I don't hate Hillary.

[Skip Intro]

Poll question: I don't hate Hillary.

I don't.

I'd be fine with her as President. We could do a lot worse.

I have a problem with her IWR vote, sure. But the fact that she won't aplogize at this point makes political sense. She can't be seen as caving to pressure, it would be political suicide, and no one would believe it sincere anyway.

I understand the animosity toward her, to a point, but I am a little taken aback now and then on the sheer seeming hatred for her.

At any rate, the poll question:

Why are you anti-hillary?

[xmas74]

1. I don't hate her by any means.

She's not my top choice but if she were to win the party nomination I'd have no qualms w/ campaigning in my area for her. And I would gladly drag my daughter along to volunteer.

She's not my favorite but we could do alot worse. If she wins the nom I'll side w/ her.

[Colobo]

2. I think she is a good person

And a good candidate... but that's about it.

[MannyGoldstein]

3. Because She's A Leader!

As a senator, she's proven that she's a leader by taking the lead on so many positions - although I can't think of any just now, other than the criminalization of flag burning... someone help me out here...

[PurpleChez]

4. I don't hate her either.

I have the same qualms as you, and in spades. I'd be happy to have her as president, but I have absolutely no illusions that she is some shining beacon of principle. She has covered her ass, and while that might be politically excusable it is hardly heroic.

[GoneOffShore]

5. She's got some good points

but she's going to be SwiftBoated, targeted and IF she's elected, going to be subjected to the same kind of crap that hit Bill. Whatever the RW shills can dig up or manufacture will be their ammo.

She could do a more effective job in the Senate, as long as she stays on this side of the aisle and stops selling herself to the big corporations.


Edited to add.

That being said, if her nomination is shoved down my throat, I'll vote for her.

[cboy4]

6. If she's the Democratic nominee, I'll be voting for her.

I'm not sure any of the poll choices describe exactly how I feel.

[Bonobo]

7. You need an "other".

I don't hate her, but I don't believe she says what she thinks.

She may be more left than she says. She may be more right. OR, she may be more into power than ideals.

I think she says what is politically expedient and lacks the courage to speak from her own convictions. That's what scares me, that's what sickens me.

I want someone finally who is not a sickening politician.

You, me and everyone else knows she voted for the IWR because it was popular at the time.

Also, she tends to grab issues like "Videogame Danger" in the same way as Lieberman. Issues that she thinks will not stir up controversy against her but which will enhance her credentials.

Simply, she seems slick and I don't trust her.

[Greyhound]

26. She is so much like her husband in intent, but doesn't seem to realize that she

doesn't have his charisma.

I am by no means a fan of Bill Clinton, but having attended functions where he was twice in the 90's, I came to understand what everyone said about him, he is one of those people that is literally a show-stopper. He walks into a room and, just by his presence, sucks up all the air. Every conversation stops and every eye turns to him.

She, OTOH, was always in his shadow, and when she becomes the center of attention, comes off as insincere with a hidden agenda.

[Larry in KC]

33. I'd like to second this response. Well put, and I agree.

[FrenchieCat]

8. I like her well enough. It just disturbs me that a potential first

female president would get the position because she was married to a President. Feel like one of those "I slept with the boss and got a promotion" type of situation, although I realize that it isn't; but it does show a women being a piece of the rib of the man, i.e., who got there via her husband's coattails. Yes, I kind of resent that. It takes away from what should be an historic accomplishment, IMO.

Her vote was her vote, and I believe that it was wrong....but to some degree she doesn't seem to mind that some believe her to be politically calculative. She didn't co-sponsor the IWR bill, so at least that's a good thing. It does trouble me that she voted Nay on the Levin Admendment....and I'd like to hear her answer as to why that was....if she is saying that she wanted to give U.N. leverage.

That's my honest answer without trying to put down Hillary Clinton who I do admire and I do like well enough.

[Breeze54]

9. I wouldn't use the word 'hate.'

Dislike intensely.

She's a DLC RWer and due to her IWR vote and because it's time to end the dynasty's!!

No more Bush/Clinton/Clinton/Bush/Bush/Clinton!

It's insane!!! :crazy: Enough already!!

Surely these aren't the only people in all of America that are qualified to lead this country, are they?

We need new leadership! New blood! New idea's!!

[Learn2Swim]

21. .

I agree about new blood /new direction. I think HRC is a fine senator, and think she should continue her work in the senate.

