OK, I've listened to just about every bit of criticism you've all thrown at Leni, and while some are definitely valid (that Senate slate? Her bickering "elitist" supporters? The dilly-dallying around a senate representative from the marginalized? Her "mother" branding? All valid and all equally important for Leni to take stock of), some are ridiculous, lack imagination, and are just. plain. reaching.
1. Leni will divide the opposition votes. Apart from Ka Leody, Leni is the only true opposition. Isko Moreno, Manny Pacquiao, Ping Lacson were all once allies of this godawful administration. Leni, on the other hand, has been one of Duterte's most vocal critics, losing her a chair in the cabinet due to "irreconcilable differences" as early as 6 months after Duterte stepped into the presidency. Meanwhile, the now self-proclaimed critics and oppositioners all once enjoyed the perks of being the President's sycophants.
Going by this logic, the discerning voting public tired of being dragged through the mud will likely see through this zarzuela of sheep-in-wolf's-clothing and will go for the true opposition--Leody or Leni.
One more note: Leni has always been the leading opposition bet against the administration Presidency candidate, long before anyone has announced their bid. It's unfair, and frankly misogynistic to brand her as the one who will divide votes, just because she didn't fold. Her intentions are set on unifying the opposition, but the men she spoke to all appear to have selfish ambitions. A woman tries to lead with the help of men who do not want to give up the reins, and she's the one who gets branded as ambitious, dividing the votes. You doing yoga? Kasi what a stretch.
Edit: Leody de Guzman gives his take on how and why Leni divides votes for the opposition. Viewed in this light, it does make sense. By publicly initiating unity talks with former Duterte allies presumably because their spats with the President, no matter how rigged, have gotten media mileage--Leni made it okay for Isko and Pacquiao to claim they're Opposition when they're clearly not. Still doesn't mean she shouldn't have run, but Leody's statement has weight and is something Leni's supporters (like me, currently) would have to think about. Additional reading here.
2. Leni doesn't really want to lead. I've always said this--a reluctant leader will be good leader because she doesn't have skin in the game. She does not care about the fringe benefits and therefore will perform with integrity. How many ambitious pigs have we let lead this country and where has it gotten us? Yes, a certain level of ambition and grit is required to be a great leader, but just because someone is reluctant doesn't mean she's to be dismissed. Her track record speaks for itself--she is accountable, transparent, and hands-on. That doesn't sound to me like someone who doesn't want to lead.
3. Leni only wanted to run because BBM ran. Leni wanted a united opposition, she's been going on and on about it for months. But Isko's stance on the Marcos family caused her to balk at the thought of a united front. Leni did say that she will run the moment the Marcos son declares his bid for Presidency, but it's simplistic to say that it's her only motivation. As an administration foe, she states ending corruption, rotten politics, and ineptitude as her goals in vying for the presidency.
4. Leni left LP. She's still the sitting chair and is running as an Independent, indicative that she still presides over the opposition party. In the meantime, former Liberal Party members have jumped ship and actually joined other parties, so this criticism is just absurd.
5. Leni takes too long to make a decision. Ewan ko sa inyo, ha, pero I would rather have a President who weighs everything before finalizing her decision, rather than someone who just wings it. What's important is she made it to the deadline, and she didn't employ a placeholder na tinawagan nang 3PM to be a dummy candidate until a certain someone finally joins the race.
6. Leni Robredo isn't smart. Okay this is just ridiculous. Yeah, she failed the bar exam because she was raising their kids (meanwhile, we normies fail exams kahit single), but she passed the second time and have been actually useful as a lawyer, lawmaker, and a Vice President. She has proven to be eloquent in speeches, have been able to hold her own during interviews (a common criticism is the way she repeats words and balks--could be a speech impediment, but Joe Biden had that, too, and that didn't stop him, did it?), and has actually done good for the country. A million medals and transcripts from Princeton or Oxford don't matter if you plunder a nation's wealth or kill the marginalized without giving them their day in court.
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