“Our lives are a mixture of different roles. Most of us are doing the best we can to find whatever the right balance is . . . For me， that balance is family， work， and service.”
— Hillary Rodham Clinton
“我们的生活是由不同角色组成的。大多数时间我们都在寻求如何平衡生命中的种种角色。……对我来讲，家庭、工作、为公众服务构成我生活中的平衡。”
—希拉里·罗德姆·克林顿
An Outstanding Woman—Hillary Clinton
巾帼英雄——希拉里·克林顿
Hillary Rodham Clinton—does her name ring a bell？ She is a mother， lawyer， advocate， politician， crusader and the wife of the 41st President of the United States， William Clinton. Hillary Clinton was First Lady for eight years， and First Lady of Arkansas， when William Clinton was governor， for 12 years. While working together with her husband， she helped thousands of families.
During the 1992 presidential campaign， Hillary Rodham Clinton observed， “Our lives are a mixture of different roles. Most of us are doing the best we can to find whatever the right balance is... For me， that balance is family， work， and service.”
As an undergraduate at Wellesley College， Hillary mixed academic excellence with school government. Speaking at graduation， she said， “The challenge now is to practice politics as the art of making what appears to be impossible， possible.”
In 1969， Hillary entered Yale Law School， where she served on the Board of Editors of Yale Law Review and Social Action， interned with children's advocate Marian Wright Edelman， and met Bill Clinton. The President often recalls how they met in the library when she strode up to him and said， “If you're going to keep staring at me， I might as well introduce myself.” The two were soon inseparable—partners in moot court， political campaigns， and matters of the heart.
After graduation， Hillary advised the Children's Defense Fund in Cambridge and joined the impeachment inquiry staff advising the Judiciary Committee of the House of Representatives. After completing those responsibilities， she “followed her heart to Arkansas”， where Bill had begun his political career.
In 1993， the President asked his wife to chair the Task Force on National Health Care Reform， continuing to advocate for expanding health insurance coverage. On Nov 7， 2000， Hillary Clinton was elected into the U.S. Senate， making her the first woman to be a New York senator. In this position， Senator Clinton works with families and children. She helps families who have low incomes get insurances and take care of their children. She also works to make the Children's Health Insurance Program stronger.
As First Lady， her public involvement with many activities sometimes led to controversy. Undeterred by critics， Hillary won many admirers for her staunch support for women around the world and her commitment to children's issues.
After the disastrous September 11th terrorists attacks， Hillary Clinton sheltered families in need of homes and gave food to the famished citizens. She assisted hospitals and helped at heavily populated health care centers. Hillary Clinton also raised money to rebuild the city and do many other heroic and compassionate things. During her husband's first term as president， she helped develop a plan that covered health insurance for all those Americans who couldn't afford it. Unfortunately， Congress disapproved this plan， but that didn't stop her from trying again. Hillary Clinton helped American citizens in numerous other situations.
“I wasn't born a first lady or a senator. I wasn't born a Democrat. I wasn't born a lawyer or an advocate for women's rights and human rights. I wasn't born a wife or a mother，” said Hillary Clinton.
As you can see， Hillary Clinton is a very strong role model for those girls or young woman who wants to grow up to be like her， because she is respected， compassionate and she continuously perseveres. She has the urge to always help others out when they are in need. She helps our community get better and better every day.
