As for Hillary...

[kentuck]

Hillary is from New York. The people of New York experienced 9/11 in a way that no one else in America experienced it. Hillary being the Senator from New York, must reflect the concerns and fears of her citizens. Whether or not she is enough "anti-war" has not been an issue with her constituents. From a distance, we have seen how she has tried to balance her national aspirations with those of her supporters in NYC. Surely it is no easy task.

However, no one should suggest that Hillary would not be superior to a Brownback or a McCain or any other Republican, with the possible exception of Chuck Hagel. She does have a Democratic social conscience. She is intelligent. She would be far superior to most that are running for the Presidency.

With that said, whether we support her or not, we should not write her off completely. If she is the last option and the people as a whole choose her to run against the Republican candidate, we would be foolish to say we would not support Hillary. Just my opinion.

[mitchtv]

1. You should know Kentuck

Hillary is from NY. that's forbidden around DU , she must move to the South before its ok

[daveskilt]

2. I agree - BUT

i'm going to hang out and watch the flames you get from the hillary haters on DU.

:popcorn:

[bluescribbler]

3. Thanks

Thanks for saying that. We are going to have enough of a fight on our hands against the eventual GOPig nominee without fighting among ourselves.

[The Magistrate]

4. Sen. Clinton Would Make An Excellent President, Sir

As would several other of the major Democratic contenders.

[wisteria]

19. Well, in my opinion she offers nothing new and would be a mediocre President. n/t

[kentuck]

20. I think we should look at it from a historical perspective...

if nothing else. It would be the final glass ceiling for women. If Hillary is not qualified or competent enough to be President, when will the next woman come along with similar credentials that could win? I'm not throwing my support behind Hillary, but I'm suggesting that we look at the larger picture if she is elected President. Would it be a good or bad thing for women? Would it be bad or good for our country? I could see a lot of positive arguments to make for her nomination, even though I am not supporting her at this time.

[The Magistrate]

22. It Would Be A Good Thing, Sir, On All Those Counts

And it just might be he year for it, the opposition being in a particularly bad way, and likely to remain so.

[The Magistrate]

21. Novelty Holds No Particular Charm For Me, Ma'am

A political figure does not have to offer "something new", and most who purport to are either lying, ignorant of the realities of office, or both.

[JohnnyLib2]

5. Beautifully said, and so important.

Lent is coming. Maybe some could give up Hillary-bashing?

Another reason: forward thinking?

[JohnnyLib2]

23. Delayed reaction--Recommended

[kentuck]

6. Simply from a "revenge" factor....

I must admit that "Clinton 44" would probably drive the right-wingers insane. :) The sheer pleasure of the thought must merit some support.

[Lost-in-FL]

7. but, but, but...

she doesn't speak up for the Democrats... and besides, she has too many shoes. Not my candidate. :sarcasm:

I totally agree with your point. It hasn't even been 48 hrs and DEMOCRATS are putting her down without a chance to see what she has to offer. For the little I know, she is a very good Senator and I believe she would put the same effort she is putting on her job now to the Presidency. She is not perfect but at least she is no Lieberman. I am open to any candidate and I am willing to see what they have to offer. I would vote for any Democrat. We CANNOT afford another GOP rule in America. (Flame retardant activated)

[Tom Joad]

8. given her broad support for the war in Iraq

I would like to think she can't win, no matter where she's from.

[here_is_to_hope]

9. As a lurker leading up to the

'04 primary....I learned this one thing:
"(insert candidate)is not my candidate until he/she is nominated for the general election, on that day, he/she will have my full support..."
I dont like her now but on that day, if nominated, well, we all know the alternative.

[NewInNewJ.]

10. I respect your opinion more than almost anyone on this board!

I will keep her as my last option.

[GenDem]

11. I live in the state of New York

She has done right by the constituents here. I don't agree with all of her votes, but there isn't one candidate or potential candidate that lives up to that.

If elected, she will work tirelessly, as she has as senator of New York. If she is the democratic nominee, I will proudly give her my vote.

[Maven]

12. Wait...

Are you saying that she's not antiwar in deference to the attitudes and desires of people in NYC?

Have you talked to many New Yorkers about this? Because frankly I think we've moved on from 9/11 in a way that much of the country clearly hasn't. Not that most people here ever believed the 9/11=Saddam nonsense. Most people you come across in the city are in fact anti- not pro-war.

If Hillary doesn't oppose the war, believe me it's not for our (NYers') benefit.

[kentuck]

13. Obviously not the defining issue for NYers then...

Since she was just re-elected with a large majority. The war must not have been a big issue?

[Maven]

15. I think you forget that most people aren't as up-to-speed and in-depth

about candidates' specific positions as DUers are. Whatever her position may be, she wasn't exactly "outspoken" about her support for the war. And It's not exactly like Hillary's Republican opponent was going to criticize her for being pro-war. The fact is, Hillary is a personality, she's a big name, she's a Democrat, and she's respected here. That's why she got reelected with a large majority.

But I assure you that NYC is still very liberal and antiwar sentiment is strong here. 9/11 has nothing to do with it.

[kentuck]

16. Do you think it will be different in the general election?

And an "anti-war" stance will have little effect on whether she is nominaed or not? After all, I doubt that voters in other states are any more enlightened than those in NY?

[Maven]

17. Your guess is as good as mine, kentuck

It'll depend on how she ultimately articulates her position on the war. I don't expect her to take an "anti-war" stance per se, but I'm sure she got the message re: voters' attitudes about the war from the last election. I expect her basically to adopt a hawkish posture foreign policy-wise, tempered by a promise not to make Iraq an open-ended commitment, etc. This is not the kind of candidate I want, personally, but I don't think it would preclude her from getting the nomination. It's more a question of how her "star power" will play out (for good or bad) in the rest of the country. But in that regard, I don't think she's worse off than, say, Giuliani.

[Laurab]

24. I think it is the defining issue, thus electing the Democratic candidate

That, however, was a senate race. There is a big difference between voting for a senator and voting for a President. NY is a blue state, Hillary might even win the electoral vote in a presidential race in NY, but I think it's doubtful that she would win in the general election.

I voted for her in the midterms, but I really wish she would stay in the senate. She is as hated by the right as * is by the left - he earned it, she didn't, but it's fact. She would be the best get-out-the-vote candidate for the repug party, and we don't need that in the '08 election.

That being said, of course I'd vote for her in the general election (not in a primary), but I don't think she can win. I don't think she'll last long as the "front-runner", if she really is that - I think actually she's the repugs choice of front-runner for us.

With so much time left, anything can happen, so I'm not really worried about it yet, but "Hillary-hatred" has lasted for years on the right, and IMO it will only get worse when she's running. I don't doubt she could do the job - I do doubt she can get elected.

[crispini]

14. K&R

She's not my candidate now but if she gets the nom she sure as hell will be.

[Faryn Balyncd]

18. It's a shame Hillary has only been as antiwar as she has been FORCED to be.....

Only when threatened with total rejection by both her own party and the clear majority of the American people has she uttered criticism of the Bush/Cheney war.

Thus, she has been relegated to following (and at some distance), rather than leading, on the dominant issue of our time.

Yet here we are, debating whether or not we will support her if we are left with a choice between her and someone even worse.

Let us hope that such fruitless ruminations do not become a self-fulfilling prophecy.