Hillary Clinton has officially announced her presidential campaign for 2016, though it hardly comes as a surprise.
The former first lady, Senator and Secretary of State, has been busy hiring staff and making speeches in preparation for her second try for the oval office. And it’s already looking like a totally different ballgame from 2008.
In her announcement video, Clinton lets the stories of a diverse group of people speak for themselves, ending the video saying, “Everyday Americans need a champion, and I want to be that champion, so you can do more than just get by — you can get ahead, and stay ahead — because when families are strong, America is strong.”
There is no doubt that Mrs. Clinton is a serious contender for the candidacy, with her political experience and support carrying over from her first campaign. But SEO experts see the next 19 months as a minefield that the nominee will have to navigate in order to succeed.
The mines: a litany of gaffes, scandals and political mistakes that will no doubt be discussed ad nauseum on the campaign trail.
The list begins before the Clintons ever set foot in the White House, with the Whitewater scandal. The first in-office blemish on Hillary’s record was nicknamed “Travelgate” for her alleged dismissal of White House travel staff in 1993 in favor of a few Arkansas associates.
And then there is of course the sexual misconduct of her husband while in office with several of his colleagues, including the now infamous Monica Lewinsky scandal. While it’s unlikely Mrs. Clinton will be targeted for President Clinton’s infidelities, Mr. Clinton would be back in the White House if his wife is nominated, so these issues may still come up.
Other snafus that may come up over the course of the election range from the renting out of the White House’s Lincoln bedroom to political and Hollywood elite to the Bosnia airport sniper lie. And then there’s Benghazi and the issue with the private email account.
It’s quite the rap sheet. But unlike her 2008 campaign, Hillary is not relying on recounting her successful career in the senate or trash talking George W. Bush. Instead she is acknowledging the climate of today’s America, and identifying herself as a champion — as well as a woman. This time around, she is not fearful of appearing feminist, declaring it the time for women to “crack every last glass ceiling.”
“People around her were saying don’t play up being a woman, it could be a vulnerability,” Maria Cardona, Clinton’s 2008 senior adviser, said in an interview with Bloomberg. “She’s running in a different time, and because she’s running in a different time she’s embracing these issues differently.”
With a campaign aimed at looking forward and not back, Clinton could have leverage against any opponent who dredges up her skeletons. She could — and should — take the position that focus should be on the horizon, on ideas and real change, and that’s ultimately what voters are looking for.