The Republicans will be really really mean to Hillary.

[leyton]

But if we nominate anyone else, the GOP will sing his praises.

I'm sick of hearing about how we shouldn't nominate Hillary Clinton because the GOP will gear up to trash her. They're going to smear any candidate we put up, and if you don't believe me, ask Michael Dukakis, Max Cleland, or John Kerry.

I'm not saying we have to nominate her. She has her minuses - another Clinton, a centrist, not a Southerner - and so does every other candidate. But I have no fear that unlike previous Presidential nominees, she would waste no time taking the Republicans to task. Hillary is smart enough to beat them back at every turn, until they go into overdrive and make fools of themselves. Can we take "Republican antipathy" out of the minus column for Senator Clinton?

[wryter2000]

1. Not because the Repugs will smear her

They'll smear Santa Claus if he runs as a Dem. The problem in this regard is that there are a large number of voters in this country whose heads turn around on their shoulders and smoke comes out of their ears when they hear the name "Clinton." That gives her an extra challenge that other Dems don't have.

[SaveElmer]

4. And every time they try to smear her...

She comes out more powerful on the other side....

No one in our party has the experience dealing successfully with the Republican slime machine that Hillary Clinton has...

[wryter2000]

8. But I'm not talking about a smear

I'm talking about a substantial number of voters, not politicos, who hate anything named Clinton. I don't like it. It isn't fair. She doesn't deserve it. But, it's a fact.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. You are exactly, 100% right ... it isn't the GOP ... its the sheeple.

The GOP can be beat and, in a fair fight, Hillary can do it - as can others.

But she has all that extra baggage, which is irrational hatred that will simply NOT be turned around.

[SaveElmer]

16. It's a meme....

She has been tested once electorally...and won easily...and will soon win overwhelmingly.

[election_2004]

2. And I'm tired of....

...the whole "she's a tough cookie" mantra, when it obviously ignores the disadvantages Senator Clinton would face in red and purple states.

[stepnw1f]

3. And We will Be Meaner to the GOP for those who Died in IRAQ

This is more than politics to us liberals. This about accountability... they should be very very very scared.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. hillary's not my 1st choice.....

but i'll bet rick lazio could tell you a few things about being really mean to hill. if i'm not mistaken, her stock went way up after his rant at the debates.

[Vincardog]

6. Why don't we worry about winning in November and impeaching the Chimp

before we waste time on the 2008 election?

[alfredo]

7. I second that!!!

[wryter2000]

10. Thank you

2006 is supremely important. In fact, if we win the House and have serious impeachment hearings, the Repugs will be so tainted by what comes out, it'll be a tremendous help in 2008.

[leyton]

11. I worry about "impeaching the Chimp"

especially so close to the time that he leaves office anyway. We'd get started in early 2007 and if he were somehow impeached it'd be only a year away from the end of his term. All that political energy expended for... what? President Cheney? You cannot possibly argue that the nation is better off with President Cheney or any other Republican.

Furthermore, a lot of people who disapprove of his job handling do not disapprove as strongly as you think, or they disapprove because he's not conservative enough. Though they may not like what's happening in Washington, they will be just as upset with Democrats for bringing Washington to a halt for the sake of politics.

[Vincardog]

15. Stopping the cancer that is the NeoConvicts is not a waste of time.

I have to agree with your assertion that
" they disapprove because he's not conservative enough"
because he is not at all conservative.
He and they are FASCISTS. I want to remove them all including Unka Dick.

When you are headed in the wrong direction there is nothing wrong with
" bringing Washington to a halt for the sake of politics"

Have you ever heard the saying about what you do when you find yourself in a hole? You STOP DIGGING.

When we control the House and Senate and the Congress returns to its' role as a Co-equal member of the Government, It will not matter which Republican serves out aWoL's term,

[jackbourassa]

9. leyton please take some smart pills

You are in need of some, if you think that Hillary has a chance to win the election. Hillary Clinton will never be President of the United States.

Reality check. You're overdue for one.

