Hillary in '08?

[LuckyTheDog]

The way I see things now, she probably will not get the Democratic nomination. She might not even run. And she is not necessarily my first choice anyway.

But if I am wrong and she does run and gets nominated... she can win. Her main liability will be that she is a senator -- and senators have a hard time being elected president for a variety of reasons.

But... Hillary has name recognition that most candidates would kill for. She also seems popular with women and moderate enough to bring in independents and some Republicans -- especially suburban women. She'd no doubt run a savvy campaign that would put Kerry (who, remember, nearly won) to shame.

Is she polarizing? To a degree, yes. But those who hate Hillary with a white-hot passion would never vote for a Democrat anyway. Most mainstream voters will listen to what she has to say. The GOP would have to go deep, deep into its moderate wing to find a candidate that could beat Hillary. If her opponent is Condi Rice, it won't even be close.

The GOP faithful who THINK she is the candidate that they want should be careful what they wish for.

Edited to fix a minor typo

[Zenlitened]

1. Ask me in '07

[onehandle]

14. Ditto. nt

[norml]

2. Excuse me while I take a dump on this thread.

Ahh, that's better.

[Bluebear]

3. 2006 is all that matters right now. nt

[iconoclastNYC]

4. We won't win pandering to Independents and Moderates

We'll win by nominating someone who acts like a real democrat. Not a DLC democrat. Not a poll chaser or swing voter worshiper.

[Psephos]

19. The problem comes down to who defines what a "real" Democrat is

The DLCers think they're the real democrats. So does everyone else at every point along the spectrum from DLC to Workers World. We here at DU seem to fall about two thirds of the way left along this line.

Peace.

[iconoclastNYC]

39. Anyone in the rank and file knows what a real democrat is

And that's why we never win with DLCers....people are leaving the party because the party doesn't represent them anymore.

The left must destroy the DLC.

[Psephos]

40. I understand what you're saying...

...but I wonder if there are any stats that show the distribution?

I would expect the distribution to be Gaussian (a bell curve) with more people clustered closer to the center, and fewer as you proceed away from centrist views and toward hard left. I'm assuming that people vote for candidates who resemble their own views (hard left, soft left, centrist, etc.), although that's a guess, not a fact.

Does anyone know of a study that shows the actual distribution? Seems it would be quite valuable. If we must destroy the DLC, it would be valuable to know how many people we'd draw further left, and how many we'd alienate and drive away.

Peace.

[bvar22]

5. *

The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners)
at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[bluestateguy]

6. She is my second to last choice for the nomination

Biden is my last. I hold Evan Bayh in higher regard than Hillary, as well as Mike Easley and Mark Warner.

My preferences? Wes Clark or Russ Feingold.

[LuckyTheDog]

9. Wes Clark or Russ Feingold

Both good choices. I was merely pointing out that, in my view, nominating Hillary would not be instent death for the Dems in '08, as some have suggested.

When I said Hillary was not necessarily my first choice, I actually was thinking about Wes Clark, Russ Feingold, Evan Bayh, or some combo of two of then on the '08 ticket.

[NewJeffCT]

7. I'm not a big fan of Hillary

But, she's been through a meat grinder the past 13 years and won't be caught off guard for a month like Kerry was with the Swift Boat liars... and, I'm sure she will run a better campaign than Gore in 2000.

That said, the only reason Condi's name is being floated out there is because they are trying to erode Democratic support in the African American community. Ken Mehlman & Rush Limbaugh can now go out there & say, "See, we don't hate blacks, one of our top early candidates is Condi Rice, a black woman." If floating her name out there for the next 2 years gets them 1% more of the black vote, it is worth it to them. She has no chance of winning, or even coming close.

[oasis]

8. Democrat Hillary haters may cause her to lose her senate seat. Then

she will be able to run without the handicap of being a senator.

:think:

[Quixote1818]

10. I agree with most of what you said however you fail to consider that

she will motivate the Republican base beyond belief!!!!! That right their is enough for me to not risk running her.

Clark/Edwards/Gore are all safe solid candidates. Lets stick with these guys!

[Kazak]

11. NBG!!!

:)

[LuckyTheDog]

12. Maybe I am dense

What does that mean?

[Kazak]

25. Nobody. But.

GORE!!!

:)

[LuckyTheDog]

26. I love Al Gore, I really do

But I am not sure Al has a burning desire to run again.

[lcordero2]

13. Feingold or no go...EOM

[LuckyTheDog]

17. Feingold is cool, I like him

Feingold, Clark and Bayh... Take two out of the three, in any order, and you'd have a strong ticket, IMHO.

[norml]

15. Hillary Clinton isn't running and never has run for President.

That's just right wing propaganda to portray her as power mad, and to take away from her accomplishments.

The "Hillary is running for President" nonsense also serves to divide us, and energize them.

I support her, and we all should support her, in her re-election to the Senate.

No one on our side really supports her running for President.

It's name recognition and nearly two decades of pumping by the right wing media whores that make it seem like anyone but them actually want her to run for President.

[SaveElmer]

16. Hillary is our best shot IMO

No one on our side has been through the rigors of the RW attack machine like Hillary has. No one knows better how to deal with it!

She is smart, tough, and would not take any Republican crap. On top of that I think she would make a damn fine President!!!

[Quixote1818]

18. Don't you worry that she might light a fire under the Republican base?

Thats my only problem with her. That she will bring out the GOP base in unprecedented numbers.

Every time I have seen her on Meet The Press she has been extremely articulate and I agree that she would probably be a great president.

