a focus group on Hillary

[Hamlette]

switching through cannels a couple of months ago one of the cable infotainment channels was doing a piece on Florida. They interviewed a group of people who worked in a sporting goods store. Half supported Bush, half Kerry. None were gung ho for their candidate.

The interviewer asked what if Hillary were running. Every single one of them said if Hillary ran they would vote for her in a heart beat. It was so odd to see this bubba looking guy say: everyone knows she was the brains behind the Clinton presidency. If anyone could fix the problems in the country, she could.

I was shocked.

And I wonder how much of the Hitlerly crowd there is out there.

One drawback is although she is married to Bill, part of his appeal was that he was from the south and could talk the talk. She is not.

While I"m not sure she could win, you gotta remember that Bill has an approval rating of 70% now, about the same as he had when he was impeached. Don't listen to the republican noise machine.

[Bucky]

1. I admire McGovern's integrity. He reminds me of Mondale in that tank

No. Not Hillary. *sigh* Let's fucking learn our lessons people.

[StevieM]

5. I believe it was Dukakis in the tank.....

and BTW people forget just how good a job he did as governor of Massachussets because he left during a recession. But he saved that state from disaster TWICE. He lost the 78 primary because of the tough decisions he made. When he came back four years later he cleaned up a mess again.

As for learning our lessons....John Kerry wasn't exactly my idea of a liberal. Remember this moment from the debates, when he was asked about taxes? "Yes! Right into the camera!" Even Clinton said that no responsible person would make a read my lips promise.

To me a liberal is someone who supports health care for all, reduces budget deficits and supports an overhaul of the campaign finance system.

And on foreign policy it is someone who recognizes that China is NOT our friend and we should not appease them. To the best of my recollection Kerry did not say one word about protecting Taiwan or about human rights abuses in China Proper and its incorporated nations like Tibet. He did, however, say that Saddam was a threat to us. That's not exactly my idea of a liberal (and, mind you, I am not always against the use of force, I just thought that the Iraq war was wrong).

Steve

[Hamlette]

9. It's the message and someone to deliver it. Hillary can do both.

I'm not thinking candidate right now. I'm thinking of ways to rehabilitate the word liberal and all it stands for. I just think it is odd that we hate when Rush says Bush is a god but run scared when he says Hillery is a monster.

He's either right both times, or wrong both times.

Or looney.

Hillery is a possibility.

[kerry-is-my-prez]

2. Was talking to a Red State Dem the other day & she said Hillary could win.

She is in an area that is Dem but went for Bush in a big way becasue of the gay marriage thing.

[HootieMcBoob]

3. Was the focus group run by Frank Luntz?

If it was it was probably a set-up. We shouldn't even be using Hillary and President in the same sentence, it's doing their job for them.

[lady raven]

4. southern...

Hillary might not be a born and bred southerner like Bill BUT she IS a midwesterner, which to many around here is probably going to be looked at more favorably than if she were from the Northeast (sorry New Englanders). Also, she did live in AR for quite a long time and apparently fit in just fine there. So she's a born and bred midwesterner with a long term adopted home of AR. Now she's in NY. The only thing missing from her experience is the west.

I don't see where she's from as such a drawback.

Another thing I've noticed is that lots of those who said she stayed with Bill to further her own interests are now saying that she must have really loved him or else she would have cut him loose by now. Some think she's stupid for staying, but a LOT of people admire the fact that she stood by her husband despite his flaws because she loved him.

I still fear the smear machine bringing up old BS, though. I've noticed that when you prove Repugs are lying, it doesn't even SLOW THEM DOWN.

[GOPNotForMe]

6. My landlord...

Who is a staunch independent (voted for Kerry) said that this past election should have been Hillary vs. Dole and/or McCain and he said he'd have voted for Hillary. It's interesting, because I never would have thought he'd be supportive of her. Maybe she's not as polarizing as we think? Just a thought based on very anecdotal evidence.

[bunkerbuster1]

7. Well, we know the RW is terrified of a Hillary run in 2008

the wingnuts talk about it all the time, and I don't think it's just for sport. I think they're a-scared--that's why they luvvvvvvv that tinfoil theory that the Dems deliberately fielded a "weak" candidate (yeah right) so that he'd lose and give "Hitlery" a shot in 2008.

Dumb theory of course, but it's worth respecting the fear behind it. As we've learned in this election, exploitin' fear's a right useful thing.

[Onlooker]

8. The fact that Hillary is controversial ...

... makes her a viable candidate. You don't believe it? Look at Bush. Controversial and viable, and Hillary has far less baggage.