Hillary Clinton 2016: America Would Be Lucky If She Ran For President

Impact

Nobody, except maybe Tiger Woods, has undergone as dramatic an image change in the last few years as Hillary Clinton.

As first lady during the Clinton years, Hillary was relatively disliked, in part due to her endorsement of universal health care, and in part because of the perception that she was a “co-President” with Bill. And as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2008, public opinion soured even more.

It seemed as if she couldn’t win. If she was straightforward and direct, she was accused of being a “bitch” but if she showed emotion, she was weak and hormonal. Then-candidate, President Obama, with his charismatic speeches and hopeful message, became a shoo-in for the Democratic Party and Hillary was relegated to the sidelines.

Soon after her loss, however, Clinton’s genuine endorsement of Obama in the general election secured her a position in his cabinet as secretary of state. And from there, Clinton experienced success after success. She almost single-handedly changed the world’s outlook on the US starting with her first day in office, where she phoned dozens of international leaders, stating, “We’ve got a lot of damage to repair.”

Her chief accomplishments include the establishment of the position ambassador for women, her influential role in the U.S.’ reaction to the Arab Spring, the creation of a State Department review, the unveiling of a domestic and international AIDS plan, the negotiation of a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, and the development of her very own brand of “smart power.”

After being everything from the scorned housewife to a forgone presidential candidate, it took only a few short years for Hillary to become, to put it bluntly, a badass. You know you’re done something right as a politician when the kids are making memes about your texting habits.

May who think she's irreplaceable have met the latest mentions of her resigning from the post of secretary of state with massive uproar. Most recently, NYC Mayor Bloomberg’s request to Hillary to consider running for his position sparked a Twitter outpouring of “Hillary for 2016, not 2013.” It’s safe to say that Clinton will not take this offer, though whether she accepts the one awaiting her in a few years remains to be seen.

With sky-high approval ratings, a wealth of success stories, and a marriage that weathered even the most public of shamings, Hillary Clinton has proven time and again that she is smart; she is strong; and she is capable of handling whatever comes her way. If she decides to run for President in 2016, the Democratic Party would be lucky to have her.