Hillary Clinton, Welcome to the White House

[brooklynite]

National Journal:

In the innermost sanctum of Clintonland, it is difficult to imagine that Hillary and Bill, two of the savviest politicians in the country, are not pinching themselves to make sure that it's all real. Perhaps they're dancing a jig together, or knocking back shots and howling at the moon out of sheer, giddy joy at their good luck. (OK, Hillary's not howling, but Bill might be.) Or maybe they are just quietly kvelling over the latest turn of events.

Because the trend lines are unmistakable, and they're looking better all the time: If she wants to run in 2016, Hillary Rodham Clinton could have the easiest walk into the White House of any candidate in either party since, well, one has to go back a very long way. Maybe to Reagan in '84. LBJ in '64, or Eisenhower in '52, or even FDR in 1932, 1936 and 1940. The presidency is looking like it's hers to lose, more than ever.

The reasons are becoming more obvious with each passing crisis of Republicanism, but are even starker now in the wake of the GOP's embarrassing implosion over the shutdown and debt-ceiling fight. This is an opposition party in such a state of extreme dysfunction that talk of a third-party split in 2016 is almost irrelevant. Why would you need a third-party split to win—as Bill did, recall, cheating George H.W. Bush out of a second term in 1992 thanks to the Ross Perot candidacy—when the base and establishment of the GOP are no longer on speaking terms?

...snip...

The demographic numbers tell a grim tale for any potential GOP candidate at the same time as they look like manna from electoral heaven for Hillary. The Republican Party, still in the grip of tea-party extremism, is more and more becoming the party of disaffected and aging white voters. Even many Republican strategists are conceding that no GOP presidential nominee can win that way. But the party is not building itself a bigger tent fast enough: Strapped down by House extremists who can't think beyond the demands of their scarlet-red districts, or beyond the next two years, the GOP is not likely to embrace immigration reform despite Marco Rubio's efforts, thus continuing to alienate the burgeoning Hispanic vote that so doomed Romney. As my colleague Ron Brownstein wrote recently: "Absent big GOP gains with minorities, [Clinton] could win, even comfortably, just by maintaining Obama's showing with whites … [But] the first 2016 polling instead has generally shown her trimming Obama's deficit among whites both nationally and in key states."

Now that we've gotten that Party Unity thing out of the way, I guess we can return to the Hillary bashing?

[Agnosticsherbet]

1. I'll vote for her in the General Election, assuming she wins primary....

At that point, there is simply no other choice.

[question everything]

27. Sadly, we've seen that a fresh Senator does not know how to handle Congress

even when both President and the Congress are from the same party.

I voted for Obama twice. Donated to his campaign. But his inexperience in governing has been too painful to watch.

[stevenleser]

30. He got his signature program passed despite the fact that many purple/red state Democratic

members of congress had to know it stood a good chance of losing them their seats.

After that, when the pugs got a hold of the House, I dont even think LBJ in the White House could have dealt successfully with the Teabagger House of Representatives.

[Egnever]

32. What a bunch of hooey

He has accomplished more major changes than any president in my life time.

[Agnosticsherbet]

52. I don't see any job that is appropriate training for President.

Last edited Thu Oct 17, 2013, 05:14 PM - Edit history (1)

As others said, he did pass his signature achievement.
In the shut down, he showed that he learned from his repeated attempts to negotiate with a party whose only serious consideration was the easiest way to remove the President from office.

Very few Presidents are able to play the House and Senate like a fiddle (LBJ is one rare instance). They comprise, after all, a coequal branch of government and don't work for the executive.

I will say, that I did not see this as a thread for criticism of the current President. I thought we were discussing the next.

[Cha]

61. Oh any excuse to get the whines in about

what they don't know.

Actually Pres Obama has accomplished quite a bit more than ACA/AKA/Obamacare.

[question everything]

65. Dealing with multiple demands and budgets

The closest has been a governor.

The last sitting senator elected to the White House was JFK. And he was a Congressman for six years, and a Senator for seven. Thus, he has a good understanding of how Congress works.

