Harry Reid: Hillary Clinton Not Best Candidate for '08

[NVMojo]

The Senate's top Democrat is expressing doubts that Hillary Clinton can win the White House in 2008 - even though the big media has all but crowned her the nominee of her party.

"I think she is the person to beat," Reid told the Reno Gazette-Journal late Wednesday. "But that doesn’t necessarily mean she is the best candidate.”

Despite widespread predictions that Mrs. Clinton has the nomination locked up, Reid called the 2008 Democratic presidential sweepstakes "a wide-open field.”
The top Senate Democrat attributed perceptions that Mrs. Clinton is "leading at this stage" to the fact that she "of course, has lots of money."

more...

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/7/7/173633.shtml

[sniffa]

1. commence the angry Lecturing on your source

:hi:

reid's a smart man.

[papau]

14. original RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL link - with correct quote (not NewsMax!)

http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2005/07/06/103447.html

Senator urges moderate pick for high court

Ray Hagar
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
7/6/2005 11:43 pm

U.S. senators should be considered by President Bush to fill the vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday.<snip>

Other issues

Reid also said in an hourlong interview that:

<snip>
Reid is wary of Clinton’s bid for president, saying there are other Democratic senators and governors who might be better candidates.

“It is a wide-open field,” Reid said. “The person who is leading at this stage is Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, of course, has lots of money. She comes from a state with lots of people in it, but she still has a few ties to Arkansas. I think she is the person to beat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she is the best candidate.”
<snip>

[Stand and Fight]

2. NewsMax?????

What bullshit. Harry Reid never even says that she's not the best candidate in that article. They choose to plant the seed in the reader's mind that this is the case with their deceptive headline... Why did you post this nonsense on here?

Just look at the stupid ass editor's notes at the bottom:

Editor's note:
Jimmy Carter – Get NewsMax’s Special Report "Carter Unmasked" – Click Here Now!
Bush ‘Red America’ Map Now on a Mousepad – FREE Offer – Click Here Now
The Stunning Truth About Hillary in Ed Klein’s New Book – Check out our FREE offer!

:eyes: NewsMax... I spit on NewsMax.

[meganmonkey]

3. Well, I actually have to agree with Reid

regardless of the source :)

[Stand and Fight]

4. Did you read the article?

He never says that ANYWHERE in the article. :eyes:

[meganmonkey]

10. Yes, I did

lighten up a little.

If he had said it, I would have agreed with him. As a general statement, I agree with it.

The source sucks, and manipulates with headlines. Roll your eyes elsewhere, please.

[Stand and Fight]

43. I'm not rolling my eyes.

This is a smilie rolling it's eyes. --> :eyes:

Lighten up a little... :evilgrin:

[meganmonkey]

58. Sounds like a deal

I must have been grumpy yesterday

:hi:

[Stand and Fight]

67. No problem.

I was a twit in my post. I could have soften it up a bit. :hi:
My bad, your fault.

[Charlie Brown]

5. Well said, Harry

I'm very weary of being bombarded with Hillary 2008 premonitions, especially when we're still three years out. She's never been one of my favorite Dems and she doesn't stand a chance in '08.

Reid is correct

[Stand and Fight]

8. Read the article..........

[Maple]

6. Forget any woman candidate

No matter how good.

The US is simply not ready for a female president.

[chelsea0011]

9. After seeing Arhhhnald win California, I think Paris Hilton could win

[countmyvote4real]

34. LOL/COL You're right. Merka will only vote for their stupid

wannabe image of themselves. They don't give a f**k or understand repercussions, nuance or diplomacy. They don't even know they have been robbed (in so many ways) by the actions of the BFEE and right wing fundies.

[lumpy]

11. Unfortunately I will agree

that a woman doesn't have much chance of being voted in. We all know why. At any rate I feel that there are other women more qualified with a stronger voice for Democratic Party ideals. Someday, hopefully......

[cascadiance]

12. Maybe Pelosi though...

If she gets in soon if both Bush and Cheney get impeached and she becomes House Majority Leader in 2006.

Might be very tempting to elect her as an "incumbent" if she could subsequently really help bail us out of the mess that Bushco has put us into.

Although you know that if she becomes House Majority Leader, there will be no way in hell that we'll have Bush and Cheney making *ANY* public appearances together. The next hand grenade probably won't be a dud...

[Bassic]

53. Not so sure about that.

Apparently, most of the middle class would be ready to vote for a woman.

