Image via EMILY's List

Hillary Clinton is now a retired woman. She has officially stepped down from her post as Secretary of State. She’s no longer a U.S. Senator or First Lady. She’s not waging a presidential campaign — yet. And those pesky Benghazi hearings are over!

What are we political women going to do without Hillary in our lives? She has been a presence on the national stage for over 20 years. Now she’s a lady of leisure.  Apart from her myriad “exit” interviews, like with 60 Minutes, what is Hillary going to do with her time?

Regardless of your political persuasion, I think we can all agree this is one woman who deserves a nice nap, a glass of Chardonnay and a nice spa visit. As I keep my fingers crossed about what is next for her on the political stage, I’ve been thinking about my favorite moments from her stint as Secretary of State (aside from the tongue-lasing she gave some people on Capitol Hill at the Benghazi hearings!

1. One of the best is reflected in the image at the top of this post, from her meetings with Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Su Kyi. For me, this is the photo that is the face of what women’s leadership increasingly looks like — one that is infused with common ideas, compassion, and, yes, friendship.

2. She understands the importance of connecting with powerful women in many arenas, including entertainment. One of those is Meryl Streep. I’m not assuming from this image taken at Kennedy Center Honors event in December that Hillary and Meryl are BFF’s, but they could be now that Hillary’s globetrotting is done for the moment.

Image via Huffington Post

3. She loved Texts from Hillary.

Image via Texts from Hillary

4. She traveled almost one million miles around the world to make it a better place for women and girls.

5. She’s confident enough in herself to talk about being a mom. Not all the time, but when she’s asked about Chelsea, she beams. And there’s nothing wrong with that — no matter what some feminists who are younger than me think about how being a mother informs our world view.

Image via The Telegraph

6. And she doesn’t let a little old concussion keep her down. I have new-found empathy for concussions after suffering a small one myself over the holidays (and, no, I did not hit my head just to be like her!). Regardless of what those Fox News conspiracy theorists said about her, a concussion is no laughing matter, but it didn’t keep her out of action for long.

Image via Department of State/Nick Merrill

What’s your favorite Hillary Clinton moment? Actually, now that I think about, my favorite Hillary moment will be the day she announces her 2016 presidential bid!

Image via The Newseum

Oh, neo-cons.

What are you going to do in a few weeks when Hillary Clinton retires? For the past 20+ years, you have made Hillary-bashing an Olympic sport.

No matter what Hillary does. No matter where she goes. No matter what her title or job description at any given moment, even when Hillary Clinton has all-time high support, there are still a handful of high-profile conservatives who just can’t help themselves when it comes to Hillary-bashing.

You have gleefully reveled in all things anti-Hillary.

Even though her approval ratings are though the roof, and even Republican women admire her,why would the Hillary haters persist as she is stepping down from an amazing run as the uber-champion for women and girls around the globe?

2016.

Republicans know that there is a chance Hillary will run for President in 2016, so they’ve got to start laying the groundwork now so that American conservatives are ready to be whipped into an anti-Clinton frenzy at a moment’s notice.

According to one news report:

“Some Republicans believe it’s only a matter of time before [Hillary Clinton] appears in more direct-mail appeals. A second Hillary presidential campaign seems eminently possible, and it’s already prompting a fundraising appeal from the PAC ActRight, helmed by National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown, who recently wrote to his list: ‘The time to start planning for the defeat of Hillary Clinton is right now.’ “

PACs aren’t the only ones getting ready. Right-wing pundits are ramping up, no doubt hoping to get in on the talking head circuit early for the never-ending campaign cycle.

Hillary looks exhausted and overweight.

Hillary could look prettier if her ego weren’t so big that she has to fly around the world to do her job.

Hillary is the queen of faking a concussion and cerebral blood clot.

Hillary is a non-feminist doormat (though I’m not sure how that helps the GOP, since many conservatives are against the whole feminism thing)

Hey, did you hear Hillary might wear a girdle? (that’s what uber-conservatives call SPANX).

She’s only a secretary.

Even as conservative mocking of Hillary is taking on a life of its own, some Republicans concede it’s going to be  a tough sell to convince voters that they shouldn’t consider a second Hillary Clinton run for the White House. According to GOP strategist Alex Castellanos:

“She is the most powerful symbol of American women’s success in a man’s world. It is going to be tough for Republicans to attack her without also attacking what she represents. My guess is that being represented as the party that opposes American women’s success is not a great political idea.”

1. The Muppets are liberal and hate conservatives.

2. Libertarians have a conspiracy theory about some adoptions.

3. A college education makes you a snob

4. White guys still have too much power.

5. Even 12-year-olds understand when there’s something wrong with a candidate.

6. Rush Limbaugh finally discovered he can’t call just anyone a slut.

7. Suburban moms are the most powerful political players in presidential elections.

8. Republicans thought if they created a war on moms they would win the White House.

9. Women made some advances in the 2012 election, but there’s much more work to be done.

10.  Fewer Americans will be worrying whether they have to choose medical care over paying the mortgage.

11. When states fight against unions, they are forgetting the women teachers, nurses, and more they need every day.

12. Some people really are trying to spin the elections by preventing certain people from voting – including women.

13. There’s a difference between engaging with voters who happen to be mothers and pandering to them.

14. “Ladylike” took on a new political definition.

