2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumIs anybody neutral about Hillary Clinton?
Admittedly I'm not, I'm a Sanders supporter in word and deed. It strikes me that Mrs. Clinton is either a love-her-or-hate-her figure; this would explain the fierceness of feelings one way or the other. This does not bode well for the Democratic party, which would have to rely on the Bernie supporters to actually win the election should she get the nomination, especially with the uncertainty of the investigations which may still be hanging over her head.
tk2kewl
(18,133 posts)i don't hate her as a person, but i do not like her as a politician
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)She could produce a low voter turn out but regardless Rubio or Trump will be a significant
challenge to her.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)Neither Trump or Rubio would get left leaning indies, nor the AA vote, nor the Latino vote.
pipoman
(16,038 posts)Vote on both sides. In a Sanders v. Trump race that vote is split and a bunch of right leaning anti-establishment types would cross over to the less crazy side and elect Bernie....imho....
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)pipoman
(16,038 posts)Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)received from Latinos in Nevada. She needs moderate Republicans and moderate
Independents..not just left leaning voters of either stripe.
You're relying on people being so afraid of them they'll vote for her. I am
saying I don't believe that is going to be enough and she will have a significant
challenge with either of them.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)You do understand that only about 8% of Latino voters are Republican, right? That's 92% that vote Dem.
Jefferson23
(30,099 posts)with Rubio, their adorable neocon, or Trump..the asshole.
She does not have a lock on this race, she will have significant challenges.
You do understand what close races mean? It means she could very well
lose.
Independents don't like her, and to rely on the scary Republicans to win
is in no way a sure bet. I did not feel she had to worry about Trump
until after NH, and Rubio was always a threat to her even by her own
campaigns expressed concerns.
Good luck.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)He'll shift to a more "moderate" tone in the general election, including positions that seem vaguely liberal.
Combine that with his teflon and dynamismagainst the tapioca of Clinton.......I can see him flim flamming a lot of voters who would otherwise go Democratic .
brooklynite
(94,596 posts)...I learned decades ago not to get emotionally involved in politics, and not to confuse by hopes and dreams with reality. She's the best candidate we can put up against the Republicans, and has a solid mainstream policy record, so that's why I support her.
Armstead
(47,803 posts)But I admire his integrity and values, agree with the core of his principles and message, know that as an administrator (Mayor) he was extremely effective, recognize his honesty-based charisma, know that he's tough as nails and persistent as hell.....
I think he'd be much more formidable against the GOP,. if the Democrats would stop trying to beat him down nand recognized that they have a potentially winning candidate.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)... reasonable and intelligent when it comes right down to it.
There may be a small subset of individuals who feel this way, but I'm confident that in the end, cooler heads will prevail. Mature and rational voters don't behave in the manner to which you appear to be aluding.
Go, Hillary! We love you!
CoffeeCat
(24,411 posts)That "small subset" is half of the Democratic party--and if you really want to know how they feel, their opinions are out there.
You think the criticism of Hillary is harsh in here?
The majority of online media outlets lack a alert/jury system. I actually like DU's jury system, because it ferrets out personal attacks. However, it also glosses over the reality for Hillary--that she has lost many Democrats who will never support her.
Take a gander at the comment sections of any online article mentioning Hillary or Bernie (ABC/CBS/NBC/CNN/Bloomberg/WSJ). Browse around Reddit, Dkos, Slate or most of the print outlets (NYTimes, Washington Post, any daily newspaper).
Anyone who thinks that DU is harsh on Hillary, needs to step outside and see what's really going on.
I think it's terrific that you support your candidate, and that you are "all in." But your assessment of what is really happening beyond the Hillary clubhouse--is wildly naive.
Bagsgroove
(231 posts)I don't particularly like her or trust her, but I'm "neutral" enough that I'd vote for her over Trump (or any of the Republicans). My guess is that neither Sanders or Clinton would be able to advance much of a legislative agenda in the next 4 years anyway, given that the House is almost certainly going to remain in GOP hands. So...I like Bernie, but either one of them would be able to use the veto pen (which is probably the best we can hope for.)
