Presidential primary race and its relation to Texas

Hillary Clinton

Texas as a Model for Hillary Clinton's 2008 Bid for the Presidency

Though 2008 did not mark the first time a woman ran for president, nor the first time Hillary Clinton ran for president, the election, especially the democratic bid for the presidency, has been both unique and monumental. In the history of the United States, only white men have made it to the oval office. With an African-American and a woman fighting for the democratic nomination, the chances are better than ever that that trend will soon be broken. Though almost all commentators are now predicting that Illinois Senator Barack Obama will win the Democratic Party's nomination, Clinton has vowed to stick in the race until her party has a nominee. Clinton's strengths in the race so far have been her name and association with former President Bill Clinton, her gender, and her call for universal healthcare. The candidate's weaknesses have centered around her lack of experience. Though many have joked that Hillary Clinton actually ran the White House while her husband was president, some have suggested that her limited executive experience and brief stint as New York senator have not prepared her to run the country. Though her husband's political career has generally aided Clinton in her own pursuit of political fame, the sex scandal that characterized his time in office and his treatment of some issues, like the North Atlantic Free Trade Agreement, have hampered her success somewhat. In addition, Clinton is seen by some as cold hearted and only in the race for personal success. Regardless, Clinton's run for the presidency will be documented in history books and taught in classrooms for centuries to come, especially to young women seeking to break gender barriers for themselves. By examining a brief history of Clinton's 2008 campaign and her stance on political issues, in addition to her treatment of the politically important state of Texas, the historic nature of Clinton's presidential bid will be made clear.

Though rumors of Hillary Clinton's desire for a presidential candidacy in 2008 circulated since the former first lady took office in 2001, the Washington Post reported that she officially announced her intention to run on January 20. In her first attempt to steal the political limelight, Clinton purposely planed to announce her candidacy just before president Bush made his State of the Union address (Hillary Clinton.) After the January announcement, political forecasts seemed clear for Clinton and her presidential ambitions. Campaigning on a platform of universal health care and an end to the war in Iraq, Clinton surged to the top of the early polls. The surge was not merely in response to issues, however. Before she even announced her presidency, Clinton began building her political team, choosing key politicians to serve as her advisors and even beginning a pre-announcement campaign with "elected officials" in Iowa and New Hampshire where the first primaries were to held (Early Moves).

Though October led in both national and Iowa state polls in October, the female contender ended up coming in a mediocre third place in what many believed to be one of the most important, if not the most important, milestone in the presidential race, despite her trips and campaign efforts in the state ("Clinton Takes Lead"). Though she was optimistic after the results, some worried whether the national favorite would be able to soar to presidential stardom. Clinton's New Hampshire victory, however, turned that doubt around for many supporters. Though Obama had topped the state polls, though Clinton was still the favorite nationally, she won the state in a victory that MSNBC called "stunning," and what many termed a "comeback" (Stunner.)

Unfortunately for the Clinton Campaign, the comeback couldn't last forever. After Super Tuesday and following states' results left Clinton and Obama nearly neck and neck, the nation looked as if it was closer than it had ever been to putting a woman in the oval office. Unfortunately for Clinton and her supporters, however, the results of the latest primaries, including Indiana's on May 6, which Clinton won, left the candidate trailing Ohama and the election up to super delegates to decide. Though Clinton pledged to continue to run, on May 7, Clinton supporter and former presidential candidate George McGovern recalled his support for the New York Senator, urging her to throw in the towel. The senator said he believed Clinton could not win the election, and called for her unity within the party (Democratic Elder). Scrutiny over Clinton's financial affairs, as well as linguistic missteps, have added to Clinton's media image as the soon-to-be-defeated candidate.

Even though many agree that Clinton will not earn the party's nomination due to the downturn of her "comeback," Clinton's monumental victory in Texas is an interesting position from which to view the candidate's success, for even if she does not make it to the White House, few can argue that the only woman to ever make this serious of a bid for the presidency has not been successful. In fact, some believe that because of the attention and support she has gained in this electoral battle, she may be fit for the presidency in 2012.

The appeal that has allowed her to win many of the nation's primaries can be easily seen in her Texas victory. Historically conservative, Texas is a tough terrain for any Democrat. An two non-traditional Democrats, a woman and an African-American, make that terrain even tougher. According to ABC News, Texas was a challenge for Clinton in several areas. One of the biggest worries for the candidate was Texas' unique primary system, which ABC News called a cross between a Caucus and a primary. The state held a primary the morning of March 4 and a Caucus later that evening. Because Obama was seen as the stronger Caucus candidate, Clinton's campaign staff were worried. The system made it necessary for Clinton to win over 50% of the state's votes, and even though Clinton had polled as the favorite among Lattia/os, her strategists feared this would not be enough for her to pull off a win ("Bill Clinton").

In addition to being tough to win, Texas was a necessary victory for Clinton's national success. Even Bill Clinton suggested Clinton had to win the Texas primary in order to gain the presidency. As the largest state in the union, Texas' enormous number of delegates were sought after by both candidates, and needed to put Clinton in the lead. In order to campaign in the difficult and necessary state, Clinton relied heavily on her past experience with Texas, citing the work she had done registering voters there in the past. She also brought up her husband's terms as president, which benefited Texas democratically. The strategies worked. Clinton pulled ahead in Texas, and won the difficult state's primary, a feat many did not believe she accomplished ("Ohio, Texas"). Although the victory was monumental, it will probably not be enough to allow her to win the election. Thus, looking at Texas allows one to understand the mitigated success of Hillary Clinton as a candidate.