Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton came back into the thorny world of campaign politics for the first time since the 2008 presidential race. She has appeared at a rally for Terry McAuliffe, the long time Clinton confidante now running for governor of Virginia.
According to news item carried by the US media, about 500 people showed up to the historic State Theatre in Falls Church, a district of Washington, D C to witness Clinton's smiling return on the political scene, showering her with clapping when she made even the smallest hint to running for office again.
Now, is she considering a repeat bid for the White House in 2016?
This was a supremely low-risk event for Clinton - as perfect a re-entry into national politics as she could have asked for.
The former secretary of state has a close personal friendship with McAuliffe, a long time campaigner, poker friend, supporter, political fixer and all-purpose confidant for the Clintons.
Campaigning in front a flattering audience in the Washington suburbs, she has said, "I have been out of politics for a few years. And I have had a chance to think a lot about what makes our country so great."
She said while posing question, "what kind of leadership is required to keep it great?"
"The whole country is watching if the rights of women and girls will be respected, especially over our own bodies and our health care."
Talking about the political gridlock on Capitol Hill that led to a 16-day government shutdown this month, she said, "We have seen examples of the wrong kind of leadership in recent days."
"Politicians choose scorched-earth over common ground," she said.
She said that before listing the consequences of the shutdown, such as leave of absence from duty to workers and "children thrown out of Head Start."
Clinton also made sure to highlight Republican efforts to enforce stricter abortion regulations in Virginia. McAuliffe, she said, would "stand up against attempts to restrict women's health choices."
"We cannot let those who do not believe in America's progress hijack this great experiment, and substitute for the habits of the heart suspicion, hatred, anger, anxiety. That's not as a people who we are."
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