And, of course, the government was a lot less complicated. Before the Civil Rights, before the Great Society that brought us Medicare and Medicaid. Another training was a V.P. for eight years. Thus Nixon and Bush Sr. won. If not for Watergate Nixon would have been perceived as a successful president.

Sure, Obama passed the Affordable Care Act. But had he done a better job of promoting it, we may not have lost the House to the teabaggers.

[Agnosticsherbet]

66. No President ever bats a thosuand....

I don't expect them to.

[Cha]

60. What's sad is.. you don't know what all has been Accomplished

since the President came into Office.

[DonCoquixote]

62. and Hillary's experience

supporting outsourcers and getting us into a war with Libya was too painful to watch. Sorry, experience just means you are good at some things,not necessarily the things you need to do.

[onehandle]

2. Like 2008, I will not be bashing any top tier Democratic candidate.

And I stand with my prediction that Rubio will be our opponent in 2016.

[LordGlenconner]

37. I'm not convinced

I don't think what will comprise the GOP primary electorate would ever nominate someone that looks like Rubio (or Jindal). Most are, at best, latent racists, which would make it hard for them to vote for someone of color.

I actually think it'll be Rand Paul simply because he's painfully white, and speaks fluent derp, which is their language.

[hedgehog]

3. I think she's running on name recognition right now.

This may be our chance to move the Party to the Left. Sherrod Brown, anybody?

[juajen]

31. What the hell else do you run on, if not name recognition?

I love Sherrod Brown, but my grown children have no idea who he is. They are not immersed in politics as we DUers are. I didn't make the system, but it is what it is. Why do you think Ted Cruz is making such a fool of himself? My children know who he is. A sucker is born every minute, etc., etc., etc.

[brooklynite]

48. I can say WITHOUT CONTRADICTION that Sherrod will not be running either

I know people.....

[leftstreet]

4. If they're so 'savvy,' how'd they lose to Obama?

They thought they had it because she was facing McCain. But it looks like there's no real competition, so she's inevitable

[juajen]

36. She had over 18,000,000 votes.

Many people who would have voted for her couldn't resist voting for a charismatic African American candidate. He will go down in history, and I am proud of that, even though I did not vote for him in the primary.

A lot of people agree with The Big Dog. She is the smarter one, and, for many of us, this is a no brainer. A woman with valuable experience and intelligence, who is a former First Lady, US Senator, and SOS, is, of course, a standout candidate. Why are you disparaging our best bet to win the Presidency for another eight years? Mayhap, looking a gift horse in the mouth?

[leftstreet]

40. wtf? 'a charismatic African American candidate'

'people couldn't resist voting for a charismatic African American candidate'

OMG

LOL that primary is over, okay?

[bunnies]

51. +1

unfuckingreal.

[AtomicKitten]

46. Two things:

1) She got just under 17.5 million votes, not 'over 18 million'. Rounding up may sound good to your ear but it's not accurate.

2) Your insinuation that those that 'couldn't resist voting for a charismatic AA candidate' deprived Clinton in some way is pretty damn revolting.

[Whisp]

54. you are stepping on and over a line with that Charismatic THING.

I guess Hillary is bereft of a white woman's charismatic qualities then as she lost big time?

what Are you saying?

[winter is coming]

56. Many people who "would have voted for her" couldn't resist voting for someone else?

And you believe they'll be able to resist voting for someone else in 2016 because...?

[LittleBlue]

5. I won't vote for center-right

Waste of time. Progressive or bust for me.

[denbot]

8. If you won't vote democratic you don't belong here.

You are either with us or against us, your call.

[HappyMe]

10. I would prefer to wait for the primary.

I don't feel the need to jump on the Hillary bandwagon right now.

We have 2014 right around the corner. After the last couple of weeks, those elections are more important than ever.

[denbot]

23. I wasn't speaking of Hillary, just democratic.

In many states we need 2-3 democratic votes to override republican votes, especially for the house, let alone voter suppression tactics.

I am happy every time a freeper declares they won't vote for a R.I.N.O. because it gets us one step closer to our goals. Conversely, every liberal, or progressive, that refuses to vote for a democrat that isn't "pure" enough for them, is almost two votes against us.

