Hillary Rodham Clinton has announced that she is again officially running for President. Her announcement was long anticipated. Her path has not been, nor will it be, a smooth one. She definitely brought baggage to her earlier run to procure the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. And controversy is already haunting her this year as the debate over her email usage has become an issue regarding her honesty and trustworthiness. However, her audacity and zeal to become President are amazing.
Much has changed in this country and the world since Hillary Clinton had a limited or truncated term as a U. S. Senator and as Secretary of State…not an extensive as she begins another presidential campaign. Today, the international threat of terrorism is significantly more prevalent and growing. Has Hillary a position and plan to deal with this matter?
The Iran nuke “deal,” although still in the negotiation stage, is controversial and may fall apart. The situation in the Ukraine is very unsettled, and the push by Putin for more power and territory remains a challenge. In this case, the response of the United States has been weak and not as effective as it should have been. Then there is the continuing rise of China with all the complications that issue brings to U.S. foreign policy.
The office of the President of the United States should not be a reward for political survival. At this point, little is known on where Ms. Clinton stands on many of the critical issues facing the United States today. Let’s hope this matter improves during her coronation process if that is the way the primary season for the Democratic Party proceeds.
With her announcement, Hillary is hoping her previous baggage will go away, and the American electorate will not have Clinton fatigue. What does Hillary stand for? What are her world views? What are her ideas on domestic issues and how to address them? Can she make the hard decisions of a Commander and Chief?
Ms. Clinton has questions to answer. The American people deserve these answers. Seeking to be the first female president and perpetuate a family dynasty are not good reasons to elect a candidate for President. The issue of dynasty also haunts Jeb Bush.
Perhaps some Republican operatives and potential Democratic candidates are correct, new faces and new ideas are wanted and needed in this campaign.
Hillary Clinton did not have an extremely outstanding record as Secretary of State. Air miles and photo ops do not a statesman make. Her “reset” with Russia failed, and other international achievements are difficult to recall. Negotiations with Iran, and any deal made there will certainly be a large piece of foreign policy found on the plate of the next President of the United States.
Then there is the Republican majority in Congress with whom the next President must try to work. The current relationship between the Democratic President and the
Republican Congress is not outstanding. Can Mrs. Clinton deal effectively with the Republicans controlling the Congress?
As Hillary’s second quest begins, she appears to be recasting herself and her campaign. Will this recasting be as much a failure as her “reset” with Russia?
The 2016 campaign is young. Mrs. Clinton certainly dominates the Democratic field at the moment. Will this domination and potential coronation be a fact in the fall?
During his presidency, Bill Clinton, after a defeat, said, “ I am still relevant”.
Perhaps Hillary is attempting to ascertain if she is still relevant in 2016.
Joe Lill says
…Maybe we should elect a new face like Ted Cruz…..someone willing to shut down the government in a quest to eliminate Obamacare……and then, when his family needs health care, he signs up for Obamacare instead of the many private health care options available to him. Yeah…that’s the kinda’ person we need for President!
Same old same old op-ed material from the same old same old op-ed author.
Billie Beck says
Hillary Clinton is a joke!! It’s time our Gov’t gets serious with the jobs they choose to run for. It’s past time they put our country and our people first and do the correct things, whatever they maybe. I sure hope the voters look long and hard at the candidates before voting and chose the one that has a good plan and is serious about taking care of “Business”.
Pete Buxtun says
That was vague enough a comment to make me think you were going to run for office!
James Nick says
Meanwhile, this just in from the real world outside the Republican echo chamber, here are the results from the most recent CNN/ORC poll (https://www.cnn.com/2015/04/20/politics/2016-elections-republican-field-poll/index.html)…
“…. Marco Rubio fares best against the former first lady, trailing Clinton by 14 points, 55% to 41%. Bush trails Clinton by 17 points, 56% to 39%. Christie and Paul fall 19 points behind Clinton, each putting up 39% to Clinton’s 58%. Huckabee, Walker, Carson and Cruz each trail Clinton by more than 20 points….”
And with countless more Republicans getting ready to jump in, 2016 is shaping up to be an even more entertaining spectacle of GOP matter-antimatter mutual annihilation than 2012 was.
Even Mr Hall seems to acknowledge a certain amount of inevitability when he wonders how Mrs Clinton will be able to “deal effectively with Republicans controlling the Congress”. But in politics, 2016 is a long, long way away. Anything can happen and nothing is inevitable. Competition on policy, ideas, and ideology is fair game but ad hominem attacks like these on Mrs Clinton based on misinformation, distortions, and exaggerations are early signs of insecurity and weakness among the conservative base. The fact is, the polls indicate people think Mrs Clinton is as qualified as anyone, and better than most, to be president of this country.
gerry maynes says
Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick, That’s the sound that can be heard just before Hillary Clinton Implodes. taking her and her parties chances to retain the White House with her. Mrs Clintons greatest enemy is herself! Her phony trip across the country in her van. her phony pre-chosen and vented run ins with so-called average Americans, driven to chance meetings by her staff. This is just another example of her basic dishonesty and respect for the average voter.
This also shows what a rotten campaigner she really is. If Mrs Clinton can!t5 be trusted to talk to random voters, how in the world can she be able to handle the Press and a Debate. As a Senator she never once introduced a major bill( she cosponsored a few with Chuck Schumer taking the lead. As a Sec of State she was simply a disaster’
Joe Diamond says
Always fun to read another fletcher piece. They are always provocative…thought provocative…question provocative….they make you wonder what you just read. Questions such………… as what was the topic?……… come to mind.
And one question from this Fetcher piece is not what Mrs. Clinton might do when in office “The American people deserve these answers.” Rather what will the Koch brothers spend $889 million dollars on to influence the election of 2016? Is there a program or leadership plan hidden in there somewhere or do they just plan to run the government by buying it? Do the Republicans plan to accept pieces of the $899 million or are they going to ignore the influence it could buy?
Sometimes you go with the devil you know because the devil you don’t know could be much worse.
Gerry maynes says
Actually its not the Koch brothers that worry me( They are Americans) Its the Saudis and every other country with quaint ideas such as keeping females as second class citizens, support slavery, kill Christians, trade in children for sex partners and god knows what else, who have sent mass amounts of money to the Clinton foundation, that worry me. Wel lnow that we are talking about domestic money being spent to influence and election,let us not for get George Sirrois and all those lovely Wall Street bankers who are supporting Hillary, our Champion!
joe diamond says
Gerry,
You have identified two separate issues.
My objection to the 889 million dollar political slush fund of the Koch brothers is not because they are bad or their programs evil. It is the power concentration. They have demonstrated great business acumen but their plans for America are unknown. Likewise , George Sirros is not running for office either and could be said to be attempting to buy his preferred president for reasons we are not given. Corporations can manipulate elections through their own political Action Committees (PACs) under freedom of speech rules. We are drifting away from the one man, one vote principle.
AND we are supporting foreign governments who promote patterns of life we would not allow here. Evil violent things are being done in the name of America because these things have been negotiated by our elected leaders. Voters have eventually stopped some of this. Allowing outside entities to influence our elections is equally wrong. It is the continued theory that we, the people, have some control over what is done in our name that makes America different…..maybe better.
I think we debase the system to the extent that we allow an accumulation of funds to pay for mindless TV ads to gain control of the government.
Ideas should be presented somewhere in the process.
Joe