Hillary Clinton is ruining her Senate career by going forward

[doyourealize1]

I've been a staunch Hillary supporter, and I am absolutely puzzled about why she is still going forward. Her case is that she has a better chance of winning in November. I don't think that she has a better chance does Obama does. Even if she did, it would be slight and not enough to jeopardize the integrity of the process.

I have a feeling that she will be absolutely ruining her Senate career over the next few weeks. She will also have a hand at tarnishing Bill Clinton's legacy. I'd strongly advise to her to drop out. A formerly respectable Senator has fallen far in the court of public opinion. She needs to drop out before it sinks to the point where she cannot even be reelected as Senator in her own state.

[SKKY]

1. How is it she thinks she has a better chance of winning in November...

...when she can't even win if June???? "What a fool believe, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away."

[Egnever]

3. She is going to self finance herself in the general election perhaps?

[roguevalley]

48. she seems to believe we will forget this next time she wants to

run. I don't intend to. Stirring up the racist hornets nest in this country, allowing bigots to feel comfortable speaking their racism --the bubbas in Indiana and Kentucky and West Virginia for example-- is unforgivable.

[DB1]

2. It is apparent that her Senate seat was just a stepping stone not a destination.

[billyoc]

43. And she can just keep on steppin', too.

We don't want her back.

[onehandle]

4. Unlikely. Presidential runs make candidates stronger.

Even if the campaign is unpopular with slightly over 50% of Democrats.

She'll serve as long as she wants.

[karynnj]

10. Not always

Look at 1980, Birch Bayh and McGovern both lost - though that was a strong Republican year.

In general, it might be that most people who have serious runs for the Presidency were relatively well thought of to begin with. Recently, there are few examples - Bradley, Gephardt, Dean, Edwards have all not run again. Kerry is running this year, but he won in 2002 with over 80 % of the vote and had no real challenger. Of the people who ran in 1992, Tsongus never ran again, it's not clear it did anything for Brown, Kerrey was not stronger and Harkin was strong before and strong after.

[onehandle]

14. I doubt that any serious challenger would go against Clinton next time.

And assuming Obama wins and she's not his running mate, that may be the end of her Presidential hopes.

Either way, assuming she's Not the nominee, she's done with Presidential politics until at least 2016.

The "experts" are still predicting that the coming President will be a one termer, no matter the party.

Regardless, I think she'll be safe in the Senate.

[Stephanie]

17. Don't be so sure. There is a lot of dissappointment with her in NY.

Her 2006 primary opponent got 20% of the vote with virtually no money and very little coverage. A progressive candidate with name recognition and fundraising ability would have a good shot at that seat.

[mamalone]

20. EXACTLY!

I live in NY, and I have been saying that I know not one single person who is for Hillary anymore, not one! She has alienated so many people by her antics this primary season that it's like we hardly know her anymore. Now, I must admit I finally did meet one person last weekend who is for her... a gal at the Walmart hairsalon. We talked politics while she cut my son's hair and she said she loved Hillary. Her reasoning was because she did well during the Clinton presidency and she hoped for a repeat. (Interesting to me because what she was actually saying was that she supported Bill, not Hillary, but I digress) Anyhoo.... Hillary will have a tough time hanging onto her seat unless she does some serious groveling and 'splainin'

[onehandle]

33. I think you overestimate how progressive NY is.

I've heard this tune before.

How many Republican Governors and Senators has NY had?

Also, who is this progressive with name recognition?

This will be forgotten by the end of her term.

[Zynx]

34. You are quite right on this point. Also, that is a machine state if there ever was one.

No credible challenger can take her on.

[onehandle]

35. I almost mentioned the machine state status.

Very true.

[Stephanie]

40. It's definitely a machine state, but the machine hitched its wagon to a great disappointment

And she's used strongarm tactics to get them in line. I don't think there's a lot of love lost for HRC in the NYS Dem machine these days.

[Stephanie]

39. I live in NYC and I'm active in politics here and she has alienated many NY Democrats

I think John Hall might be a good candidate. Maybe we can get Samantha Power to move here. Robert Kennedy Jr. might tire of waiting. We have a few years, I think some great candidates will speak up before then.

[onehandle]

44. Who and who?

Ok, the third one's a Kennedy, but they haven't been performing well lately.

I still say Hillary is in the Senate as long as she wants.

I'm not saying that's a good thing or a bad thing, but it's true.

[Broke Dad]

16. Ineffectively

You are right, New Yorkers love her.

But in D.C., its another story. If she doesn't exit gracefully, she will just be the junior senator from New York . . . window dressing.

Read Bill Bradley's book. She has burned bridges since she got to the Senate. The thing that saved her was the threat that she could kill people who crossed her when she became president. Well guess what, she is not going to be president . . . the threat and her power are gone.

[Stephanie]

18. Progressive New Yorkers do not love her.

There is a lot of opposition to her here. And now that the presidency is out, she will not control the NY Dem machine as she has up until now.

[mamalone]

21. ummm....

This NY'er doesn't love her:( and honestly the Hillary supporters are getting pretty scarce on the ground, even up here....

[Mooney]

31. This New Yorker doesn't love her.

And the people from here who I know who used to like her have been completely put off by her campaign this year. She seriously pissed off a lot of people.

