Off the Record

Hillary hits the high note

Listening to Hillary Rodham Clinton's address to the Democratic National Convention was a revelation to me. I had never heard her speak so passionately, sincerely and persuasively. It was a bravura performance, one that was exactly what Barack Obama was looking for to unify the Democratic Party behind him, and yet one that set the bar high for the presumptive nominee.

When he accepts the Democratic nomination on Thursday, Obama will need to call on all of his oratorical skills to prevent Clinton supporters from wondering, "Why, exactly, is he the nominee and not Hillary?"

It must be hard for women who had hoped to see another woman, finally, win the White House to see Hillary Clinton have to step aside. If this was to be the time for Hillary, I wonder who will come after her? If Obama wins the election and serves two terms, will Hillary be there in eight years? She will be 69 years old, certainly not too old to be president, but will her star have faded? Will there be another woman who will have enough charisma and potency to overcome our society's apparent aversion to electing a woman president? Or will that aversion have faded?

If it has, no doubt it will be because of the campaign Hillary Clinton has run.