希拉里·罗德姆·克林顿——一听到这个名字你是否感觉如雷贯耳？她身兼数职，是母亲、律师、政策倡导者、政治家、改革者，同时还是美国第四十一届总统——比尔·克林顿的妻子。希拉里·克林顿曾作过8年的第一夫人；12年阿肯色州州长夫人。希拉里与丈夫一道携手合作，帮助过无数家庭。
在1992年美国总统大选中，希拉里·克林顿提出，“我们的生活是由不同角色组成的。大多数时间我们都在寻求如何平衡生命中的种种角色。……对我来讲，家庭、工作、为公众服务构成我生活中的平衡。”
希拉里在韦尔斯利学院读书时，她的学术成绩及在学生会中的表现都堪称翘楚。作为毕业生代表，希拉里在毕业典礼上发表致辞说：“我们目前所面临的挑战就是要运用政治策略来把当前看来似乎无法完成的事变成可能。”
1967年，希拉里进入耶鲁大学法学院继续深造，是《耶鲁大学法制回顾》、《社会行动》两本杂志的主编。她还曾与提倡儿童权利的拥护者马丽安·莱特·爱德尔曼一同受到学校的禁闭。也是在耶鲁大学，希拉里与比尔·克林顿有缘相识。这位日后的美国总统时常回忆起他俩当年相识的情景：他们在图书馆中邂逅，克林顿看到希拉里大踏步径直走到自己身边，对他说：“如果你再这样盯着我，看来我要主动做下自我介绍了。”很快，二人就变得形影不离了——实战法庭，政治运动，两心相悦，无所不谈。
毕业后，希拉里成为剑桥大学儿童事务防御基金会的法律顾问并加入众议院系法委员会弹劾调查小组。任期结束后，用希拉里自己的话说就是“随着爱人来到阿肯色州”。正是那里，比尔·克林顿开始步入了他的政治生涯。
1993年，总统任命他的妻子主持国家医疗改革特遣部，继续推动扩大医疗保险范畴。2000年11月7日，希拉里·克林顿当选美国参议院议员，成为历史上纽约的第一位女议员。在职期间，希拉里致力于改善民众的家庭生活，并从事儿童工作。她帮助低收入家庭获得社会保险，还悉心体察这些家庭，汇总孩子们的生活状况。继而，希拉里完善了儿童医疗保险计划，使之更加行之有效。
作为第一夫人，希拉里所从事的公众活动有时亦会引起一番争议。尽管如此，她依然赢得了世界范围内许多忠实的女性支持者，并且因致力于儿童事务而受到广泛认可。
在9.11 恐怖袭击事件之后，希拉里·克林顿为流离失所的家庭提供避难所，为饥肠辘辘的人们送去食物。促进医院发展的同时，她还在人口密集区建设医疗中心。希拉里集资募款，进行重建市容等各种英勇而有爱心的活动。在克林顿作为美国总统的第一任期内，她协助丈夫策划出一整套医疗保险计划，其涉及范围可包含全部美国人，甚至是那些买不起保险的人也会因此受益。只可惜，国会没能通过此项议案。但在此受阻，并不表示希拉里会就此放弃。她在通过其他方式来改善美国人民的生活。
希拉里·克林顿曾说：“我并非生来就是第一夫人、参议员、亦或民主党员；我也并非天生是一名律师，为妇女运动、为人权摇旗呐喊；我也并非天生就知道如何做好一位妻子，当好一位母亲。”
正如大家所见，希拉里·克林顿个性坚毅、受人尊重、做事锲而不舍，是崇拜她的那些女孩子及青年女子成长的楷模。在她骨子里好似有种力量一直在驱策着她要去帮助那些在困境中生活的人们。她在推进这个社会变得日益完美。
译者感言
希拉里·克林顿毕业于耶鲁大学法律学院。在克林顿总统卸任后她重返政坛，积极投身政治运动。她以其坚毅刚强的个性、果断的做事风格、丰富的政治经验，于2000年11月7日在纽约州参议员选举中获胜，当选美国国会参议员，成为美国历史上第一位赢得公职的第一夫人。2007年1月20日，希拉里·克林顿在其个人网站上宣布将参选2008年美国总统大选。如能当选，这位美国前第一夫人将成为美国历史上首位女总统。
充满爱的童年生活奠定了希拉里日后对家庭、对工作的忠诚态度以及服务大众的信念。从她的大半生经历可以看出：她凭借着坚毅的性格来面对重重困难——议案遭到否决却不气馁，丈夫背叛却依然能挺身相救，面对政敌攻讦却从不放弃进取。希拉里·克林顿成为新世纪新女性进取的典范！
