ackerman helped put together the event at the JIB Auditorium. The theme of the "listening session" in Queens was women’s issues– child care, equal pay, after school care, education, and the effects of the Family Medical Leave Act. An audience of two hundred carefully chosen people — more than 90 percent of them women — was assembled and five pre-chosen women panelists were brought to the dais to ‘ask’ Hillary Clinton questions on those five topics. Each woman had a personal story of emotional travail, which she related. Hillary then responded to each women’s problems with suggestions and, in some instances, with information about existing on proposed programs. 
The five included two from Queens, two from Nassau and one who lives in Queens but who works in Nassau. Carol Levine, from Nassau, has a husband who was severely disabled as a result of an auto accident. She asked questions about the needs of caretakers for the aged and disabled. Veronique LeMelle, Executive Director of Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning from Queens, is the parent of four children. She has twice taken parental leave to be with her children at birth, and was thankful to the Clinton administration for supporting this legislation. 
Joan D’Amico is a Queens resident who has worked as a probation officer in Nassau County for the past 26 years. Deeply active in union matters, she talked about the gap between women’s pay and men’s pay. This gave Hillary the ability to talk about her support for comparable pay legislation. Mercedes Manne, from Queens, has three daughters. She has trouble affording child care. This gave Hillary the opportunity to discuss her support for the passage of child care legislation. Ida Torres is a grandmother concerned about long term care for herself and her family. Hillary then discussed her program on long term care credits. The floor was then open to questions and a number of questioners asked about issues of concern to Queens. One of the key questions was from Queens Courier’s publisher Victoria Schneps, who asked questions about care for the disabled, the mentally ill and the hepatitis epidemic in Queens. The First Lady responded intelligently and interested in getting vaccine for hepatitis to the county. 
The First Lady then journeyed on to other boroughs, meeting with the Bronx Democratic Leadership Tuesday afternoon. Compared with her appearance at other gatherings, the First Lady appeared far more relaxed and at ease than she has been lately. She has been tense and buttoned-up in public appearances. In contrast, Tuesday mornings appearances in Queens featured Hillary in a bright green blouse and tailored black suit with a fashionable pearl necklace, answering a broad range of questions. It is one small bit of good news to a campaign that needs lots of good news if Hillary Clinton is to emerge, a year from November, as New York’s next Senator.