Why exactly do many Dems support Hillary???

[UrbScotty]

I just don't get why so many Democrats (according to polls) say they want Hillary to be the nominee.

Is it just because she was First Lady? Because she's a woman? Or is it because the media has propped her up so much??

:shrug:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. The last, I think. She's the media's hot item right now,

along with Obama. It's mostly name recognition at this point.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. the polls reflect name recognition among mainstream people

not real supporters. They just know who she is and they call themselves dems but, aren't into politics. so they say her. some do because they want to be seen as progressive in saying a woman.
Wait until the candidates get out to campaign for real. Then the polls will change.

[hijinx87]

7. I think the polls that have her up 19 points are among registered democrats n/t

[PresidentObama]

29. ....Among national polls, correct?

National polls a year out are meaningless.

She has to make it past the primaries first.

[hijinx87]

36. national polls are just as meaningless as any other poll "this far out"

which is about maximally meaningless. but it doesn't seem to keep
us from talking about them, does it?

:evilgrin:

[MonkeyFunk]

3. Because many people

myself included, admire her for withstanding the right-wing onslaught against her and her husband throughout the '90s.

We recognize that the non-stop attacks were ridiculous, spiteful, hateful and entirely unwarranted. And yet instead of backing away when it was all over, she chose instead to keep fighting by winning a seat in the Senate, and by all accounts, being very successful there.

We admire her brains and intellect, her character, her fortitude.

She is not my first choice for the nomination, but I would proudly vote for her.

[UrbScotty]

8. I too would vote for her in the general (nt)

[Ammonium]

11. Take a look

Ever seen this picture?



The guy on the left is JORGE CABRERA, a convicted cocaine trafficer. He donated 20,000 to the Clinton's. Do a google search of him and you'll see he's just a splendid guy to make friends with.

Hillary is a political hack who has no business in politics, much less running for president.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. OMG

and Rosalyn Carter had her picture taken with John Wayne Gacy, therefore she supports child-murderers!

bite me. THIS is exactly the kind of ridiculous, baseless smear I referred to above. Clinton has survived the likes of you for a long time, and childish nonsense like this only helps reinforce the support people have for her.

[Ammonium]

18. Gimme a break

Baseless? You've got to be kidding me...

He's in the bloody Whitehouse! You don't get in the Whitehouse unless the president wants you there and you definitely don't get an invite to the xmas party just because.


You need to get your head out of the sand and wake up.

[MonkeyFunk]

20. You can't be serious...

tell me, what exactly is your charge? That the Clintons are cocaine-runners?

They're close friends with international drug smugglers?

Make your charge outright, instead of silly innuendo like this.

[Ammonium]

21. How much more blatent does it need to be

You have a convicted cocaine smuggler in the Whitehouse acting all chummy with the Clinton's.

See no evil
Hear no evil
Speak no evil

[MonkeyFunk]

23. No

it's not clear.

Presidents and their wives get their pictures taken with tens of thousands of people.

Tell me the story of the relationship between the Clintons and this drug dealer. Tell me what the involvement is.

She killed Vince Foster, too, didn't she? What a trollish point to bring up.

[Ammonium]

24. Wow...

They don't have their photos taken with tens of thousands of people IN THE WHITEHOUSE. You don't get in the whitehouse unless your are cleared by the Secret Service, and this means without a background check. The man in question was a convicted felon yet he gets into the White House. The only way this happens is if the president specifically says to let him in so there is a specific direct link between this man and the Clinton family.

He also donated 20,000 dollars to the Clinton's and they took it. Are you comfortable supporting a candidate who takes drug money?

So you sir, you look it up. You're staunching supporting a candidate, you ought to at least know her background.

[MonkeyFunk]

25. You still haven't

made a particular charge. Just a smear.

Yes, criminals DO get into the White House.

So tell me about this picture. When was it taken? At what event? What's your evidence that this person provided 20k to the clintons? What was the relationship between the Cabrera and the Clintons.

It's a ridiculous smear, the type of which they endured during their entire presidency. They've been investigated upside down and inside out and came out clean. If this is the best your ilk has, she's golden.

[MonkeyFunk]

26. I'll answer for you

there is no known connection between the Clintons and the Cabrera, beyond the fact that he was invited to a White House reception.

He gave no money to the Clintons. He gave 20k to the DNC, after which he was invited to the reception. After the DNC discovered his past, they returned the money.

There is absolutely no evidence that the Clintons even heard of this man before this reception. There's no evidence there was ANY sort of friendship, relationship whatever between them.

Just a ridiculous smear - the kind they're very fond of at right-wing sites.

[maddezmom]

37. good info

thanks for posting it :hi:

[MonkeyFunk]

44. You're welcome

it was my pleasure.

Frankly, I'm a little surprised such a baseless smear is even allowed to be posted here against a Democrat. And it is most certainly a smear. It's not a charge, it's not an accusation - it's somehow supposed to just stand on its own. "Here's a picture of Hillary with a criminal! Figure out the rest (wink wink)."

