Hillary Clinton - in the race to Whitehouse

As the sun shone on the eastern horizon on October 26, in the year 1947, the year of Indian Independence, that a lil’ girl born in the state of Illinois in US, is today the most favoured Democratic candidature for the Presidential post in the US General Election 2008-- Hillary Diana Rodham Clinton.Since her childhood her participation in public welfare activities and various social issues was noteworthy. She had mental keenness in various sport activities too. During her college days, her mettle as a leader was well proved. Her academic excellence coupled with ability to work for the school government made her a unique persona.

Armed with the Law degree from the Yale School in 1973, she went into wedlock in 1975 with the 42nd President of the United States Bill William Clinton. As the Nation’s first lady she exhibited remarkable strength and confidence in balancing the private, public and social life. She has also served as the Arkansas First Lady for 12 long years. Her contribution in the field of education, child health and legal services of Arkansas has been immense. As the US first lady she continued to be a leading advocate with the Health Insurance plans, she did extensive coverage and work on child immunization and creating awareness on health issues.

One cannot deny her existence as a writer too. She had been a regular columnist with Talking it over on which she wrote on various aspects that she saw and experienced as US First Lady. She did also pen a book in 1996 titled It Takes a Village and Other Lessons Children Teach Us and she did receive a Grammy Award for the same.

It was in 2000 that the lady was elected as a Senator for New York State in 2000. As a senator her role had been immense. She felt and understood the needs of the New Yorkers and strived to address majority of the growing concerns. Her role in protecting communities, investing in education, strengthening the children health-care system and improving public health has been quite remarkable contribution in the progress of the state. Rodham Clinton fighting her way with the other Democratic Senator from the state of Illinois named Barack Obama. This community organiser, university lecturer and a civil rights lawyer, son of a Kenyan father and American mother, Barack Obama poses several daunting debates on the way of the democrat Clinton’s race to the Presidential seat in the upcoming US elections 2008.

However, Hillary Clinton felt the optimism and strength within to debate all odds and work more and more to bring about the American Revolution, which is much needed in this time of slowdown in the American History. The US General Elections of 2008, need to provide the leader who would face an array of challenges plaguing the Nation today. The next President of US will inherit the qualms of two wars, a long campaign to curb the global terrorism, a resurgent Russia, growth of China as an international power, the unpredictable political conditions of the oil-rich Middle East countries along with the global issues of environment and health hazards.To achieve all, America needs a leader who would blend all strategies with immense motivation, diplomacy and persuasion. As the race begins, we know not who will hold the mantle....the Republicans or the Democrats for the US General Election 2008. We need to hold on to our views and reviews to know if Hillary Clinton can fight out Barack Obama to contest for the Presidential Post to reintroduce America in the 21st century with much more than just Vision.

Benazir

It was on the 21st June of 1953, a lil’ girl born in an affluent, renowned, political family of Bhuttos in Sindh, Pakistan. Like every child she also toddled to Jennings Nursery School holding her mother’s finger. In no time she took her fist steps to Jesus & Mary Convent School. As the ray of learning streaked through her mind she fancied within her a word-”Power”.

As years passed by, that lil’ girl grew up to be a beautiful lady. Graduated in Political Science from Radcliffe College, Harvard, she earned her MA degree from Oxford University. In these growing years & learning phase she came close with her father, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Within the subconscious state of her being she admiried the political charisma of her father & longed to feel the power. This feeling of her is best expressed as she sacrificed a year to be the President of the Students Union in Oxford college. Thus her chase for the dream begun.

Armed with western education, this tall good looking lady of Pakistan touched her people with the one charismatic smile. However, although she wanted to join Foreign Services yet she had to take the path of Politics to be what she was.

Hanged was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, & her life took a turn for the people of Pakistan. His execution in the year 1979, resulted in Benazir’s denunciation of Zia-ul-haq, & she began organising a political movement against him. It was the silent rage within her, that erupted now & then. She was put into a solitary confinement in year 1981.

In her book “The Daughter of the East ” she writes ”The summer heat turned my cell into an oven. My skin split and peeled, coming off my hands in sheets. Boils erupted on my face. My hair, which had always been thick, began to come out by the handful. Insects crept into the cell like invading armies. Grasshoppers, mosquitoes, stinging flies, bees and bugs came up through the cracks in the floor and through the open bars from the courtyard. Big black ants, cockroaches, seething clumps of little red ants and spiders. I tried pulling the sheet over my head at night to hide from their bites, pushing it back when it got too hot to breathe.”

This was the kind of torture she suffered physically. Mentally too she felt the pain of her idol being hanged. An intolerable suffering, yet she comes back to the people of Pakistan every now & then. Released from her confinement in the year 1981, she went to Britain only to come back in 1986. Her race to Power began & finally in the year 1988 she became the Prime Minister of Pakistan. That lil’ girl chasing her dream unknowingly came to the helm of POWER. However, the subsequent years were not free from events. In 20 months time her government fell off on corruption charges. It again rose to power in 1993. This time a three year tenure where she wanted to reach out to the masses. However in no time again that her democratic elected government fell prey to corruption charges & she left Pakistan.

I believe Power is an addiction. It beckons you now & then. It drives you to see the unseen, to hear the unheard & to make all things possible.

A mother of three children, a wife, Benazir could not restrict her inner self to come to Pakistan once again. Little knowing what the destiny is to unfold. It was her strive to be at the helm, that overshadowed her any other existence. She did not restrict her presence only to her children, because she felt her need in the hearts of the people of Pakistan. Knowing that her life is at risk, she continued to campaign once again & one more time. What would you call this? —-
Is it her passion to work for the people? Is it to avenge the death of her father in a military regime? Is it a feeling of duty ? Is it to be an embodiment of Patriotism OR is it that dream she once nourised within her. To be POWERFUL..to gain POWER.. to rule & reign at the helm.
She fell prey to a Terrorist attack. She was assasinated in 2007. The end of her Life, a struggle, a journey to POWER and the unfulfilled dreams of a great leader.