If Lieberman Loses Can Hillary be President?

Great Debates
1

IMO Lieberman’s problems are symptomatic of the level of frustration over the war in Iraq. If Lieberman loses, what does that say about Hillary’s chances to get the Democratic nomination? What does it say about her chances of winning an election if she somehow got the nomination? Granted she hasn’t been as critical of the anti-war crowd but she has at least been Lieberman “light” on these issues.

I know a lot of people want to frame this election with all sorts of issues from immigration to tax reform but frankly the only reason Bush won the last election was the war and the reason people are going to lose this election is going to be the war.

2

The primary will be won by the candidate with the best organization on the street before the campaign, just like last time. Right now, that seems to be Clinton. Nobody can win by simply appealling to the voters’ reason. You have to have a fan club before you walk into town.

Last time around, there were better candidates than Kerry, but they didn’t have the feet on the street that he had.

3

Connecticut isn’t EveryState. Hillary will have some of the same problems Lieberman is having, and different ones as well. I hope Lieberman goes down since I’ve never liked him, but a lot of people are trying to make the CT primary into a bigger deal nationwide than it really is.

4

Hillary probably can’t be president for reasons having nothing to do with Lieberman.

I’m beginning to doubt that she’ll even run.

5

She can probably do more good becoming the well-known liberal senator accumulating seniority and gradually taking the role now occupied by Ted Kennedy. He’s 74 , after all. She can dabble in the primaries but I don’t see her making a serious bid in 2008 and I’ll doubt she’ll want to in 2012 because she’ll be concentrating on keeping her Senate seat. 2016… maybe. If she can become Governor of New York first, even better.

6

First of all, I wouldn’t categorize her as liberal. I’m starting the come around to think that she will not run. Certainly Lieberman’s loss has got her thinking that her hawkish record isn’t going to set well with the voters.

7

Hillary is a much cagier politician than Lierberman is. She already knew hawkishness was now a demerit, and that’s why she’s doing more things to appease the left, like getting in Rumsfeld’s face at that Senate hearing and calling for him to resign.

8

Yes- but the left has longer memories than what HRC thinks. If she thinks that slinging a little grief at Rummy is going to make us all forget her record, the Iowa caucus will give her a not so subtle reminder.

9

I’ve said in other threads that the war will be a big problem for her. But I don’t think Lieberman’s loss will convince her not to run when she has already dealt with the issue better than Lieberman did and more effectively distanced herself from that vote.

10

Even if Lieberman had won, this would be a good question.

Say what you want about Hillary, she has star power…other than Kennedy, she is probably the most well-known Democrat in Washington right now. Hillary can draw a crowd if she stops in at Walgreens to buy toothpaste. Other politicians would kill to have her Q scores.

The woman also knows the ins and outs at the White House (in every respect), has survived more than one major public scandal, has been attacked by both Republicans and Democrats for longer than anybody and yet, she has shown amazing survival skills.

Despite the doubts on the stability of her marriage, she and Bill seem to have come to some kind of happy agreement and Bill Clinton is still revered by Democrats and even a few moderate Republicans. Having hubby Bill in her corner is no minor advantage.

Being a woman, she has had to dance on that double edge sword…if she comes down hard, she is a bitch - if she hesitates, she is weak. A photo of Bill Clinton or Dubya with a scowl is considered a manly, “don’t mess with me” photo op…a picture of Hillary with a scowl is the “evil bitch” again. In many respects, it is a no-win situation.

The Republicans dislike Democrats - no big secret - but they seem to loathe Hillary from the bottom of their souls. It is one thing to go against opponents, it is quite another to go up against a rabid mass of people who will go to any extremes to rip you apart. My guess is that in a poll, Republican would choose Hillary by a 99% margin as the one Democrat they would hate to see win the Presidential Election.

Like most politicians, her record can be interpreted in many ways…anti-war activists will find plenty of fodder to dismiss her. The fact that she was not the only one to be conned, or admits she made some poor choices along the way, will not appease anyone.

So the question is, can Hillary be President?

Call the woman anything you like, but she isn’t a fool. She has plenty of time to position, re-position and re-invent Hillary Clinton. She can make being a woman a plus, she can align herself with a faction of the Democratic Party that is more in touch with the anti-war sentiment, she can pull out the star power and have both pols and celebrities singing her praises, she can get a marketing firm to start shoring up her image - politically and socially. Designers called in for a new makeover and wardrobe. And the next thing you know, thousands of people will be standing at train stations cheering her arrival at Rinkydink, Iowa. She will be able to whip those folks into a frenzy.

I consider myself a liberal Democrat and to be quite honest, at this point I probably wouldn’t vote for her. However, the most important thing in the upcoming primary is to get a Democrat who can actually win and get into the White House. I will not be surprised to see Hillary pull off one of the biggest makeovers of all time, and if that is the case, I can see myself voting for her. Plus, there would be that added bonus of watching Republican heads’ explode in fury the night she wins the election.

11

Hillary is leading among potential 2008 Democratic presidential nominees, and by a pretty big margin.

But what happened to Lieberman is probably the least of her problems.

12

Precisely her problem. If guys like you and me can’t stomach her, who is going to nominate her?

13

What are her war views? I know she is considered a hawk, but I can’t imagine she has given the Bush administration a free pass on the Iraq debacle.

That’s weird. I never got why everyone considered Hillary some sort of satanic evil manipulator. I mean if she were really Machivellli, I’d have health insurance right now.

14

I’ve never thought she’d run in 2008. This just wouldn’t be a good year for her. 2012 or 2016 seems much likelier.

Daniel

15

As a middle of the raod to slightly left Republican who voted for Kerry, I’d write a huge check for whatever windbag the Republicans throw agaist Hillary. I ccan’t stand her. With W and Cheney not running, how is 2008 NOT a good year for her? If not now, when?

16

As a middle of the raod to slightly left Republican who voted for Kerry, I’d write a huge check for whatever windbag the Republicans throw agaist Hillary. I can’t stand her. With W and Cheney not running, how is 2008 NOT a good year for her? If not now, when?

17

Why not? Not asking to argue, just curious. I was in grade school during the early 90’s when most of the Clinton hatred got started, so I think I’m missing something.

I mean, I can understand people like Rush Limbaugh hate her, they have antithetical political beliefs. But why moderate Repubs and Dems?

18

Once you get out of New York and D.C. (and the Democratic Party “insiders”), you find that most people hate Hillary Clinton, Democrats and Republicans alike.

See the Boston Globe story five or so posts up.

She is radioactive.

19

I was the one who cited that Globe story. Now I’d actually like to echo Malodorous’s question: why the hatred? I don’t get it. Is it a residue of the anti-Clinton jihad of the late 90’s? Are there specific examples of her actions that offend you?

20

It seems to me that you answered your own question. She’s still hated by a lot of folks, and she’s still establishing her political bona fides. In a few years, she’ll be more established as a politician, she’ll have favors that she can call in, and she’ll be able to start doing the statesman thing. Once she’s done that, folks like you might be ready to give her a second chance.

But in 2008? Too soon.

Daniel