[Cha]

26. I and all my co-workers, family, and

friends will vote against that lying, warmongering, pandering, lowlife in a New York second.

[DJ13]

5. Her Senate career was always just a stepping stone to the Presidency

I doubt she cares about the Senate at this point, and besides if she's successful and damages Obama so he loses the GE she would only need to beat another lame Republican one more time to stay in the Senate until 2012.

[samdogmom]

7. Unfortunately for Hillary some of us from this round have LONG memories!

If she destroys Barack during this election--I, for one, will NEVER FORGIVE HER OR VOTE FOR HER IN A FUTURE ELECTION!

[StevieM]

37. Well that's perfect! If Barack loses, for whatever reason, you can blame Hillary. (eom)

[niyad]

8. unlike peter barack obama's senate career, you mean?

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Link?

[MidwestTransplant]

9. Bill already tarnished himself badly.

[BlooInBloo]

11. I completely repect her decision as an American to continue fighting....

Hopefully others will allow the rest of us the same respect.

[RamboLiberal]

12. There's been talk of her being majority leader

But if I was Obama and won the election no way in hell at this point would I trust her with that power.

A few weeks ago I thought very differently on this. Sad that she has this Democrat not trusting her motives.

[MonkeyFunk]

13. Don't be silly

she's doing no such thing.

She'll serve in the Senate as long as she wants.

You guys keep forgetting that she's about as popular as Obama.

[foo_bar]

22. actually she won't "serve... as long as she wants", since the Senate isn't the House of Lords

She actually has to win elections first! (A foreign concept, I realize.)

[MonkeyFunk]

23. and she will win elections as long as she runs

[foo_bar]

25. "inevitability" is no longer a safe bet

Hubris and corny predictions like "she'll serve in the Senate as long as she wants" is how the Clinton campaign killed the Clinton campaign, IMO.

[MonkeyFunk]

42. Would Obama have to worry about losing his senate seat

if he doesn't get the nomination?

You all seem to forget that by any measure, Clinton is just about as popular as Obama.

[foo_bar]

46. if Obama ran a right wing "populist" campaign, I'd expect him to be challenged by a progressive

Speaking strictly as a registered NY voter, "she'll serve in the Senate as long as she wants" is an insult to democrats and Democrats alike, so I can understand wanting to backtrack.

You all seem to forget that by any measure, Clinton is just about as popular as Obama.

Any measure? The only measure is Hillary's popularity in NY on primary or election day (or Obama's in IL in your hypothetical scenario), and I can only speak for myself but I voted for Hillary in 2006 and won't repeat the mistake.

[Arrowhead2k1]

15. She doesn't care about a freaking Senate career.

She wanted to be President dammit! :rofl:

[BlueStater]

19. Obama couldn't even finish a single term before his ego got the better of him n/t

[NeedleCast]

28. So Your Argument is that it's Egotistical to run for President?

You can't be serious.

[BlueStater]

32. All politicians who run for the presidency have ego

But Obama is all ego. I never felt his candiacy was about anything other than himself.

[niyad]

30. he barely even started his term before he started running for the presidency.

but, to his supporters, that part is okay.

[Cha]

24. She's not very intelligent...

she's a "fighter" for the military complex. Do you know how much $$$$$$ she and bil stand to lose is they don't weasel their way in?

[NeedleCast]

27. I agree with you

I've said all along that she can run as long as she wants. It's pretty much a done deal now, but I don't really think it's going to hurt Obama much in the long run. She's not going to hit him with anything the Republicans aren't going to use in the general anyway.

I am cocerned about what this is going to do her senate seat. She's basically run unopposed twice. I don't think that's going to happen again.

[dcindian]

29. I don't think she was really interested in a senate career.

She had eye's for the president's seat from day 1. The senate was a stepping stone toward that end and nothing more, I really don't see her as in it for NY. She is my senator but the way this is going it seems she will not be so for much longer.

But you are right if she goes kicking and screaming it only looks bad for her and every other woman candidate for president in the near future.

Text books will be written.

[Mudoria]

36. She has the Senate seat as long as she choses to run

for it. I doubt there should be any question about that.

[nyccitizen]

41. Two words: Joe Lieberman. nt

[StevieM]

38. Somehow I doubt that too many people will care whether she drops out now or on June 3

The charge that she did something wrong is silly and will be quickly forgotten by regular voters, if not the hard-core McGovernites. This arrogant attitude is what will cost us the election.

Hillary Clinton is not a "formerly respectable Senator" to me. She continues to have my utmost respect. And for someone who has falen so far in the court of public opinion she sure has gotten an awful lot of votes.

You don't get to speak for all Americans, or New Yorkers. You don't get to declare what makes her entitled to re-election in NY. And no other candidate in her position has ever been asked to drop out befor--not when they have this many delegates and their opponent can only win through super delegates.

Obama will be the nominee--congratulations. But this vindictive attempt to write the history books in a certain way just might lead to them being written in a way that also includes an Obama defeat in November.

Steve

[Swamp Rat]

45. RFK jr could unseat her.

If he so desired. :D

[Seabiscuit]

47. No Hillary supporter believes she doesn't have "a better chance of winning in November."

Another deceptive Obamanoid poster.

To Obamanoids, truth is just another casualty of winning at all costs.

[aging like wine]

49. As if you cared

Many here would be very happy if she lost her senate seat.