[leyton]

12. Jack, there's no need to be impolite.

I am neither advocating Hillary's nomination nor am I making the case that she can win the election (though, if you did the research, you'd find that some have made very convincing cases). I'm simply trying to point out that there's not a lot of logic behind one of the arguments against her, the argument that the Right will throw everything they've got at her. I'm sorry you couldn't discern that from my post.

[jackbourassa]

26. leyton...here's some information for you

Hillary's approval comes entirely from Democrats. Her disapproval rating is at 46%. (ABC/Washington Post). 48% have said that they will not vote for her under any circumstance (ibid). This is before the campaign. Before anything negative is said about her.

Despite all the bad press the Republicans get, and despite the fact that Hillary has a higher name id than any Republican candidate (including John McCain and Guilliani) she trails all of them in the polls - some by double-digits.

The people who "strongly disapprove" of Hillary is second only to George W. Bush. Hillary is at 37% to Bush's 42% (Washington Post/ABC Poll). She and Bush are the only two political figures in America where the people who "strongly disapprove of them" is higher than those who "strongly approve."

Leyton, you may like Hillary. But A LOT of people don't. That's why she will lose the election. All of these numbers come before any attack ads about her are released. The problem with Hillary is that people know who she is and their minds are made up about her. Her disapprovals are just way too high - more than 10 points higher than Deans was at his peak - to win the election.

This isn't personal against her. She just can't win. I'm sick of people coming on here and saying that she can.

Leyton, what you must understand is that if she loses, it's not only her who loses - it's all of us. All of those who work within or for the party. All of those who support the party. Everything we have worked for would be wasted.

[politicasista]

13. Regardless who the candidate is, they will be smeared period.

That's why it is importatant to stop dreaming about the PERFECT candidate and get behind the one that is chosen. It doesn't matter who the candidate is, they will be smeared period, therefore, we have to find a way to stay on message this time.


No one is above the smear.

[leyton]

24. Exactly - we cannot rest our hopes on unimpeachable character.

We have to have a fighter - if a campaign rests on the fact that the candidate is a veteran, they can twist that. If it rests on the good record of the candidate, they can twist that. If it rests on the fact that the candidate is a fighter - well, there's nothing they can do about that.

[MasonJar]

17. Personally I prefer Al Gore for Pres; he deserves it as does

Kerry. However, we should not let the Pugs select our nominee. I for one also think it is time for a woman pres.

[Moody Bluz]

18. The Swiftboat Vets were amatuers...

compared to what is going to come out of the woodwork after Hillary. It will be nasty.

John Kerry was pretty much unknown away from New England before the election campaigns started in earnest, look at what they did to him. That is nothing compared to the enemies Hillary has out there and they have been sharpening their knives since 1992.

[AtomicKitten]

21. You don't think they've already shot their wad on Hillary?

[Moody Bluz]

22. I honestly don't.

She was targeted as First Lady because the Republicans were trying to sink Bill. What can you really do to a First Lady if her husband is still President? During the worst times, Hillary would disappear from view. She will not have Bill's protection or the ability to disappear once she is campaigning.

[AtomicKitten]

23. we all better reconcile to the fact that

the Republicans will be foul to whomever we put up. It is a mistake to think Hillary is special in that regard. Don't forget what they did to a war hero (John Kerry).

[MODemocrat]

19. Democrats are bashing Hillary all over this very forum

And the right wing fascists really didn't need our help, but they sure are using it.:shrug:

[sandnsea]

20. I'm worried about the left, not Republicans

They won't vote for her. The center will be intimidated by the Republicans. There won't be any Democrats to campaign for her. That's what I'm worried about.

[Guaranteed]

25. This is a more convincing pro-Senator Clinton post.

I know what you're saying. I disagree, ultimately. But, I understand.

We also have to recognize, however, that Hillary is NOT Bill. Bill was Teflon. In a lot of ways, Hillary is more like flypaper. She's smart- but, sometimes you just get ganged up on.

[salin]

27. I said this years ago... no candidate will be safe from GOP smears

that alone should not be a reason to support one dem over another. All candidates worth their salt will have a huge coterie of folks ready to counter the inevitable GOP slime.