It's typical of the type of smears the Clintons endured throughout the 90s and beyond. Sadly, at the time, those smears came from the Right. It's disappointing to see the Left jump on the bandwagon (presuming the poster of this cheap shot is really on the Left).

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. If I remember well my high school chemistry, NH3 is a substance that smells bad. -nt

[David Dunham]

4. She's smart and has very good ideas. It's also time for a woman president

Obama is only 45 and can wait a while before becoming president.

[UrbScotty]

9. JFK was elected at 43, Bill at 46, and Barack will be 47 in November '08 (nt)

[AJH032]

14. Clinton and JFK were the youngest presidents ever

That age (mid-40s) certainly is not average.

[UrbScotty]

42. Actually Teddy Roosevelt was the youngest at 42 (nt)

[MonkeyFunk]

46. Correct

but he wasn't elected at that age.

JFK was the youngest man elected to the office. So you're both right!

[David Dunham]

15. Obama should get some more experience and then run.

Bill had been governor for 5 two year terms before he ran. JFK had been in Congress for a total of 12 years. Obama has 2 years only.

[Nedsdag]

35. Enough with the "experience" excuse.

He has a right to run for President. How long should he wait? By the time he wants to run, another "political phenomenom" could come in and take up all the publicity. Remember when we were last given the choice of "experience" running for President? He lost to Bush in 2004.

[The Ghost]

40. ...

If experience were that important, there would be no such thing as term limits for presidents

[MannyGoldstein]

10. She Has Great Ideas. Like...?

[CK_John]

5. Because she is a winner. n/t

[MannyGoldstein]

It's Her Bold, Up-Front Stands on the Issues

With Hil, you always know exactly where she stands - no beating around the bush,

[elocs]

12. Like, I was for the war before I was against the war? (finger in the wind)

How do you get around that bush?

[kath]

54. "finger in the wind" - you sure've got that one right.

Obama suffers from that finger problem as well, I'm afraid. As do way too many of the Dems these days (look how many voted for the Blank Check Resolution)

Backbone, backbone, we need us some backbone!!

[Clark2008]

39. You forgot this:

:sarcasm:


:hi:

[hijinx87]

6. because despite her centrist rhetoric

her voting record in the senate, as compiled by the ADA, gives
her a 100% progressive voting record. add to that the fact that
she represents a huge state, has nearly 100% name recognition
nationally, was probably the smarter of the two clintons in the
first place (:evilgrin:), and the clintons know how to do one
thing if they know how to do anything: WIN.

her sex is pretty much beside the point, as is her tenure as
former first lady. the the crack about the media propping her
up is a matter of perspective.

[Captain Hilts]

16. Not enough people credit her with that. Her voting record is very progressive. nt

[Zodiak]

31. ADA rates Feinstein higher then Boxer

There is no more flawed system of progressivity than ADA.

I have her at about 50% progressive, myself. Not bad, but certainly not 100%. No one here will believe 100% because 100% has to reconcile these Clinton votes:

1. She voted for Condi
2. She voted for cloture on the bankruptcy bill
3. She voted to confirm Negroponte
4. She voted for the Cheney energy bill
5. She voted for the tax-relief act (a Bush tax plan)
6. She voted to protect tax cuts again
7. She voted for the Patriot act extension
8. She voted for the US-Oman Free trade agreement
9. She voted to confirm Robert Gates
10. She voted for atomic cooperation with India
11. She vote for the border fence
12. She voted for the pension protection act (although I admit why I forgot why that bill was bad)
13. She voted for the Gulf of MExico Energy Security Act

[MonkeyFunk]

32. That's simply

wrong. The ADA rates Boxer higher than Feinstein, both lifetime and almost every year I checked.

I did find one year where Feinstein scored 100% and Boxer a 95%

[Zodiak]

34. That was what prompted me to start scoring

Feinstein and Boxer are miles apart on voting record, but ADA makes it look like there is not a dime's worth of difference between the two. When I looked up the methodology, I could see why. Their methodoogy is designed to introduce separation between Republicans and Democrats. Easy to do when you cherry-pick votes like ADA does (20 votes...many of them not even bills) and then use those ratings to campaign (and get money) for Democrats from progressives. That seems to be their motivation.

Yeah...that one year must be the one year where I decided to score Senators for myself (let me guess....one or two years ago...right?).

So I guess I am not so wrong, after all....ADA did rate Feinstein as higher than Boxer.

No one believes that Boxer is less of a progressive than Feinstein.

Just like no one believes Hilary is 100% progressive. I put her bad votes up here in the previous post....does this reflect 100% progressvity to you?

ADA should really revisit their methodology because the results do not pass the "gut check" and they undermine the progressive cause by giving us all a false sense of unity in the Democratic party.

Does everyone here remember how some DUers were touting Joe Leiberman's ADA ratings during the general election of 2006? How well does Joe's actions reflect the 80% progressive rating ADA gave him?

Do we really think that a Democratic caucus in the Senate with 50% DLC members is 94% progressive? Think again. A 94% progressive Democratic caucus would never have members vote for the torture bill, but they did.

