While I still think Hill is the favorite, she appears to be making the same mistake she made in 2008

[Drunken Irishman]

Her criticism, as well as those closely aligned with her, of President Obama from the right is the exact path she took in the mid-00s when planning her run for the presidency in 2008 - namely staking out a far-right foreign policy position in hopes of bolstering her position among general election voters.

It's a big reason I believe she voted for the Iraq War and took forever, even well after her 2008 loss, to fully admit to the mistake instead of just passing blame off to Bush for doing this or that. She felt the war would go well and that it would be politically smart to have supported it - as did a ton of other Democrats at that point. Her problem was that she was running to the right before she could ever win the left in the primary.

She expected a demographic similar to what awaited Kerry in 2004 - who won in spite of his Iraq War vote because Democrats were literally wanting the best man to beat Bush - whoever that guy was.

2008 was vastly different than 2004, though. Iraq was bad - so bad that it had engulfed the Bush presidency. In 2004, there were some in the mainstream who actually still believed we could win that war! LOL

Her running to the right in anticipation for the 2008 election burned her with the base.

So, what is Hillary doing again?

Running to the right ... playing to the general election crowd by going against Obama on foreign policy matters - making it seem she would be better equipped to handle ISIS and the rising tensions because, gosh, she's not as cautious as Obama.

Well good for you, Hill. Problem is, to get to the general, you still need to win the nomination. While you start with a much larger lead, you also start with a skeptical party who just may be itching to support someone who isn't advocating for all-out war throughout the Middle East.

Also, you may want to be careful about appealing to the general election by going after Obama on foreign policy issues:

HUFFPOLLSTER: Rising Approval For Obama's Handling Of ISIS

The newest WaPo-ABC poll shows 50 percent approve of Obama's handling of the Islamic State, as compared to 44 percent who disapprove. That's an improvement from August, when the question referenced only Iraq and not Syria, and 42 percent of Americans gave Obama a vote of confidence. Obama's new polling heights come as Americans overwhelmingly approve of the airstrikes he ordered in Syria."

2016 is a long ways a way - a lot of time for Obama to be vindicated. You rushed to judgment in 2002 to support Bush's war and it bit you in the ass - don't be stupid again with a rush to judgment.

js

[tularetom]

1. Nope, if she's going to be stupid, much better that she prove it now

Instead of getting elected and then showing us how stupid she can be.

[LawDeeDah]

18. She has proven her stupidity many times over.

I just have to shake my head at those who think she is capable of being (a good) President. My Gawd.

[Cha]

2. Exactly right, DI.. she acts like she's running in the General.. Forgetting..

there hasn't been a Democratic Primary yet.

As of right now.. I am for this guy.. just a hunch that this is who I'll like even more as time goes on.. we'll see..

Martin O'Malley Is 'Seriously Considering' Running For President

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) further hinted in a Monday interview with Fusion's Jorge Ramos that he would run for president in 2016.

Ramos asked O'Malley if he would endorse former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as he did in her last presidential bid, if she decided to run for president in 2016.

"I am seriously considering running in 2016, but the most important politics of all is to govern well and to govern truthfully in the trust that you have," O'Malley replied. "And so I'm focused on doing everything I can to be an effective governor of Maryland and to serve my people well. And certainly cherish my relationship and working relationship not only with Secretary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, but also with President Obama."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/04/martin-omalley-president_n_5649013.html

[Thinkingabout]

5. I may have missed her announcing she was running and thought this was going to happen in

2015.

[Cha]

6. Right.. she's not running and just out talking shit for the hellava it.

[LovingA2andMI]

13. Bring Gov. O' Malley on as...

Voting for Hillary Clinton is NOT nor will EVER BE an opinion from this voter. Ever....

