Before his passing, the Rev. Jerry Falwell said during a conference that the potential election of Hillary Clinton would do more to mobilize conservatives than even the devil himself. These strong words may be on the extreme end of “Hillary-hating,” but her liberal voting record and the memories of her husband’s past indiscretions have provided many conservatives with an adequate reason to fear the continuation of the Clinton dynasty. It’s surprising, thus, that Clinton is getting props from several conservative Republican figures, including author Ann Coulter, for being more conservative than she appears. Oh, and they also claim that she has a heart.

The face Clinton displays in debates and public speeches makes her an easy target for criticism. Her background as a lawyer is apparent in the way she talks – she is dogmatic, wooden and methodical. She is resolute in her criticism of the Bush administration – she has called her past support for the war in Iraq a mistake and is in favor of reversing Bush’s tax cuts. Perhaps it is the stigma surrounding her bid to be the first female president, but Clinton seems incapable of revealing her true heart when it comes to separating her personality from the issues. That doesn’t mean, however, that that heart doesn’t exist.

Clinton’s close friend and former chief of staff, Maggie Williams, in a 1999 interview for The New York Magazine opposed the public’s opinion of Clinton by stating that she is actually extremely personally conservative. Williams explained, “She is patriotic and practical. She thinks it’s important to spend money on social programs, but she wants to know that they work.”

In recent years, Clinton has demonstrated a willingness to reach out to partner with many conservative leaders. In 2005, she spearheaded a movement with former Republican presidential hopeful Sam Brownback to research how too much media input may negatively affect children. It’s Clinton’s commitment to having a social conscience in her campaign that is the greatest key to understanding where her true values lie.

In 1999, Clinton famously defined her stance on abortion by saying her goal was to keep abortion “safe, legal and rare into the next century.” In the same speech, she remarked,“being pro-choice is not being pro-abortion.” These are hardly comments from someone who adamantly supports the killing of babies. On the contrary, during her term as First Lady, Clinton was consistently at the forefront of increasing the ease of adoption and other alternatives to abortion and, most of all, of letting mothers choose to do the right thing, rather than having the government force them to do it.

In regards to gay rights, Clinton stated in August 2007 that she was in favor of letting the states maintain their jurisdiction over marriage rather than the federal government. Her commitment to individual responsibility is at the heart of many of her campaign tenets, and it’s a clear demonstration that the senator is more than capable of viewing the American people as the most necessary component to truly transforming the country. She has given a face and personality to many of the election issues; it seems only fair that her opponents do the same for her.

It seems sarcastic to remind conservative Christians not to forget about the extramarital affairs that marred Bill Clinton’s second term, because it’s obvious they haven’t, but perhaps the events should be recalled in a different light. The indignation toward a president who lied to the American people is rightly rekindled whenever the Clinton name is referenced, but perhaps, in regard to Hillary, Bill Clinton’s second term should be underscored by one simple fact: the Clintons are still married. Whatever personal resolve and faith it took to hold a marriage together that was publicly being ripped apart in the news media certainly bears with it a message of forgiveness that is often lost in the quickness to judge a wife based on the husband’s faults.

At the conclusion of his final crusade in 2005, another revered Christian figure voiced his opinion on Clinton’s possible run for President. The Rev. Billy Graham quipped that when President Clinton left the presidency, “he should become an evangelist because he had all the gifts.” Graham then added with a smile, “And he could [let]c his wife run the country.”