GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable

[sabra]

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0207/2654.html

GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable

What many conservatives regard as the nightmare scenario -- President Hillary Rodham Clinton -- is increasingly seen by veteran Republican politicians and strategists as a virtual inevitability.

In GOP circles, the Democratic front-runner is seen as so strong, and the political climate for Republicans so hostile, that many influential voices -- including current and former lawmakers, and veterans of President Bush's campaigns -- have grown despairing. These partisans describe a political equivalent of the stages of grief, starting with denial, then resentment and ending with acceptance.

For now, these Republicans say the party needs good luck, including a change of fortune in Iraq, and a revival of organization and leadership in the conservative movement to avert another Clinton presidency.

"If the conservative movement and Republicans don't understand how massive the Clinton coalition is, she will be the next president," former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said in an interview last week, after giving a private talk to GOP lawmakers. Clinton will win, he added, "if we don't use everything available to us and motivate our base, the people that believe in us."

[ixion]

1. and hopefully dems will not listen to the GOP, and field a candidate that can actually win

but if the DLC has their way, it'll be Hillary on the ballot in '08. :scared:

[mod mom]

72. exactly, who would believe they would provide reliable strategy on who we

should run. I think we should comprehend this like everything else we hear from the Republicans and realize it's the opposite.

[niceypoo]

91. Actually YOU are listening to them

hook, line and sinker

[Bonobo]

2. PUH-LEEZE. Political gamesmanship.

Lower expectations of self, raise expectations of opponent. Karl Rove 101.

[bigworld]

4. They WANT her to run so badly

.. how much more obvious can you get? She is the GOP dream candidate.

[Jackpine Radical]

8. PuhLeeeze don' trow me inta da briar patch, Brer Fox! (nt)

[Frank Cannon]

89. You beat me to it.

That Brer Rabbit story is the first thing that comes to mind.

And it should be obvious to anyone that the same principle that applies in that story applies here as well.

For God's sake, people, don't be taking your political advice from the GOP.

[harun]

23. Glad to see so many not fooled. Repugs want Hillary to

get the Dem nomination so in the general election they have two conservatives. She is their best candidate. Willing for war and war spending, and has already bowed to AIPAC and the corporate interests.

[mazzarro]

37. BINGO ! -- n/t

[TexasLawyer]

66. Please don't throw me

into the briar patch!

[skipos]

9. Yes. It reminds me of the way the GOP tries to pump up the Dem

candidate before presidential election debates.

[Jacobin]

16. Exactly

I have yet to meet someone (in person, not on DU) with whom I've discussed 2008 that wants her as the nominee.

[merwin]

32. You must have a very limited circle of in-person friends.

I know many people who would like her as the nominee.

[harun]

43. I now know one (you)

[TheLeftyMom]

62. Add me in as two!

I like her. <shrugs> No candidate is perfect, so you just have to pick the person your heart tells you will be best. Gore isn't in it, probably won't be, so I'm throwing my meager donations behind Hillary. I think she'd be a good president. Especially with a Dem Congress behind her.

[merwin]

85. I never said I was one of them. I just said that i knew some :)

However, I wouldn't mind if she was the candidate. I would rather have Obama, but I don't think the higher ups in the party would allow it.

[harun]

92. My mistake (LOL)

I agree, I like Obama better. Iowa and NH will say a lot for if Hillary will work out or not.

[Jacobin]

44. Well,

The problem is I live in a bright red state and I should have said that, as that limits the possible number of democrats I would know. I probably have 15 or so liberal friends with whom I've discussed this. I've heard Bill Richardson and Russ Feingold as potential nominees discussed. There is universal disdain for Hillary, mostly because of her support for the Iraq war and her support for blowing up Iran.

[merwin]

86. Yeah, when you live in a bright red state, you have to be farther left

to survive :)

No matter what Hillary does, there's going to be about half of DU that hates her for it, or thinks she's being fake.

I haven't heard about her support for attacking Iran... where'd that come from?

[Emillereid]

57. I have the same experience here in southern California -- not one

democrat I know ( active and otherwise) wants Hillary. Some are so hostile toward her that they might not even vote for her in the general election. She is seen as too polarizing and dishonest. Where is she getting her support? What kind of polls are being used?

[Ninga]

26. YOU ARE SOOOOOOOOO RIGHT! WE HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO SCHOOL BY ROVE SO MANY TIMES THAT

IT'S NOT FUNNY,

[habitual]

3. so now it is luck that is gonna win Iraq for us....

"For now, these Republicans say the party needs good luck, including a change of fortune in Iraq,"...

what the hell is wrong with these idiots???

