I'm a Hillary Clinton fan!

[quinnox]

I read a thread earlier that said only freepers or feminists support her for president, but I'm simply a liberal Democrat that adores Hillary Clinton.

She is the only 2008 candidate I feel excited and inspired by at this point.

Are H. Clinton fans no longer welcome at DU??

[merwin]

1. I'm a Hillary fan too!

Only the haters want Hillary fans out of DU

[Larkspur]

6. I don't like Hillary, but I don't support purging Hillary fans from this

board.

Discussion and dissent are part of the democratic process. Just don't expect those like me who don't like Hillary to support her.

[sepia_steel]

33. Ditto

[Moochy]

9. Ambivalent towards her

Nothing wrong with Hilary fans, just got to be sure we don't have any more witchhunts and purges around here.

This is not the "Love Hilary or go away" underground.

Lighten up everyone, we have to accept different opinions, they are not personal attacks on you. If I don't like Hilary then I have a different opinion from you. That being said there are obvious trolls and disruptors and I leave it to the Mods to sort them out.

Not that anyone asked, but it turns out I'm ambivalent towards Hilary Clinton's possible presidential run, and would rather see another candidate that more closely reflects my views.

But what do I know, I have no power except my vote, and whatever volunteering I could do around my community.

If she's on the ballot in the primaries I wont vote for her, but I will if she wins the primaries. Hows that? Is that enough of a stance to call of the dobermans? :)

[papau]

15. I am also a Hillary Clinton fan - but there is a long time till 08

At this point she seems the best of the lot because she has the inclination and ability to articulate liberal/progressive ideas, and most important, she has the spine to give the finger to the GOP controlled media and the GOP controlled pundits, and the GOP itself, all the while appearing quite a nice lady.

I like that.

[Goldeneye]

2. She's got a group...

It's pretty dead though.

link:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=334

[lancdem]

3. Unfortunately, it seems that way

I like Hillary, although I could be happy with any number of Dem nominees in 2008.

[jackbourassa]

4. You are welcome

But she will lose us the election. I used to like Bill Clinton, too. But his behavior: hanging out and praising the Bushes, the fact he hogs the spotlight, etc; has really turned me off.

I think the Clinton care only about themselves. They are profoundly selfish people.

[lancdem]

8. I guess you missed Bill Clinton's recent criticism of Dubya

And I have no idea what you mean by hogging the spotlight. He gave interviews about his Global Iniative. That's a crime?

I'm just amazed how some DUers turn on our party's most successful politicians. No wonder we're out of power.

[jackbourassa]

29. Please lancdem

Don't give me sanctimonius BS. It's time for Democrats to realize that we didn't win anything in the 1990s. Our cause was not advanced. We lost the Congress. We lost our moral authority. Then we lost the Presidency.

Time for change. And that doesn't mean Hillary Clinton.

P.S. Doesn't it disturb you that "our most successful politician" did no better in 1992 than Dukakis did in 1988. Or in 1996, than Gore did in 2000, or Kerry in 2004.

Definition of Clintonism?

Thank god for Ross Perot.

So unless Ross runs in 2008, I believe we will lose that one too with the Clintons.

[JuniperLea]

10. I think you missed the point

What is wrong with being diplomatic and taking the higher road? Not a damn thing I say. And how can you say the Clinton's only care for themselves. This country never had it so good as when Clinton had his hands on our purse-strings. There were fewer poor people and all social services were in their heyday.

I think Hillary's main problem is that she isn't "warm and fuzzy" like most think a woman should be. She "grew up" in the mean streets of the American political arena. You can't be "warm and fuzzy" and be taken seriously in a predominantly male role.

This is the kind of shallow thinking that will break any Dem who runs for office, especially female Dems. Sorry, please don't take offense, this is just my opinion.

[jackbourassa]

30. What's wrong with being "diplomatic?"

We lose that's what.

Bill Clinton will be percieved as being Hillary's puppet master. 2008 will be a disaster if Hillary is the nominee. Liberals will hate her. Conservatives will hate her. She might lose by 20 points.

[AllyCat]

5. You are certainly welcome here, but will get quite a bit of disagreement

I'm one of the disagreers. Tell me what you like about her. Really. I mean sell me on what you think makes her qualified. There are so many people who do like her that I am wondering what they see that I don't.

This isn't meant to flame you...just really want to know what appeals to you about her.

Thanks!

[quinnox]

7. She just inspires me

I think she is super smart and very charismatic too. I think she would be a good person to clean up the mess Bush made. She would implement policies that are opposite of Bush.

[Der Blaue Engel]

11. "Freepers or feminists"

Ew, please! Who put those two words together?? And why would a freeper support her?

And feminists are bad...why?

I'm so confused.

[bee]

18. freepers support her because they feel that if she gets the nod...

then the GE is in the bag for them. And they cant wait for the chance to beat her.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

12. I COULD get excited...

just waiting to see what shakes out. I'm a pretty moderate Dem, so that appeals to me. And she has earned her stripes, that is for sure.

My questions about her being electable go more to her "baggage" from the White House years. It's hard to win with baggage, as Kerry proved.

