In
my January 14, 2013 post I called Operation
Madame President: 2016, I predicted that the Republican Party would nominate a
woman for President of the United States.
Even for the skeptic, the reasons I gave are plausible, the most of which
was the Republican leadership’s desire to be more
inclusive. In other words they want to
broaden their appeal for more votes. I
can see why. So far it’s the same-old
same-old with them: rich man, fat man, white men, and recently - another
prince. I’ve noticed barrages of trial
balloons over the political landscape.
They quickly pop and disappear and the only thing left is that same
pantheon of Republican candidates. The
only thing missing is any mention of a female candidate and that’s odd given previous
Republican rhetoric.
What’s
interested me in the last few weeks is the appearance of someone who has the
look – the image - of being America’s first woman President. I’m not talking about strategic
considerations like being from an electoral rich state or having a billion
dollar war chest. Am I the only one who
thinks Joni Ernst (who is running for Senator from Iowa) fits the presidential
image? She’s young at 44 and attractive
enough to beat out Hillary Clinton any day.
Of course, that’s superficial, but I remember 1960 and how women used to
swoon over John Kennedy. The opposite may
be true.
If
she survives her Iowa bid, Ernst would bring to the table in 2016 unexpected
military credentials coveted by the Right and sought after by the kingmakers of
the Left who for decades have been cultivating and positioning their own candidates. Ernst has them. She was not only a Lieutenant Colonel in the
Ohio Army National Guard, but served in Iraq.
In addition, her military service as an officer means she probably has been
screened to the Top Secret level (depending on need-to-know). It’s bad news for leftists in the Media
who would enjoy exposing a Republican version of “Monkey Business.” For now Joni Ernst has the image and more. If she’s not destined to be a Dark Horse, it
would surprise me. In any event, I’d
venture to say human nature favors attractive people and Hillary ain’t it.
