It's Not Easy Being Green

They say everybody loves a parade. But for Hillary Clinton, there was plenty of love lost at New Yorks St. Patrick's Day Parade this year. Why? Because the parade's leaders, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, discriminate; they forbid the Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization to march under their banner. In fact, several members of ILGO tried to march this year and were arrested. So while Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani takes pride in leading the nation's oldest and largest St. Patrick's Day parade, most Democrats take a rain check.

Then why, on this rainy St. Patrick's Day, was Democratic Senatorial candidate Hillary Clinton marching along with the Irish?

"I have worked very hard over the last six years or so in every way that I could to further the peace process in Northern Ireland," she told reporters recently. "Like Gerry Adams and so many others who know how important this process is, I want to continue to lend my support to it, and I think marching in the parade here is one way of demonstrating that."

But what does the Irish peace process have to do with the wants and needs of most New Yorkers? Not much. As first lady, standing up for the Irish peace process would seem not just acceptable, but expected, commendable even. But as the first candidate of New York, marching in the parade alienates an influential, core Democratic constituency. It's the wrong place at the wrong time in the wrong role.

At first, some claimed Mrs. Clinton agreed to march in the parade because she was asked about it offhandedly at some event and didnt know of the controversy that surrounds the annual event. Instead of admitting her gaffe, and fueling her reputation as an outsider, she instead chose to defend her decision, suck up the criticism and march.

But as hecklers shouted, "Go back to Arkansas" and "Find your own state," one had to wonder if Hillary didn't miss out on a valuable opportunity. Candidate Hillary has been struggling from day one to separate herself from her old job and that other White House. From her new white house in Chappaqua, she is attempting to sell an image of a fresh start, a new identity - the relaunch of the new, improved Hillary brand. So why not take this very public chance to choose the needs of certain New Yorkers over the needs of a foreign country? Why not send a message that she left that work back in her old office?

Instead, with her official campaign and her New York citizenship both in their infancies, the very green candidate took a bold walk on the mayor's turf, and may have lost more than she could have hoped to gain. Standing up for the Irish peace process, while noble, only gives ammunition to those who question Hillary's motives; those who accuse her of being less interested in representing New Yorkers than she is in gaining a stepping stone to the presidency.