Why should Hillary get my vote in 2008?

[PhilipShore]

Hillary Clinton was a member of the Republican Party, why did she defect to the Dems around; the late 60s?

I know she is not a liberal Democrat in the tradition of JFK, but then again not many in the Democratic Party are.

As a liberal, I can identify with with JFK and Franklin D. Roosevelt (The New Deal) - but I am open to her defining her message - if she has a new one for 2008, as she runs for president.

Can her supporters, identify what her key values are, what her philosophy is currently?

[w13rd0]

1. I have asked that question...

...in dozens of Hillary threads, and gotten no response.

Oh, save one...

Her nomination is inevitable, so I should just "get over it" and support her.

[k_jerome]

3. link? nt.

[PhilipShore]

2. Interesting -Thanks

[KingFlorez]

4. A lot of people left the Republican Party at the time

Because the Republican Party changed and started to become more and more right-wing and against civil rights. If she was a Republican way back then, it's not relevant because she was one before it made the switch to the type of party it is now.

[PhilipShore]

6. Yes, I read that in her bio -- something about her meeting King

[w13rd0]

7. I agree with you on this...

...that her past party affiliation (some 40 years ago) is completely irrelevant. James Webb used to be a Republican too, and Clark used to vote Republican, and Jim Jeffords gave us the Senate for a short while, and Media Matters is run by someone who was a right-wing hack less than 10 years ago, and Arianna Huffington was a professional liberal-basher less than a decade ago, etc. etc. All of these persons have contributed to the "liberal" cause in a positive fashion since Bush took office, so Hillary's party affiliation decades ago is irrelevant.

But still, I'd like to know why we should support her, other than the "inevitability" of her nomination, which I don't accept. Lieberman was the inevitable nominee this far out from the 2004 nominations...

[PhilipShore]

9. I apologize -- I was not meaning to be critical -- because

in her bio -it just said she changed to the Dems -- but gave no reason.

[PhilipShore]

11. If Hillary starts writing articles like Arianna Huffington -- she...

Arianna Huffington was a professional liberal-basher less than a decade ago, etc. etc. All of these persons have contributed to the "liberal" cause in a positive fashion since Bush took office, so Hillary's party affiliation decades ago is irrelevant.

will definitely have my vote in 2008.

[papau]

17. LOL - High School Goldwater girl to college liberal - is that the problem? n/t

n/t

[Faux pas]

5. She too far right of left for me. I wouldn't vote for her, hopefully

she won't be the only choice.

[Erika]

8. Hillary is to the left of JFK, far more liberal

JFK believed in tax cuts for the rich as long as it was accompanied by minimum wage hikes for the poor. JFK was a rich man but had been taught to give back to his country.

I find your term "defect" most interesting. You could have used many other terms. She backed Goldwater who was progressive socially in many ways but who was a war hawk.

Her positions are that of a woman's issues. She wants all to care for the children, she wants health care for all. She wants a safety net for all. She was raised a devout Christian and believes deeply in these values.

[PhilipShore]

13. I did not know much about Goldwater...

I was only a baby when Goldwater; was the Republican Party's nominee for president in the 1964 election. I don't have much respect for any Republicans -- except for IKE -- because of his Military-Industrial-Complex speech.

Reagan's philosophy was downright "vicious" to this country, in my opinion.

[Selatius]

10. She'll be more competent in handling the shitstorm that is Iraq, I guess.

But then again, if it's the war that is the number one issue, who better qualified to be commander-in-chief? Wesley Clark?

[flyarm]

12. Reagan was a democrat .........first!! ..eom

[johncoby2]

14. Quit beating yourself up looking for an excuse to vote for a Democrat.

Vote for Nader. Look how well that worked in 2000.

No candidate is perfect. if you are waiting for the perfect candidate, then vote for Nader since there will never be a perfect candidate.

To think we have to listen to this whining for the next year........

[ms liberty]

15. I didn't see any "whining" in the OP, what I saw were genuine questions...

waiting for answers and information. The OP also didn't say anything about awaiting the "perfect candidate."

Your reply does you no credit.

[Bridget Burke]

16. The OP should start supporting his or her preferred candidate.

And hope that he (of course it will be a "he") gets the nomination.

The question: Will the OP vote for the eventual Dem nominee rather than the Republican? Or vote for Nader again?

[PhilipShore]

19. It is not either/or for me

One of the "main concerns" I have when I go to vote now, is actually forcing myself to vote. Why? I know virtually nothing about the candidates political philosophy -- even the main candidates, other then reading some glossy 500 word brochure.

[Bridget Burke]

20. Well, I'd love to learn more about the candidates, too.

So many of the anti-Hilary threads are started by those who really support someone else. Why don't they post more info on their guys? Lots of us would love to learn.

And some of those threads are started by those who just want to sow dissension. I do not consider you one of that gang.

[NoPasaran]

21. Point of information

Five hundred pages are way too many for a brochure, glossy or not.

[papau]

18. High School Goldwater girl to college liberal disqualifies on DU? n/t

n/t

[WI_DEM]

22. Actually she is a democrat in the tradition of JFK and FDR meaning

on domestic policy they were liberal(and Hillary's voting record is pretty liberal) and on foreign and defense policy they were internationalists and pro-military. JFK started a huge military buildup, for instance, and in his inaugural address promised that the US would "bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe in the defense of liberty."

What she isn't is a democrat in the McGovern sense which many on DU are.