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   "I'm running for president." Hillary Clinton kicks offher anticipated campaign for the presidency with avideo posted on YouTube.

　　With her second run for the White House, theformer first lady and Secretary of State is hoping tobecome the first female president of the UnitedStates. In the campaign video, she says, "EverydayAmericans need a champion. I want to be thatchampion."

　　Ms. Clinton is expected to visit the early votingstates of Iowa and New Hampshire shortly with a message of economic equality. She says, "SoI'm hitting the road to earn your vote. Because it's your time. And I hope you'll join me in thisjourney."

　　Ms. Clinton enters the 2016 presidential campaign as a favorite to win the Democraticnomination. Former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley and former Senator Jim Webb of Virginiaare potential rivals, but neither has received much in the way of campaign contributions orsupport from the party.

　　Charlie Cook of the Cook Political Report said, "In some way, Hillary is running against herself.She's got to show herself relevant in the 21st century."

　　However the road to victory for Ms. Clinton will not be easy.

　　Republican challenges ahead

　　On the Republican side, Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky have alreadyannounced their candidacy.

　　There are many more Republicans getting ready to challenge Ms. Clinton. They include formerGovernor Jeb Bush and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin,Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, and former Governor Rick Perry of Texas. Even formerbusiness executive Carly Fiorina said that she is "seriously considering running."

　　Facing a generation gap

　　Ms. Clinton has been a well-known figure in American politics for more than two decades sinceher husband, Bill Clinton, was elected to the White House in 1992. As first lady, Ms. Clinton ledthe failed effort to provide national health care. She later won an election to represent NewYork as a U.S. Senator prior to becoming Secretary of State.

　　Political analyst Stuart Rothenberg feels Ms. Clinton's negative is her age. She's 67 and wouldbe close to 70 if she were to take the presidency. Her announcement on YouTube is anattempt to reach out to young voters. Mr. Rothenberg noted, "We are a country and a culturethese days where 15 minutes ago is ancient history, and voters always want something newand fresh."

　　During an appearance on ABC's This Week, former Governor O'Malley emphasized this pointsaying, "the presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between twofamilies."

　　Surrounded with controversy

　　Ms. Clinton once famously said that her family was a target of the so-called "vast right-wingconspiracy."

　　A recent Congressional inquiry on Benghazi, Libya revealed that Ms. Clinton used a privateemail server to conduct government business as Secretary of State. Ms. Clinton insisted thatshe did not violate any rules by using the private email, but Republicans were quick todenounce the practice. Senator Rubio of Florida said that, "If there was anything in thoseemails that was sensitive in nature, not just classified, God forbid, even sensitive, I think itputs national security at risk." Senator Rubio is planning to announce his own run for theWhite House later this week.

　　The Clinton Global Initiative is a philanthropic foundation established by the former presidentand his family to improve the lives of people around the world. The foundation has accepteddonations from foreign countries including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Australia, Norway and theNetherlands.

　　Republican Senator Rand Paul, an announced candidate for the White House, criticized theforeign donations. In an interview with Politico, he said, "In countries that stone people todeath for adultery and imprison people for adultery, this is the kind of thing you would thinksomeone for women's rights would be standing up against, instead of accepting thinly veiledbribes."

　　Clinton possesses advantages

　　Ms. Clinton possesses some advantages over other candidates in the campaign for thepresidency. "She's got experience, both domestic and foreign policy," political analyst StuartRothenberg said. "She got rave reviews in terms of her energy and her enthusiasm in thework she did as Secretary of State, and that's a plus. Frankly, she's a woman, and that's ahuge asset."

　　Despite the email and foreign donations controversy, the former Secretary of State still leadsall potential rivals according to the Washington Post-ABC News poll taken at the end of March.

　　Professor Larry Sabato, of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said that the early pollsare "worthless." He added "it's impossible to project a general election for president yet.That depends on events that haven't happened, that depends on how popular or unpopularPresident Obama, the incumbent Democrat is in the fall of 2016. It depends on where theeconomy is. It depends on whether we are in a hot war or not. There are too many unknownsfor anyone to project the 2016 election, that is anyone who has any sense."

　　When Ms. Clinton ran for the presidency in 2008, she led then-Senator Obama by as many as33 points in the same poll.

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