[WorseBeforeBetter]

14. Guess it's part of the Vegas Doctrine.

That jumped out at me as well - "luck." Phucking luck.

[Cassandra]

29. The Vegas Doctrine

Brought to you by Bill Bennett. And they're having his kind of luck with it, too.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

45. Oh yeah, this Bill Bennett.

[Olney Blue]

5. They obviously don't read DU.

:)

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Well, that's the best argument I've come across for electing Hill.

Not because I support her--I don't--but just to hear the squeals of outrage when a woman demonized by the Wingnuts for 16 years ascends to the White House (with Bill in tow).

[joshcryer]

69. EXACTLY!! That's been my point all along!!!

That's the only reason!!! The only reason! OMG, finally someone gets it!!

She's a CLINTON *and* she's a WOMAN! Can you imagine?!? CAN YOU?!? OMG PURE GOLD!

[RevolutionStartsNow]

71. I can think of other reasons, but this one is the sweet icing on the cake!

Can you imagine the Repub heads literally EXPLODING when Hill and Bill move back into the White House?

Of course the attack dogs would come out in force, but not before most of them just self-destructed with outrage.

I may indeed support a different candidate, but there's a part of me that wants to support Hillary just for this very reason.

[sendero]

82. I don't like HRC...

...and will have to hold my nose to vote for her. But the wailing and gnashing of teeth that will ensue should she win will BE PURE GOLD!

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Tom DeLay *sigh*

When is that asshole's trial!!! Actually, it sounds like DeLay's trying to oogabooga people in his usual style sans Democrat Party. Unfortunately, now that he's "out" of elected office, he's much freer to go behind the curtain and cut deals for influence beyond imagination. He needs to be put out of circulation in the general public for a few decades.

As for Sen. Clinton's prospects, they've always known she would be "formidable". It's painfully obvious that she's scared the crap out of them since 1992.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

10. I'm not that big a fan of Hillary, but if she's causing GOP despair,

"bring it on." What the reality is, however, is that they're propping her up, only to utterly destroy her if/when she gets the nomination. What other Dem candidate would cause so much fear and loathing among the fundies? They'll be frothing come election day.

The thought of Bill back in the White House and collective fundie heads exploding is pretty appealing.

[ronnykmarshall]

63. My mom said something like that the other day.

She LOVES the Clintons (Bill was one of the reasons she and my step-dad became Democrats). Mom said "I'd love to see Bill and Hillary march back in that White House and watch those god-damn republicans heads explode!"

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

11. GOP: "Please! Not the briar patch!" -nt

[0rganism]

58. First thing that popped into my head when I saw the headline

I wonder, are we really that dumb?

[Burma Jones]

12. Please don't throw me in the Briar Patch........

[nevergiveup]

13. This made me laugh

I do not know one liberal, progressive or moderate who wants Hillary as president. I am sure they are out there but I haven't met any of them. Republicans want Hillary as the Democratic candidate so much they will go to almost any means promoting her and it is so obvious you just have to laugh.

[Stuckinthebush]

17. It is funny...

but I don't either. However, she is way ahead in the polls right now. What gives?

[Pastiche423]

84. What gives?

The same thing that had Holy Joe as the front runner early in the '04 campaign - name recognition.

[Recursion]

27. Yeah, but the right has the same pathological fear of her...

...that some of us have of Karl Rove. Even though she is no more a "liberal" than Karl is a "conservative".

[bigworld]

41. Does she really have _any_ support? Why?

I'm serious. She's articulate and smart (clean, too!) but even those on this board who like her agree she's the definition of polarizing. Republicans loathe her, hell, most Democrats are turned off by her. Are the pollsters confusing name recognition with support? Or is her support - a la Lieberman - mostly on the R side? If she weren't a woman, would the Hillary supporters be in her corner?

Just askin'.

[paulk]

59. do you have any polling data that show "most Democrats

are turned off by her"?

Or support for any of your other claims?


just askin'.

[LibDemAlways]

46. The only people I know who think Hillary has it in the

bag as far as the nomination goes are repukes. They seem to be pushing her pretty hard. No one would be as polarizing and turn out more fundie/freeper types to support the opposition.

[iconoclastic cat]

15. Can I just say that I HATE dynasties? nt

[FreeStateDemocrat]

18. The biggest fear of the Founders was the emergence of a ruling class.

[saigon68]

79. Its a Corporate Ruling Class

And Hillary and the DLC are part of the corporate ruling class

[TlalocW]

19. I don't have much of an opinion one way or the other

But when my conservative friends bring up Hillary as president, I tell them, "Well, it's obvious that it takes a Clinton to clean up after a Bush and get America back on track again."

