Only a new president can renew the promise of America — the idea that if you work hard you can count on the health care, education, and retirement security that you need to raise your family. These are the basic values of America that are under attack from this administration every day. And only a new president can regain America’s position as a respected leader in the world.” Yes, folks, the Clintons are back. As of this morning, Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton has officially entered the 2008 presidential race. Senator Clinton is smart, committed, and formidable, and I think she’d make both a worthy standardbearer and a worthy president. (And her husband would likely make the best First Mate since Eleanor.) But, in all honesty, I also think she’s the type of candidate that everyone in the country already has an opinion about, and I fear we’re rolling the dice with her if the GOP gets behind McCain, as they’re likely to. (Also, while having our first Madam President will be both a history-making and long overdue moment in our politics, I’m not sure I like the historical precedent of Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton — It sounds so Gilded Age to me.) Finallly, while she’s been a strong and dedicated advocate of many liberal issues in the past (health care reform, social security) in the past, her record on much-needed progressive reforms (campaign finance, voting reform) is less enthusing, and — like her husband — she’s clearly shown a tendency to don the conservative wardrobe (Iraq’s early days, attacking Hollywood) when it suits her purpose. I’m not averse to a Clinton candidacy by any means (as I was and continue to be with Al Gore), but — unless things change considerably in the year to come — there are other candidates I find more intriguing. Namely…
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