Friday, June 10, 2016

Hillary Clinton: Herstory in the Making

When Hillary Clinton secured the Democratic presidential nomination this week, she not only did a historic first for the United States, as a woman, but she stood on the shoulders of those before her; women such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Fannie Lou Hammer, Jane Addams, Margaret Sanger, and those far less known. Their courage lent them, not the laurels of a presidential campaign, but the accolades of their cities, towns and communities, and defined success in the manner of Emerson, if not a national political party.

While in no small measure, can one say that her victory does not belong to her, but it has sprung not just from the pages of history, but also has led to America’s coming of age. Let us remember that In the beginning of our foundling nation, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband, the illustrious John Adams, to “Remember the ladies!”

History has shown that Mrs. Adams had to wait longer than she expected, and while no longer in Braintree, she must be looking down in approval, from her Olympian stool, and smiling approvingly.

With the assistance of the superdelegates, Clinton now faces the long hard slog of battling Donald Trump who, much like Scrooge, seems determined, if not to put children in orphanages, to build walls, take the money and run. With a disaffected minority backing him, his rise in the primaries and caucuses has also earned him the enmity of fellow Republicans, and that erstwhile duo,the Koch brothers. His latest diatribe against the Mexican-American judge handling the case of his eponymous university has earned him the ire of even the staunchest Republicans.

As oft has been said, “Which Trump do we get today?” and the path for Clinton (aided by a chastened Bernie Sanders) is going to be at times, like fighting the comic book villain, “The Joker.”

Someone once said that women “are like tea bags, the more hot water they are in, the stronger they become.”  In Clinton’s case, the waters were boling, and she survived, stronger than ever, be they Whitewater, Travelgate, Benghazi, or even Emailgate. But, it's safe to say that things are going to get ugly between she and the Republican presumed candidate after their respective conventions.

What she will have, as a “first” is the ability to harness like-minded others who also were primary figures to fine tune, not only her battle plan, but to define, and then redefine herself as someone who can transcend the boundaries of others traditionally shut out of mainstream political life. And, with the African-American community behind her, this forms the initial bulwark of her campaign.

WIth the intensity of the campaign (which seemingly began five years ago), is the spectre of violence that has already sparked in some cities, and Trump has used this fissure, between the factions, to his advantage. What once was seen as a joke, a throwaway campaign, like an Elvis impersonator, is now serious,and dangerous stuff. And, this is where the coolness, some say the hardness of Clinton will come in, and show her mettle in dealing with bullies, brawls, and beyond. Sic Semper tyrannis!