NYT: 2008 May Test Clinton’s Bond With McCain

[Rose Siding]

Two summers ago, on a Congressional trip to Estonia, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton astonished her traveling companions by suggesting that the group do what one does in the Baltics: hold a vodka-drinking contest.

Delighted, the leader of the delegation, Senator John McCain, quickly agreed. The after-dinner drinks went so well — memories are a bit hazy on who drank how much — that Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican, later told people how unexpectedly engaging he found Mrs. Clinton to be. “One of the guys” was the way he described Mrs. Clinton, a New York Democrat, to some Republican colleagues.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/29/washington/29rivals.html?hp&ex=1154232000&en=8ab0da52365e5f57&ei=5094&partner=homepage

You know, if a man stood in up front of a crowd -even if it was a few years ago- and in order to get money from them, made cracks about my adolescent daughter being ugly and me having a sexual relationship with the atty general, I don't think I'd want to drink with him.

What does that mean? Is it supposed to mean that her country is more important than her family or that she has an exceptionally evolved sense of humor? Does it mean she possesses a saint-like ability to forgive? I just can't relate! What does it mean?

[LiberalVoice]

1. It means Clinton/McCain in '08

:rofl:

[John Q. Citizen]

2. Where did you get that picture of me rolling on the ground laughing?

[glitch]

7. Trial balloon. Who actually wants McCain anymore? The Whore Party?

Clinton needs to keep looking if she's really thinking about running.

[LiberalVoice]

8. Who actually wants McCain?

The ENTIRE republican party can be easily sold on voting for him in '08...

[glitch]

10. You really think so? I think he's tainted himself too badly, even for

republicans. I could be wrong, they do seem to be willing to sink awfully low.

[LiberalVoice]

11. Republicans love him.

So long as there is a stretch of a few weeks in which he doesn't do something deplorable they'll welcome him with open arms. They are dumb sheep....thats what they do.

[gulliver]

3. Please let them have an affair!

Save the world, Hillary and John. Get it on.

[LiberalVoice]

9. And their political carreers over.

Works for me :)

[IndianaGreen]

4. I am so happy that the former home of Judy MIller, the NY Times

has already picked the nominees for 2008, Loony Bin and the Ice Lady.

[FrenchieCat]

5. Plu-Eazzzzzzzzzzzzzze!

Can't they stop the bullshit now? “One of the guys” was the way he described Mrs. Clinton...

Guess McCain wouldn't mind running against Hillary, if he can engineer it!

[glitch]

6. More like with. What with the country needing reconciliation and all.

Telegraphing the McCain/Clinton play, but I seriously doubt it will catch on.

[karynnj]

12. Is this a candidate for the weirdest political piece of the year?

Every Senator goes on these trips with other Senators. I assume while on these long trips they act civily and are friendly. It doesn't necessarily make them true friends. In fact, because they are both running for the same job, I'm sure if it were politically expedient either would stand by and allow the other to be politically destroyed. In McCain's case, he did speak against the SBVT once (and then asked Kerry not to use it) - but then stood on the convention stage without asking that the disgraceful purple heart bandaids be removed.

It is noteworthy that this article doesn't mention that Kerry and McCain had a lot of joint legislation and that they were considered to be friends for years. McCain in his book speaks about that friendship and has a long chapter about the POW/MIA committee that Kerry headed. To me, that friendship has more substance than the Hillary/McCain one postulated here. It therefore might be wise to look back at that before suggesting that the less solid McCain/Hillary one could impact a year where they are both running. What I get out of it is that McCain would throw his mother under a bus to become President. Hillary show definately not trust him.

The other thought is how does the lead tidbit play on the the RW side? McCain and Hillary (and other Senators) having a vodka drinking contest? I can't imagine what the religious right would like less - drinking lots of vodka or drinking with Hillary.

Is this an attempt to make Hillary look like "one of the guys"? Drinking contests sound more fraternity tackiness than statesman-like.

[leesa]

13. The Corporatocracy is going to force Clinton/McCain down our throats

The choice has been made.

[Totally Committed]

14. Senator Clinton's ambition is more important than ANYTHING else

in her life. The Republicans went after her husband relentlessly and publicly, and took away from him any hope for a legacy without a bad sex joke attatched to it. They went after her then awkward-appearing teenage daughter in a vile and heartless way. They spread vicious lies about her own sexuality. They did ALL these things, PLUS they were all part of the "Right Wing Conspiracy" she swore existed and was trying to destroy her an Bill by prosecuting their a**es up and down the beltway for everything except hallitosis. My gawd, these people even implied that she and Bill were murderers when their friend and associate committed suicide.

And THESE are the people she chooses to emulate. Is it a "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" gambit on her part? Does she feel she has to triangulate herself so far to the right becasue that's the only way she feels she can win the Presidency? If this is true, and she is willing to sacrifice her dignity, and that of her family... if she's willing to be "one of the guys" with the likes of JOhn McCain because she thinks it will either win her points with them, and they will be less likely to go after her if she runs, or she thinks if they see her as one of them, they might even abandon the Bush wing of the Republicans Party for her. She's WAY TOO cynical or stupid and neither of those things are flattering.

And, that she's willing to belong to (and actually titually lead) an organization that routinely derides the entire Democratic Party base, is just one last insult-cherry on top of the Billary Sundae.

I don't trust her.

I don't like her.

I believe, sincerely and with all my heart, she is totally unelectable.

If she is our Party's nominee, it is all over for us, our country, and our constitution but for the singing.

TC