As Bill Clinton recovers from his failure in the Middle East, Hillary is putting America’s love for the Clintons to the test. She has spent most of her adult life campaigning with a master. Now, for the first time in history, the First Lady is running for elected office in her own right. Her opponent is Rick Lazio, an obscure Republican who took over when the high-profile Rudy Giuliano pulled out of the Senate race. Lazio came out of nowhere and is now shaking hands all over New York to make himself a name. Meanwhile, everyone has heard of Hillary Clinton. Not only is she married to a President who has won in New York twice in the past eight years, but her fame means money for campaigning. But her name is not always an asset. The polls show that she’s been stuck for months at 45% and that her unknown opponent is now at level pegging. One explanation is New Yorkers’ mistrust of outsiders. But much of the criticism is personal and has to do with her husband. “There’s nothing honest about the woman or about the man. They’re total liars and they’re total opportunists”, says one New Yorker. Hillary Clinton has strong support within the black community, but will this be enough to win against the fresh-faced Lazio a.k.a. “Mr Nice Guy”?

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