Rising from the Dole-drums

It could all change at the cusp of the millennium. On a bone-chilling Monday afternoon, before a nationwide television audience, a stylish woman with a charming southern accent gave the first indication in more than a decade that the US could be poised for another gender landmark. Elizabeth Dole did not directly declare her candidature for the Presidency even as she announced her resignation as president of the American Red Cross. But the sub-text of her address was unmistakable. 8220;At this important time in our national life, I believe there may be another way for me to serve our country. Soon I will be considering new paths. And there are exciting possibilities. I will choose one and pursue it with all my might,8221; Dole said.

Pundits believe that in Washingtonspeak, that simply means she will now weigh the option of making a bid for the Republican Presidential nomination, after first finding out whether she can raise the 25million it takes to kickstart the campaign. That could be small beer considering her husband8217;s Bob Dole8217;s famous reputation as a Washington insider and her own three decades in public life. She also has the benefit of the three national campaigns which her husband launched for high office. 8220;I think she is a serious candidate, notice that no one is taking such a possibility lightly,8221; former transport secretary Lynn Martin, who herself made a feeble bid for the nomination in 1996, said.

Liddy Dole, as she is called, would indeed be the most weighty female Presidential candidates to come from either side of the political stage. A Harvard law graduate, the 62-year old North Carolina native has twice served as a Cabinet member in the Reagan and Bush administrations and has a government experience of some 30 years. As wife of the 1996 Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole, who was a Senator for more than quarter century, she is consummate Washington poll. Dole could also benefit from the residual sympathyfor a man many see now as a decent candidate who lost, particularly given Clinton8217;s tainted presidency.

Although Dole said last year that she did not plan to run for President, the current state of the Republican Party, which is pretty much in disarray, is obviously encouraging her to seriously consider with the idea. Many Republicans believe she would be a better vice-presidential nominee. But Bob Dole himself is a foremost champion of his wife8217;s candidature, having floated a trial balloon on her behalf almost as soon as he lost. The joke in Republican circles is Lid Dole8217;s campaign would doubtless be invigorated by her husband, who has in recent days been doing commercials for Virgo and Visa credit cards, among other things. Dole also works for Verger and Liipfert, a top of the line lobbying form that has recently been hired by the Indian government.

But the more serious opinion is she is one of the better Republican bets. The Republican front-runner is Texas Governor George Bush Jr, son of formerPresident George Bush. But the Jr Bush has shown some reluctance at the prospect of being scrutinised by the media. If Liddy Dole chooses to make the bid and Bush Jr drops out, she would stand a good chance against other Republican hopefuls like Dan Quayle and Steve Forbes. The GOP field saw another candidate by the improbable name of Bob Smith enter the fray as a presidential nomination contender, while Sen. John Ashcroft, who had positioned himself as a leader of the religious conservatives, dropped out of the race.

The media fantasy of course is a Elizabeth Dole vs Hillary Clinton battle. But that does not seem likely to happen. The Democratic front-runner clearly is vice-president Al Gore. At best, the First Lady could bid for a Senate seat. Speculation is rife in Democratic circles that she may contest the New York Senate seat which will be vacated by Senator Daniel P. Moynihan next year. The First Lady is hugely popular in New York. On each of her public appearances in New York, Clinton received arapturous welcome. The First Lady is also credited with masterminding the victory of Democratic candidate Charles Schumer over Republican heavyweight Alphonse D8217;Amato in the New York Senate race. Given her enormous personal popularity as seen in the opinion polls, the seat could be a cakewalk.

It8217;s not just Elizabeth Dole and Hillary Clinton who are making waves. In one of the most uplifting stories from this country in the New Year, Arizona became the first state with an all-female line of succession. The top five cabinet officials of the state 8212; dubbed the Fab Five 8212; are all women. In fact, the oath of office to Governor Jane Hull was also formalised by a woman judge, Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O8217;Connor. And without the benefit of reservation, Arizona, otherwise reputed to be a macho state, weighed in with more than 30 per cent of its lawmakers as females.

Many analysts believe that as the first serious female candidate for President, Liddy Dole would have a unique appeal. When localcorrespondents asked her if she thought the country was ready to give serious consideration to a woman running for president, Dole said, 8220;Yes, I do.8221; Evidently, she had considered the gender theme too. 8220;You8217;ve come a long way, baby,8221; went the catchline in the advertisement for Virginia Slims cigarette more than half a century ago. The ad was meant to entice women to smoke at a time when their presence in politics was still frowned upon. The year 2000 could change all that.