Hillary Clinton Mum on Wal-mart Role, But Why?

Mrs. Clinton’s six-year tenure as a director of Wal-Mart, the nation’s largest company, remains a little known chapter in her closely scrutinized career. And it is little known for a reason. Mrs. Clinton rarely, if ever, discusses it, leaving her board membership out of her speeches and off her campaign Web site, according to a report filed by Michael Barbaro of the New York Times.

"Fellow board members and company executives, who have not spoken publicly about her role at Wal-Mart, say Mrs. Clinton used her position to champion personal causes, like the need for more women in management and a comprehensive environmental program, despite being Wal-Mart’s only female director, the youngest and arguably the least experienced in business. On other topics, like Wal-Mart’s vehement anti-unionism, for example, she was largely silent, they said."

Zach Bissonnette writes on AOL's BloggingStocks.com

"Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is a hot-button political issue, and is symbolic of many of the economic issues that could be prominent in the 2008 election: unions, health care, cheap imports from overseas, and immigration.

"Since then, the senator has distanced herself from the company, even returning a $5,000 contribution to her campaign. I'm surprised that Clinton hasn't spoken publicly more often about her time at Wal-Mart. It could give her credibility in two different circles: It would demonstrate that she does have a background in business, and isn't as anti-corporate America as many have attempted to portray her as being. It would also show that she had the strength of character to at least try to make changes on some of Wal-Mart's policies.

"But I think she should be proud of her tenure at Wal-Mart for another reason: While so many prominent people sit on the boards for numerous companies and collect a decent stipend and do little else, Hillary Clinton tried to push for change on issues that are important to her. We need more people like that in corporate America."

Perhaps Ms. Clinton does not want to rattle the feathers of unionized workers. Wal-Mart has always stood for "non-unionization" since the company was founded in 1962 by Sam Walton. But Hillary was about as mum when it came to union issues as she is now about discussing her time at Wal-Mart.

Not only did Clinton stress the need for women in executive roles, the Times also reports she had some success with environmental issues revolving around Wal-Mart.

At her request, Walton set up an environmental advisory group, which sent a series of recommendations to the company's board.

Under her watch, the advisory group drew up elaborate plans. Consumers would bring in used motor oil and batteries for recycling. Suppliers would reduce the size of their packaging. And Wal-Mart would build stores with energy-saving features.

Wal-Mart executives put much of the program into place. In 1993, for example, they opened an experimental "eco-store" in Kansas, with dozens of skylights and wooden beams from forests that had not been clear cut.

One executive derided it as "Hillary's store" because it was more expensive to build than the average Wal-Mart, but several of its features, like the skylights that cut energy bills by reducing the need for artificial lighting, were widely copied across the industry.

It is not known how or if her history with Wal-Mart will affect betting odds for the 2008 US Presidential race. At press time May 21, 2007, Hillary Clinton was now a 2 to 1 favorite to win. Barack Obama had odds of 7 to 2 and Rudy Giuliani was listed with odds of 3 to 1, closing in on Hillary.

All 2008 US Presidential Betting Odds can be Found Here

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Carrie Stroup, Gambling911.com

Originally published May 21, 2007