Clinton. From an emotionless ice lady to a woman who evokes a warmth of change among Americans
Photo: AFP
Is it the ice lady's turn to lead America?
Analysis: After George W. Bush's emotional presidency, which led to an unnecessary war, and Obama's messianic presidency, which damaged America's standing in the world, it may be time for a levelheaded president like Hillary Clinton, who will act with unemotional coolness.
In the Iowa Democratic caucuses in January 2008, Barack Obama defeated Hillary Clinton,
who shed tears upon hearing the results. People were under the impression that Clinton had collapsed and would quit the race.
David Axelrod, Obama's strategic advisor, didn't think so. He said that one of the things which bothered people about her was her lack of authenticity and humanity. And here, he said, we have a very human moment. Even if she cries over a loss, she revealed an emotion which people can connect to.
Policy in Review
Yitzhak Benhorin
After finally announcing her bid for the US presidency, Ynet takes a look back at Clinton's positions on Israel, starting from her time as a first lady, then as a senator, until leading US foreign policy as secretary of state.
Indeed, Clinton won the presidential primaries in three states in a row after that, and was in a tight race with Obama before losing on the finish line. Now, eight years later, she has officially announced that she is running for president again. Obama, her former rival and partner, has already endorsed her.
Clinton will be nearly 70 years old if she starts serving as president in early 2017. Only once in American history was a president elected at this age – Ronald Reagan in 1980. The problems from his second term, in which memory lapses were revealed, is not an encouraging sign. Another hurdle Clinton will have to overcome is the fact that a woman has never been elected president.
Nonetheless, the polls are predicting a crushing victory for Clinton, both against the Democratic candidates and against the Republican candidates which have been mentioned so far.
While Clinton has the resume of a worthy presidential candidate, she lacks sweeping charisma. Is that about to change?
This campaign story fascinates everyone involved in political marketing. How did the wife of a controversial president, in his personal life, become a leading presidential candidate? How is it possible that she of all women, who has been denounced by feminists as a serial defender of a treacherous husband, is perceived as the representative of the feminine power in the United States? It is mainly interesting to see how the woman who was perceived as an emotionless ice lady transformed into a woman who evokes a warmth of change among the Americans.
This is an important election campaign for the Israelis as well. The relationship between Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been taking place, for six years now, in the freezer. Will Clinton change direction if she is elected president?
An as interesting question is what will happen, during the race, to Israel's status in the US. The Democrats depend on the Jewish vote and Clinton will likely court the Jews. Will she recruit the Democrats against Obama, or will he be forced to compromise?
The answers to these questions depend on Clinton's chances of getting elected. She is no longer just the wife of Bill Clinton, whose presidency ended in 2000. Since then, she had served as a senator for the state of New York and as the Obama administration's secretary of state until 2012. She definitely has the resume of a worthy presidential candidate, which combines political experience and national policy management. Will it be enough for an exhausting race of primary elections in the Democratic Party and competing against the Republican candidate?
Clinton doesn’t have sweeping charisma, one which bursts out of the television screen and sweeps away the voters. That's why she was beaten by the inexperienced Obama. In the television debate between them, she was asked by the moderator why people appreciate her, but find it difficult to like her. Historically, this is a trait which could harm a presidential hopeful. People vote not only for a head of state for the White House, but also for a friend for their family.
And this may very well be the big change in Clinton's candidacy, at least according to the polls. After George W. Bush's emotional presidency, which led to an unnecessary war, and Obama's messianic presidency, which damaged America's standing in the world, it may be the ice lady's time. A levelheaded president, acting with unemotional coolness and without thunder and lightning.