[VanillaRhapsody]

15. Martin O'malley is not polling well as Pres. among

His own constituancy unfortunately

[Dawgs]

19. "unfortunately"

[Cha]

3. Yep.. her visionary thing is way off.

[Thinkingabout]

4. Let me help you on knowing where she stands on the issues,

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/hillary_clinton.htm

many of these are expandable, interesting, she has quiet a record.

[Fumesucker]

7. "She felt the war would go well and that it would be politically smart to have supported it"

Then she wasn't paying any attention to General Shinseki among others, Rumsfeld famously fired Shinseki for correctly predicting in testimony before Congress that the occupation would go badly due to inadequate planning and staffing.

Hillary clearly knows little of war and did not bother to listen to those who do know in 2002-2003, rather she believed Cheney, Dubya,
Condi and Rummy, in my view that shows an awful lack of good judgment.

[Marr]

8. Or maybe she's just authentically right-wing in her foreign policy.

I'm not sure how voting for war because it seems a smart political choice for advancing one's career is any more respectable.

[winter is coming]

10. It's actually less respectable, in my opinion. n/t

[davidpdx]

9. I think a lot of D's already know what we are going to get if Hillary Clinton is the nominee

a wolf in sheep's clothing. She's going to pretend to support liberal causes across the board, but on some issues she's going to spin right come the GE. I believe, as others have said, if this comes down to Clinton vs Bush, we are going to be in a shitload of trouble. The last two Republicans who were nominated were absolute jokes (McCain and Romney), but I would take it very seriously if Jeb Bush ends up the nominee as Florida would be back in play, as would Iowa and a few others that have been close in the last two elections.

[LawDeeDah]

20. The Bushes and the Clintons are buds / family.

Maybe this is just theater for us great unwashed. Maybe they have already discussed which of the family is going to win - Hillary or Jeb. Cripes I think I just scared myself.

[SolutionisSolidarity]

24. What "we" get with a Clinton nominee depends on who "we" are.

Pro-choice Republicans get their ideal candidate. Politically lethargic Democrats get a "safe" candidate who won't scare them by offering them any solutions. Democratic politicos get to ride those Clinton coattails, (as in 1994), but those that survive will end up as rich and well-connected as any Republican. It's only people who think there's some kind of *problem* with the status quo who end up with nothing from a Clinton presidency.

[whereisjustice]

11. Hillary is playing to the right, she thinks DNC flushed liberals from the Democratic Party

so it's now safe to espouse traditionally conservative values as core Democratic values.

Let's be real here, the DNC hasn't given an inch to liberals during Obama's term. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for conservative Democrats is the mythical "independent" voter who normally votes Republican.

Hillary is so sure the liberal brand is dead, she's just charging full stream ahead as a Republican who is more reasonable than the bat shit crazy tea party.

2012 could be a race between two Republicans, one running on the Democratic ticket.

Hillary, apparently that's the best the DNC can do.

[JI7]

12. no, i think her hawkish views on foreign policy are real

but they are also using what is going on to politically benefit her. especially with the panetta stuff.

[Scuba]

14. Pro war, pro Wall Street, pro TPP, pro Keystone XL, pro H-1B visas.

She should run as a Republican.

[sendero]

16. Anyone that thought...

.. the war would "go well" is a dolt and certainly not fit for high office.

I don't believe for a second she thought the war would "go well". I believe she was afraid to stake out a minority position on the subject.

[tridim]

17. Any chance of vindication is long gone. Her chance was during the past year, she failed

Currently I can't think of any other Democratic candidate that is less desirable than Clinton.

I'd say she's my last choice, but she isn't even on the list.

[Stellar]

21. I'm sorry, but...

I have nothing nice to say about Hillary Clinton right now.

[LawDeeDah]

23. She was waving her flag of true colors a long time ago.

[woo me with science]

22. Not a mistake. If Dems run Hillary, it will be because

corporatists in both parties have decided it's time for a Republican to best further their agenda.

As for the impact on this election, the corporate goal is never majorities. The corporate goal is always closely divided government.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5635152