Before we are misunderstood, let us make ourselves clear. We support Hillary Rodham Clinton not because we believe she is faultless (we know of no one who is), but because we need to change the way some people, chauvinists if you will like to call them that, look at and use the word “Impossible”. To this category of human species, the fact that some things have not happened means it can never happen. Also, these class of higher animals appear not to be able to cope with the fact that the United States can have a female President in their life time, though they will applaud the fact that Mrs Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the current Liberian president. If, in all, Africa has produced seven female Heads of State (including those appointed in interim capacities); US neighbours in South America has produced nine (including the present ones in Argentina and Brazil); not to talk of those in Europe and Asia, then we are amazed at to why some people still fantasized about the possibility of Hillary becoming the first woman to brake that jinx!
Let us forget about the feminine arguments for now, it is needless in this regard. It seem like a forgone conclusion that Hillary will clinch the Democratic ticket in February 8 with a rare in-house unity she will be enjoying from even her closest rival, Bernard “Bernie” Sanders. Understanding this, the Republican Party or the Grand Old Party(GOP) leaders appears to have laid some landmines on her way with the recently concluded Benghazi Inquiry. Apart from the way she has made the Republican House leadership look sore silly with her “interviewers” sweating more than the “interviewee”, do we need to still ask why the infamous Inquiry winded up abruptly? If there was anyone who had a better dinner after that 11-hour session, then that person had to be Hillary!
Though, GOP leaders will never publicly admit this fact, Hillary is the most experience of all the present contestants. Her experience as First Lady (1993-2001), two-term US Senator (2001-09), Secretary of State (2009-2013) makes her more experienced than all GOP contenders put together. Who settles for better when the best is available?
In addition to her public service experience, she is a skilled debater. Her ability to communicate effectively is one of the hallmarks of good leadership, which sets her apart from her GOP rivals. Save for, say Carly Fiorina, would have been able to match Hillary’s oratory prowess but can Republicans trust women? Donald Trump is known to be in the Presidential race just to promote his business interest, is not known to be a good debater. The same thing goes for the renowned neurosurgeon, Ben Carson, whose only deficiency will not only be his skin colour, but also the fact that his oratory prowess his at best mediocre. Hillary is ready for the debates with whomever emerge on the republican ticket. She won’t have as many debates in which to hone her skills as the eventual GOP nominee, but she has many other edges, including her 2008 experience; the fact that going forward she will face only one or two opponents—rather than nine or so—on the debate stage (much closer to the dynamics in a general election); her professionalized and experienced debate prep team (many of whom worked the same gig for Barack Obama); and her own fearsome, dogged, and scrupulous preparation.
No one needs to be told that Hillary’s is the most well-funded and professionally run campaign among those contesting. Carly Fiorina’s campaign is presently in shambles after it was discovered that her campaign against “Planned Parenthood” based on a fake video; Jeb Bush campaign is presently reportedly suffering from cash flow issues with the campaign staff told to take huge pay cuts due to credit crunch. Donald Trump is not running any serious campaign because he is getting free ads from CNN because he supplies them the news. His travels across the country may just be some investments hoping to yield returns in fat bank accounts, not really the White House. A bad thin Trump is doing to himself is that he is his own Campaign manager; secretary and spokesman. No one should be surprised when you hear his unguarded, clumsy and infantile attacks against the Mexicans (Hispanics), immigrants and recently African Americans. In fact the drama surrounding his declaration for the office alone can at best pass for an Academy Award in Hollywood. Carson needs a good manager if he is serious about challenging Hillary!
Hillary’s massive support from labour unions can be ignored at one’s own peril. The Dem’s most important constituency group in terms of ground troops and campaign resources is now moving decisively towards her, also giving her more working-class cred and undermining one of Sanders’ strongest rhetorical plays—that she is out of touch with the economic grassroots. And long-invested unions will provide her important foot soldiers in the general election battlegrounds, as they have since time began for Democratic presidential nominees.
The Republican nominee is more likely to emerge broke. A nominating calendar and delegate rules designed to avoid the kind of extended intra-party fight that crippled Mitt Romney’s general election effort will almost certainly be no match for a fifteen candidate field, a number of whom can make a decent argument that they’ll win the prize. The ferociousness and deep pockets of gladiators Donald Trump and Ted Cruz and the possibility that the party establishment will end up intervening with tens of millions of dollars in negative TV spots means a long, gory slog that might not find resolution until after the national convention in Cleveland in mid-July.
Republicans appear to have based their entire campaign strategy on two wrong (or faulty) foundations. First, that Vice President Joe Biden will be running, hence deplete the Democrats support base. Second, the GOP nearly never attacks any other Democratic candidate except for Hillary.
Since Biden have announced last month he will not be running for President there have been a major boost to Hillary’s campaign. Also, the landmines set on Hillary’s way, predictably consumed the GOP leaders themselves!
If the Hillary for America strategists are really working, we think it is time the US produced a female President and that is Hillary!
STOP PRESS: As I concluded writing this piece I got the information that Mrs Aisha AlHassan, the APC Gubernatorial candidate in Taraba state, Nigeria has been declared winner of the April election, if it is true, she will be the first elected female Governor in the annals of Nigerian history. Can this be Hillary?
Olalekan Waheed ADIGUN, a political analyst and strategist, writes from Lagos.
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