Ann Ragland: Unfounded accusations on Clinton

Regarding J. Peder Zane’s Aug. 3 column, “Hate Clinton, Trump? Look in the mirror”: I am fed to the back teeth with unfounded allegations of Hillary Clinton’s “lack of character.” It’s all too easy to cast aspersions, but where’s the proof?

Politifact gave Clinton the best truth telling record of any 2016 candidate, better than Bernie Sanders and miles better than Ted Cruz or Donald Trump.

Is this about email? That’s been cleared up. Perhaps it’s large fees for speaking? It’s not illegal in our capitalist society to turn a buck, and has anyone seen the price of a political campaign lately? Those war chests don’t come from bake sales.

Clinton has been mainly consistent, changing her stance only after thoughtful deliberation. That’s not illegal – that’s sensible leadership.

What I think is going on here is a gender-related double standard. Women, and especially ones in the public eye, are held to unrealistic standards of purity, whereas boys can be boys.

Want to keep women on a pedestal? We’ve stepped off it, and we’re heading to the White House.

This story was originally published August 13, 2016 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Ann Ragland: Unfounded accusations on Clinton."