[kwolf68]

7. Shit Journalism

Despite widespread predictions that Mrs. Clinton has the nomination locked up

Where did this come from? Who predicted this? How can a nomination be "locked up" if no one is running for a nomination yet?

Thought the Dems had to get a Southern moderate? What happened to, "Dems can't win with Northeastern Liberal..."...

Now it's "Dems get Northeastern Liberal, and a feminist women to boot."

Yea, suuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrreeeeeeeee.

Folks, the right wants her. The power whores want her because they know the wing-nuts will open up their pocket books to beat her meaning more money for the Repuke nom.

This Hillary talk is just nothing but a shell game. I aint playing and I believe there is no chance HRC will be the nominee..

[anitar1]

49. kwolf68, You are so right. Pugs are salivating for her to run.

She does not have a chance in hell!

[Andromeda]

13. They twisted Reid's words...

Amazing, isn't it? He didn't say she wasn't the best candidate, just that she isn't necessarily the best candidate.

I would take this to mean that there are other possibilities out there and that it's too early to coronate anybody.

[spanone]

15. The media can crown whoever they like. It's too soon to know.

[demokatgurrl]

16. Harry Reid: "Gonzales qualified" for Supreme Court-

need I say more?

[Pepperbelly]

17. he may be right about that ...

Bush is going to appoint someone. I would rather see a Gonzales than an Ashcroft. I guess it's a matter of opinion.

[Massacure]

37. He is qualified. That doesn't mean he isn't an asshole.

[LiberallyInclined]

18. no shit-

i WILL NOT cast a vote for Hillary for president or vice-president, in either a primary or a general election.

it's that simple.

[billbuckhead]

19. It's Hillary's if she wants it. Best most disciplined politician Dems have

Hillary will crush any lightweights like Warner or Feingold. The white men will split the white male vote while Hillary gets the lion's share of women and almost all the minority vote. She'll be impossible to beat in the primaries. Even Billy Graham and Rupert Murdoch like her.

[LiberallyInclined]

20. she'll NEVER win in a general election-

if you thought gay marriage brought the wingnuts to the polls- just put hillary on a national ticket and see what happens.

if she's the best we've got, then we've got SERIOUS problems.

[ramapo]

24. She'd make McGovern look like a winner

I can't believe that she'd actually want to run. She must realize the venomous hatred that it out there.

[Miss Chybil]

32. She can win.

Stop falling for THEIR rhetoric.

[LiberallyInclined]

41. I wouldn't WANT her to win-

I have no desire for a Hillary Clinton presidency- and neither do many other Democrats.

you need to stop falling for HER rhetoric.

Hillary will NOT win in a nationwide general election...it's time for you to move on to another candidate.

[Miss Chybil]

46. I'll support who I please, thank you.

This is still a democracy and it's called "Democratic Underground."

[Voltaire99]

68. Of course you will.

And I could care less what Republicans think of her.

But be advised: Hillary is anti-progressive, which is why many of us will oppose her.

And no, I don't mean "not support...but eventually show up at the polls and vote for the lesser of two evils." No, I mean oppose. I'll never vote for a pro-war imperialist; she is an utter failure as a thinker, and should never be near the White House again.

[anitar1]

50. Who is falling for their rhertoric ? Not I. She cannot win. N/t

[lojasmo]

66. Nope. Not a chance in hell.

Damn....I won't even vote for her. I'm sick and tired of triangulating try-to-be republican democrats.

[Generator]

21. What?

"It's hers if she wants it." Not with out the damn fight of our lives. No way no how. I will personally write in my own damn name than hers. Her "idea" of fighting the worst shit that has every happened to this country is to sell out and believe her own press. She will never be president unless she's made a pact with the Devil or Bushco which I wouldn't put past her. If not she will give the White House to the Republicans on a platter for another eight years. And then will we finally all rue the day the Clinton's every showed their sorry appeasing asses to this country?

[brentspeak]

22. Huh?

What makes John Warner, a popular Democratic governor in a red state a "lightweight"?

Wes Clark will likely steamroll over Hillary, anyway. Between Warner and Clark, and maybe Schweitzer in Montana, the Democrats would actually have a strong chance in 2008.

[billbuckhead]

25. John Warner couldn't even get a surrogate elected in a safe Dem

An incumbent well financed Warner surrogate couldn't even win what was thought a safe seat in the primary. Check this out

All politics is local

One Pundit's View

Paul Goldman.