I don't however, want to see her running this country. She's all over the place on every side of every issue. And the IWR vote, and her subsequent bitterness towards people looking for an appeasement over said vote.

No thanks.

[baldguy]

10. She's way too conservative.

In any other western political system on the pnanet, she would be a moderate RWer. Only in America is she (& her hubby) thought to be "liberal".

[Crunchy Frog]

11. I don't hate Hillary.

I do think she would be a disaster as our presidential nominee, but I don't hate her. I would vote for her, but would not expect her to win.

[NDP]

12. I don't hate her, I just won't vote for her or accept her as the nominee if she's handed it

[Clarkie1]

13. A few reasons she is way down my list.

First off, I don't hate her. I do rather hate the idea of her being the nominee...there are several others who I would prefer to Hillary.

1. It strikes me as bad precident for the first female President - a great thing in itself - to be the wife of a former President. It would be much better form and precident for the first female President to get there without relation to a former President. I don't like eltitism, either.

2. The IWR vote and her failure to even vote for a mitigating ammendment.

3. I don't like to see $$$$ buy the American voter. I know it's important and will always have a big effect, but I'd like to see other factors hold the day.

[PhilipShore]

14. Anti-Hill because of something else (elaborate please)

I don't know the reason, I guess it is just intuition. But it is election time; miracles can happen - about her only quality that may get her out of the political debate with liberals -- is that she is a lawyer and therefore has a natural inclination to write and discuss issues.

I am not a lawyer, but - it is easy to be more liberal/Progressive; she has not taken any stands that are controversial, but now that she is actually running for an election with real competition (New York she won because she had no competition), and with Gore about to run, she is going to have to be more open (liberal) to the political process or face a quick defeat if Gore jumps in.

Gore winning the Academy Awards, could actually be a win-win for liberal Democrats, if Hillary decides to become a liberal.

If she starts to actually write articles like Arianna Huffington, I could easily change my mind about her though.

Also, she could easily change my mind; if she was more involved in the Waxman proceedings (in the court of public opinion - MSM) -- she could put out prolific press releases in support of the new laws and new investigations Waxman has started attacking the Bush administration, etc.

[AshevilleGuy]

15. I don't hate her, but I think she will poll high,

then lose the November 2008 election big time. About like Dukakis in 1988. Many polling respondents will not say they don't like her, but once in the privacy of the booth they will do exactly what they want. Just too many swing voters really do not like her and that will sink us, even in the blue states.

However I suspect that the Dem powers behind the scenes have already decided to push her during the primaries. If President Gore comes in, that might change, but perhaps not and that is why he is demurring.

[eridani]

16. Being pro-outsourcing and in health insurance companies' pockets n/t

[election_2004]

17. "Other"....

Her IWR vote isn't my litmus test.

My reason for opposing her is simple: because she's done NOTHING to warrant being given top consideration for the U.S. presidency. She is only being handed frontrunner status due to the following factors:

- she's a woman
- she's married to Bill Clinton
- the corporate media loves inserting her namesake into every discussion just to stir things up
- she receives Big Money from people who are obsessively enamored with the overhyped Clinton legacy

I resent how she and her handlers are trying to make people swallow this horseshit that she's somehow "most electable" and "most qualified."

Legislatively, she's done about the same as any other U.S. Senator for her constituents. She's a good enough senator, but has done nothing outstanding.

All of this "upstate-NYers-love-her, the-RW-has-thrown-everything-but-the-kitchen-sink-at-her-but-none-of-it's-stuck, "she'll-bring-back-the-peace-and-prosperity-of-the-1990s" bullshit we keep hearing over and over and over again from her rabid supporters is basically a repository of empty Talking Points.

Yet, she's been campaigning for years, and the MSM has been setting her up for this moment ever since January 2001.

[Q]

18. Why use...

...the word 'hate' for someone that doesn't want to see certain politicians in high office? Everyone is entitled to their opinion and NOT to be harrassed into voting for someone they don't believe in.

We've witnessed a disturbing trend since the 90s...where certain powerful and well-financed factions within and outside the Democratic party put pressure on rank and file Dems to vote against their own interests and conscience. They tell us that "power is everything" and that it's okay to vote for someone you don't believe in just to fill a Democratic seat.

[JNelson6563]

19. Don't hate her

But what I find really disgusting is that so many Hillary supporters automatically dismiss people like me who go in the "I don't like her very much" category as just a blind hater. Very reich-wing tactic.

