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Once her time as secretary of state ends next January along with the Clinton presidency, Albright can look forward to the comfortable life of a top-level Washington influence peddler. That might be far too appealing a future to allow for any fanciful notions of giving a small, young country instant international credibility and prestige.

But no matter what Albright says at this point, in public or private, the idea of her succeeding Vaclav Havel as president of the Czech Republic is far too intriguing to dismiss outright.

"I am not a candidate, will not be a candidate," Albright said Tuesday in Prague. "I am greatly flattered by President Havel's comments. But I think my position is clear. My heart is in two places, but America is where I belong."

Her denials themselves mean nothing, of course. What else could she say? As a sitting U.S. secretary of state, anything less than a denial would dangerously undermine her ability to conduct diplomacy in the months ahead. Later on, tradition might argue against plunging into the political fray abroad. But Albright would not even have to campaign for the job Havel keeps talking her up for. It is appointed by Parliament.

There's no doubt that Havel has been up to some political game-playing in continuing to push the idea of an Albright candidacy, even after she poured cold water on it. Twice on Monday, he did his best to advance the idea, first in an interview with Czech television -- with Albright standing next to him -- and later at a private dinner.

"I personally would consider it excellent if she were to run," Havel said. "It would bring a fresh international spirit to our somewhat muddy political environment. She is a person who understands this Czech world and would be able to consider it in a broad international context."

Czechs are certainly looking for leadership. The Czech economy has faltered, and faith in the political process has plummeted. Albright's connections could also bring a great deal of investment into the country, where economic woes have cast doubt on its ability to successfully bid for a spot in the European Union. As president, Albright could pick up the phone and talk to any world leader.

There is another potential lure in her changing her mind: Her potential to redefine notoriously sexist Czech politics. One could hardly say that Albright, the highest-ranking woman public official in U.S. history, hasn't already done her share of trail-blazing. But women in the Czech Republic badly need her example. Opinion surveys say Czech women do not feel greatly oppressed or disadvantaged. But the lack of women in Czech politics is so pronounced that a group has organized a "shadow cabinet" to publicize the point -- and to mock Prime Minister Milos Zeman's outright claim that men make better political leaders.

"You have to understand that it's a post-communist country, and as such it tends to be more patriarchal," said former top Havel aide Jiri Pehe, now director of New York University's Prague branch. "It's lagging behind in its social structures." But even so, Pehe says, the country stands out among its peers. "You could compare the Czech Republic with Poland or Hungary or Slovakia where they had more female politicians, and Poland even had a [woman] prime minister. I think it's very strange, because this country is otherwise quite liberal in many ways."

Next page | Havel's rival leaves town just as Albright shows up