I can understand why many Hillary supporter feel Obama is an empty suit compared to their candidate. He typically does not talk policy details. His style--which set him so apart in a competitive field-- is visionary rather than detailed. He can easily be wonky when he needs to be because he has in actuality thought through the policies he would pursue and know how he will set out achieving them. (Read his policy papers.) The success of his campaign has been no mere accident of good luck.  It took his passion for detail combined with an astute long-range plan to insure his rhetorical gifts and ability to inspire  would enable him to win (most likely at this point) the nomination. Way last summer when he was looking for financial support among wealthy Democrats they challenged his seeming lack of experience.  In response he said: watch how I run my campaign. His funding-raising prowess and formidable grassroots organization then left them in awe.

Hillary has been an inspiring candidate but in a very different way. She has been a role-model for women and lately a champion for blue-collar workers. What Hillary failed to realize, however, was Americans are presently ready for –even desperate for--inspiration on a much broader level.

 Americans have been embarrassed and humiliated by the actions of the present administration. We want to believe we can redeem our good name in the world. Hillary's competence is simply not enough for us at this moment in time and when she co-opted some of the Republican tactics to try and defeat Obama it became clear she was not the one to lead us out of the wilderness.

But Hillary’s passion has long been politics. I can see her in any number of roles. If she is not  driven by an ambition that can only be sated by winning the presidency she could become a powerhouse in American politics once she finds her niche. (Ted Kennedy found his after his loss in the primaries.) Maybe Hillary can stake a claim going forward as a much-needed Liberal Lioness in the Senate. We need a skilled fighter for Democratic causes. She has already set herself up as a champion of blue-collar workers and women. Make them her life’s work and Hillary will be as loved as she is admired.