Hillary Clinton 2016: Get Ready to Hear That 1,000 Times Over the Next 4 Years

Very few first think of the 1998 Lewinsky scandal when they hear the name Hillary Clinton. Instead, she has forged for herself a legacy as first lady, senator, and the face of American foreign policy for the past four years. When she was named Gallup’s Most Admired Woman in 1993, it was still unclear how unfettered her career would be to that of her husband and then-president, Bill Clinton. In 2012, she won the title once more for a total of 17 wins, more than any other man or woman in the history of the poll. 

The most admired woman in the Gallup poll history log will most certainly be generating momentum on the political arena and beyond. Her admirers aren’t happy to see her leave her post as secretary of state or any public post for that matter. They’ll be pushing for Hillary Clinton 2016 and with lots of good reason.

This week’s headlines are out of the ordinary for Clinton. She has just been discharged from New York-Presbyterian Hospital where she was recovering from a blood clot between her brain and skull. The clot is related to a concussion she suffered earlier in December when she fainted and hit her head. She has not been seen by the public since December 7, missing an appearance before Congress to testify about the deadly Benghazi bombing on September 11, 2012. Now that her recovery is on track, the pressure will continue for her to run in 2016.

Her list of credentials is long and distinguished. A politically engaged first lady like few others, a senator and secretary of state, she has all the connections necessary to raise funds and garner Democratic support. Most importantly, Clinton has 2008 to learn from. A long primary will provide her with the best experience to face off not only any Democratic contenders but probably her Republican challenger as well.

She has stated several times that she is not looking to run for the next presidential election. Despite that, people will continue to push her towards the platform. In December, Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) told MSNBC she was excited about the prospect of Clinton 2016.

“She could be president of the United States, and she would be great,” Pelosi said. "She would go into the White House as well prepared ... or better prepared ... than almost anybody who has served in that office in a very long time.”

The speculation continues with a CNN/ORC International poll that found 85% of Democrats and independents who lean towards the Democratic Party say they'd be very or somewhat likely to support Clinton if she runs for the Democratic nomination. Ninety-three percent of Democratic women said they would be very or somewhat likely to support Clinton with 79% among Democratic men.

A lot can happen in the coming four years. Clinton has already solidified her reputation as a strong and deft politician, with the backing of most of her party and not to mention the very influential Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. She is the most traveled secretary of state, racking 261,042 miles in 2012 alone. Even Republican Newt Gingrich said the Republican Party would be “incapable of competing at that level,” were she to run. Whether or not Clinton decides reach for the presidency once again, it seems clear that many will be throwing the idea around for a long time to come, especially since it’s about time we had a female president.