The National Organization for Women applauds the presidential campaigns of Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama for their announcement today that Clinton’s name will be placed into nomination at the Democratic National Convention.
“Hillary Clinton’s campaign made history this year, with 18 million women and men across the country voting for her in the primaries,” said NOW President Kim Gandy. “And she will make history yet again when delegates from nearly every state in the nation will be able to take the floor and proudly say Clinton’s name in the roll call vote.”
Clinton follows in the footsteps of Margaret Chase Smith, whose name was placed in nomination at the 1964 Republican convention, and Shirley Chisholm, who won 151.95 votes at the 1972 Democratic convention. Clinton, the first woman to compete in all of the U.S. primary contests, is expected to garner the most delegates ever of any woman candidate at a major party convention.
Clinton will speak at the convention on the evening of Aug. 26, the 88th anniversary of women winning the right to vote in the United States. The following night the roll call vote will take place, when the voices of the millions who voted for Clinton will be heard and counted.
“Women will not be fully equal until we break every last glass ceiling,” said Gandy. “Hillary Clinton proved that electing a woman president is within our grasp. Having her delegates tallied at the convention will ensure that this important step in history will never be forgotten.”
NOW’s Political Action Committee endorsed Clinton for president in March of 2007.
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