Is Donald McEachin going to be a contestant on a new reality show for political survivors? Apparently, so. His 44-vote upset win over Del. Floyd Miles in the Democratic primary last Tuesday has become a topic of much discussion in certain national media and political circles based on the callers to my cell phone these past few days.

I know what you are thinking, since I thunk the same thing when they called: Why would the outcome of a Democratic Party primary in the 74th House of Delegates District of Virginia this past June 14th be of interest to media types and aides-de-camp to political figures outside of the Old Dominion?

---------------snip----------------------------
I didn't see it that way, yet I could understand how they could. Del. Miles was the incumbent, the most prominent African-American on the most powerful committee in the Virginia House of Delegates, the House Appropriations Committee. Miles was strongly backed by Gov. Mark Warner, the Virginia Democratic Party establishment, the Warner money machine - the Guv gave Miles $10,000, a record contribution for that type in a Dem party primary ever - the Black Legislative Caucus, The Richmond Free Press and the House Democratic Caucus. They put a record amount of money, time and an anti-McEachin whisper campaign into backing Miles.

--------------------snip---------
<http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$35210>

[cosmicdot]

28. for the record, it's Gov. Mark R. Warner

John Warner, of course, is the Republican Senator.

[billbuckhead]

30. That's a problem for Warner as well

And again why isn't the Dem Warner running for Senator?

[Samantha]

57. If Al Gore steps in, she could never wrest the nomination from him

I think it is a possibility he will. When prior to the 2004 election, Gore was in the same polls as Hillary, the Democratic base gave him over a 50 percent preference; Hillary weighed in with about 19%. She doesn't have the credentials Gore has and there is no way the majority of Dems would go for Hillary over Gore. Especially in light of her pro-Iraq war vote when Gore was stepping out speaking against the folly of it. He gave all the Dems political cover to back off from this vote; none of them took it.

Since those days of the polls I have mentioned, Hillary has done a lot of powerpuff stuff to put herself in the limelight. Gore on the other hand has taken substantial steps to separate the Dems from the Republicans. Gore has definitely distanced himself from this Administrations failed policies -- Hillary has embraced them.

Yes, it's a way off until the nomintion is sealed. Much can happen. But there is no way Hillary can offset the advantage Gore would have should he step in cause she's moved too far to the right, and she does not have the tools in her tool bag Gore has carried for many years.

During the Clinton-Gore years, Hillary served as First Lady. Gore served as Clinton's co-president. During the impeachment debacle, many here in Washington said Gore was actually running the government because Clinton was too depressed to do so.

I hope everyday that as 2008 draws nearer, Al Gore will step back into the political arena. If he does, you will see many Dems quickly back off. And Gore can take the political election. There's no dispute about. He took it in 2000; he can take it in 2008.

[qanda]

26. I won't either

[NVMojo]

23. unable to edit first post so here's the link from the Reno Gazette ...

Other issues

Reid also said in an hourlong interview that:

* Bush probably will bypass the Senate and make a recess appointment to John Bolton as the ambassador to the United Nations;

* U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is the front-runner to win the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination but may not be the best choice, and;

* He is against a timetable for pulling out of the war in Iraq but urged Bush to set some benchmark dates for turning over the defense of Iraq to the Iraqis.

snip...

Reid is wary of Clinton’s bid for president, saying there are other Democratic senators and governors who might be better candidates.

“It is a wide-open field,” Reid said. “The person who is leading at this stage is Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, of course, has lots of money. She comes from a state with lots of people in it, but she still has a few ties to Arkansas. I think she is the person to beat, but that doesn’t necessarily mean she is the best candidate.”

more...

http://www.rgj.com/news/stories/html/2005/07/06/103447.html

[K-W]

62. He is not weary of Clinton, that is pure spin.

He is just saying what every person in his position says at times like this, some form of "It's anybodies game." He wants to appear to be encouraging competition and pluralism, he isnt bashing Clinton.

[lancdem]

27. He didn't say she wasn't the best

He said she wasn't necessarily the best, and he never expressed doubts that she could win. I read the article in the Nevada paper. Reid is smart; if Hillary doesn't run, if he had said she was the best, the Repukes would say he called the person who ended up as our nominee second-rate.

As usual, Newsmax is full of shit.

