Put aside politics for just a moment: It's gonna be a huge culture shock if Clinton is elected

Granted, she's not my candidate in the primaries, but if she gets the nom and goes on to win the general, the systemic shock to the country will be enormous. From how journalists address her to moments like the State of the Nation address, to having Bill Clinton as first spouse. Will the press still fixate on her attire and appearance? What role will BC play? Will he be a roving Ambassador or hew to some of the traditional roles? Can you see a Christmas at the White House special with Bill?

One thing's for sure, the nation will have some adjusting to do.

Everything's going to change when all those troops end up staying in Iraq.

cause shes gonne keep the troops their indefinatly.

But I'm agreeing with you. It will be just like when Nancy Pelosi became the first female Speaker of the House.

Everything is different now.

in a major way.

to vote for her. J/K, well not really, but the OP asked to set politics aside, so I am trying to abide.

all the other countries who have had women heads of state over the past 50 years. Not exactly trailblazing on our part ... but hey, at least we can beat Canada on this front.

For all of us who are not so much for Hillary in the primary, we can't fail to see the historic symbolism of this for our country. For all of us who are women (or men), it will be pretty cool if it happens: our first GRRRLLLL president.

Granted, she didn't last long, but still.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Campbell

The Right Honourable
Avril Phaedra Douglas
"Kim" Campbell,
PC, QC, LLB, LLD (h.c.)
Kim Campbell
19th Prime Minister of Canada
In office
June 25, 1993 – November 4, 1993

I actually remember her name ... but perhaps I can plead forgetfulness on the basis of her very short tenure.

Still, we Americans tend to not know very much about things Canadian (vinegar on French fries is about the extent of it). I guess my lapse proves that.

or pommes frites.

(At least in Eastern Canada; Western, not so much.)

on edit:

“While Americans are benevolently ignorant about Canada, most Canadians seem malevolently informed about the United States.”
—Merrill Denison, American author

Most heinous dish I know. And I'm none too fond of tortiere, either.

The media will talk about how she has many manly characteristics ala Thatcher. There's a lot of K Street money behind HRC, so look for the media to really get this going. It isn't so much that the society demeans women as much as it discounts the feminine. Women that sufficiently show a perceived lack of femininity, such as Janet Reno, Condi Rice or Jeane Kirkpatrick are considered to be strong and competent - HRC will have to exhibit the same sort of thing - quite the opposite as when she had to come up with a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies to prove she could be First Lady......I really despise the American Idiot......

There will be a spate of shooting rampages

it's huge for THIS country. Unfortunately, America has a serious case of exceptionalism, and don't really get that this issue is not a big deal in most of the industrialized world. Even France came close to a female leader, recently.

What you will see if she gets in is misogyny unleashed like it's never been unleashed before from the right, and that's saying something. We already have Hillary 'nutcrackers' for sale. They will hide behind politics while doing it. Putting in the wrong woman for the first president could actually set women back in the long run.

is quite sexist in itself. And though many countries in the world have had women leaders, this isn't really about American exceptionalism as it is about deep rooted sexism.

represent the whole, just like Nixon didn't represent all white people. But you have to live in the real world and realize that's not how people in this country think. They will think, failure as President, a woman, conclusion-women don't make good leaders.

One thing people are forgetting here, she may very well get elected, but will she be able to govern? The next president has a HELL of a mess to clean up and has to make difficult decisions. It's going to be one of the greatest challenges any president has ever faced. With such a strong negative reaction many in the country have toward her, the left for their reasons and the right for their own, she's going to have a hard time finding support to do the difficult things.

It's will be all too easy for those who are already primed to do so, to generalize her failure to womankind. Don't for a second think it won't happen.

it will be easier. She'll get domestic stuff done. I truly don't know what she'll do internationally, but neither does anyone else despite what I see here at DU.

The effect on my granddaughters will be immense. For the first time in our nation's history a girl will really be able to dream of being President of the United States.

The press will make a huge deal out of it. There will be lots of symbolism at the Capital leading up to her swearing in. The RW will become unhinged, more so than usual, so we should expect a lot of acting out.

This is kinda fun to think about!

eom