La Voz

Issue date: 2/5/07 Section: Opinion

To the relief of feminists and the chagrin of Republicans, a political savior has emerged.

Ending years of speculation and debate, New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton has officially thrown her hat into the presidential ring.

One of her campaign slogans is "Let the conversation begin," which is fitting because this is exactly what our country needs. Just the mention of her run for president might be enough to get people talking about current politics, and remember that we have to endure only one more year of Bush until we have new blood in the White House.

It's pleasing to see that our country is progressing toward a more diverse government. There are more minorities holding public office than ever before, and Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House, is second in line for the presidency. No woman has ever come that close to the presidency, save for the "first lady" title.

It's nice to have more options in elections, instead of the usual choice of a white male over another white male. Competitive elections are one of the fundamental values of democracy, and diversity within candidates, whether it is gender or ethnic, means a more complete representation of the American people.

When the Constitution was written, women and non-white citizens were not considered in politics; now the Democrats have a chance to change that at a presidential level. Recent polls from both parties show Clinton as the forerunner for the presidency.

With a Clinton back in office, maybe our country can go back to the good ol' days before Bush happened. Remember, with the former Clinton administration, the economy was booming, our nation's budget was in a surplus, and we actually forged peaceful ties overseas.

Maybe with Clinton we can finally get out of this generation's Vietnam and bring our troops home to their families, instead of fighting a war that's not ours to fight.

Hollywood first banked on the idea of a female presidency with the well-written drama series "Commander-in-Chief." Geena Davis played the part, and although the show received a lot of buzz and Emmy nominations, it was soon cancelled.

Apparently, Americans didn't want to see a female president, even in a fictional drama.

But it's understandable why a strong woman like Clinton would intimidate men. The possibility of a woman being commander-in-chief with the most powerful military force in the world at her fingertips has got to be emasculating. Women in politics were usually seen as sitting politely by their husbands while they addressed the country's citizens. Now that the tables have turned, the old fashioned folk are uncomfortable with the new dynamic.

Ultimately, since women have the right to vote, they should have an equal opportunity to be president. The person who is most qualified should win the election, regardless of gender or ethnicity.

Hopefully, people can look past, as Clinton puts it, "hair and clothing choices," and take her seriously as a candidate. Perhaps her success can serve as an inspiration for more women to be active in politics.

For the most part, women have no problem with Clinton. It's the men who are ranting and raving about her unqualifications because she is a woman. But this is not a gender version of affirmative action. She has the experience to back it up. Clinton has a strong political record as a senator and has gained vital firsthand perspective on the presidency from her husband's two terms.

Honestly, any man who does not vote for Clinton on the basis on her being a woman alone must be suffering from vagina-envy.

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