I don't care for her support of the War early on. Then again, it would have been hard for her to be against the War and win with her constituency.

[SaveElmer]

20. I don't really think it matters...

The Republican noise machine will demonize anyone we put up there. And I think Hillary will light up our own base in equal or greater proportion.

In addition, what else can they throw at her? I mean really, they have already accused her of every vile thing under the sun, and every time they do so she becomes more popular. Look at the reaction to the Ed Klein book earlier this year. It was no accident that that book backfired against the righties more than any other sleazoid rag coming out of the right wing press. Hillary has an army of supporters who know how to beat this shit back. Can you imagine her putting up with swift boat type attacks as long as Kerry did ?

I really have a problem letting the nazi-right picking our nominee for us, which is what we do if we worry too much about what they think.

[mtpWriter]

23. I have to agree. Your point about the

right-wing noise machine is dead on, in my opinion. So considering the fact that they will demonize anyone we nominate, we may as well put someone in there who can rally the base like no other. And, in my opinion, that's Hillary (partly because of Bill, too).

[Quixote1818]

24. Good Points

I wouldn't have a problem with her. I would prefer Clark but I would totally get behind Hillary. My A-Political sisters LOVE her! That shows you what name recognition will do.

[LuckyTheDog]

21. Ya know... I think you are wrong there

I sure as heck think they'll TRY to demonize her. But I think it would backfire. The only "red meat" she gives them is the fact that she IS Hillary Clinton. But once the novelty of that played out and Hillary got her message out (and she WOULD get it out), the GOP would be left in alien territory... in the midst of a debate about the issues.

In a way, she's inoculated from the "Swift Boat" stuff because every possible thing is already out there. And like I said, those who hate her the most would never vote for a Dem anyway, so screw 'em.

That said, I think like Feingold, Clark and Bayh (the latter, mainly as a veep choice). But the point of starting this thread is that, the more I think about it, the more I think the "Hillary is death in '08" line is total crap.

[Psephos]

28. You make a lot of sense n/t

[Quixote1818]

30. The country will just be polarized again for eight more years. Yuck!

Why not put in someone the Right wing won't hate with a complete passion so we can bring the country back together? Someone like Clark, Edwards or even Gore. I have no doubt she can be elected but I am sick of Dems and Republicans putting up Polarizing figures. You may say Gore is polarizing but in reality I don't think a lot of Right wingers minded him so much. They absolutely HATE Hillary.

Sure they have thrown all kids of stuff at her but it's not election time yet. My biggest worry about Hillary is that so many people just don't like her personality. Not necessarily Republicans but many Dems. She just seems to rub people the wrong way. I don't mind her and think she is sharp as hell but she is certainly not my first choice and personality wise she is horrible! She is certainly no Bill Clinton! Sorry but the name will only carry her so far. Put her up against the charisma of Edwards, Clark and even Gore who has stage presence and I don't think she will do so well.

But who knows.

[patricia92243]

22. She and he husband have proved they can WIN against Republicans. Which

is more than most candidates can say. I like tried and true winners.

[LuckyTheDog]

27. If only Bill could run

A part of me would love to change the Constitution to put Bill up against GW. It'd be cathartic for the nation ... if it didn't spark a civil war. :bounce:

[understandinglife]

29. Congressman John Conyers for President of the USA - now and in '08.

He is the person most qualified and the most deserving of all our support.

The FIRST PERSON whom should endorse him is Senator Clinton, seconded by her husband.

Tomorrow.

Period.


Peace.

[WA98296]

31. Hillary? No Thanks.

I don't think we need a centrist who is so ready to dump more of our privacy rights.

There is no candidate that the republicans would rather see run.
That is why the controlled media is going to be telling us that she is our favorite.

[newyawker99]

37. Hi WA98296!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Crazy Guggenheim]

32. One thing I think people are forgeting. The media. If you think

the media is bad now wait until 2008. I also don''t trust her.

[Quixote1818]

33. I just don't think people like Hillary personally.

She is very smart but no one seems to like her personality. She seems cold and stiff and stuffy. Even worse than Kerry was.

The Clinton name can only carry her so far. Problem is she doesn't have the charisma that Bill has. Not even close.

All her Dem rivals need to do is create doubt that she can be elected and she will be abandoned just like Howard Dean was. I think she will be at the top of the polls until 48 hours before Iowa then she will be falling like a rock based on rumor of not being electable.

[FrenchieCat]

34. I'm still trying to figure out what she actually did.....

Sure there was the "Stand by my man" moment and the Health Care proposal that went down like it had lead attached to it......

So she married a President who was almost impeached for having sex without her.....She stayed married anyhow....she moved to New York, won a Senate seat there because she married a President....

I am missing something?

I don't get it, frankly! :shrug:

[ladylibertee]

35. Edwards/Clinton 2008

[expatriate]

36. I just can't imagine America, with its present climate both

politically and socially, electing a woman President. Any woman.

I'm not saying she's not qualified, I'm not being anti-feminist or anti-woman. But I just can't see her being elected, simply on her gender alone.

Not with things the way they are now. Not even with Democratic control of Congress, should that happen in 2006.

Though other nations have elected women to the highest political office, I can't see America doing it. Not yet. Far too many people would vote against her just because she's a woman.

[pepperlove]

38. Hillar

has MY vote and support.

[cynatnite]

41. I like Hillary, but I prefer her to wait on running

First we had daddy bush, then Bill Clinton, then junior.

A Clinton coming after that is just too much for me. I do like her, but having nothing but clintons and bushs for 20 years does not settle well with me at all.