Like many Americans, the members of the Erie Times-News Editorial Board wish they had a different choice for president in this unsettling election season.

But the one we have leads us to a clear conclusion: Hillary Clinton.

Clinton is a complicated, polarizing figure whose instinct for secrecy and shortage of candor haven't always served her or the nation well. Still, her intellect, cumulative experience and long record of public service make her a better choice than Republican nominee Donald Trump by a long shot.

From her time as first lady to her eight years in the Senate to her four-year tenure as secretary of state, Clinton has built a breadth of experience and a record of leadership that equips her to lead the nation through the tricky currents and perilous rapids of these turbulent times.

Her record of missteps — notably putting the nation's interests at risk with her careless handling of official and even classified email — shouldn't be glossed over. Clinton has given the nation clear reasons for concern about how forthcoming she has been and would be as president.

But her decades of commitment and service, and the overall arc of her record and what it tells us about her, match up solidly with the challenges ahead. That record includes an enduring dedication to the welfare of children, her stature as a global role model for and champion of women, and crucial experience as a leader of the nation's foreign policy apparatus.

Clinton is not a stirring candidate, nor does she offer a clear, overarching vision and rationale for where the nation needs to go next. But she did show aptitude in the Senate for reaching out and building ties across the aisle that would serve the nation well.

And Clinton possesses the gravitas and toughness to face the challenges and responsibilities unique to America in a dangerous world. Envisioning her as commander in chief requires no leap of faith, and she certainly brings a more complete portfolio to this moment than Barack Obama did in 2008.

The choice for president is relative by nature, and this has been a campaign season like no other. There's a deep anxiety loose in the land, fueled by a widespread sense of economic and cultural dislocation. The unease springs from vast global forces and wrenching change that are leaving too many Americans behind.

Donald Trump has seized on and exploited that angst. And how he's gone about it has been troublesome.

We won't catalog Trump's manifest failings here. Suffice it to say his words and actions too often have failed to meet the standards of temperament, character, judgment and preparation that the presidency demands.

Clinton makes a far better case for herself and the country. She should be the nation's 45th president.