On March 8, U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky introduced former president Bill Clinton, campaigning for his wife, Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, by saying, “This is a perfect way to celebrate International Women’s Day and a woman who is about to make history as the first woman president of the United States.”Photo by Genie Lemieux, Evanston Photographic Studios

Beth Emet the Free Synagogue was packed inside and out on March 8 with people eager to hear former president Bill Clinton tell why they should vote for his wife, former New York Senator and former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, for president. 

A week before the Illinois primary election with early voting already underway, Mr. Clinton adhered to the positive for the most part as he described Mrs. Clinton’s public service and what she would do for the country, if elected.

“There is too much inequality in income, in access to education, in access to health care; too much instability in places where people think their differences are more important than their similarities; and too much uncertainty because of the real threat of climate change,” Mr. Clinton said. “We’ve got a great future. We are now in a position to rise together. … If you tear down the barriers and build ladders of opportunity – we can do this,” he said.

Hillary Clinton is running for president “with an inclusive national security plan, inclusionary economics and inclusionary politics,” Mr. Clinton said. “Vote for Hillary. Vote for the best change-maker I have ever seen.”

As a senator, Mrs. Clinton, a Democrat, “didn’t do anything in Washington that didn’t have some Republican support,” Mr. Clinton said. As president, he said, “She’ll find a way to get her detractors to do some good for America.”

Mary Gavin is the founder of the Evanston RoundTable. After 23 years as its publisher and manager, she helped transition the RoundTable to nonprofit status in 2021. She continues to write, edit, mentor...