I then get a lot of icy stares.

TlalocW

[Olney Blue]

24. Good one!

:hi:

[Recursion]

20. Avert another...

...to avert another Clinton presidency

God forbid we have another 8-year http://www.theonion.com/content/node/28784">nightmare of peace and prosperity.

I guess the '90s actually were a nightmare for a lot of conservatives, since some fraction of economic growth was going to wages instead of profits, which always make them break out in cold sweats.

[hughee99]

21. Since they've been wrong on EVERY SINGLE OTHER THING...

those who do not want Hillary to be the nominee should be encouraged.

[TlalocW]

22. The sad thing is that...

I remember when Bush ran in 2000, there were people that thought he was his dad, exclaiming, "Wow, he looks a lot better than he did when he was first president."

Fortunately, the Clintons have different names unlike the two Georges, so maybe we won't have too many people thinking, "Wow, Bill really slimmed down after the sex-change operation," when they hear Clinton is running for president.

TlalocW

[Vidar]

25. With Hillary, they get everything they want, but they can still blame

the Dems--not unlike Lieberman.

[BigDDem]

28. Note to GOP

Dont worry!!! Most DU'ers will do everything in their power to make
sure Hillary is not president, even if she is the Democratic nominee.

[sampsonblk]

30. I agree with them on this

She has such advantages that its going to be very hard for anyone to beat her. Her one big fault is her IWR vote, and she isn't alone on that one.

She is ahead in the polls just because she announced. That's crazy. She has yet to make use of her huge $$$ advantage. She has yet to talk about her vast experience. Its almost like she is running for re-election. And she has yet to make use of her husband - which Al Gore failed to do in 2000. From where I am standing, she has the ability to shift gears at a moment's notice and blow away the entire field.

[Peace Patriot]

31. Yeah, they would. All they see is $$$$$$$$$$$$$!

"GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable"
--------------------

And you gotta laugh at Tom Delay going through "the stages of grief." Such touchy-feely talk from chickenhawks!

These tubs of blubber that enjoy blowing the arms and heads off of Iraqi children really ought to be stripped of their First Amendment rights. And that's saying something coming from me. The First Amendment is the "Prime Directive," as far as I'm concerned. I take it back. It's instructive to hear them bawl. And it is especially interesting to hear them tout the least progressive, most pro-war, most campaign contribution filthy candidate on the Democratic horizon. Delay, you know, together with that other shining crook, Bob Ney (and with the collusion of corporatist 'Democrat' Christopher Dodd, and the silence, if not collusion, of Terry McAuliffe) engineered the "Help America Vote for Bush Act" of 2002, by which rightwing Bushite electronic voting corporations took over our election system, and are now--as of the complete success of this fascist coup in 2004--"counting" all our votes with "trade secret," proprietary programming code, in a Stalinist vote counting system that it will likely take us decades to get rid (--since it is self-perpetuating). If we are ever able to.

So what are we looking at here? We get in-your-face-fascism for six years, then a "return" to the very people (the Clintons) who set up the outsourcing of all our jobs, and the triumph of the war profiteering corporate news monopolies, and the rape and ruination of poor countries all over the world, and the pollution and destruction of planet earth, with global corporate piracy ("free trade"). And now, if we object some more--as we did in Seattle '99--they have the "Patriot Act" to shut us down with (if not torture and indefinite detention).

Our choices seem to be corporate nazism or mere corporate fascism. And I think Tom Delay is actually for Hillary Clinton. I think we are looking at a "bait and switch." The rightwing fulminates and foams at the mouth. She gets elected, and then does all their business for them (--keeps the war beast fed, and keeps the rich rich while the Great Crash of '09 approaches).

Another theory: He may be for her because, apart from the fact that she has hoarded all the Democratic money, she isn't very likeable. She doesn't have Bill's snake oil charm, and she's on the record for more Mideast war. No doubt she will institute a military Draft. These things will come out, and make Hagel and Warner look good. But I doubt that Delay wants to see any moderation arise in the Republican Party.

Anyway, it's pretty interesting trying to figure out what they're going to do with their shiny new election theft capability. (S)elect Hillary. Not (s)elect Hillary. Inflict Hillary with a $10 trillion deficit and watch the fun as American babies die from hunger. Or, give that awesome new "Reality" show to moderate Republicans, to be followed by Hitler II in, oh, '12.

I really shouldn't post at DU when I'm in this mood. Apologies. We should try to keep the "dark side" in check.

[Miss Chybil]

33. This thread amazes me.

Sure these guys are trying to motivate the base by scaring them with Hillary, but the way people here are bashing one of our own candidates and one that has a good chance of winning will surely be of much more help to them than any Bogeywoman scenario they can conjure up for their people. Good job, DU.

