All my numbers have dropped lately because I have been posting less frequently and I know my US reader numbers have been in particular decline, but, for those of you still left, the topic for discussion today is: Hillary Clinton—could she really be the next president of the United States of America?
17Dec04 — 3
I don’t think Hillary Clinton or any other woman will be elected in my lifetime. I guess I’m just a pessimist. It’s that right wing conspiracy. Of course I’d like to see a Hillary as president. She is one of the best candidates for 2008 so far.
She’s a corporate lawyer with absolutely zero charisma and no fire or imagination in evidence. People on the right speak as if she’s a flaming left winger, but they’re nuts. The Clintons are neo-conservatives without the backbone or vision. I don’t think she’s going to impress voters very much. And when she promises to fix our health care system it will not be very convincing to liberals and will be spun as ‘socialism’ by the hard right.
Whatever happens it’s going to be the longest most mind numbingly boring campaign imagineable.
Depends on a lot of things, particularly the choices Republicans make between now and then.
Given an ordinarily successful second term by Bush and a non-disastrous 2008 candidate nominated by the Republicans, Hilary’s election is, say, 20% or less likely. The most likely scenario, though, is that she will be rejected by the increasingly Leftist Democratic establishment. It’s worth remembering that her Senate post is the first office she’s ever been elected to, and it was in the American equivalent of a “party safe seat” as Brits know the concept. To the extent she has ideas, they safely meet the Left’s increasingly severe requirements, but her campaigning would have to be based on Bill’s experience, and that’s going to be ‘way too centrist for MoveOn.org.
And Jeremy Brown is absolutely correct. It’s going to be tedious.
Regards,
Ric Locke