Swoon: Hillary Pushes For Women Leaders

In a speech Thursday night, Hillary Clinton emphasized the need for more women to take political office around the world, particularly in countries like Afghanistan. The former first lady, senator, and secretary of state (and our perennial crush) was attending a gala held by the National Defense University Foundation in Washington. She was there, of course, to accept an award: the American Patriot Award, which honors those who have "strengthened America’s strategic interests and advanced global security."

The focus of her speech was on the need for women in more positions of power and the progress that's been made toward that end. Focusing on the positives, Clinton referenced success to that end in Liberia, Northern Ireland, Rwanda, and particularly Afghanistan.

“Afghanistan should embrace and empower all of its people, including women,” the potential 2016 nominee said. “We know how hard that is, but women are out running for office. There’s even women running for president in Afghanistan. And their voices deserve to be heard."

Clinton also spoke on broader world events, criticizing a recent trend toward isolationism in American foreign policy, saying, "We have to decide if we intend to continue America’s global leadership. Certainly women are a part of that, but it’s a much larger discussion and debate that we must have."

The Clinton Foundation recently launched an initiative aimed at obliterating glass ceilings worldwide. We hope she shatters a certain such ceiling in the U.S. next. As we reported this week, that's looking increasingly inevitable:

Jim Messina, an top advisor in President Obama’s inner circle, is in talks to co-chair a Hillary Clinton 2016 super PAC with Bill Clinton’s former chief of staff. “If she runs,” that is. It’s a major move by Messina, and signals that the party could move into 2016 in a relatively unified state.

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Although Clinton supposedly hasn’t yet decided whether or not to run, a massive campaign apparatus is sprouting up around her, and Priorities USA is poised to be a significant part of the machine. It would handle big money donations, while the Ready for Hillary PAC would only accept contributions under $25,000 and tackle grassroots and organizing. EMILYs list would head the campaign’s polling operation, while another super PAC called American Bridge would focus on opposition research and rapid media response.