[HappyMe]

26. I'm kind of torn with this.

Voting for a Dem will always help our side. On the other hand, voting for a Dem just because they are a Dem - I don't know. Shouldn't people vote for they think is the best person for the job? If they truly do not believe in that person for whatever reason, being told that the have to vote for somebody strikes me as wrong.

[denbot]

29. *Today* Virginia purged around 40,000 voters, and I doubt they were republican voters.

It is the reality we face.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/10/17/virginia-election-officials-purging-almost-40000-voters/

[HappyMe]

35. I can't do a damn thing about Virginia.

I live in NY. That's up to the people of Virginia.

All I'm trying to say is that until Hillary announces and until there is a primary, I'm not throwing my support behind anyone. I would prefer a little more progressive Dem candidate. Just because Hillary and I have the same plumbing, that doesn't guarantee her my vote in the primary.

There was a local election where the Dem candidate was a shifty asshole. I left that spot blank. If I do that, you know that the guy is crappy.

[denbot]

38. I NEVER said support Hillary, just democrats.

Half a glass is better, wouldn't you agree? As for shifty assholes, yeah that sucks. If they were scumbags I would also leave the spot blank, and look for a decent candidate on the next go around.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

43. Agree with everything you've said.

The GOP tried that 'voting for pure conservatives only' shit and look at how that's turning out for them.

[reddread]

64. If you won't vote democratic you don't belong here.

you are either with us or against us, your call.

[LittleBlue]

12. I'll support Warren

or any other progressive.

If a progressive doesn't win, you don't have to worry. I'll be gone and probably done with politics.

[denbot]

14. Then it will be the same as if you voted republican.

Part of the problem, or part of the solution, again your call.

[LittleBlue]

16. Nah

I used to subscribe to that type of thinking, not anymore. The fake debate about how fast we slide into national poverty has become boring.

You're right about one thing: it is my call and I will exercise my voting rights as I see fit.

[LanternWaste]

18. Unless of course, one sincerely believes that the proposed solution is little more than the problem

"You're either with or against us", "you're either part of the problem or part of the solution", "America- love it or leave it..."

Unless of course, one sincerely believes that the proposed solution is little more than an extension or a parallel of the original problem itself.

Bumper stickers philosophies are great on bumper-stickers, but in the actual world of the living, in the world of ideas, philosophies, context, nuance and convictions, they become little more than simplistic wastes-of-time fit for radio talk show hosts and t-shirts.

[Comrade Grumpy]

19. People who say if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem...

...are part of the problem.

[HappyMe]

20. Support Hillary or else!!!11

Never mind that she hasn't announced anything. Doesn't matter if she's primaried! Never mind that 2014 is first!

[LittleBlue]

24. No kidding

It's like those things called primaries don't exist and we've skipped to the general with Hillary as the nominee.

In the minds of some, this has actually happened

[HappyMe]

28. Nominee?

It seem almost like a coronation, ffs.

I'm hoping there is a primary. Until then, I'm not throwing my support behind any one Dem.

We have to focus on 2014. Hillary is just going to have to fucking wait.

[frylock]

53. that coronation went swimmingly in 2008

[juajen]

39. Well, we don't have a Progressive wing of our party.

"It's a big tent" phrase should be familiar to you. United we stand. Look what is happening to the republicans. What a good idea? Done with politics because you don't get your way? Sounds very familiar.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

44. +1

[frylock]

50. where do you think all those disillusioned conservatives will go?

yes, it is a big tent, just chock full of conservative assholes looking to shape policy and assist the democrats as they continue their lurch to the right.

[stevenleser]

59. These folks would disagree

http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/

What is CPC?
The Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC) consists of one United States Senator and seventy five members of the United States House of Representatives, and is the largest caucus within the House Democratic Caucus. Established in 1991, the CPC reflects the diversity and strength of the American people and seeks to give voice to the needs and aspirations of all Americans and to build a more just and humane society.

The Co-Chairs of the CPC--U.S. Representatives Raúl M. Grijalva (AZ-07) and Keith Ellison (MN-05) welcome your interest in the caucus.

