Madame President??
OK, I know I'm going to hear about this one from people of all party affiliations, but could this be a term that the American public hears quite a bit starting next year?
Hey, it could be a reality soon.
It's getting closer to time for the 2008 Presidential race to start heating up, and our current Commander in Chief of the World is nearing the end of his term. But who will be his successor? There are a lot of names to choose from in next year's election, and some of the names that have been shooting to the top of that list include Obama, Giuliani, Biden, McCain, Edwards and Kucinich.
And one name, in my opinion, is placed right at the top of that list: Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Is it because of her excellent public speaking ability? Maybe. Is it because she is experienced in handling and debating affairs with top governmental officials? Perhaps. Is it because her husband spent eight years in the White House and she learned how to deal with adversity and public scandal and handled it with the style and grace of a true professional? Could be.
The truth of the matter is, Hillary Clinton spent her time as First Lady, and currently as a senator from New York, proving to the American public that she could take whatever rags were thrown at her and spin them right into gold. And she became one of the country's, no -- the world's, most respected and admired female political leaders in the process.
And if she is elected president next fall, what a bargain that would be for American voters. Because wouldn't that be like getting two presidents for the price of one? Not to say that Hillary couldn't handle the lead role by herself, but what a name to have behind the scenes helping her to learn the ins and outs of holding the top executive seat in the United States. And there's no doubt she's already familiar with White House operations, having watched her husband, Bill, lead the country through a peacetime and one of it's most stable economical periods.
Speaking of Bill, I know there is definitely an argument there. Yes, he committed inappropriate acts in the Oval Office. Yes, he lied about it to the American public, causing a super-sized scandal that rocked the nation during his presidency. But unlike our current president who has definitely lied on more than one occasion, Clinton's lie didn't cost the U.S. government billions of dollars, nor the lives of thousands of U.S. troops, who have been fighting an expensive war the last five years or so that appears useless and endless. A war centered around egos and big oil money that only continues to fatten Bush's pockets. A war that Bush's dad started almost 20 years ago that his son felt inclined to finish.
And how popular is that so-called "War on Terror" now?
And Hillary stood stolid by her husband during his scandal, and stood by and watched with the rest of the country as he would later go on to receive the highest approval ratings of his term. And then what did she do after her husband was out of office? Did she give up caring and leave politics? No, she went on to become a state senator and later announced her candidacy for the presidency, continuing her progress toward forging a better country for all people.
And here we are now, apparently on the cusp of removing U.S. troops from Iraq, hopefully by early 2008, according to top government officials. And one of the key factors in getting one of the presidential hopefuls more votes, or even elected, may be that candidate's individual plan to remove those troops, and how fast they can get it done. Of course, outlining a plan and actually seeing it to fruition are two different things entirely.
A couple of weeks ago, I watched several of the 2008 presidential candidates take the podium to field questions from the American public during a two-hour broadcast on CNN, hosted by popular news anchor Anderson Cooper. The candidates answered questions from people who submitted questions on top issues facing the nation via YouTube, a popular Web site that allows users to create and download videos that can be viewed by anyone.
The topics of viewer questions ranged from the War in Iraq, women in politics, health care, and other relevant issues. When asked by one viewer if she thought the nation was ready to respect a female president, Clinton didn't hesitate to respond, saying that a number of smaller countries around the world already have female government leaders, many of whom she has spoken with during her career. And according to her, women have a place in politics, just like men, maybe even more so nowadays when some male political leaders aren't exactly making the best decisions.
Her responses were quick, intelligent, and done in a manner that suggests that she is ready to take on the biggest responsibility a U.S. politician can handle.
Now other candidates also gave good responses to most questions, including one of Clinton's biggest challengers for the Democratic nod in next year's election, Illinois senator Barack Obama. But while Obama's responses often drew cheers and applause from the audience, Clinton's responses to nearly every question drew even louder cheers and applause, and the occasional standing ovation. It basically left no doubt in my mind who voters think is the best person for the job of leading the U.S. toward a brighter future.
And hey, it might be a tough job, but someone's got to get us out of this mess.