[billbuckhead]

29. Clinton is a stronger brand name than the Democratic party itself

And Hillary had as to to do with building that brand name as much as Bill. Hillary is the only Dem smart, disciplined and tough enough to take on Rove. And she's smart enough to not hire Bob Shrum. She's more media saavy than the next 3 Dem candidates combined and will be able to raise more grassroots money than any candidate from the internet than Joe Trippi ever thought of. She'll be able to raise more money from corporations than Terry McAuliffe ever thought of. And wait till Hill and Bill come to your hometown.

[K-W]

31. This Headline is a blatent lie

He said no such thing.

He just said that it was anyones game, the standard reply.

[Robeson]

33. "Despite widespread predictions that Mrs. Clinton has the nomination....

...locked up".

I don't think so. Are we supposed to go along with this just because this article says so?...

[hollowdweller]

35. I think she'd be an ok president but she is not as personable as Bill,

Would be hard for her to win against a real friendly, kind of warm candidate like her husband was.

[wisteria]

36. I'm a bit doubtful that Reid actually said these things even

if it was reported that way.

[K-W]

56. Even in this article the headline is shown as a lie.

All he says in the article is that Hillary isnt neccessarily the best candidate.

[zara]

38. I hope Harry Reid doesn't cry...

like Dick Durbin because they twisted his words.

[truthisfreedom]

39. *yawn*

can we change the channel please?

[forintegrity]

40. I agree with Reid, also

Democrats need to get back the White House and having a woman run, even though she may be very good, will be a reason many will not vote Democrat.

I know, I know, it's a sexist statement, but a reality in our male-dominated society!

I just don't think it's a good idea at this time.

Just my opinion.

[MGKrebs]

42. Is Harry on sodium pentathol?

He is not required to comment on every issue every time he is asked.

[420inTN]

44. Required, no. But Freedom of Speech says that he can.

Besides, how many politicians have you ever seen that's been able to say "No" to a microphone or camera? :eyes:

[K-W]

64. Its the mans job to answer questions from the press.

Harry Reid doesnt decide when he does and doesnt get asked questions and which headlines and spins get put on his words and how often and where they appear.

[420inTN]

45. Still 3 years away. Anything and Anyone is possible. n/t

[vickie]

47. I'm glad Reid said this. More Dems need to stand up and say

that Democrats will select our nominee, not the media.

[WinkyDink]

48. HC

Anybody who thinks this polarizing person, with all the Monica/Whitewater/Healthcare fiasco/etc. baggage, has a snowball's chance of becoming the first woman President is NUTS, not to put too fine a point on it.
Of course, Diebold will have the final say.

[anitar1]

51. HC--hey --you are right on--old diebold calls the shots n/t

[Voltaire99]

52. Yes, it had to be said. And it bears repeating: no Hillary, no way.

Reid, for once, is right about something. Hillary is a polarizer.

More importantly, she's far too much of an imperialist to ever mobilize progressives. Her tepid position on abortion is another disgrace.

[K-W]

55. REID DIDNT SAY THAT, the headline is a lie

All he said was that the field was open and Hillary wasnt a lock. Your basic diplomatic response. This headlines is a lie.

This is a propaganda piece.

[FreeStateDemocrat]

54. 2006 should require all our focus and efforts right now. It’s critical.

Not to mention Supreme Court nominee, SS, tax cuts, Iraq, and many more important issues. I cannot recall so Much attention being paid to an election so early in he cycle.

[freedom_to_read]

61. exactly

This 2008 talk is pointless -- which is probably why a right wing outfit like Newsmax is stirring it up.

Ignore.

[theboss]

59. You quote Newsmax?

If you notice, what Reid said does not match the headline. Newsmax loves to play games with headlines.

What Reid said is true. Hillary is clearly the front-runner now. But who knows what will happen in '08. He's being coy.

It's not controversial in the least.

Now stop quoting Newsmax.

Bad! Bad! Bad!

[CJCRANE]

60. Very sloppy news source

These are the guys who started the "Kerry calls for impeachment" rumour because one of their headlines attributed a Nader quote to Kerry.

[bitchkitty]

63. Newsmax not a good source -

in fact, I've often wondered why admin doesn't use a filter to replace such links with a URL that explains why posting news from a right wing site is not a good idea. Most of us know about Newsmax, but I'm sure there are newbies logging on every day who do not have the same political conciousness that we do. Even if the story you are posting is relatively harmless, right wing propaganda is not harmless, and Newsmax is steeped in it.

Tip - any time you want to find an alternate source, just go to Google News (not regular Google) and search on the headline.

[Supersedeas]

65. twisting Harry's words just a little to splash a headline