Hillary Clinton keeps making news, even though she stepped down from her position as secretary of state. It looks as if she is still working on becoming the first female president of the United States.
In a recent interview in New York Magazine, Clinton said she was wrestling with running for president, but was being pragmatic and realistic as she considers a possible White House run again. Clinton seems to be gearing up for the election in 2016. She is the leading Democratic candidate at this time, ahead of even Vice President Joe Biden.
Clinton’s educational background, her political experience and being a female are all positive supports for her candidacy. She has been a first lady, a lawyer, a senator, a candidate for president and secretary of state. She has a lot of experience to offer.
Clinton is 65 years old. She would be 69 when inaugurated if she were elected as president. Some critics may say that is too old, but Ronald Reagan was 69 when he began his presidency.
Hillary learned a lot about politics while being the first lady in the White House, during President Bill Clinton’s two terms in office, from 1991-98. She was a mother, a lawyer and a knowledgeable hostess to numerous foreign dignitaries. After Bill left office and they moved to New York, Hillary ran for office herself.
She was elected as a United States senator from New York, serving from 2001-07. She tried to run for president in 2008, but lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama. During President Obama’s first term, Clinton was appointed secretary of state. She held that position from 2009-13.
It is early for presidential candidate speculation. The election is not for three more years, but that won’t stop the buzz or the efforts for preparing to run. Potential Republican candidates are already visiting Iowa, so there is not much reason for Democrats to hold back.
Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, said last week that Hillary Clinton was better prepared for the White House than President Clinton or President Obama had been when they were presidential candidates. That is true because of her experiences as a president’s wife, a senator and the secretary of state.
Bill Clinton says he doesn’t know what Hillary is going to do for the 2016 presidential election. If he does know, he is keeping it a secret. He did say she served well as secretary of state. She does have appeal as a top candidate for the 2016 presidential nomination of her party. But whether or not she can be elected as a woman candidate for the highest office in the land is another story yet to be told.
So far, women are still underrepresented in the halls of power. There are just 20 women in the U.S. Senate, out of 100 senators. Women hold fewer than 18 percent of the seats in the House of Representatives, and only five women are state governors. The statistics are no better at the local level. Of the 100 largest cities in America, only 12 have women mayors.
Maine is the exception to the rule. Maine has a woman senator, and for quite some time both senators were women. While the state has not had a woman as governor, it has had women serving as our chief justice, as congresswomen, and as state legislative leaders.
Clinton has broken a lot of barriers, but there are issues that could haunt her efforts if she decides to run. One involves her not appearing at a government hearing investigating the Benghazi situation. Another is her husband’s affair with Monica Lewinski, although that might be too old a story now. When you have served for a long time, in a lot of capacities, you leave a long trail of decisions for critics to snipe at.
Clinton is a determined, intelligent woman, though, and she appears to be ready to serve our country again. If she does run, she will be a formidable candidate, even stronger than she was before.
Voters are not excited about either party right now, but if Clinton wins the Democratic nomination, women voters might come out in force to vote for a woman to become the first female American president. Young women, especially those from 21-30 years of age, could become the deciding force on the outcome of the next presidential election.
Clinton’s campaign has started. There is already a pledge form on the Internet for people who want to support her for president in 2016.
— Bernard Featherman is a business columnist for the Journal Tribune and former president of the Biddeford-Saco Chamber of Commerce.
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