Clinton!

I guess the big question of Hillary Clinton's historic presidential campaign is "how much of a roll will Bill Clinton have?"

Actually, to my mind, this is not the big question. Though I have not decided between Clinton/Obama/Edwards/Richardson in this season's primary, I can say that I'm not overly concerned about Bill Clinton's influence on Hillary Clinton's campaign.

If anything, I think having been first lady to a president for eight years gives Hillary Clinton an advantage because there's no way anyone can argue that she doesn't know what being in the top job is like. Also, Bill Clinton was a highly successful president and thus he has groomed myriad advisors who could help his wife should she achieve that office.

But we shouldn't forget that she's the one who is the first "First Lady," to launch her own political career and to win national office. We also shouldn't forget that for all the vitriol that's been tossed at her since I was a kid that she's such a brilliant and admirable person that when Bill first ran for office he trumpeted a "co-presidency" with Hillary as a selling point.

The fact is, no matter how she achieved national recognition, Hillary Clinton is a viable and qualified candidate for the presidency. Better her for the last eight years than what we got, for sure.

I might vote for her in the primary. At this point, I honestly don't know. But all of the inevitable speculations about Bill's role will not factor into my decision. She's serious, she's qualified, and she's worth considering. Had she never been First Lady, I might not know who she is right now, but those things happen in life. However she got to the national stage (and there have been stranger routes than hers, consider that Rudy Giuliani was hated in New York until 9-11, which was a random event) I'm glad she's on the stage.