[sofa king]

34. The GOP has invested 15 years of smear in Hillary Clinton.

To the point where the dittoheads drool like Pavlov's dogs whenever her name is mentioned. The right wing's only hope for '08 is to once again fire the hatred and baser instincts of its most ignorant followers, and Hillary has been a favorite target of theirs since 1992.

So of course the various GOP-backed beobachters (like The Politico) are going to play robin-with-the-broken-wing and try to set her up as the Democratic nominee.

Expect her to draw tens of millions of dollars in anonymous Internet donations, too, just like Howard Dean did.

[CountAllVotes]

35. for what it is worth

I will not be one of them. I don't vote for war mongers! Every person makes a difference!

:kick:

[BigDDem]

55. So if she's the nominee

you're staying home?
Voting for Nader?

[jamesinca]

60. I personally wont hold my nose anymore

I will not be an enabler anymore. If the GOP puts up the candidate that wins on the lesser of two evils then so be it, but I will not enable or support crap candidates anymore! I will no longer be a whore to a political party. If they want my vote they need to earn it! Until the career politicians realize that they need to be quality instead of incumbent, it will not change. Joe Lieberman won, why should he change? He has no incentive to change, he can get in on 50%, why change? It made him nervous and he changed his tone near the end, but why change his ways?

[zalinda]

36. Wow, what's the big deal if she does win?

She will move the country back more toward the left. She may be on the conservative side, but she is far left of Bush. Once the country is more to the left, it easier to move them even more to the left, until you can get a candidate like Kucininch elected. It's baby steps people, no matter how angry it makes you.

zalinda

[VegasWolf]

40. The newly dead people in the oil war? Hillary is DLC. DLC is big bucks

military corporations. Hillary won't get my vote. By your argument Gulliani would serve the same purpose in terms of tiny incremental moves to the left.

Just my opinion.

:toast:

[OHdem10]

38. Is this their "Brer Rabbit" call to action?

Sounds like the usual ploy to fire up their base and
coalition of GOP Supporters. No offense to Hillary
but GOP feel she is their best weapon.

They are correct to be concerned about any Democrat at
this time but Hillary really stirs up their base.

[CGrantt57]

39. Okay....

Delay added "...our base, the people that believe in us."

Ummm...so...how many of THOSE are left?

Like 3, maybe?

Just askin'...

:eyes:

[WorseBeforeBetter]

47. The 26% who still approve of Smirk's handling of the war in Eye-raq. (n/t)

[slackmaster]

42. Total horseshit, black propaganda

A Hillary Clinton/anybody ticket would be a dream come true for the GOP.

Don't fall for it.

[goforit]

48. This is just so CONVENIENT for the GOP. Hillary will push their agenda.

[IndianaGreen]

50. In terms of militarism, corporatism, and globalism, Hillary is one them

In terms of social issues dear to the American Taleban, Hillary parts company with them, or has so far. :eyes:

[Exiled in America]

68. Exactly.

[NaturalHigh]

49. Say what?

I'm by no means sure that she's even going to win the nomination. If she does, there are plenty of Democrats (myself included) who won't vote for her. She's by no means the irresistible force some are making her out to be.

[rocktivity]

51. TRANSLATION: GOP Sees Hillary as Easiest To Beat

For the '08 performance of the "Voting Spin Follies," the part of The Dean Scream will be played by Rudy Guiliani's blaming the troops and John McCain's letting New Orleans eat cake.



In addition, the parts of John Kerry, Howard Dean, and Wesley Clark will be played by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and...Wesley Clark!

:headbang:
rocknation

[ileus]

52. She's got it in the bag...

[Nedsdag]

53. From your lips to God's ears.

Let's prevent this from happening.

No two family oligarghies please!

[Emillereid]

54. Total disinformation! So soon too!

[brentspeak]

56. The GOP is terrified of Hillary Clinton NOT running

[Deja Q]

61. Who cares about the GOP? What do the voters want?

Domestic issues and stuff?

BTW: If the tables were reversed, I doubt the repubs would react any differently.

I'm happy they think Hillary is unbeatable. Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

[Strawman]

64. They'd probably love to have her inherit their messes

She starts with high negatives and will be easy to blame and also to keep the "it's Clinton's fault" excuse alive.

