Hillary Clinton Campaign Press Release - Campaign Memo: Commander in Chief

With the first debate of the 2008 presidential campaign now completed, one fact is abundantly clear:

Hillary Clinton showed that she is ready to be President of the United States.

The commander in chief question is the threshold question for any presidential candidate because the essence of being president is knowing what to do when the unexpected happens. Last night, Hillary was the candidate who demonstrated that she would know how to respond if the country was attacked.

In response to being asked what a President should do in the event of another attack by al-Qaida, Hillary said: "Having been a senator during 9/11, I understand the extraordinary horror of that kind of attack. I think a president must move as swiftly as is prudent to retaliate. That doesn't mean we go looking for other fights. Let's focus on those who have attacked us and do everything we can to destroy them."

Hillary demonstrated a deep understanding of a wide array of issues and showed that she has the strength to tackle the challenges facing America today. On Iraq, she showed clarity and resolve to end the war. On health care, she demonstrated her experience and depth of knowledge. On middle class issues, she vowed to stand up as she has her whole life for people this administration has treated as invisible.

The Pew Poll that came out just before yesterday's debate confirms that the public believes that Hillary is ready to be President. On the question of who would make the strongest leader, Hillary leads with 37 percent compared to 20 percent for Obama and 12 percent for Edwards. On the question of who has the best experience, Hillary leads with 39 percent, compared to five percent for both Obama and Edwards.

At a time when six years of the Bush administration has left America facing profound challenges at home and abroad, Americans are looking for a President who will start from strength and be ready to lead from day one. And that person is Hillary Clinton.