I am an unabashed, unapologetic, George McGovern liberal Democrat – and I enthusiastically support Hillary Clinton.
Don’t’ get me wrong, I like Bernie a lot and he supports many issues that I care deeply about, but Hillary is passionate about those issues, too.
She’s got the experience, she’s been tested, and arguably, she’s more electable going up against the Republican nominee in November.
However, that’s not my primary reason for supporting her. Indeed, I’m not averse to supporting longshot candidates; I managed George McGovern’s presidential campaign in Massachusetts when he made a brief run in 1984.
I’m for Hillary because she has a history of making big things happen.
One of the issues closest to my heart is ending hunger, both here at home and around the world.
A few days before she was sworn in as Secretary of State, I met with Hillary privately at the State Department for what turned out to be a lengthy session. We talked for a bit about America’s outdated Cold War policy toward Cuba and agreed a change was long overdue, but most of the discussion was focused on hunger. What impressed me most was how she sees the big picture and understands the details needed to make change happen. She sees the forest and the trees.
As Secretary of State, Hillary took America’s role in reducing and ending global hunger to a whole new level. She took a fresh look at what the U.S. was doing at the time, what was working, and what we had to do better. Bringing people together is one of Hillary’s specialties and as she rolled up her sleeves to take on global hunger, she brought people together from the private sector, the NGO community and local leaders from across the world. In the process, she was able to bring new ideas to the conversation that would fuel historic progress to reduce hunger and poverty.
As a result, she spear-headed the creation of Feed the Future, the first government-wide U.S. strategy to end world hunger. Feed the Future has empowered small farmers around the world, and especially women, helping them to grow more food and become more independent. When small farmers succeed, they have more food to put on the table and more money in their pockets to support their families. This is true in the U.S. and it’s true around the world.
Hillary’s tireless work to reduce poverty and hunger helped transform the lives of millions of women, children, and families across the world. One of the most unthinkable costs of hunger is the stunting of children’s development due to poor nutrition. Thanks to these programs, we have been able to reduce childhood stunting by as much as 33 percent in countries like Ghana, Kenya, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Honduras, and many others.
Increasing investments in farmers and strengthening access to food pays off in rising prosperity, healthier children, better markets, and stronger communities. And by building stronger communities and reducing poverty, we can eliminate the desperate conditions that lead so many to believe that there is no hope, no place for them or their children in this world.
Reducing hunger and poverty around the world is not just about doing the right thing; it’s also about doing the smart thing. Working with the people of poor nations to make farms flourish, feed hungry minds, and build stronger communities is a progressive legacy we can be proud of and a powerful example of Hillary’s leadership.
Clear-eyed, strong leadership at home and abroad has never been more important. We need someone with the passion and experience to take on the challenges of our time. Ending global poverty and hunger are two of the biggest of these challenges. In the two decades that I’ve known and worked with Hillary, she has always been a strong partner and she’s never been afraid of a tough fight. She’s always ready to do the hard work that we need to move our country forward.
Some have suggested that this election is a contest of heart versus head. Hillary’s battle to help the most vulnerable people on the planet represents both a heart and a head committed to creating a better world. That’s why I’m proud to support Hillary Clinton.
Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) represents the Massachusetts 2nd Congressional District and began his political career as a college intern for Senator George McGovern (no relation) from 1977-1980.