Punkingal
(9,522 posts)I just don't trust her. I don't think she is in the race for the people. I think she is in because she wants to be the first woman president, for her own reasons. My impressions are that she is elitist and thinks she is the smartest person in the room, which may be true, but that fact should bring some humility with it. I don't see any.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)It's impossible to be neutral if you believe that the candidate is totally dishonest about her past, and in looking at her record in the Senate, will continue sell out the interests of the majority. If trust has been utterly eroded, neutrality is not possible.
jillan
(39,451 posts)trillion
(1,859 posts)which somehow leads to personal profit.
I think she was a corporate lawyer, not one who worked for free.
giftedgirl77
(4,713 posts)think
(11,641 posts)other questionable ties to Wall Street really did it for me this go around.
The thing that has ALWAYS bothered me about the GOP is that it was obvious that they were sellouts to corporations. The donations and trumped up book tours where corporations or some interest group owned by corporations buy out tens of thousands of books to put money in these politicians pockets showed how blatant the GOP was in putting corporate profits and their own financial whims over the needs of the American public.
Hillary's speeches are like corporate cronyism on steroids. Now they pay over $200k a pop for a 1 or 2 hour speech and the money goes right into the person's pocket. Cha Ching!
The GOPers have to be jealous of how she has out done them.
Then there are a slew of issues where she just doesn't stand up to Bernie:
1. Foreign policy. The Iraq war was one of America's worst foreign policy failures in it's history. Her positions on the middle east heavily favor the use of military force over diplomacy. Her handling of the coup in Honduras smacked of the American imperial past.
2. Cleaning up Wall Street. The too big to fail banks need to be broken up. They are larger than when they needed bailed out in 2008 and they still routinely violate US laws with impunity. Hillary doesn't support a new Glass Steagall to break up these banks and say enough with the "banker bashing". It's obvious that she's in their corner.
3. She's against single payer health care.
4. Bernie believes in a living wage and wants a $15 minimum wage by 2020. Hillary reluctantly supports a $12 minimum wage but offers no time line nor does she champion it.
I like Bernie's position more on family leave, paying for college education, protecting the environment and many other issues.
For me Hillary represents more of the wink and nod corporate corruption that permeates the US Govt. Bernie represents the interests of the American people....
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)To me she's just another ambitious. egotistical, pol who has managed to convince herself, and some others, that she'd be a "great Leader".
She reminds me of Nixon with drive to prove herself and her ability to see ethics/morals/human decency as products to be advertised rather than lived by.
randome
(34,845 posts)Supporting the Democratic nominee, whomever it is, will be the number one factor in November, despite what DU thinks.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Treat your body like a machine. Your mind like a castle.[/center][/font][hr]
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)Whomever it is, is important to me and will decide how I vote.
TTUBatfan2008
(3,623 posts)Some people love him and some people hate him. So if it's a Clinton/Trump matchup, it would be interesting to see how things play out.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)I don't even like to ponder that match up.
TTUBatfan2008
(3,623 posts)We're headed for more of the status quo anyway, so it would be amusing to watch the two of them duke it out. Entertaining election at least.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)It'll be one for the history books for sure, but I don't see anything amusing about either of them. They exemplify everything that is wrong in this country, she on the pro-establishment side and he on the angry, disaffected lowbrow side.
trillion
(1,859 posts)But, I hope the dems will wake up and realize trump is a dangerous fascist. And a consistent one. Listen to what that man has been saying from the start. He accused all immigrants as being rapists in the same paragraph he announced he is running. And the people supporting him believed he is right and still insist he is. What kind of crazy is that!
And, he's constantly going for violence. He just said again that he wanted to punch a non-trump supporter in the face - because he didn't like how the guy was peacefully removed from his ralley. He gets cheers by inciting violence and he knows it. That speaks for him and who his supporters are.
Hillary has a really bad history as secretary of state - Honduras, Columbia, Syria, etc. And she's bought by everyone. She's what occupy was talking about - the 1%.
