President-Elect Hillary Clinton.
It remains, despite epic distractions, snapshot polling and a media mosh pit, the more likely scenario on Nov. 8.
Yes, there were Shirley Chisholm and Margaret Chase Smith and others. But no one with this stature and experience. Not even close. History now beckons. From suffragettes to a woman president of the United States. If ever a contemporary use of “awesome” were appropriate, this is it.
And yet.
This is not the historic sequel–following the election of an African-American president–that it should be. This is more sordid survival and Manichean struggle than feel-good history.
Imagine, the realization that America had finally evolved to the point that it could elect its first female leader of the free world. But also imagine that such history would be, frankly, overshadowed by personal back story, bar-stool quips, degrading campaign dynamics and geopolitical-and-trade anxiety.
Bill Clinton baggage, private email servergate, WikiLeaks subplots, Russian meddling and the implausible, unconscionable candidacy of Donald “Lock Her Up” Trump have relegated history-making to less than a parallel story line. Gasps of bullet-dodging relief overriding celebrations of barrier-breaking victory. Exhale to the new chief.
American exceptionalism.
It wasn’t supposed to evolve this way.