Bart-
I really enjoy reading your site, but I think your views on Hillary miss the main point.
On a Bush-hating site, it should strike you that so many of your compatriots don’t like her. This is not to say that none of them will support the Democratic front runner. Everybody will. It simply should be asked WHY she is the front runner. The short answer to that
question is: money.
I saw her on Letterman the other night. The performance just struck me as … phony. I didn’t get the same impression of earnest honesty that I got when I saw Al Gore speak. She just seems rehearsed, staged, or whatever you wish to call it. With her as front runner, I
get the feeling that democratic voters will all let out the same long sigh and trudge to the polls the way we did in 2000 when Lieberman was picked as the running mate.
The ideal candidate should:
1- Pull voters in from the ‘other side’. Hillary won’t. They hate her guts. She will actually energize their base.
2- Create reassurance, not doubt and debate. This is not the time to experiment with whether Americans will pick a woman. Too much is at stake.
3- Neutralize any ammo the right-wing could lob. She can fire back, but many on the other side won’t even hear her speak to give her a chance.
I venture to guess that if you gave a chimpazee access to her campaign war chest and to all of Bill’s contacts and resources, that the chimp would be among the top 5 candidates. But it shouldn’t have to be that way. Mitt Romney outspent his rivals and kicked ass in Iowa, but many in the Republican camp at least asked the same question: how much of it was due to the money spent?
How much better it would be if the democratic camp was absolutely on FIRE going into an election. The right candidate could do it. Obama has that charisma and ‘draw’ but he’s black and will not make it nationwide, sad to say. Al Gore can do it, but he won’t run (damn!).
So I say Richardson should be looked over and given serious consideration. He and, say, Edwards on the ticket could pull this thing off. And give us a decade of recover like the country so badly needs. If he’s not the front-runner, it’s because the man and his platform are not well known, which is a huge shame. If compared side-by-side, voters would pick him over Hillary any day.
Just my thoughts. From a fan.
Ray in California
Bart says: Ray, I think she’s going to be president.
Dear Ray,
What do you think you’re doing? You democrats are supposed to be wet with emotion, not thoughtful!
You are so right on it’s scary.
I’ve thought, “If I had to vote for a democrat who?” and the answer is immediately Richardson.
The guy is a decent person rather than a mean-ass attorney aching to be president.
Also Richardson has experience which is a good plus.
Sorry that you are getting agreement from the right (me). Hope it doesn’t hurt too much.
I don’t think Hill has a snowball’s chance in Hell. You are right!
Grimgold
Comment by grimgold — September 5, 2007 @ 10:06 am
Uh yeah Ray I think “She” is our best chance. Hope we don’t screw the pooch! ;-} ~M
Comment by oddcatout — September 5, 2007 @ 1:09 pm
I think it’s a very long time before the convention.
Comment by greyhawk — September 5, 2007 @ 5:10 pm
GH, you are very correct. There’s a long time before the next election. A lot can happen.
One tends to get so involved that gets forgotten!
Comment by grimgold — September 5, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
Just wanted to link to this
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1284.xml?ReleaseID=1102&What=&strArea=;&strTime=0
At this point almost Democrat can win against those other people.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, the Democratic front-runner has opened a 47 – 40 percent lead over her GOP counterpart, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, up from a 43 – 43 percent tie in an August 8 poll by the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University.
In other possible 2008 presidential matchups:
Clinton tops Arizona Sen. John McCain 46 – 41 percent;
Clinton beats former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson 49 – 37 percent;
Clinton bests former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney 50 – 37 percent;
Illinois Sen. Barack Obama gets 42 percent to Giuliani’s 41 percent, but gets 41 percent to McCain’s 42 percent;
Obama tops Thompson 46 – 34 percent and beats Romney 46 – 32 percent;
Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards beats Giuliani 47 – 38 percent; tops McCain 46 – 38 percent; tops Thompson 50 – 32 percent and bests Romney 50 – 30 percent.
Comment by greyhawk — September 6, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Opps my bad that’s in Ohio only
Comment by greyhawk — September 6, 2007 @ 1:01 pm