Letter: Clinton well prepared for top job

It was unprecedented that President Barack Obama appointed political rivals to his cabinet. He appointed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State because he recognized in Mrs. Clinton a highly intelligent, well-educated candidate who was familiar with the workings of both state and national government; one who had met with leaders in the U.S. and around the world.

Clinton is 68 years old and grew up in Chicago. She passed up a chance to go into a lucrative law career after graduating from Wellesley College and Yale Law School. Inspired by leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., whom she had heard speak, she opted to work for the Children’s Defense Fund and became an advocate for women and the poor.

Clinton grew up in a Republican home, but became the Democratic first lady of Arkansas and helped to set up the successful Children’s Health Insurance program there. This later led to her development of a national health care plan which was shot down by the insurance and pharmaceutical companies during the her husband’s presidency. It is now part of the program we enjoy today.

Henry Kissinger said of Hillary Clinton, “She ran the State Department in the most effective way that I’ve ever seen.” She helped to build the coalition of countries that put sanctions on Iran, pressuring them to limit nuclear development, and brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. She will work that hard as our next president.

This story was originally published February 25, 2016 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Letter: Clinton well prepared for top job."