THE RIGHT MOVES It happened during our last presidential election, I'd say, that voters were heard discussing quite openly and seriously, the possibilities of our electing a woman as President of the United Nations. The "some day" element was no longer a part of the suggestions. The word "maybe" was discarded.
Two names kept coming to the forefront, and each with good reason.
Hillary Clinton was, perhaps, the leader in most of the earlier suggestions and I remember Elizabeth Dole being suggested as a possible candidate. There were others but it was Hillary Rodham Clinton who, more or less led, the short parade in
the earlier days. Then, with the Bush administration the name Condoleezza Rice took hold, wavered a bit, perhaps, but steadied as she moved into prominence - first as wartime advisor to our President then as Secretary of State following a man who will long be remembered for his generous endorsment of her. As such she became something more than advisor in any limited sense. She became an active participant in actual events which become our history. Since that time, many voters have been watching and listening as each can be plainly seen making prepreparations of such runs.
One is a dedicated Democrat who has, in her Senatorial capacities, been rapidly back-paddling to take on a somewhat more conservative or middle-ground aspect prior to election time. The other, a Republicana would face and opponent who has had full-term, first-hand experience serving as the nation's First Lady and owner of valuable inside-the-beltway living know-how. Our purpose is not to conduct a plebesite in which the relatived popularity of the two personalities is judged but rather one to deal with government problems. Such an election would be a glittering one, no doubt. but with the actual citizens voting ...but rather the political ideas they stand for and espouse in the public forums.
To many people -primarily non-voters - the election will be "Hillary" or "Conde". We will have many such feminine trappings too our election but, basically it will be much of what it has been.
Underneath all such interest in such an election there are two facts, we don't about which can kill all interest in any such
contest.
Hillary must show she is not Bill.
And, Condaleeza must deal with being black.
A.L.M. May 14, 2005 [402wds]