Our Caucus members promote a strong, progressive agenda, what we call “The Progressive Promise--Fairness for All”. The Progressive Promise is rooted in four core principles that embody national priorities and are consistent with the values, needs and aspirations of all the American people, not just the powerful and the privileged. They reflect a fundamental belief in government of the people, by the people, and for the people.

The four, core principles of the Progressive Promise:

1. Fighting for economic justice and security for all;
2. Protecting and preserving our civil rights and civil liberties;
3. Promoting global peace and security; and
4. Advancing environmental protection and energy independence


The CPC is committed to helping progressives, both inside and outside of Congress, to work together more effectively, in order to bring all of us closer to making good on The Progressive Promise.

Again, we appreciate your interest in the CPC and we look forward to working together to build a strong progressive network throughout America and beyond.

Caucus Members


Co-Chairs

Keith Ellison

Raúl Grijalva

Vice Chairs

Judy Chu

David Cicilline

Michael Honda

Sheila Jackson-Lee

Jan Schakowsky

Whip

Barbara Lee

Senate Member

Bernie Sanders

House Members

Karen Bass

Xavier Becerra

Earl Blumenauer

Suzanne Bonamici

Corrine Brown

Michael Capuano

Andre Carson

Matt Cartwright

Donna Christensen

Yvette Clarke

Emanuel Cleaver

Steve Cohen

John Conyers

Elijah Cummings

Danny Davis

Peter DeFazio

Rosa DeLauro

Donna Edwards

Sam Farr

Chaka Fattah

Lois Frankel

Marcia Fudge

Alan Grayson

Luis Gutierrez

Janice Hahn

Rush Holt

Michael Honda

Steven Horsford

Jared Huffman

Sheila Jackson-Lee

Hakeem Jeffries

Eddie Bernice Johnson

Hank Johnson

Joe Kennedy III

John Lewis

David Loebsack

Alan Lowenthal

Ben Ray Lujan

Carolyn Maloney

Jim McDermott

James McGovern

George Miller

Gwen Moore

Jim Moran

Jerrold Nadler

Rick Nolan

Eleanor Holmes Norton

Frank Pallone

Ed Pastor

Chellie Pingree

Mark Pocan

Jared Polis

Charles Rangel

Lucille Roybal-Allard

Linda Sanchez

Jose Serrano

Louise Slaughter

Mark Takano

Bennie Thompson

John Tierney

Nydia Velazquez

Maxine Waters

Mel Watt

Peter Welch

Frederica Wilson

[Comrade Grumpy]

17. Shine that badge, Cartman. n/t

[MarianJack]

6. At the time, exit polls suggested that the 18% that Perot got...

...would have gone to Bill Clinton 10-8. Bill Clinton did NOT cheat bush the first out of a second term. Bush did that to himself by being an out of touch jerk. george w shithead cheated Al Gore out of a first term, with the help of his daddy's friends on the Supreme Court.

If Hillary runs, than I'll support her. I initially supported her in 2008, but was always inspired by Obama...then he won and she lost fair & square and I have been a proud Obama supporter since!

PEACE!

[reddread]

7. GHWB had three terms in a row, and two more in this century

dont do the dirty work of denying the real facts of his power and who was REALLY in charge from the day Alexander Haig claimed he was in charge. Its astonishing that people think GW was the Man. Neither was Cheney.
Lets be serious about history before Jeb teaches us another lesson.

[MarianJack]

9. I agree with you, but...

...but my point remains the same. Bill Clinton did not cheat bush the first out of a second term...he just plain BEAT him.

Hopefully, for once in her life, barbara bush is right when she says that the country has had enough bushes! The idea of president jebbie (whom,reportedly, is the son that bush the first REALLY wanted to become president in the knowledge that his eldest IS a moron) is enough to make me want to toss my cookies from here in Maine to the place in Russia that Sarah Palin(comparison) can see from her house.

PEACE!

