Hillary Clinton takes the plunge once again
Now that Ms Hillary Rodham Clinton has thrown her hat into the ring, the buzz is that the United States needs a woman President. It is not clear why there is such a pressing need for that country to have a woman President in particular, but that does not take away from either Ms Clinton's right or her credentials to contest for the post. She has for long been a known face not just in her country but also abroad — having been the First lady in husband Bill Clinton's tenure as President and later the Secretary of State in President Barack Obama's first term. Moreover, she had fought a long and strenuous battle for the Democrat nomination and endorsed Mr Obama's candidacy after she failed to get it. She is, therefore, well-equipped for and well-informed about the position she hopes to secure in the 2016 election that will see the end of the Obama presidency.
The point is: Will she win the nomination this time aroundIJ She knows well enough that the road to being nominated is not an easy one. Before she squares up against a Republican rival, she has to extinguish the challenge of contenders within her party — and the faces are as yet unknown. The long presidential election campaign has a habit of throwing up issues that can harm, embarrass and even hurt. Ms Clinton may be a veteran of sorts, having been there and done that, but the experience does not really make one immune to the personal attacks which often come in the way.
It remains to be seen if she can handle them without being politically damaged. The endorsements she gets along the way from fellow party leaders and influential sections of society will be crucial. While President Obama has not, at the time of writing, officially backed her candidature, he may do so at an appropriate time. Many observers see that as a mere formality. After all, he has already praised Ms Clinton to the skies, saying she had been a “very effective” Secretary of State, and that over time, the two had become “friends”. This is not saying much, given that, as an official remarked, the President has other friends who might at some point enter the presidential race. He has the right to hedge his bets.
Also, there are others who are sceptical about Mr Obama's support. They point to the uneasy relationship the President had shared with her as the Secretary of State. While there was no ‘falling apart', she was never part of the President's ‘inner circle'. In the end, Mr Obama's endorsement may not matter as much as her ability to convince voters about her credentials. Even more importantly, a great deal depends on the mood of the public. If the people have had enough of a Democratic regime, then Ms Clinton's best efforts may collapse. But then, we are surely jumping the gun. let the nomination come her way first.