We can already hear the drumbeats to the 2016 Presidential election and if we cannot hear them, at least MSNBC has its ears to the ground and reports relentlessly on all the major breaking stories on this election just under three years away. MSNBC has already anointed Hillary Clinton as the Democratic front-runner for the next presidential election. I think that most of us have to agree with this pre-campaign choice.
However, when I examine my feelings about Hillary, I am less than enthusiastic. Yes, of course, I recognize the the historical significance of having our first woman president and I do not want to diminish or tarnish that event. This event is long overdue in American politics. But, I would like to get behind this first woman president because I strongly believe in her policies and applaud her political achievements. I want to believe that she is the best possible candidate for the position and would lead the country with the values and policies that I can applaud.
I believe that Hillary Clinton was a good Senator but not an outstanding Senator as she was too focused on political concerns and often went with the majority as opposed to leading the charge on more controversial or more philosophical positions. So Hillary worked to bring new businesses to New York during her first term. She worked to bring forth legislation that would assure equal pay for equal work. She worked to get dollars to re-build New York City after 9/11 and to get funds to help the first responders, but she voted to go to war in both Afghanistan and then Iraq giving Bush unlimited war powers. We know this vote on Iraq might have cost her the 2008 presidential nomination. Hillary voted in favor of the Patriot Act and then again for its renewal. It was only in 2007, maybe looking forward to the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, when Hillary started calling for the troops to come home from Iraq.
But my biggest concern with Ms. Clinton was her record as Secretary of State. I cannot think of an State Department initiative that improved the US relations with any of those countries where tensions exist between the US and a foreign nation. The relationships with Iran, North Korea and Syria deteriorated during her tenure. Relations with Russia or China remained cool and no progress was made at all working toward peace between Israel and the Palestinians and tensions continued throughout the rest of the Middle East. We only have to look at John Kerry’s first year as Secretary of State to see a more active and results-oriented foreign policy.
This leads to the question of who else might be a viable Democratic presidential candidate for 2016 and surprisingly, the Democratic Party does not have a dynamic, articulate progressively thinking individual with national recognition. There is a total void of viable candidates after Clinton. I like Ron Wyden, but feel he would get demolished by the Republicans in a national campaign. Neither Barbara Boxer or Dianne Feinstein have made it to the national stage and my favorite Ed Rendell has faded into oblivion after leaving his governorship. Please V.P. Biden, spare us the embarrassment of a presidential campaign.
This all leaves us Hillary by default. During the next couple of years, Clinton can play it safe by hiding in obscurity as she is safely out of the limelight. However, if she is running for president, then I would like to see her come out of the shadows and lead the Democratic Party starting now. This means going public and urging her party to extend unemployment benefits to the “99ers”. This means calling for the re-instatement of Head Start and food programs for poor child. This means fighting for the reduced Defense budget. This means being an ambassador and force for change now. I really do not want Hillary be default, I would like to get Hillary by demand.
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