[reddread]

15. oh yeah, definitely was a sign of hope for electoral integrity

Im afraid they learned a few lessons along the way with the help of Sununu and Perot.
I expect those lessons to be applied again.
Jeb had to lay back because of his shortcomings, rather than the other way around.
Stupidity was no obstacle if your toolbox is up to the job.
GW was in fact fairly lucid and smooth talking in the company of Jeb the night before the 1992 rnc,
(even while they were both coked up, I imagine.) I hope they didnt mistake me for a hallucination.
He either hit his head too many times in the governors mansion or perfected an idiots
routine to mesh with the dry drunk president everyone wanted to have a beer with, theme/meme/preemptive story.

[MarianJack]

41. Your points are right, but...

...they do not make MY point wrong. That point is that the article cited in the OP implies that Bill Clinton snuck into the White House because of Ross Perot...he did not. He won the 1992 election fair & square, Ross Perot (please) be damned. Exit polling at the time indicated that a majority of Perot's voters would have either voted for Bill Clinton or have stayedhome. They would not have been a monolithical vote for bush the first. Many people believe this and they are wrong.

PEACE!

[reddread]

47. you cant really judge Perot's take of the vote

since they threatened his campaign into shutting down as it was blooming. The inertia was destroyed.
that aspect is incomplete for full analysis, you wont be able to interpolate the damage.
my only other objection was the notion GHWB was around for one term.
not by a longshot, and that needs to be fully understood.
the derision expended on frontman Ronnie is cover for the real culprit.
And most importantly, I think Jeb and Co. may well stage a fake Perot entry if they feel
that is the likeliest scenario to get past anti-Republican sentiment.
No honor among those thieves.

[MarianJack]

57. I sure can judge Perot's take of the vote.

All I have to do is look at the numbers from that election. Whatever "could" have happened did happen.

PEACE!

[reddread]

58. beware the slumbering giant n/t

[hedgehog]

11. FWIW - I think we can discuss candidates we'd prefer without bashing the

candidates others might want.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. No more 3rd Way, corporatist, war mongers.

Hillary being the star example of same.

[Comrade Grumpy]

22. I would prefer a progressive, non-corporatist alternative.

[AtomicKitten]

25. Did I miss the primary election?

The bullshit inevitability meme is barking again.

[KoKo]

33. Folks "jumping the gun" thinking DU Rules to support Candidate are now enforced...

The Inevitability MEME to drown out discussion about whether Hillary and Bill are unstoppable.

A third Clinton term...Dynasty. Shut down any Dem upstart who might be thinking about running for 2016 and suck up all the money from the Power Sources so that no one else has a chance.

Meh!

[AtomicKitten]

42. Harold Ickes got in on the ground floor of PrioritiesUSA.

And now has turned over that Obama SuperPAC to Clinton. The systematic purposeful crowding out of other candidates vis-a-vis $$$ is depressing/disgusting.

[KoKo]

49. Oh MY... Harold Ickes fought like heck to have Hillary President.

He was so upset about one of the Caucuses or something that he and David Price (NC Rep) and others called some kind of hearing to try to do something with the Delegate Count for Convention.

Isn't Ickes is one of the Grand PooBah's whose family goes back to the Revolution and one who served with Roosevelt was it? I remember reading something about him and his family and how powerful they were but, I can't remember all the details. I guess I should Wiki.

I guess we get Clintons 3. In way it's inevitable because Dem Party hasn't really groomed or left room for anyone new to get the experience and funding to move up the ranks and be anointed with the Gold Star. I wondered why that was but the Obama election did seem to suck all the air out because he was so overwhelmingly the new hope for us all after the Bush years.

Could be some surprises if things keep going the way they are with the Austerity Program, though. And the other stuff that's not focused on as much as it should be but bubbling like NSA Spying, Drone Strikes, TPP and the other less know Free Trade Agreements already being signed like the EuroDeal (forget the acronym), and Global Climate Change, Fracking...

[BluegrassStateBlues]

45. People that are looking for ideologically pure candidates are damn fools.

The GOP tried that and they're falling apart.

The same thing would happen to us.

[Whisp]

55. she'll have to work for it like everyone before her

This silliness of her just waltzing into Presidency actually makes her look weak and pampered and 'her turn' in baby crying language.