Happy Birthday Madam President

Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed in my job I consider what Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf's job entails - namely, bringing democracy to Africa - and suddenly I feel a whole lot better.

First elected to the Presidency of Liberia in November 2005, she quickly earned the nickname 'Iron Lady', which is just as well; given the obstacles she's facing (not to mention the grenades, bullets, and landmines she'll have to face in order to face those obstacles) iron is preferable to even Kevlar.

35 years in the government of Liberia (save for 5 years when, after criticizing the government of former President Samuel Doe, she went into exile in Kenya) will have given her some insight into how that government works (or doesn't work) and her role as the chair of Liberia's Commission on Good Governance immediately prior to her election as President shouldn't hurt either.
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