I guess that is why Clinton got in so handily..he was a fresh face.

[firefox]

13. Why do you adore her?

What has she done that makes you think she is the very best person in the country to be president?

Didn't she sponsor legislation that would add 80,000 troops to Iraq? Do you think this is the proper course?

Iraq is a litmus test for some of us and Hillary failed. We are just telling you there will be no support from us even if she wins the nomination.

And since people here are somewhat shy about opposing drug warriors, I will repeat that Hillary is a drug warrior and hell will come into existance and then freeze over before I ever vote for a drug warrior. And there are plenty more like me and our numbers are growing.

There is a question of fascism before us. If the zeal of communist hunts of the 50s were reinvigorated today toward the problem of fascism, how would Hillary do when being grilled in McCarthy fashion?

[acmejack]

17. Good question.

I will vote my conscience from here on out.

[fhqwhgads]

19. hillary etc.

either way, we're dead. hillary is quite capable of winning the nomination, and she'd get thrashed in the general. a conyers/boxer type would never make it past the primaries. even if they did, they'd lose in november. we need to not nominate a senator or congressman/woman. we need a governor - someone who won't get hung with their votes on key federal legislation.

seems like everyone on the left and right (read: dlc) flanks of the democratic party are DOA as candidates...

firefox said:
What has she done that makes you think she is the very best person in the country to be president?

Didn't she sponsor legislation that would add 80,000 troops to Iraq? Do you think this is the proper course?

Iraq is a litmus test for some of us and Hillary failed. We are just telling you there will be no support from us even if she wins the nomination.

And since people here are somewhat shy about opposing drug warriors, I will repeat that Hillary is a drug warrior and hell will come into existance and then freeze over before I ever vote for a drug warrior. And there are plenty more like me and our numbers are growing.

There is a question of fascism before us. If the zeal of communist hunts of the 50s were reinvigorated today toward the problem of fascism, how would Hillary do when being grilled in McCarthy fashion?

[papau]

23. Smart and right direction and good temperament and Spine is why I like her

In my lifetime the left could not stop fascism in the United States (from 48 to 88) except by being more war happy that the GOP during VietNam - a brief period when some social programs got through the system.

And after the Left's "my way or the highway" attitude gave us Nixon as the progressive peace candidate/president, we got 4 years of moderate Carter as the only breal from 68 to 92 and Nixon/Ford..Reagan/Bush.

As to your specific questions - adding troops to stabilize the situation with regard to the National Guard and Reserves is a no brainer - but you make it sound like it is a "pro-war" move. Pulling out will not happen in 24 hours (or in 10 years if we keep electing GOPers) and we now are treating our reserves and Guard like they were slaves, - as you say "Do you think this is the proper course?"

Iraq is a litmus test equals "my way or the highway" as to the plan/schedule to get out of Iraq, as some in the left forget that no plan to get out even starts until the GOP are defeated in elections. I do not recall "my way or the highway" getting many folks on the left into power in the 60's and 70's.

A drug warrior is not a problem for many of us that seen the result of drugs - and except for a wish that weed was not considered a drug that needed a war, Hillary is a drug warrior that I can vote for.

Indeed your last point is why I like her - "If the zeal of communist hunts of the 50s were reinvigorated today toward the problem of fascism, how would Hillary do when being grilled in McCarthy fashion?" is answered by saying she has a spine not yet visible in other candidates, together with an ability to handle the press, also not yet visible in the other names suggested.

It is a long time till 08 - but at this moment Hillary heads my list.

[Missy M]

14. I'm a Hillary Clinton fan too!. I don't agree with all of her positions

but I think it is impossible to totally agree with any one politician all the time. I do think she would make a good president and no one works harder than her.

[mattclearing]

16. Hillary has potential, but I think she is prone to pandering.

I don't like that she voted for the Iraq War, and every now and then she does something totally idiotic (Grand Theft Auto) that convinces me that she is not President material.

I suspect that she is more liberal than her senatorial record shows, but I don't like the disingenuousness of being a stealth candidate...moderate until hitting the big office. The public doesn't buy it...they didn't buy it with Bush, didn't buy it with Kerry, and they won't buy it with her.

She should vote her conscience, stand up for her constituents, and let the record speak for itself.

[NancyG]

20. I 'd be happy if Hillary was a lifetime Senator.

I'd vote for her for President, but if another Democrat has a greater chance to win, I prefer that person to win the primary. I love that she's a Senator. She deserves it after supporting the Big Dawg all her adult life. She's very smart, just doesn't have the gift of gab that her husband has.

[FrenchieCat]

21. I'm glad you are a H. Clinton fan.....

somebody has to do it! :hi:

[AntiCoup2K4]

22. I'll concede that some Democrats like Hillary

...though I'll be damned if I know why, given all she's done to betray us.

That said though, there WAS a valid point in that other thread. There ARE Freepers who use Hillary as a way to stir up this board. One of them is active here now. Not in THIS thread (so far) and I won't break the DU rules by mentioning any names. But anyone who's been here a while knows they're watching reruns of things that Freeps posing as DU'ers have done before.

