Born to Run: Hillary Rodham Clinton's New Agenda

If ever a person was born to run for the White House then it is Hillary Rodham Clinton.
I’m not sure if Bruce Springsteen’s song “Born to Run” will stick to the campaign like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dont Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” did to Bill Clinton’s extraordinary 1991 Presidential campaign in which he beat George Bush Snr and became the youngest President since JFK to win the White House. But if there was ever a slogan for Hillary Clinton’s nomination announced today then it is born to run.
In 1996 I wrote an article about Hillary Clinton that was published in The Australian. After the article was published I introduced Hillary to Joan Kirner and several members of Emilys List. It was a memorable moment in the dullness of the Howard era. 
But events were to subsume the Clintons as well. After winning a second term the ill discipline and sheer stupidity of the Monica Lewinsky affair must have brought Hillary to the brink of total despair. Apart from anything else there was so much to achieve that was lost. 
The whole catastrophe might have destroyed lesser folk.
Yet in 2000 HRC was there again. She licked her wounds and continued. After Daniel Moynihan retired she stood as Senator for the state of New York. She was the first First Lady to ever stand for office and she faced immense obstacles in that campaign. Her listening tour of upstate New York in which she did the equivalent of door knocking every house in her electorate has become renowned. But it was characteristic of her and the work she did in Arkansas when the young Bill Clinton was governor. 

I’m not sure if Bruce Springsteen’s song “Born to Run” will stick to the campaign like Fleetwood Mac’s “Dont Stop Thinking About Tomorrow” did to Bill Clinton’s extraordinary 1991 Presidential campaign in which he beat George Bush Snr and became the youngest President since JFK to win the White House. But if there was ever a slogan that sums up Hillary Clinton’s announcement today that she will seek Democratic endorsement to run for the Office of President in 2016, then it is born to run.

In 1996 I wrote an article about Hillary Clinton that was published in The Australian. After the article was published I introduced Hillary to Joan Kirner and several members of Emilys List. It was a memorable moment in the dullness of the Howard era. The Clintons were not expecting the Howards but Paul John Keating. It was one of those moments out of political sync.

But events were to subsume the Clintons as well. After winning a second term the ill discipline and sheer stupidity of the Monica Lewinsky affair must have brought Hillary to the brink of total despair. Apart from anything else there was so much to achieve that was lost so wastefully.

 

The whole catastrophe might have destroyed lesser folk…..

 

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For commentary call Peter Botsman, 0244651665