Clinton in 1992 on the campaign trail for her husband. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)Today John Kerry replaces Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, an Office she has held for four years. The articles, blogs and TV montages are already rolling to depict her years as a Public servant. The political wheels are also turning over a possible second Presidential run. Those wheels though are more spinning on the grass, chucking up mud, than they are burning rubber. Clinton refuses at this point to annouce any possibility of a candidacy, saying she is looking forward to the rest. The consensus seems to be she hasn't made up her mind and that much rests on her health, and of course age. Being in your 60s and a woman is a ghastly thing for the public to see apparently!
"Clinton leaves with a mixed record: She has garnered wide admiration around the world but has no major diplomatic achievements on par with those of other well-known secretaries of state, such as Henry Kissinger or George C. Marshall. Rand Corp.’s James Dobbins, a former ambassador and longtime troubleshooter for both Democratic and Republican administrations, said Clinton was denied big diplomatic breakthroughs but also leaves without “catastrophic failures.”
“She turned out, perhaps rather surprisingly given her reputation for sharp elbows, to be a very competent and even quite popular manager of a large, complex bureaucracy and a highly collegial player on a ‘team of rivals,’ ” Dobbins said." http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/what-is-clintons-legacy-at-state--and-her-future/2013/01/31/da204496-6b30-11e2-af53-7b2b2a7510a8_story.html
Random poll for the day; if Clinton was to run in 2016 she has a chance of winning Texas! 50% of voters view her favourably, that cuts across Republicans and Democrats. (thanks to the Dallas News for that one.) She also leaves the Secretary of State Office with a 70% approval rating. She is liked by Republicans or at least tolerated and hated by some Democrats. But her Husband's support base and ability to fundraise can never been underestimated. When she ran for the New York Senate in 2000, it was the first time a First Lady had run for Public Office and the first time a woman had won New York. With her popularity at an all time high Clinton herself said in 2012, "There's a certain consistency to who I am and what I do, and I think people have finally said, 'Well, you know, I kinda get her now.'" 'At the pinnacle of her career' Rachel Combe, Elle. I'm not so sure Hillary, I've been reading for the last few hours now, including plenty of comments from the random blogosphere/newscasts and although people have opinions on you they don't seem so clear as to how they were formed.
The thing is and I'm sure I'm open to attack here I'm not overly concerned about her record. Well ok I'm ambivalent about it. I accept that there are those who have been disappointed by her inconsistency as New York Senator and many point the finger at her for the loss of American life in Benghazi. But ultimately I want to see a Female President. I want to taste that piece of history. I know the wrong one can do damage and potentially put us (women who like power) back a few years. Yes I'm thinking of Maggie (but that is another subject, which I'm also divided on). I believe that first and foremost we learn by example and I want my girls to grow up in a world where woman can lead. Lead with a Capital L. It might not be their Mummy ;) but she is a Mom, a wife, an educated, hard working, 'sharp elbowed', glasses wearing and yes still too big haired WOMAN. And that's it for me, that's where the buck stops.
As always thanks for reading, please I would love to hear your thoughts and disagreements :)
www.guardian.co.uk
