Hillary Clinton 2016? 10 Things She Should Do After Being Secretary of State

Impact
ByTori Elliott

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made little secret of her plans to retire from arguably the most stressful job in the world this coming January. No doubt Hil has more than earned her respite from public life, but after days jam packed with meetings, uprisings, and the more than occasional national security threat, how ever will the most-traveled Secretary of State fill her newfound free time? We have a couple of suggestions.

1. Get a massage or two. Or seventy.

The Arab Spring alone must have created permanent knots in Hil’s back, so we recommend a good solid massage. Or, you know, one a day for the rest of her life, to work out those kinks.

2. Go to the gym.

Hillary has already given us a vague picture of what her life of getting “untired” might look like, and she’s been pretty clear about one thing — she will be hitting the gym.  And a good thing too — no matter how much free gym access there is at the White House, all those hours sitting on a plane are bound to put you in poor physical shape (plus, she might need to build up her stamina for a certain race in the next four years…).

3. Travel for fun.

Hillary Clinton may be the most-traveled Secretary of State, but with a schedule as tight as hers, it’s likely she’s spent a good deal of time in transit with little room to visit museums or take in the sights of some of the most beautiful areas of the world. 

4. Get her own decorating show.

Madam Secretary’s love of HGTV’s “Love It Or Leave It” might inspire her to get a show of her own. Who wouldn’t want to watch Hillary Clinton sassily tell packrats and persnickety suburban housewives exactly where they can stick that kitsch? 

5. Star in a Muppet film with Jason Segel.

Jason Segel of “How I Met Your Mother” has consistently joked with fans that Hillary Clinton is the famed and still unknown titular “mother.”  In response, Hillary herself wrote to Segel, telling him that she was a bit preoccupied at the moment but, should she ever star in a film with him, it must include Muppets. Well, get the script ready, Mr. Segel, because Madam Secretary is about to find herself with a copious amount of free time.

6. Hang out with new-found BFF Meryl Streep.           

Okay, so maybe they’re not exactly best friends, but the picture of Hillary and Academy Award winning-actress Meryl Streep taking a selfie on Streep’s iPhone at the Kennedy Center Honors gala have found their way all over the internet. The two women appear to get along swimmingly and with all her free time, maybe Hil can squeeze Meryl in for a weekend brunch.

7. Join the Council on Foreign Relations’ Board of Directors.

What better place for America’s top diplomat than amongst the ranks of her equals? Both Madeleine Albright, secretary of state under President Clinton, and Colin Powell, who held the position under George W. Bush, hold coveted places on the CFR’s Board; Hillary would be in good company.

8. Star in a reality TV series.

The Republican Party already has its own token-female-politician-turned-reality-star in Sarah Palin. If Hillary really wanted to maintain her spot in the limelight, what better strategy than to invite the entire American public into her home? Then we could all watch her watch HGTV!

9. Continue to fight for the rights of women.

Throughout her tenure as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton has made women’s empowerment and equality around the world a large part of her focus. Without all her diplomatic duties, Hillary can throw more of her political weight behind bringing attention to issues of women’s equality in the U.S. and abroad. 

10. Start giving lectures.

Hillary could take a page out of Bill’s playbook and start giving lectures at various universities and events. Not only is it a great way to make some extra money on the side, but it would give her a chance to talk about her experiences in the State Department with a bit more candor with her many adoring fans.