I don't think she can beat Trump. And I think too many Dems will underestimate how bad Trump has the potential to be just from his words on what he will do. Remember we don't have a republican congress. We have a Tea Party congress. They won the majority over the Republicans and kicked Boehner out right after it. I couldn't stand Boehner but I did understand things just got worse.
Trump is the Tea Party candidate whether he admits it or not. He's been saying their agenda from the start and he has their supporters. And I think the tea party congress will align with him.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)claimed it was a defensive action I got ticked off. She had no reason to even talk about it, she had no vote and Bill was the pen. I was willing to fully give her a pass on that, but she picked it up as her own. That suggested to me that she saw it as her own.
onehandle
(51,122 posts)But other times I really really really really really really really really like her.
Depends on my mood.
NurseJackie
(42,862 posts)whatthehey
(3,660 posts)In the primary sense I am. I think she'd be a good President, in the Obama vein. A bit left of Bill. I don't think she's God's gift to politics or the party but she is a solid insider workhorse who knows how to influence and lead. I certainly laugh at wild-eyed froth-spittled nonsense that she's a Republican clone, or some mendacious Ming the Merciless warmonger. Of course she's ambitious for elected office; that's true of every politician bar none and I mean none. But to make some huge deal about it being "only for herself" is just silly. She already makes Past-POTUS speech money, already has the same rolodex, and is rich enough that the salary is peanuts so what gain is there for her other than the office itself? I prefer Sanders for his passion and priorities slightly closer to mine, but I wouldn't lose a wink or shed a tear if she wins, as seems pretty likely still.
In the general? She's a basic middle of the road pragmatic Democrat with unusually good insider relationships and softer outside appeal. Good POTUS material, slightly iffy campaigner, but benefitted by the demographic EV bulwark. Trump's a wild card but I suspect he's maxing out on the celebrity plus bluster schtick already. He'll have terrible party insider support and is guaranteed to piss off any group thinking beyond lizard brain at some point in the campaign. When it comes down to a binary real choice, I believe most Indies and more than a few Repubs want a politician leading the country not a human Eric Cartman. I certainly will not be neutral about her in the GE.
Jackilope
(819 posts)Hard to see why DNC is hell bent on her being the preferred nominee. Not a smart move -- unless the party is working for the 1%.
liberal N proud
(60,336 posts)Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)well except for when she is going by the name Bomb bomb Iran.
Funtatlaguy
(10,878 posts)White people hate her.
Black people love her.
Yes, we r still that segregated here in the peach state.
PragmaticLiberal
(904 posts)After my candidate (Gov O'Malley) quit the race I really don't have a dog in the fight.
farleftlib
(2,125 posts)I'm sure he has a bright future in politics. He brought a lot to the table.
Neon Gods
(222 posts)...will vote for Hillary if she gets the nod. I don't like her but I can't deny that she is a skilled politician and I don't think she would have any trouble exposing Trump for what he is, supremely ignorant. Job #1 for Dems is winning in 2016.
mmonk
(52,589 posts)and corporate influence, not neutral at all. At some point, it all has to be addressed and the clock is ticking.
revbones
(3,660 posts)I started feeling differently when her campaign started the line about doing away with the ACAObamacare, she started cherry-picking omnibus bill votes during the debate, and basically completely lying about Sanders record and policies. I'm sure Hillary supported feel differently, but that's how I saw it.
Personally I'm not on team blue because I dislike the color red. I joined because out of my given choices it most represents my principles.
If Hillary wins, I'll have a very hard time pulling the lever for her this fall, since it now involves me sucking up a lot more than just a preference.
zappaman
(20,606 posts)jeff47
(26,549 posts)Polls show essentially 0% have "no opinion" or "not enough information".
EndElectoral
(4,213 posts)Here fondness for Kissinger cemented that there is no way I can vote for a 1% and DINO.
Flying Squirrel
(3,041 posts)I think she should be shipped off to the Neutral Zone.