The Hillary Step

Sir Edmund Hillary. One of the greatest explorers of all time. A giant among men. A winner and a hero.


The Hillary Step is an area about halfway between the South Summit and the Main Summit of Mt. Everest. It is a make or break point. It is, by some measure, a "point-of-no-return" if you want to get to the top.


Sir Edmund and Tenzing Norgay made it to the top. The "first" to do so, although some unrecognized Sherpa probably did it 1000 years prior.


A truly awesome accomplishment. A world record.


Now let's turn our gaze to another Hillary Step. Or should we say "two step." A pause on the way to the "top?"


Why do we have to withstand four to eight more years of this woman? I grant that she is smarter than smart and accomplished in her own right. She came from modest, middle class roots and elevated herself to within a whisker (plucked I am sure) of The White House as its' landlady, not just its' tenant.


But please...can't we get a break from these people? All we hear about is Bill this and Bill that and Hillary said this and Hillary wants that and dynasty and Chelsea is so pretty now and in 20 years will be the next Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg and on and on and on...!


What is it with Obama and his penchant for nominating questionable cabinet secretaries?

Holder, Richardson, Geithner, Clinton...? Who's next?


Hillary Clinton probably would (or still might) make a good president. Qualified, informed, articulate, charming. But the idea that Bill's adventures in globetrotting and "interesting" fund raising on behalf of his foundations won't have an impact on Hillary's ability to succeed at State is naive by half.


Bill made disclosures and "was happy to do so."


Yeah, right.


Bill was a great president. He's a great ambassador. He's a great, soon-to-be, elder statesman. W. can only dream of approaching a fraction of Bill's achievements in or out of office. Or of any of the other former presidents, including Herbert Hoover, for that matter.


But Hillary will travel around the world with him on her shoulder (not literally as they seem to live very separate lives.) She has always lived in his shadow. He was the Governor... she was the First Lady. He was the President... she was the First Lady. She was elected to the Senate, in part, because he is her husband. She was taken seriously as a presidential candidate, in part, because of her relationship to him and his administration.


And now she's been nominated, in part, because "you keep your enemies closer..."


I wish she were different. I wish I actually believed the things she said. I really wish I felt that the two of them had the best interests of the country at heart and not just their own self interests as it seems to be.


But I guess we'll just have to pause a minute at this Hillary Step, gather our wits, and forge ahead to the summit regardless.

I guess we'll have to wait and see who the next heroes will be. So far it doesn't look so good.