15. Late in the election, both major political parties remembered they had forgotten to engage with American moms — pretty much the most powerful voting demographic.

16. Ovaries can talk.

17. Putting women in any binder is never a good idea.

18. Ain’t no such thing as a fiscal cliff.

19. Women and social media will change the face of politics.

20. Time to start thinking about electing a woman president.

Predictions for 2013?  If there is one? 

Image via Wikipedia

I know you might be tired of all the 2012 hoopla, but we took the opportunity to discuss not the outcome of the race, but how women can use the tools of online media, and their already established influence, to help make change locally  as well as nationally!

Plus, we talked about how women from all political perspectives, especially those who are included in my book Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America (now available for your Kindle!) can help move the conversation beyond whether we can “have it all” to doing what we can with the voices and influence we’ve established online!

I hope you’ll take a listen and let me know what you think you can do change things in your community!

1. My parents live in Pennsylvania — one of  the states that tried to ram through mandatory photo ID laws for voting. A judge put that on hold, but said poll workers were permitted to ask for ID for first time voters, but couldn’t require it (which begs the question, why ask in the first place?)  My retired parents were asked for ID, and when my mother asked if it was required to vote, the poll worker stared her down until she got out her driver’s license. Oh, by the way, the poll worker is someone my parents have known for years. He knew who they were. He didn’t need their ID to know they weren’t trying to steal the votes of hardworking, small family farmers. Then, the machine my mother tried to vote on kept trying to switch her Obama vote to a Romney vote.

In Pennsylvania.

2. I wish I lived in Hawaii, because I would have voted for these two great candidates — Mazie Hirono and Tulsi Gabbard. OK, there are other reasons I want to live in Hawaii, but this is just as good an explanation as any.

3. You know the TV talking heads tomorrow will be chatting up the 2016 presidential election, right?

4. My new boyfriend is the only thing that’s keeping me sane. I’m sorry Jon Stewart, but at least until this election is over, my new “boyfriend” is Nate Silver, of 538 Blog election predicting fame. Mr. PunditMom said it was OK for me to take on a new man in my life as long as I’m only drooling over his polling.

5. My 12-year-old is worried we’re going to leave the country if Mitt Romney wins the White House. I’ve tried to calm her nerves, but secretly, I’m already planning my move to Vancouver (*waving at Tanis!*).

6. Someone on Team Romney has been orchestrating robo-calls reminding people to vote tomorrow. Wednesday. The day after Election Day. And the GOP screams about voter fraud?

What’s been keeping you up? And what’s been your method of calming your nerves?

Now where did I put that Chardonnay?

OK, so maybe you haven’t been on the edge of your seat about the stand-at-the-podium, semi-scripted events that are a presidential campaign rite of passage.  So much of the lead-up coverage for the first debate is about what zingers we’re going to hear. Maybe there will be a Saturday Live-type moment (“Can I Call you, Joe? ‘Cuz I’ve got a couple zingers where I call you Joe.”)

But depending on how firm any particular moderator is, and how willing he or she is to push and follow up on responses, there are a few things I’d really like to hear from President Obama and Mitt Romney — and my debate wish list has nothing to do with a dog on the car roof or who has the better basketball game.

So how do I want moderator Jim Lehrer to kick off the first presidential debate of 2012? I’ve listed my top five requests at my column, The Spin Cycle.

The first woman elected to the White House will answer to many names — Madam President, ma’am, and, most likely, Mom. That’s something I like to think about on Mother’s Day.

Given the demographics and family status of many of the women in politics today, there’s a pretty good chance that the first female who gets to sit behind the historic Resolute Desk in the Oval Office will be a mother of young children.

Think that’s crazy? Read the rest of my most recent op-ed piece at CNN entitled, “Coming soon: A young mother in the Oval Office?”

And if you want to read more about moms getting into the political arena, I’ll contribute a portion of the sales of my book Mothers of Intention: How Women and Social Media are Revolutionizing Politics in America (Bright Sky Press), if you purchase before midnight on Mother’s Day!

Image by Joanne Bamberger. All rights reserved.

Political observers knew it was just a matter of time until Rick Santorum dropped out of the 2012 presidential race. The numbers game was against him — at the moment Mitt Romney has almost three times as many convention delegates as Santorum. Even though the former Senator from Pennsylvania had a bigger fan club, Romney kept winning the delegate game.

But my gut says 2012 was never the election Santorum had his eye on. I’m pretty sure he was always gunning for 2016. With poll numbers looking iffy for him in the upcoming Pennsylvania primary, he surely knew he couldn’t risk losing his home state this time around if he wants to be seen as a viable Republican four years from now.

No doubt, the health of his daughter Bella played a part in his decision. He’s come off the campaign trail a few times, including this week, as his three-year-old was hospitalized yet again. But Santorum also knew that even with the political love he was getting from supporters, that it was time to fish or cut bait.

Don’t worry. We’ll see those snazzy sweater vests again. And next time around, I’m guessing he’ll remember to register for the primaries in all the states and find some big dollar benefactors.