Exams Are Over!

There’s been a lot of buzz about who the contenders for the 2008 US presidential seat will be. The media started of initially by pitting current Secretary of the State Condoleezza Rice against the former first lady Hillary Clinton. It makes a really good story –something the masses would enjoy. Two women, one Republican the other Democrat, competing to be the most powerful and influential person in the world (excluding Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan and Dan Brown of course).

In April, Vanity Fair released its first ever “green issue” which focused specially on environmental matters. An A-List Green Team made up by Robert F. Kennedy Jr, Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Al Gore appeared on the magazine’s cover. At the Cannes Film Festival in May, Al Gore made waves thanks to a documentary based on the former US vice-president’s environmental campaigning titled An Inconvenient Truth.

A presidential race between Ms Rice and Mrs Clinton would be an interesting one. Regardless of who wins, the situation would surely be a triumph for women’s rights activists everywhere. A more interesting race to monitor would be the one among Democratic ranks with regards to the party’s presidential nominee.

In a speech delivered at the National Press Club in Washington, Clinton called for Americans to make changes in the face of Iraq war and high petrol prices. Gore on the other hand, has been relatively low-profile compared to Hillary Clinton amidst his environmental campaigning.

However, with all the talk about environmental degradation lately, it may not be too late to write him off as a potential 2008 nominee. At least he distances himself further from the Bush administration compared to Hillary Clinton (he is anti-war while Clinton supported the war).

Undoubtedly, the environment hardly invokes as much passion and nationalistic pride among the American public compared to a central national issue like Iraq and oil.

It is likely that if Clinton triumphs, there are bound to be certain policy changes which will favour gender equality (although it may not be marketable for her to admit that). If Gore wins, these policy changes will favour environmental awareness and protection. If being president means being able to leave a legacy on the American public then I would probably favour the tree hugger.