# What would happen if Hillary runs for 2012? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 18, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684 "2011-09-18T02:06:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/1 "2011-09-18T02:06:38Z")
Is it even possible? Assuming she’s even considering it, would the party ask her not to? Is it set in stone nowadays that the sitting president gets the party nomination? For those that know more about inside politics…would it cause a big rift in the party? Does Obama have a power base aside from being president? Would we have a brokered convention for the first time in my life? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/2 "2011-09-18T02:14:48Z")
What’s the drop-dead date for entering the race? I don’t _think_ there’s an official one, but what’s the latest anyone has ever successfully jumped into a presidential race? As for your questions, **Quintas** , I don’t know how it could not fracture the dems. A lot of people who supported Hillary the last time around held their nose and voted for him, just like a lot of us on the other side who supported someone else did the same with McCain, and I don’t see too many of those voters being loyal to Obama if Hillary enters the race. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/3 "2011-09-18T02:19:19Z")
Obama would have to be polling insanely badly, for her to make a run. I thought she was a better candidate four years ago, and I think she still would be,\* but the incumbent has an inherent lead in the voting booth, and she isn’t. Hillary vs. X would be an even match, which the party would actively move to prevent. I think it’s likely that Obama will serve a second term, largely because the Republicans aren’t fielding a credible alternative, not because the country is on his side. Four years from now, there’s going to be a stronger push for a Republican president again, which means that Hillary has 8 years before she can try for the again. By that time, she’ll have been out of the limelight for so long that no one will know who she is. - By which, I mean that I think she would have done a better job as president, not that she would have gained more votes. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/4 "2011-09-18T03:05:58Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > A lot of people who supported Hillary the last time around held their nose and voted for him . . . and I don’t see too many of those voters being loyal to Obama if Hillary enters the race. This is true for a lot of us. I shifted my support from Hillary to Obama on the day it became evident that she didn’t have a chance. In the unlikely chance that she’d get drafted I’d still support her, and I believe she’d have a better chance of winning the election. The thing is, the Tea Partiers have a couple of valid points, which Obama would never accede to, because the TP has made every argument against him personal. Hillary would have a greater ability to negotiate with them. But it’s not gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/5 "2011-09-18T03:22:23Z")
So…the Tea Partiers wouldn’t make personal attacks on Hillary? What planet were you living on during the 90s? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/6 "2011-09-18T03:36:43Z")
I would be thankful for enusing Republican victory in the general election. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/7 "2011-09-18T03:41:27Z")
Moved from Great Debates to Elections. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/8 "2011-09-18T04:30:57Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I would be thankful for enusing Republican victory in the general election. It would be horrible. They would push more of the Bush policies that took a vibrant economy down the tubes , removed many of our rights, actuated big brother watching us all . They started 2 wars without paying for them. They ended regulation so the bankers could loot the system. Hell. who would not want a return of those days. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/9 "2011-09-18T05:31:48Z")
Gee, I hate to dampen anybody’s enthusiasm here, but does anybody here remember the 2008 primary? Obama won because he ran the better campaign, people. He was able to shift with the tides effectively, maximize his positives and downplay every bit of negative sound-bite the opposition threw at him. Hilary thought she was going to be coronated on Super Tuesday and when that failed to materialize, it took her an eternity to figure out that, yes, she might actually have to _work_ for the nomination. Besides, what would her campaign message be? “See, I Told You So!” ?? Yeah, that’ll play well… ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/10 "2011-09-18T13:53:26Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > This is true for a lot of us. I shifted my support from Hillary to Obama on the day it became evident that she didn’t have a chance. In the unlikely chance that she’d get drafted I’d still support her, and I believe she’d have a better chance of winning the election. The thing is, the Tea Partiers have a couple of valid points, which Obama would never accede to, because the TP has made every argument against him personal. Hillary would have a greater ability to negotiate with them. But it’s not gonna happen. …"because the TP has made every argument against him personal. " Wrong. Every argument made by the TP has been made personal by [fill in the blank] ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/11 "2011-09-18T15:34:25Z")
Who are Hillary’s political advisors these days? ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/12 "2011-09-18T15:55:38Z")
> [@What\_the](#): > > Who are Hillary’s political advisors these days? Bill? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/13 "2011-09-18T18:34:09Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > Is it even possible? No. Not without utter cataclysm. > [@](#): > > Assuming she’s even considering it, would the party ask her not to? She’s not considering it. She’s getting out of politics after 2012, or so she’s said. Without the utter cataclysm mentioned above party leaders would take her outside and beat her senseless if she gave a hint. > [@](#): > > Is it set in stone nowadays that the sitting president gets the party nomination? Yes. Absolutely yes. Adamantium if you want something stronger than stone. No exceptions. > [@](#): > > For those that know more about inside politics…would it cause a big rift in the party? You’re heard of the Atlantic Rift? That’s a scratch by comparison. > [@](#): > > Does Obama have a power base aside from being president? Being president doesn’t give you a power base? He’s President. He crushed Hillary in 2008. He owns the party. There is nothing else out there. > [@](#): > > Would we have a brokered convention for the first time in my life? You will never see one as long as primaries exist. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2011, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/14 "2011-09-18T19:02:59Z")
> [@](#): > > …"because the TP has made every argument against him personal. " > > Wrong. Every argument made by the TP has been made personal by [fill in the blank] Wait, how does that make the quote wrong? The blank is filled in by “the Tea Party”. ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/15 "2011-09-19T09:54:07Z")
It’s totally up to the Black Caucus, Sharpton, Jackson and their ilk. Especially now that Blumenthal has made it alright to predict riots. Wouldn’t you just love to see a Sister Souljah maneuver from Hillary though! ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/16 "2011-09-19T19:22:41Z")
Whenever the incumbent is challenged for his own party’s nomination, has to expend time, energy, and resources to defend himself, and is exposed to a nasty campaign from within his own party, that candidate loses the November election. (Kennedy v. Carter 1980, Buchanan v. Bush 1992). There is no way the Democrats are going to tolerate any dissension in the ranks against Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/17 "2011-09-19T23:15:09Z")
Incidentally, it’s the Republicans who need a Sister Souljah moment. Someone has to have the balls to say, “No more pandering to plutocrats.” Ultimately, it’s cheap and easy to take a stand against the harmless excesses of a few self styled black radicals. Much harder to speak truth to real power. What’s hilarious is that so many people think the CBC are villains, and not the wealthy interests who routinely rape Americans in the ass. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/18 "2011-09-20T01:04:17Z")
Look no further-[Ralph Nader has made an official bid to primary Obama](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/sep/19/liberals-vow-challenge-obama-democratic-primaries/). Actually it may not end up being him specifically. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/19 "2011-09-20T04:33:24Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > There is no way the Democrats are going to tolerate any dissension in the ranks against Obama. What, pray tell, can they do to enforce that? ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684/20 "2011-09-20T06:45:34Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Look no further-[Ralph Nader has made an official bid to primary Obama](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/sep/19/liberals-vow-challenge-obama-democratic-primaries/). Actually it may not end up being him specifically. Oh, I hope so. Much better that he try to run as a Democrat and lose in the primary that siphon votes away from Obama in the general. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-happen-if-hillary-runs-for-2012/596684.md?page=2)