One of the great things about Presidential races is that we get to see the poor, beleaguered wives of the candidates trotted out for our amusement. We get months of swooning about how romantic and strong and protective their husbands are, and you too can feel that strength and protection, female voters, if you only back my man! But this year we actually have a front-running female candidate, so naturally we get ... a dishy interview with her in Essence about how romantic Bill is? Oh, we've come a long way, baby. Highlights after the jump!

• The first time Hillary saw Bill, he was rambling on to his fellow Yale Law students about the quality of Arkansas' watermelons. Later, Bill made eyes at her while pretending to talk to someone else, which should probably not come as a surprise to anybody.
• Women should back other women's decisions to stay with their cheating husbands, because as the Onion once noted, anything a woman does is empowering to women!
• When asked about the most romantic thing Bill has done for her, she "hesitates for longer than is comfortable." Then she goes on about the stuff Bill brings her back from his many trips away from her, including a watch with a band that sort of looked like teeth that he got to remind her of her recent painful oral surgery.
• Hillary's focus groups have determined that Grey's Anatomy is a popular television program!

The Hillary Clinton Effect [Essence]