HILLARY A HEROINE TO WOMEN 'SEEN AND HEARD'

Seeing her for the first time in person, you notice that Hillary Rodham

Clinton doesn't bubble or feel the need to interject smiles in the middle of a

serious talk.

She's direct and assured. She doesn't honey-coat. No wonder she irritates

so many people.

Of course, at this particular event, a sold-out luncheon to boost the

campaign coffers of Sen. Barbara Boxer, Hillary didn't need to do much more

than show up. The crowd of 2,600, each of whom paid $135 a plate, cheered,

whistled and even stood on chairs to welcome her to the podium.

A recent poll showed that Hillary Clinton is more popular in California

than nationally, drawing support from women of both parties. A poll official

suggested this is because there are so many working women in California who

see her as a professional, educated woman and mother, and therefore a positive

role model.

That could have been the case at Moscone Center, although you couldn't tell

if they were applauding for her politics or her resilience. But recognizing

the faces of business owners, mayors, supervisors and assorted professionals

you could conclude this was an audience that would relate.

They were women who are ''seen and heard,'' as Boxer said of them. That

naturally would make them unpopular with some people.

There was a California coastal environmentalist who is regularly ripped by

a country editor and a city council member, who's the bane of the good old

boys in her town.

There was Rep. Lynn Woolsey, who Newt Gingrinch put on his 10 ''Most

Wanted'' list, and Gail Sheehy, author and magazine writer, who Gingrich

called ''a vicious liberal.''

Had Rush Limbaugh walked into the room he probably would have spotted a

''feminazi'' at every table, particularly the bank officer, Planned Parenthood

activist, philanthropist and teacher in Hillary Rodham Clinton Fan Club

T-shirts.

Boxer, slammed by some for playing bad cop with former Sen. Bob Packwood,

told the group that Bob Dole said if he's elected president ''the first thing

he'll do is eliminate Barbara Boxer from the Senate.''

Consider, she said, this is a man who could lead the fight to create jobs

or feed hungry children. He could maybe even part the waters, ''but the first

thing he'd do is eliminate me.

''I figured it out. He really must miss Bob Packwood.''

She told about Gov. Pete Wilson saying ''the three most frightening words

are Sen. Barbara Boxer.''

She looked askance. ''I'm 5 feet tall. I'm a grandma.

''Why is he afraid of me? He's afraid of me because I'm not afraid of

him.''

It was a good thing to remember in a ballroom teeming with feminists with

an agenda and political clout. There's really no reason for women to be

afraid. There are reasons to be daunted and sometimes discouraged. The glass

ceiling holds and women are making 72 cents on the male dollar. Sexism still

breathes and the Republican Congress has eroded reproduction rights. The

religious right is saying ''boo.''

But this is no time to be faint-hearted.

It's times like these you realize the slogan ''Women won't go back'' is

absolutely right, because so many people believe it.

More than a year ago Kathleen Gingrich whispered to Connie Chung that her

son had called Hillary ''a bitch.'' Everyone gasped over the epithet but

pretty much ignored the rest. Mother Gingrich also told Chung that the reason

her son said that about Hillary was, ''I think they had some meeting, you

know, and she takes over.''

Had anyone asked the crowd at Moscone Center how many of them had ever been

called a ''bitch'' for taking over, prevailing, dominating or having her say

at a meeting, I bet there would have been a flurry of hand-waving.

Barbara praised Hillary for pushing on, knowing that slings and arrows

''come with the territory.''

A couple of days later, there was a young woman in San Francisco raising

her fist and dancing behind one of the many banners in a Fight the Right

parade.

She looked to be Mexican-American and wore a tiny dress and big logger

boots. Instead of a protest T-shirt or political button, she had written in

Spanish on her arms and down one leg, ''The power of women.''

She was stunning and she was strutting. She's not going back.

Susan Swartz is a columnist for The Press Democrat. Her e-mail address is

sfswartz@aol.com