The Billary Road to Republican Victory

[RoveRage]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/opinion/27rich.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&oref=slogin

IN the wake of George W. Bush, even a miracle might not be enough for the Republicans to hold on to the White House in 2008. But what about two miracles? The new year’s twin resurrections of Bill Clinton and John McCain, should they not evaporate, at last give the G.O.P. a highly plausible route to victory.

Amazingly, neither party seems to fully recognize the contours of the road map. In the Democrats’ case, the full-throttle emergence of Billary, the joint Clinton candidacy, is measured mainly within the narrow confines of the short-term horse race: Do Bill Clinton’s red-faced eruptions and fact-challenged rants enhance or diminish his wife as a woman and a candidate?

Absent from this debate is any sober recognition that a Hillary Clinton nomination, if it happens, will send the Democrats into the general election with a new and huge peril that may well dwarf the current wars over race, gender and who said what about Ronald Reagan.

What has gone unspoken is this: Up until this moment, Hillary has successfully deflected rough questions about Bill by saying, “I’m running on my own” or, as she snapped at Barack Obama in the last debate, “Well, I’m here; he’s not.” This sleight of hand became officially inoperative once her husband became a co-candidate, even to the point of taking over entirely when she vacated South Carolina last week. With “two for the price of one” back as the unabashed modus operandi, both Clintons are in play.

[polichick]

1. imo it was the kiss of death bringing Bill into the campaign in such a big way...

Hillary started out on the right track ~ it's a shame she tossed it all away in the last few weeks.

[RoveRage]

2. The article is an interesting (and frightening) read.

[polichick]

4. For our sake, it's good that this is playing out now...

"People don’t change. Bill Clinton, having always lived on the edge, is back on the precipice."

This line from the article says it all ~ Dems don't want to be on the precipice with him this time.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Why is so much Hillary hate allowed???????????????

[polichick]

6. Has nothing to do with hatred...

I like Hillary very much but her husband is a trainwreck ~ we've been there and don't want to go there again. As I said in my thread last night, I feel bad for Hillary that she's getting screwed over by him again.

[madrchsod]

8. why so much obama or edwards ?

[MADem]

5. OH!! It's Frank RICH!!!! That explains it...! nt

[madrchsod]

7. well at least rich provides links to his assertions

which is better than 95% of the political writers do.

[Rageneau]

9. More MSM trying more intensely to make you vote its way.

[LittleBlue]

12. Rich is hardly MSM. Check out his bio, and his right-wing attackers. n/t

[FarCenter]

10. The only way Hillary wins the general election is if she divorces Bill

And sends him on a world tour until November.

She can't win the general election with only the white women vote.

[Pathwalker]

11. Your use of Billary is very immature. Are you a teenage girl?

If not, then you are acting like one - why?

[Stephanie]

13. Why don't you click the link and read the freaking article?

That is the HEADLINE.

[Pathwalker]

14. I won't read anything that uses such childish tactics.

[Stephanie]

15. Then don't comment on things of which you are willfully ignorant.

[Pathwalker]

16. I didn't like it yesterday, when it was put up, and I won't

like it tomorrow, and every day for the next week when it's put up, either. When an article has a snarky, childish immature title, it's not hard to figure out it's slant. Why should I waste my time with a hit piece? Do you waste your time reading hit pieces?

[Stephanie]

17. Yes, I childishly waste my time reading the New York Times.

You should try it some time. Being in the dark is only good for mushrooms, you know.

[Pathwalker]

19. Ah, Judy's paper - yes, they're soooo honorable.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Blarch]

18. A bigger problem would be...

if the rumors about Bills continued cheating are true...and he is bringing the Democratic party into a GE knowing this nuclear bomb is waiting...that would be extremely selfish and reckless...

IF TRUE.