Israel's 'Mrs Clean' Has Quite a Mess to Tackle

But Livni faces uphill climb if she becomes prime minister

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 18, 2008 8:39 AM CDT

(Newser) – When she cast her ballot yesterday, Tzipi Livni took a page from Barack Obama and told the Israeli media that party members should "bring about change by voting for what you believe in." Now, writes an analyst in the Jerusalem Post, Israel's prime minister-designate has a tough job: not only to bring peace to the Middle East, but to reform a political system tainted by the corruption of Ehud Olmert.

Livni's very first task, writes Calev Ben David, must be "to reshape her divided and scandal-ridden faction closer to her own image as the straight-talking 'Mrs. Clean.'" But at the same time she has to build a coalition with smaller parties, and that means cutting deals. If she pollutes her reformer image just to win power, Livni "will surely suffer down the road in elections likely to come sooner rather than later."

[Images (6)]

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Tzipi Livni, Israel's prime minister-designate, shakes hands with Barack Obama during a meeting in Jerusalem. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Tzipi Livni prevailed in an election to replace Ehud Olmert as the head of Kadima, Israel's ruling party. She will become prime minister if she can form a coalition in the Knesset. (AP Photo/Alon Ron)

Supporters of Israeli Foreign Minister and candidate for the Kadima party leadership Tzipi Livini react as they hear the exit polls in Tel Aviv, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo)

A Kadima Party member casts his ballot in the Kadima primary at a polling station in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Tzipi Livni, Israeli Foreign Minister and candidate for Kadima party leadership, gives a speech before casting her vote in Tel Aviv, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, Pool)

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Like John McCain, Livni has to overcome a basic hurdle.... It is her own party that holds the reins of power, and thus must itself be held primarily accountable for that very need for breaking with 'yesterday's politics.' - Caleb Ben-David, Jerusalem Post

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Israel's 'Mrs Clean' Has Quite a Mess to Tackle