Clinton vs. Trump?

Hillary Clinton, the favorite presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, turned to her advantage a House hearing investigating the 2012 attacks in Libya against the U.S. compound in Benghazi -- an incident that occurred under her watch as secretary of state. She defended what she did in a logical manner, surviving the Republican Party`s full-fledged offensive on her. The grueling hearing that lasted for 11 hours only proved Clinton`s diplomatic expertise and physical strength. She attributed her strength to yoga.

For Clinton, who turned 68 on Monday, October is a lucky month. At a debate among Democratic presidential contenders on October 15, she outperformed her rival Bernie Sanders. Last Wednesday, her potential competitor U.S. Vice President Joe Biden announced that he would not run for president. Clinton`s e-mail scandal has subsided, and she also put to an end controversies over her age through the Benghazi hearing. She will be 69 years and three months old in January 2017, when the next president will be sworn in. If she gets elected, she will become the second oldest president after Ronald Reagan, who was elected at the age of 69 years and 11 months. She also fended off attacks on her for her age, saying, "I`ll be the youngest woman president in the history of the United States."

The Iowa Democratic caucus (February 1, 2016), the first one in the nomination race, is 100 days away. While Clinton is solidifying her lead, the Republican Party`s Donald Trump is on a shaky ground for his lead, as he fell behind rival Ben Carson in polls in Iowa, the barometer of the voter sentiment in U.S. presidential elections.

Trump said that Carson was "lower energy" than the former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. A retired neurosurgeon, known for being the principal surgeon in the world`s first successful separation of twins conjoined at the head, rebutted, saying, "I will tell you, in terms of energy, I’m not sure that there`s anybody else running who`s spent 18 or 20 hours intently operating on somebody." A real-estate mogul who seems to refill his energy with blistering remarks and a former First Lady who stays healthy with yoga -- can these two face off each other in next year`s presidential election? The U.S. presidential race is getting increasingly interesting.

mskoh119@donga.com