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Argentina's Power CoupleCristina Kirchner's path from first lady to president is almost assured. But she's no Hillary.

By Daniel PolitiPosted Friday, July 6, 2007, at 3:55 PM ET

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In January 2006, Alexandra Starr looked at the rise of female politicians in Latin America.

Nestor didn't just decide that his wife should be a candidate, he has anointed her president. Barring a catastrophe, any candidate with the name Kirchner is going to win October's election. For Argentines, the economic crisis of 2001 happened just yesterday, and, fairly or not, Kirchner is considered the savior. Who cares if the country is in the middle of an energy crisis or if the president changed the way inflation is measured when he found the numbers too high? Take us to hell, Argentines seem to be saying, just don't take us back to 2001.

Most of Kirchner's popularity is based on timing—he has presided over several years of strong economic growth. Mix in his populist rhetoric, and it's no surprise that another comparison frequently comes up: Nestor and Cristina as Juan and Evita Perón. Beyond policies, there are also superficial similarities. Although her clothing is no match to Evita's, Cristina doesn't hide the fact that she likes to shop in the world's finest stores, and there is endless gossip about secret plastic surgery trips (check out this video from the mid-1990s and then see this one from a few months ago). Cristina's hand movements and gestures are reminiscent of Evita's, but Evita lacked Cristina's political experience. Although Cristina wouldn't be the country's first female president—Perón's third wife, Isabelita, who was his vice president, took over for two years after he died—she would be the first to be elected.

Cristina may have earned her political chops in the legislature, but these days few see her as more than an extension of her husband's policies and a placeholder for his return. (Still, they aren't clones. Nestor, for example, is famously dismissive of foreign policy, while Cristina loves to travel abroad and meet with foreign leaders—including Hillary Clinton.) There are persistent rumors that Nestor is sick (cancer, they say), but nothing has ever been proved. Besides, the Kirchners have a tighter hold on information than Dick Cheney, so we'll probably never know why she's running in 2007 rather than him. And the truth is, it doesn't really matter. They've run the government as a team for the last few years, why not continue for four more years?

Some are wondering if we might see a return of the old Cristina, but that seems doubtful. She is slightly less popular than her husband, but their approval ratings remain so strong (although they have fallen a little lately), and the opposition—both from other parties and within the Peronist camp—is so weak, that a few percentage points shouldn't make a difference.

In Argentina, a person can't hold the presidency for more than two consecutive mandates. But a two-person team could, at least theoretically, alternate back and forth for several terms. While out of office, Nestor could dedicate his time to building a stronger base of support, while Cristina deals with the nation's problems. Politicians rise and fall with such speed here that it is unlikely the couple will hold on to power for more than a decade, but they seem determined to ride it out as long as they can.