Hillary Clinton should not seek the Democratic nomination for president. Given the leadership role both Clintons hold in the Democratic Party, an accurate assessment of whether she can actually win more than the nomination is crucial if the Democrats want to present the American public with a viable alternative to a Republican nominee. I do not feel Hillary Clinton can win the presidential election and therefore should not seek her parties nomination.
Hillary Clinton has proved herself as a politician during her tenure as a Senator from New York. What is even more amazing is she has not even changed her hair style in the last week. I can already feel the accusations that this is a cheap shot flying. But this is only the beginning of the criticisms that can be hurled against the Clintons if they choose to run for the presidency.
Do not think it will not be viewed as a team effort. The same objections to Hillary's "co-presidency" during her husband's terms in office will be raised again if she runs for president. The conflict becomes even more complex when an ex-president will be serving as First Lady. No one will believe he will merely be redecorating the White House. The issue would be a complex issue for any woman candidate but with an ex-president as spouse the role of the president's spouse in the White House would take on new complexities.
Then we have the scandals that arose during the Clinton administration. Hillary's quest for legitimacy makes it very difficult for her to distance herself from the shady financial dealings that went on in Arkansas. These issues will all be rehashed and will prevent her from winning the presidency.
On an emotional level the Clintons disillusioned many of their supporters. Even if you voted independent in the first election you really wanted to believe in the Clinton/Gore theme song; "Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow". The image of both couples standing on the stage with that song in the background sticks in our minds. The last vestiges of idealism in the baby-boomer generation lead us to believe that these representatives of our generation were different from the generation before them and could change the world. The corruption the Clintons brought with them to office merely killed that last vestige of hope in many of us. The Clintons forced the last of the baby boomers to acknowledge that most of us had become our parents. Those baby boomers that were in positions of power were as corrupt and power hungry as all of those who had gone before. This disillusionment hurt, and we have not forgotten.
The last issue Hillary Clinton will once again bring to the forefront of public debate involves the infamous "Mommy Wars". More and more women have come to the conclusion that they cannot have it all. Only women who have very high paying jobs, (or their husbands do) can afford the expensive child care necessary to have children and actively pursue a career. If you can afford daily, weekend, and evening child care you can pursue a high powered career. Most women cannot. The real problem is "power women" really do not understand the costs, emotionally and financially, of trying to have it all. They have never really experienced it. They could still work late or go on the corporate retreat because they, or their husbands, could afford full time childcare. Most of us were constantly trying to figure out if it wasn't cheaper for one of us to just stay home.
Along with the income disparities, is the realization by many women that their careers have prevented motherhood. It is an ugly fact that as we women get older, conception becomes more difficult. There is also a significant increase in abnormalities. For the women who really believed they could have it all, this realization is being more and more difficult to live with. Power women, especially those who preached the gospel of feminism, are not as believed as they used to be. Hillary's candidacy will push these issues to the forefront once again and I do not believe they will result in the kind of support from women that she expects.
I also think Hillary sells in New York but she alienates in the rest of the country. I think she would make a great Secretary of State. I would be scared of her if she told me the U.S. was upset. I do not think she will win a national election for the office of the President of the United States. For the good of the country and her party, I hope she refrains from seeking the nomination and works for a candidate who will present a clear choice come 2008.