[Zuiderelle]

33. Good answer.

:thumbsup:

[mustang]

17. None of the above, Geez.

The media props her up? They've been tearing her down for years. They crucified her when she was First Lady. She has many accomplishments in addition to being a ground breaking First Lady. It's historic that she's a women, true. But Hillary has a lifetime of achievement that she can be proud of. She's been a true trailblazer her whole life. I admire her personal fortitude. I admire her toughness. I think she could be the only person that would really ever be able to address and solve the issue of universal health care in this country. She's a great diplomat. She's inspiring. I just don't get why people have to defend her on a Democratic message board. I think she's a fantastic politician. One who doesn't come around too often in our lifetime.

[wisteria]

19. Bill Clinton! n/t

[liberal renegade]

48. Ditto.....n/t

[zann725]

22. Ditto to the last one. They're being TOLD, "sold" by repetition in MSM literally every hour.

Reminds me of that Jackson Browne song, "Lives in the Balance,"

"They sell us our Presidents the same way they sell us our clothes and our cars. They sell us everything from youth to religion, same way they sell us our Wars."

But the MSM can "market" Hilary all they like...
Did you see the stone-cold faces on the audiences in Iowa over the weekend where Hilary spoke? They all looked SO bored. These people KNOW and pick future presidents regular...from a gut level, and they were NOT "buying" Mz. Popularity.

Not yet at least. Maybe after another year and a half of advertising, and another 50 trips from Hil, who knows...

[taps]

28. I'd vote for her

No way she could do any worse than Dumya has! She has Bill to offer her advice. She is a strong willed woman that would make a good president.

[wyldwolf]

30. Because she has been an effective Senator and was first lady for Bill Clinton?

Honestly, the better question is why do the "netroots" and "progressives" have such a hard time understanding people have a different opinion than they do?

[SaveElmer]

38. Effective Senator, progressive, tough...

Respected as First Lady, first woman with a real shot at it, fond memories of Bill Clinton, and I think people sense she would take no shit from the Right Wing sleaze machine!!!

[guitartist]

41. hillary sucks

just another corporate today

[IndianaGreen]

43. They think she is something she is not

It is our responsibility to make all of our friends and acquaintances aware of Hillary's record on the war, her pandering to Right-to-Life and the Israel Lobby, and her tepid support for LGBT rights.

[MonkeyFunk]

47. pandering to Right-to-Life?

Are you insane?

You're really suggesting that Clinton is somewhat less than pro-choice?

Laughable.

[SaveElmer]

53. She wants less abortions...

Safe but Rare...Democratic doctrine for years...

Doesn't think the rancorous tone of the debate has been particularly helpful, when there are plenty of folks on both sides willing to work to lower the number of abortions...

No, she hasn't budged on her pro-choice position one iota...as her 100% rating from NARAL testifies to...as well as her endorsement by Emily's list, which only endorses pro-choice women...

[gratefultobelib]

45. I support her because I like and admire her, and I believe she will be a very effective president.

[mtnsnake]

49. Because they know the real Hillary out there, not the make believe one that exists here

Out in mainstream America, the people who dislike her mainly dislike her for her vote on the IWR. Apart from that, most of them still like her and appreciate her for the important role she plays in our Party.

Here on DU, Hillary is a witch and is treated as such. She's committed crimes of high treason to the Party, slept with both the Bushes, and she has personally flown planes which have dropped bombs on Baghdad. She and her husband even broke into prison where Poppy Bush was incarcerated and freed him from jail in a daring jail break that was kept secret in 2003.

[AJH032]

57. sounds about right!

:rofl:

[AtomicKitten]

50. Cuz they know her and like her?

[Infinite Hope]

51. The same reason you believe in your candidate, I'm sure.

And the same reason I believe in my candidate. They're entitled to that without somehow being relegated to a lower Democratic class.

[ldf]

52. name recognition by

uninformed lemmings.

:shrug:

not to say that hillary supporters are uninformed, but you can assume that most people who participated in the poll are not nearly as informed us du readers.

we are an astute lot. we may not always agree, but i would trust most of my fellow du'ers anyday.

the typical american? i don't think so.

[RiverStone]

55. Then who the heck do us DUers represent?

We know Hillary is NOT our number 1 choice here; not even close.

It's been said DU represents the Democratic wing of the DEM party (I can't recall who said that).

But I'm baffled why she consistently is in positions 4-5 in DU straw polls, yet is the media darling out in the MSM. Or, who they heck are all these DEMS that vote to place her first??? Where do they live? Not many on DU obviously? Maybe WE are right and all those other polls are wrong! :)


Just wondering? :think:


GORE/CLARK 08!
:applause:

[AJH032]

56. Why do Dems support any Democrat?

because s/he is running for an office and they like him/her. That about sums it up, and it applies to Hillary as well.

[eddiemunster]

58. Easy...

Bill Clinton mojo, piles of cash and years of personal intel to destroy her opponents cred. Poor Obama is going to end up with 3 new a-holes compliments of the Clinton mafia after all is said and done. Poor bastard...