If Bush loses the 2004 election, the new President will be the obvious Democratic candidate for re-election in 2008. By 2012, other potential Presidential candidates will have arisen – the Vice President, Senators, Governors, etc. Hillary Clinton’s chance of getting the Democratic nomination could fade away over time, just as Teddy Kennedy’s did.
Her best personal scenario would be a big Bush victory in 2004. Then, she could step forward to save the Democratic Party by running in 2008, when she wouldn’t have to run against a popular Republican incumbant.
Two questions for debate:[ol][]Do Bill and Hillary want to see their party lose the next election? [] Are Bill and Hillary hurting the eventual Democratic Presidential candidate by hogging the spotlight? [/ol]
Hillary and Bill are mean as junk yard dogs. We’ve already seen her fire everyone in the White House travel office and slander them besides. She’d steal the White House silver - No? Why would anyone suppose that she is loyal to anything or anyone if she can get away with it and it’s to her advantage to act otherwise?
I think I see where you are going with this logic, december: In order to foil the Clinton’s nefarious plan, Bush will resign in the summer of '04, Cheney will nominate Ronald Reagan as the new VP, who is easily confirmed by the Republican controlled Senate. Then Cheney conveniently dies of a heart attack before the election, making Reagan the wildly popular incumbent, unbeatable even by the Billary Steamroller. Then the shadowy figures in the Republican back rooms hire the the same puppeteers who made Strom Thurmond look like a walking-talking politician, and they can recreate the economic boom of the 1980’s that will persist even after 8 years of subsequent Democratic administrations.
Just one flaw in your reasoning, december; damn that 22th Amendment, anyway!
If it weren’t for that Amendment, Wild Bill could run again. He would hand GeeDubya his ass. There’s lots about him I dont much care for, but as a politician…
As a New Yorker, I repeat my old refrain: nobody likes Hillary. She’s not getting the nomination in '08. I can’t imagine how she’d get that kind of popularity. Bush winning wouldn’t help the Democrats in most respect. No, there wouldn’t be an incumbent, but there’d be some successor (Ridge or whoever) who’d have a long run-up.
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by december *
*[li] Are Bill and Hillary hurting the eventual Democratic Presidential candidate by hogging the spotlight? [/list] **[/li][/QUOTE]
How are they hogging the spotlight?
I don’t see former President Clinton sprinting from Tv camera to Tv camera, nor do I see Senator Clinton doing it either. In fact, as your good buddy O’Reilly has been screeching and bleating about apparently Hillary has been avoiding the spotlight by not attending any of the funerals/memorial services for the victims of 9/11.
For the record, much of the vandalism thing - if that’s what you’re referring to - is a myth. I’ve heard it said that more things turned up missing during the transfer between George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton.
She’s still married to her husband even though the entire American public knows he cheated on her. Oh nevermind, someone will just argue about how it’s really a cold and calculating move to use it to her advantage, and when she gets elected in '08 she’ll divorce Bill mid-term and marry Al Sharpton.
The one part of the OP that rings true, not that it’s a huge revelation (I’d figured this out awhile ago, so it can’t be any big deal), is that Hillary’s Presidential ambitions benefit by a Bush win in '04. Obviously, if Bush is re-elected there’s a pretty fair chance of the voters wanting a change in '08. If a Dem is elected in '04 and does badly, Hillary will have Democratic baggage to overcome four years later. If the Dem does well, she has no chance.
She seems to be keeping a low profile for now. And given Bill’s personality, he’s been relatively quiet, the gig with Dole not withstanding.
Ah yes, memories…the Clinton Administration…travelgate…a death in the park…o’yes, Hillary’s gang of health care gurus…the sweet fat girl with the intruding cigar…yeah, we’ll all miss those interesting times…the orginal “Reality TV”!
Like I said in 1996, there is no way that the American Public will re-elect this clown and his clownette wife to the Presidency of the United States of America.
But hey! I was wrong. But this is 2003! We don’t need Slick Willie or his bitch of a wife to mouth “mealymouthisms” !
We’ve already got “Reality TV”!
Geez.
*** Self-described genius is painful to those of wisdom.***
IF Hillary wanted to be President, she wouldn’t wait until 2008. Bill wouldn’t let her wait. The assets she has (and they are formidable assets, make no mistake about it) will be LESS valuable 4 years from now. So, if she’s not running now, I’d guess it’s because she’s not keen on the idea of running for President.
Bill Clinton became President precisely BECAUSE he’s not the type to play it safe and wait for a better opportunity. Remember, he was one of the few Democrats willing to run against George Bush the Elder- MANY bigger names chickened out and refused to run against Bush I, because his poll numbers were so high. Mario Cuomo, Richard Gephardt, Al Gore, Bill Bradley, Sam Nunn and Lloyd Bentsen (among others) all took a pass, figuring it would be easier to run against Dan Quayle in 1996. Bill Clinton alone (or ALMOST alone) saw a golden opportunity to win sooner.
Now, I don’t think it will be EASY to beat G.W. Bush next year, but it’s FAR from impossible. He’s definitely vulnerable. And the current crop of Democrats is not terribly impressive (mind you, under the right circumstances, MOST of them COULD beat Bush next year). Frankly, I think that, given her name recognition (almost 100%, something no other Democratic contender has) and her unmatched ability to raise money (the Hollywood Left would be in her corner from day one), Hillary Clinton could enter the race tomorrow and EASILY win the Democratic nomination.
She must know that. Bill certainly does. And Bill ALSO knows that her name recognition and fund-raising prowess will diminish over the next four years. So… if she intended to run for President, my guess is, Bill would have persuaded her to run NOW, against a lackluster slate of Democratic contenders and a vulnerable Republican incumbent.
So… my gut tells me she doesn’t really want to be President. (Of course, as John Cusack would say, my gut has often had %&#*^ for brains in the past!).