I have a feeling she is going to win and then she is going to pay the price for all their fuck ups. She's going to have to do the dirty work of fixing all of these problems they have created. Given her support for the war, perhaps there's some measure of justice in that. She's going to have a tough time. I'm not convinced the American people want sensible adult-minded governance until they are forced into taking their medicine. That's why they rejected Jimmy Carter for a charming idiot like Reagan. That's why it was close enough for another charming idiot George W. Bush to successfully cheat against the undoubtably more qualified Al Gore. The Republicans will go into exile and revamp the their fantasy narrative with its mix of "charm and terror."

[onehandle]

65. She wouldn't be pursuing this if it wasn't the case.

Any Democrat has the upper hand in 2008. The numbers say so.

I want Rove in court as soon as possible. He's the wild card.

[Exiled in America]

67. This is ABSOLUTELY NOT a Clinton attack - but I am totally suprised by this because:

Honestly, I know that this is the worst possible reason to vote or not vote for a candidate, but I am so surprised they are so worried about her because I always thought she had absolutely no charisma whatsoever.

I'm trying to figure out what part of her will at all appeal to a plurality of America?

Don't get me wrong, after the kind of president we've had for eight years, if Clinton is the nominee I will absolutely eagerly vote for her myself (though I'm very sure I'll support someone else up to nomination - just trying to be honest about all my motives)- but I find myself continually surprised that Clinton is considered such a serious front-runner.

But obviously, I must be pretty ill-informed so hey I'll watch and listen with interest.

[Frank Cannon]

90. Google "Brer Rabbit" and "Briar Patch"

Read the timeless story. Contemplate its very important meaning.

Then imagine Democrats as "Brer Fox" in the story and the GOP-mouthpiece American media as "Brer Rabbit".

You will then achieve understanding.

[HuffleClaw]

70. BWHAHHHAHAHHAAAaa

they are DESPERATE to prop her up as the 'frontrunner' aren't they?

[Vogon_Glory]

73. Two More Years Of Georgiekins And She Might Well Be

Two more years of Georgiekin's and Republican f*ckups, and Hillary Clinton might well prove to be a shoo-in for the White House in 2008.

One of the few things I'm enjoying about how the right wing is ruining the US is knowing that they're making their undoing by their own efforts. It was the right wing that set loose the ruinous deficits. It was the right wing that allowed the chasms between the classes to grow wider and allowed upward class mobility in the US to stagnate. It was the right wing that gave Dubya the blank check for the Iraq invasion. It was the right wing that cheered on the growth of incompetent government.

Much of the electorate, and even many former Republicans, are wising up to what the right wing is doing. And these voters don't like what's happened on Georgiekin's watch worth a d*mn.

There are two more summers for George HW's and Barb's beamish boy to provide more massive failures of organization and leadership like Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. This summer is supposed to be an El Niño summer and the winds in the Gulf may not stay as placid as those in 2006.

I assume nothing until it's a done deal these days. I do hope for a Democratic victory in 2008. If Hillary Clinton is elected President, I hope to watch a lot of right-wingers slipping beneath the millstones of angry, hostile jurors and competent, enthusiastic prosecutors from 2009 onwards.

:evilgrin:

[MasonJar]

74. I wish that Tom Delay would go to hell in a handbasket. Who cares

what that oversized roach thinks anyway? I hope Hill can win, but I do not count on anything because Tom Delay says it.

[MasonJar]

75. I just posted but want to add a thought. I really do not believe

any longer that Hillary cannot win. Women are excited about her. Believe me I know because I feel that way too. Also the Newt has decided not to run in 08 (wants to wait for 12) because he thinks Hill is undefeatable. That is committment.

[fujiyama]

76. I don't especially like her

and I don't want her to be the nominee (she's almost at the bottom of my picks), and I can't help but believing that they want her to be the nominee because they think she's vulnerable...

But the idea of watching republicans' heads explode brings a HUGE smile to my face.

[Porcupine]

77. or virtually republican, I forget which.

She could be a little less pro-war, pro-Iran attack and get her nose out of AIPAC's ass.

Remember Health Care? I still don't have any. A little clean-up of the greenhouse will be needed also.

[Megahurtz]

78. She May Very Well Be.....

the Illuminati's next choice. :tinfoilhat:

[Raine]

80. They're so full of it

I guess they think that will make us stupid enough to nominate her so they can beat the pants off of her. :silly:

[NotGivingUp]

81. conservative nightmare my ass! clinton being our candidate is their wet dream.

[tabasco]

83. They should nominate her then.

She's a better corporate shill than Rudy.

[timtom]

87. This is precisely how

the vote for Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Florida went for Bill McBride, instead of Janet Reno 4 years ago.

[JNelson6563]

88. Oh yes, I believe it!

And I believe that we will soon find WMDs in Iraq and that the tooth fairy really exists! No, really!

Talk about blatant bullshit. Oy!

Julie