(CNN) -- Hillary Clinton has started to re-enter the public spotlight, very possibly beginning a new stage of her career that may lead to the presidential election of 2016. In recent appearances, Clinton seems energized and spirited. She has already begun to talk about issues like women's rights and voting rights, causes that have animated her for decades. Gone is the constrained demeanor that turned off many potential supporters in previous years. The real Hillary Clinton seems to be emerging. Republicans are instantly attacking as might be expected. Former House speaker and presidential candidate Newt Gingrich, an arch nemesis of the Clintons in the 1990s, warned that she was promoting "left-wing ideas" that would lead to her defeat.
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Hillary Clinton speaking out more on liberal causes like voting rights
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Julian Zelizer says President Obama has made it safe for liberals to assert themselves
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Republicans have moved right, allowing Democrats' liberal views to seem more moderate, he says
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Zelizer: If she runs, Clinton could be an outspoken voice for liberal policies
@placeholder now has an excellent chance to put together the kind of presidential campaign that was elusive in 2008, one that could very well give the nation its first female president.