And when they start their threads, also keep an eye on who shows up to defend them, and HOW they do so. Very interesting observations indeed :evilgrin:

[madame defarge]

24. Have you seen this article?

MRs. Triangulation from Sunday's NYTimes...
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/02/magazine/02hillary.html

I read it and had better thoughts about backing Hillary should she run for pres in 08. She's doing her best to bring things at least back to the middle, and that may be as far as we end up going in the short term. Also, I saw somewhere speculation about Hillary + Obama ticket. Now that I could live with.

[Rowdyboy]

25. While I don't particularly want her as nominee, I've really liked Hillary

since I started following the Clintons decades ago. I was really proud of her when she took the then-radical step of dropping Clinton and going by Hillary Rodham. That took guts for a politicians wife back in the 1970's.

She was a helluva first lady and she is an excellent senator for New York. If she's nominated, I'll happily vote for her.

She's just not one of my preferred candidates.

[quinnox]

26. Thanks for the replies everyone!

It's refreshing to see nice and polite responses like this, even from those that might not care for Hillary.

[longship]

27. Good, we need broad support for a few good people.

I'll be supporting a liberal first, but I can easily support her if she runs and gets the nomination. I am still unconvinced that all her DLC talk is real. (I don't like it, but if it ain't entirely real...) The DLC speak is the one thing that turns me off about her.

[OneBlueSky]

28. that's okay . . . we forgive you . . . :) n/t

.

[ChiciB1]

31. Name Should Be Hillary Hedges! n/t

[AJH032]

32. I'm liberal, and I agree with her on most things

so when people call her a "republican" or "republican-lite," it urks me because that would make me the same thing, and that couldn't be further from the truth.

That said, I doubt I'd support Hillary in the primaries if she runs (though I'll definitely support her in the general election if she's nominated).

[zulchzulu]

34. I am too!

She would make a great HUD secretary in the Kerry administration! Woo hoo!

[Andromeda]

35. I'm a Hillary fan too.

She's smart, competent and tough. It's time for a woman to be president and Hillary is the most qualified.

It's still to early though to speculate. Clinton has to keep her Senate seat so I don't think she's thinking about running for president at this point.

[usregimechange]

36. She could sure win New York, but we will win that anyway.

[LittleClarkie]

37. Oh sure

Just not the "Get used to it, Hillary in 2008" shove-her-down-our-throats posts.

[Crunchy Frog]

38. I have no problem with Hillary fans being on DU.

I am not one of her fans, but it doesn't bother me that other people are.

I see way too much intolerance directed at posters over which potential candidate they support. We should be able to treat each other with respect, even when we don't agree on '08 candidates.

I hope you alerted on that thread. It's not acceptable to accuse some group of DUers of being freepers.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

39. I'm not trying to start a flame war or anything but, ...........

Are the supporters of Hillary *ready* - let me repeat this again - *ready* ....... as to what is going to happen in the media and by the RNC if she gets the nomination? Are you ready for a slime campaign that would make 2004 look like a picnic? Are you ready to counteract the so-called "Hillary murdered Vince Foster", that "she's a lesbian", Whitewater - I know they were aquitted - and the rest? Just wondering.

[Clarkie1]

40. A Hillary nomination will not bring the country together.

It will tear it apart.

[corbett]

41. You're Right But She'd Be The Perfect Runningmate For Kerry

A Kerry/Clinton ticket would be just about unbeatable. You'd have all the Democrats and independents who know that Kerry actually won in 2004 rallied behind him immediately plus everyone who loved President William Jefferson Clinton. Add to that the feminists who are ready to see a woman in the upper echelons of the Executive Branch (above Secretary Of State and AG, that is).

I think it's the perfect pairing and have stated publicly that I believe the primaries will shake out that way.

Go, Hillary in 2006! New York needs you back!

[Clarkie1]

42. Clinton would be a sensible choice for VP.

Regardless of who is at the top of the ticket.

Clark/Clinton, for example, would be better than just unbeatable. :-)

[election_2004]

43. Actually, if Clark was the nominee...

If Clark was nominated and wanted to possibly pick a woman as his V.P., either Debbie Stabenow or Kathleen Sebelius would be much smarter picks for him than Hillary Clinton.

Stabenow and Sebelius would be a lot more stable and credible as running mates.

[Zapatero]

44. I Agree With You.

I really dislike the Hillary Bashing. It sounds so "republican". Just think, we would get two Clintons for the price of one.

:kick:

[mtnsnake]

45. I've often stuck up for Hillary on DU, & I think she takes as much unfair

criticism as she does fair criticism. Many of the radical comments made about her here simply cannot be backed up with evidence.

However, I have my own reservations about her, too, especially after reading all the reservations that so many other DUers have about her. The thing that worries me the most is that we don't need someone in the White House who will be hated by as many people then as by the amount of people who hate Bush now. I just want the next Democratic president, hopefully in 2008, to end up being respected by the majority of Americans so we can set this country in the right direction, and I'm not sure Hillary can garner that kind of respect because too many people already have their minds made up about her. Yikes, I finally said something a litte negative about her!

[texpatriot2004]

46. I like Hillary too. n/t