Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

ELECTION 2016 ... Jimmy Carter's Great Hillary Story: How Clinton First Broke the Glass Ceiling 40 Years Ago ... A powerful story from the former president.

Photo Credit: ABC 15/YouTube

Hillary Clinton has had a long history of breaking various glass ceilings. Clinton was the first female senator from New York (2000) and is now the first female presidential nominee of a major political party. But there's one 'first' most people may not know about that occured long before Clinton became a major political figure. And it wouldn't have been possible without the president of the United States. No, not Bill Clinton, but Jimmy Carter.

'I've known Hillary Clinton for decades,' Jimmy Carter announced in a video message on the second night of the Democratic National Convention.

'When she was a young attorney, I appointed her to the Legal Services Corporation, where [in 1978] she became the first woman chair,' he said.

'There, Hillary fought to make sure that in our courts, those with the least were treated the same as those with the most, and since then, as you know, Hillary has always demonstrated a willingness to take on the most difficult challenges and to get things done. Her life has been dedicated to advancing human rights across the globe, especially for women and children,' Carter continued.

During his speech, the oldest living former Democratic president also congratulated Bernie Sanders for running a long, dignified campaign and 'bringing in so many young people into the electoral process.' But Carter's support of Hillary was never guaranteed. The former president endorsed Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in 2008, and even discouraged Obama from picking Clinton as his veep. But things change.

Carter believes that due to Donald Trump's nomination, these are 'perilous times.'

'At a moment when it’s become more important than ever to lift people up, to offer hope and a road map for a brighter future, instead, we see a Republican presidential candidate who seems to violate some of the most important moral and ethical principles on which our nation was founded,' Carter said. 'We can and must do better.'

On endorsing Hillary Clinton's candidacy he noted that, 'We need someone with a strong heart, a deep understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities, and a steady hand. Hillary Clinton has my support. I know she will also have yours. A united Democratic Party will prevail in November.'