Hillary's Announcement Vs. Christmas Morning

I initially supported Hillary Clinton in the 2008 primaries, until her husband and her campaign went a little rogue and I was swayed by the charismatic ways of Barack Obama. While I stand by that vote, I never stopped admiring her as a politician — she was highly intelligent, tough, shrewd, and she seemed to have little tolerance for the sexist b.s. that was routinely tossed her way, both as Secretary of State, while on the 2008 campaign trail, and in the decades preceding. In fact, she seemed the antidote to such sexism. You conservative pundits think women are weak? Are emotional? Are irrational? Check out this lady. She'll eat you for breakfast, Sean Hannity. And I'll pay to watch.

And as Obama's presidency, despite many victories that I wholeheartedly support, has begun to feel like a bit of a slog, I've longed for the opportunity to cast a vote for Hillary at the next available opportunity. Sure, I'll reserve judgement until her competitors are revealed and her political plans and stances (with which my own are closely aligned) are definitively outlined, but she certainly has a headstart in securing my vote.

So Hillary announcing her candidacy for the 2016 presidential election feels like Christmas morning to me, but one I've been waiting on for eight years rather than one. I'm excited to see her give it another go — and perhaps to emerge victorious this time. I'm thrilled at the idea of having a woman in office period, and especially at the very time the rights and freedoms of women are being attacked by the political system. I'm energized by the thought of a generation of young women seeing Hillary as a role model, as a manifestation of the idea that women are just as capable as men in holding positions of power. And I think that, if we want the interests and rights of women to be truly seen as equal in the eyes of the government, having a female president (as so many other countries do — seriously, what are we waiting for?) will certainly help. Further, companies with female CEOs are more successful than those without — can that success extend to our government as well? Plus, I turn into a political junkie during election season — candidacy announcements for me are what spring training is to baseball fans — and I'm literally rubbing my hands together in anticipation just thinking about the coming 18 months.

So whether you are already on the Clinton 2016 train or just love watching the political process unfold, Hillary's candidacy feels like a big fat present under the Christmas tree — one I've been waiting on for forever and am so freaking ready to open.

Image by Liz Minch and Bustle Design