Hillary Clinton: First Female President?

Hillary Clinton: First Female President?

As a Republican, it is assumed that I will vote the Republican ticket in the 2008 Presidential election. However, as a woman, I was interested in learning more about Hillary Clinton. Here is what I have found. Hillary Clinton has accomplished a lot in her lifetime:

• the first commencement speaker ever at her Wellesley College graduation
• served on the House Judiciary Committee which had to decide whether or not to impeach President Nixon
• founder of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
• appointed by President Carter to serve on the U.S. Legal Services Corporation
• leader of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Women in the Profession which pioneered national awareness for issues such as sexual harassment and equal pay
• named one of the Top 100 influential lawyers of America (twice)
• First Lady who used her power to champion for women’s rights and universal health care
• wrote two bestselling books
• a United States Senator representing New York and the only First Lady that has been elected to public office.

She is the twelfth woman to run for the Presidency and if elected, she will make history by becoming the first woman President. Currently, Hillary is ahead of her Democratic forerunners in the primary polls, including Senator Barack Obama who has Oprah’s vote. There are two primary reasons for Hillary’s lead. Women across the nation, especially those who belong to the “baby boom” generation who have seen a woman’s role in society change substantially in their lifetime, want a woman president because it would be a source of pride and historic milestone.* She has been praised on her campaign website by and shaken hands with all types of women, working, stay at home moms, and elderly who were born before women could vote, who are pleased of her forerunner status. Another reason is because everybody knows her name; her husband is former President Clinton, an excellent president and highly respected even to this day by the American people. If elected President, the issues Hillary will address include:

• strengthening the middle class
• providing affordable and accessible health care
• ending the war in Iraq
• promoting energy independence and ending global warming
• implementing proper treatment of war veterans
• advocating for children’s and their parents’ rights
• restoring America’s reputation as a preeminent leader of peace and freedom championing for women’s rights
• initiating comprehensive government reform
• strengthening democracy.**

Some of or all of these issues are important to the American people, some of who (like me) think “its about time something was done about this.” Only the outcome of the Presidential primary after the New Year will tell whether or not Hilary will make it once step closer to the Presidency.

*From Eugene Robinson’s article “The Power of Madam President” in the Washington Post

** From Hillary Clinton’s Campaign Website: HillaryClinton.com