Democrats shouldn't settle for momentum-killing Hillary

[jefferson_dem]

Democrats shouldn't settle for momentum-killing Hillary
By Paul Rogat Loeb

When Democrats worry about Hillary Clinton's electability, they focus on her re-energizing a depressed Republican base while demoralizing core Democratic activists, particularly those outraged about the Iraq war. A Nov. 26 Zogby poll actually shows her trailing the major Republican candidates, while John Edwards and Barack Obama defeat them.

But there's a further danger if Clinton is nominated, beyond losing a winnable election — that she'll prevail but then split the Democratic Party.

We forget that this happened with her husband Bill, because compared to George W. Bush, he's looking awfully good. Much of Hillary Clinton's support may be nostalgia for when America's president seemed to engage reality.

But, remember that over the course of Bill Clinton's presidency, the Democrats lost six Senate seats, 46 House seats and nine governorships. This political bleeding began when Monica Lewinsky was still an Oregon college senior.

Given Hillary's protracted support of the war, her embrace of neocon-servative rhetoric on Iran and her coziness with powerful corporate interests, she could create a similar backlash once in office, dividing and depressing the Democratic base and reversing the party's newfound momentum.

<SNIP>

With Republican polling numbers in the toilet, this election gives Democrats an opportunity to seriously shift our national course that we may not have again for years. It would be a tragedy if they settled for the candidate most likely to shatter the momentum of this shift when it has barely begun.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2004064151_loeb11.html

[MethuenProgressive]

1. Yet another Hillary Hit Job from Paul Rogat Loeb

He's churning out hit pieces faster than a supermarket novelist.

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[jefferson_dem]

5. Fuck that.

Those who know do not say, Those who say do not know.

- Tao Te Ching.

[AlCzervik]

8. Get thee behind me Satan and take your spam with you.

[Evergreen Emerald]

10. and don't let the screen door hit you...

[jefferson_dem]

3. To MP - Telling the truth about the impact of a Hillary nomination for Dems = "Hit piece"

Okie dokie.

[MethuenProgressive]

7. ObamaNation's Propaganda = "Truth"?

The Paul "I LOVE OBAMA" Loeb latest hit list:
Paul Loeb: Democrats shouldn't settle for momentum-killing Hillary
Paul Loeb: Hillary Clinton and the Ghosts of 2006
Paul Loeb: Hillary Clinton and My Visa Bill
Paul Loeb: Hillary Clinton and the Politics of Disappointment

edit: added one

[Fridays Child]

6. Seattle newspaper readers shouldn't settle for Hillary-hating Paul Rogat Loeb.

What a shill.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Cornel West had a great line about this when he spoke at the Apollo

He said Obama would be running for the presidency with the wind at his back if he got the nomination. Hillary, the implication, not so much.

[mtnsnake]

9. Hillary won't re-energize a depressed Republican base any more than any other Dem candidate will

....and maybe even less so.

The Hillary we're seeing today isn't the same misunderstood Hillary that neocons were trying to paint her as a number of years ago. The Hillary we're seeing today commands universal RESPECT...and she's worked very hard to earn it.

[jefferson_dem]

11. I disagree. Anyway, it's not only Repuglicans we should be concerned about.

There are also self-identified "independents" who comprise about 1/3 of the public...and they are mostly not keen on Hillary, to put it mildly.

[mtnsnake]

12. Do you have anything to back that up about independents being mostly not keen on her?

Just wondering if you saw that reflected in a poll or something.

[disndat]

13. Yes, ABC,

Given HC's campaign, so far, her opaquely 'play it safe' strategy, never speaking up on any controversial issues, and depending on name recognition, her husband's popularity, and taking big money from big corporations. These are good enough to keep her dwindling lead to take her all the way to the WH?

[Renew Deal]

14. Hillary would be an electoral disaster.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/10/poll.head.to.head/index.html

[Paul Rogat Loeb]

15. I don't like being called a shill when voicing my beliefs

Methuen Progressive is right, I don't like Hilllary, though I'd vote for her if she became the nominee. So I'm doing what I can, which means trying to explain why in a manner that I hope will help people reflect on the issues.

It's not about her personality or some right-wing fantasy of Vince Foster crimes. It's based in the politics she's espoused, and if people haven't clicked and looked at the new CNN poll, where Hillary does badlyl and Edwards beats every Republican, please take a look. If she were a strong progressive swimming upstream that would be one thing, but to make her prime argument "she's electable" when she may be the least electable of top three Democrats is simply blinding our judgment.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/12/11/new-poll-shows-huckabee-losing-to-leading-democrats-by-double-digits/




Paul Loeb--Author Soul of a Citizen www.paulloeb.org