India Post News Service

NEW JERSEY: The United States today needs a leader like Sardar (Vallabhai) Patel, says Democratic front runner in the Presidential race 2008, Senator Hillary Clinton.

The Senator from New York, who old timers say, has admirably adopted the charms and mannerisms of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, was all out to charm a gathering of Indian American supporters at a fundraiser in New Jersey on Aug 30.

Standing tall in front of the sprawling Royal Albert’s Palace – the venue for the fundraiser – is a mammoth statue of Sardar Vallabhai Patel and Sen. Clinton said she learnt about the great Indian leader of the freedom movement, for the first time that day. "I didn’t know about him before," she said. "He has been portrayed to me today as a great ‘uniter’, as someone who was there when India needed a leader to put the country back together.

That is what the United States needs today, someone who can put our country together, someone who works to find a common ground, and I want to be the one to do that." And there began a perfect Presidential pitch for a roomful of Indian American admirers. "Of course we are behind India," Sen. Clinton said, commenting that the United States has a lot to learn from India.

"We don’t have a woman leader; you have had two — the first was a prime minister, and now a President. I think we can catch up, and I am hopeful that you will help me to do that." As the appreciative audience applauded, Sen. Clinton added the world would be a better place if the example of the US and India were followed by all, and people everywhere were given the right to participate in the political system. The US and India, she said, believed in democracy and worked within the political system despite very contentious politics.

 "I have watched with great admiration the elections in India and the Indian electoral system seems to work without a hitch. There are problems leading up to the elections, but once the elections are over, people accept the outcome, because they have confidence in the system. Maybe we (the US) should get some guidance from India on how to run elections so people accept the outcomes," she said, once again to thunderous applause. The fundraiser was hosted by New Jersey based businessman Prakash Shah and his wife Rajul, both active and longtime Democrats.

According to Shah this event raised close to $250,000 from the 250-odd Indian American businessmen, physicians, entrepreneurs and community activists. Sen. Clinton who appeared completely at home among the Indian Americans gathered, said the 2008 Presidential race was the most important election in the history of the United States. "It is important that we understand all of the problems we will face starting in January 2009 (once the new President takes over)," she said. "Six-and-half years ago we had a balanced budget and a surplus.

Our country was in strong fiscal shape, but all that has been squandered away. In addition, we have squandered our moral leadership in the world today." "One cannot be a leader if no one is following," she said adding that she wanted to be a President who both addresses the challenges here in the United States and one who reaches out to the rest of the world.

To thunderous applause, Sen. Clinton said, "I would like to see our troops back from Iraq. Iraqi people have to make up their own minds as to when they will turn themselves towards stability and security and make political compromises where necessary." Further, she said that goals needed to be set for ensuring medical coverage for every American; for conserving energy and tackling global warming, as also for providing college education to all and not just privileged kids.

"I would like to see us get back to fiscal responsibility," she added. On the US-India front, she said, there was a lot of work for both countries to do together. "We have to be sure that whatever happens in Pakistan President Musharraf doesn’t throw off the progress that is being made between India and Pakistan," she said.