Politics

That's <i>Senator</i> Hillary

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

January 3, 2001 / 7:33 AM EST / CBS

With President Clinton and daughter Chelsea looking on, Hillary Rodham Clinton was sworn in as the new Democratic senator from New York, becoming the first first lady to hold elected public office.

The president smiled proudly from the Senate gallery. After the ceremony he described his mood as "ecstatic." He wore a tiny lapel pin that said "Hillary." The first lady's mother, Dorothy Rodham, and the Clintons' 6-year-old nephew Tyler were also in the gallery.

The oath was administered by Vice President Al Gore, who is president of the Senate. She was escorted by New York's senior Sen. Charles Schumer, a Democrat.

After Clinton took the oath she was enveloped in a bear hug by 98-year-old Strom Thurmond, R-S.C., who also gave her a kiss on the cheek.

As is the custom, the Clintons then re-enacted the oath in the Old Senate Chamber for the benefit of a mob of flashing cameras.

Clinton was elected in November to fill the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan.

She was to finish off her first day as a senator with a pair of parties an afternoon reception in a Senate office building and an evening event sponsored by New York insurance executive Walter Kaye.

Clinton began the week announcing her first Senate hire. She named Tamera Luzzatto, who had been running her transition, her chief of staff. A native New Yorker, Luzzatto was chief of staff for Sen. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.V.

The announcement pointed out that Luzzatto had also worked for the failed presidential bids of Democrats Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis. Clinton stressed Luzzatto's work on children and health issues, two issues to which the new senator is expected to give significant attention.