As the primary season fast approaches, the Presidential race has heated up. Several individuals have become quite engaged. Such disputes include Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani against Romney, and John McCain versus the rest of the field. With the possible exception of Huckabee and Romney, the race that has proven to be the most unpredictable is the Democratic race between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Just a few months ago Democratic insiders seemed resigned to the idea that Hillary Clinton would be the party’s candidate for President. Despite leaving as much room as any other candidate for criticism, in some cases more, Clinton has maintained a constant lead. According to Gallup, at one point she was nearly thirty points above Obama, her closest competitor. Clinton, though maintaining her lead, appears to be weakening.

Gallup notes that her numbers scarcely move above fifty percent at any point. This could be a potential problem for the Clinton camp. Only half of the Democratic faithful support Clinton’s candidacy. This leaves half who are unwilling to vote for Clinton or are at least undecided as to who their vote will go to. Taking in the margin of error, it is possible that a majority of Democratic voters will not support Hillary Clinton. In a poll conducted by Gallup within the last month, Hillary Clinton’s lead, at its largest extent, has been cut in half, to just fifteen points above Obama. Still, Clinton is relatively comfortable. It is obvious, however, more than a few voters are uncomfortable with Clinton.

The reasons Hillary Clinton supporters give for their allegiance to Clinton are varied. There are the usual political platform reasons, but a great deal of support is social. The poll numbers differ from poll to poll, but it is clear that a large portion of the voting female population will abandon their political leanings and party convictions just to vote for a woman on the Presidential ticket. Apparently, Clinton is the hope of a substantial group of women for a further move into female power. Regardless of Clinton’s political ideals, which seem to be nearly socialist, is Hillary Clinton really what women want to represent their hopes and ambitions?

Several stories abound detailing the Clinton’s rise to power and their quest to hold it by getting them both elected into the White House. Whether this is true or not, Hillary Clinton has not obtained her status by herself. Her marriage to Bill Clinton has allowed her to become what she is. This is not to say that she couldn’t have become something great without Bill, but it would have been a lot more grueling and tough for her than it has been thus far. If she had simply just been a home maker and mother, rather than first lady of first Arkansas and then the United States, then Clinton would certainly not have been anywhere close to the Senate or the Presidency. Furthermore, it is obvious that Hillary used her husband’s status and connections to land her in a New York Senate seat. She had to do virtually no work to obtain the seat. Prior to her Senate election, Clinton had done nothing except be first lady and do the various projects that Bill relegated to her, projects that she did not often accomplish with fantastic results. Is this what women want? This is no soldier of the female-power movement. This is someone who used their marriage to project themselves into a position of power.

Many women, including Clinton for a time, are sensitive to the needs of women who have been abused or taken advantage of. This should be something women consider when they go to the polls on voting day. A woman who votes for Clinton, however, has forgotten the plight of such women. Hillary Clinton remained in her marriage to a man who has been accused of rape and abuse on multiple occasions. To make things worse, Hillary has often refused to speak of the allegations in front of the press, or even admit she knows what the allegations are. This is a very insensitive approach for a woman to take. What is more despicable is Hillary Clinton’s willingness to forget the past in order to take advantage of her husband’s connections to ensure her future.

illary obviously knows what many already surmise, which is that she would be nowhere were it not for Bill’s position as a former President. Realizing this, Hillary often depends on Bill while traveling the campaign trail. However, not only is she dependent, she is manipulative. If she thought she could gain the presidency through being Hillary, why then, did she move to New York and begin proposing plans that contradict her previous stances and those of her husband’s. Of course, it is possible that the Hillary we see now is the real Hillary, in which case that means that she lied to the American people even longer than we thought. Still, she may not be all that manipulative. Perhaps she simply cannot make fast decisions. Anyway it is cut, a manipulative woman, or one that is racked with indecision should not be the hero of women wishing for further liberation. Such a person, woman or man, is equally as undesirable to lead our country.