Julie

[election_2004]

22. They've learned from the best

Or should I say, the sleaziest.

Somewhere, out there in cyberspace, there's a Carville/Begala school for online junkyard attack dogs. They promptly dispatch people across the netroots and blogosphere to quash any piddly little uprisings from us peons.

[Adelante]

20. I like Hillary

I have respect for her political achievements and her personal strengths. However, I do not think the Democratic party should run any nominee who voted for IWR, because we will lose the GE, and because anyone who showed such poor judgment and failure of leadership in the most important issue of our times has not earned the right to the presidency. I don't care about apologies. My reasons apply to every single candidate, not just Hillary Clinton.

[Forkboy]

23. I find it interesting that she's the only candidate where we need a poll to see how hated she is.

That alone says a lot.

[AshevilleGuy]

28. Bingo. Red flags should go up.

But knowing this, will the DNC or DLC or whichever group runs the party not push her next year? Or do they have a different agenda?

[qwlauren35]

24. I'm not "Anti", she's just not getting my vote.

I don't think she can win, and I don't want to risk the backlash.

For starters, I can't see her winning a significant portion of the Hispanic vote. I wonder if she can win Arkansas.

Bottom line, it's races like this that bring out the sexism and racism that still exist in our country, but waaaaaaaaaaaay too many people want to pretend don't exist any more.

I want a Democratic candidate who is so Teflon that there's no way a Republican could beat HIM. Hilary, as far as I'm concerned, doesn't meet that requirement. Neither does Obama. Frankly, neither did Kerry.

[Greyhound]

25. Hate her? NO. Anti-HRC? Yes for other reasons.

Her stance on the IWR is simply indicative of her conservative mind-set. If she were running for office 40 years ago, I have no doubt she would be running as a Re:puke:.

She is a corporatist and life-long advocate for the ruling-class, and is ruling-class herself. She is pro-corporate and anti-worker. She is the only current candidate that is so divisive within our own Party that her nomination would all but guarantee another four years of a Re:puke: living in the White House.

[mtnsnake]

27. I'm anti-Hillary because I'm really naive & I believe all the myths perpetuated here

about her.

Also, she pisses me off because she's out to do what's right for the great majority of mainstream Democrats instead of looking out only for my one or two special interests, but please don't tell anyone that's why I'm really against her.

:silly:

[Greyhound]

34. I love her because I'm thoroughly cynical and couldn't give two shits about

anybody but me and the tiny universe that I am the center of.

First they came for the Jews
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for the Communists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists
and I did not speak out
because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left
to speak out for me.


Pastor Martin Niemöller

[sandnsea]

36. You don't want health care addressed?

That's what you're saying by supporting Hillary.

[Milo_Bloom]

29. Because I believe she is a political opportunist ONLY!

Senator Clinton has failed to show me any level of courage... ever. I don't believe she has the interest of anyone but Senator Clinton. I believe her votes are not based on principles, but purely on popularity driven positions. I believe that she would take away civil rights, if it was popular. I believe she would send people off to die in a war that makes no sense, if it was popular. I believe nothing about her is genuine and that she takes no real solid positions on the issues, but instead changes will the will of the masses and not the guidance of the facts.

I believe that putting her in office would be very damaging to the long term interests of the country and the Democratic party and because of that, I will never vote for her.

[AtomicKitten]

30. I don't hate any of the contenders ....

just their 'yes' vote on the IWR.

Gobama.

[PresidentObama]

31. I like Hillary.

:hide:

[NDP]

32. Poll should have an "I hate the idea of her as the Democratic Nominee"

[sandnsea]

35. Clinton triangulation

I'm shocked at the support she gets at DU, considering the change everybody says they want. Her promise of health care in her SECOND term says it all. What kind of blinders do people have to have on to elect someone who point blank tells you they aren't going to address the second biggest issue facing the country.

[Clark2008]

37. Don't hate her. Don't think she can win. Don't think she can flip`

any purple states and may even lose us a couple of blue ones.

That's all.

[snowbear]

38. I don't hate her either. But we are SOOOOO screwed if she's our candidate.

S-C-R-E-W-E-D.

[Clark2008]

39. Did you see that Pennsylvania poll?

I've been saying for months now that HRC could lose us Penn and Michigan. The latest poll (and I know, I know, polls this early don't mean much, but it's a gauge) out of Pencil-tucky (as we call it down South) shows Guiliani kicking her butt.

I have several good friends who live in that state and that poll indicates what they've been telling me for months.