Irony of ironies: Hillary's choice in 1999 may have laid the groundwork for her defeat this year

[EffieBlack]

In 1999, many people urged Hillary Clinton not to run for the Senate from New York in 2000 but to, instead, wait a few years and then run for Peter Fitzgerald's Senate seat in 2004. Of course, she didn't take that advice.

As it turned out, Fitzgerald (who had defeated Carol Moseley-Braun) decided not to run for re-election, which left a race for an open seat.

Which Barack Obama ran for and won, catapulting him into the national spotlight.

Had Hillary Clinton followed the "don't run yet" advice, she would have probably easily won the seat Obama won in 2004 and Obama would likely still be in the Illinois Senate. Who knows whether she would have had enough time under her belt to run for the presidency in 2008, but it is very interesting how political choices and paths often intertwine, connect and impact the bigger picture.

[Zynx]

1. She also wouldn't have been in the Senate to vote for the IWR.

That would have made it very different.

[Muttocracy]

2. fascinating! And uh, Illinois can have her back! nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. He husband called us a bunch of Elitists!

I don't think they want to be here.

[Tatiana]

7. Oh no. NY, she's all yours! n/t

[Lady-Damai]

12. Not fair! I don't want her!

[Muttocracy]

18. I think they'll leave the stepping stone soon

http://www.newsweek.com/id/109678 (2/18/08)

"When the Clintons left the White House, they were drowning in legal bills. But by last year, they had sufficient cash flow to pay off the mortgage on their home in Washington, D.C. According to local property records, they took out a 30-year, $1.995 million mortgage in 2001 but paid it off in full last November. (The Clintons also own a home in Chappaqua, N.Y., but there is no record of a similar mortgage payoff.)"

[SemiCharmedQuark]

3. I don't think "Illinois" is considered as politically important as "New York"

[EffieBlack]

5. It hasn't held Obama back.

:-)

[Tatiana]

10. Chicago is part of IL, which is very politically important, IMO.

The Daleys, be it right or wrong, are legends in terms of local politics.

It can be argued that there would be no President JFK without Cook County being delivered to him on a silver platter.

Most urban party machines are versions of the original Chicago Machine prototype.

However, I suppose we'll always play "Second City" to NY :)

[CreekDog]

11. you're so right...except for Lincoln

:dilemma:

[SemiCharmedQuark]

17. Hey I love Chicago! I live here.

I just think that someone calculating a way to the white house, which I truly believe Hillary was doing, thinks NY has a better shot than Illinois.

[CreekDog]

20. i was joking

please don't ever assume that any thought goes into my snark, in fact, i generally try to keep the snark thought-free.

i didn't mean to offend or upset. :hi:

i love Chicago too and I think Hillary would have had a harder time jumping into a Senate seat in Illinois rather than in New York as she did.

[FrenchieCat]

6. The so many "what ifs".......

[countmyvote4real]

8. That is interesting, if not ironic. Thanks. n/t

[Gore1FL]

9. She would have won the presidncy had she run in 2004

She is a step behind.

[ecstatic]

15. I think so too. She would have been a welcome change from Bush

but she was trying to hold on to a pledge made to rethugs (about fulfilling her term), who don't matter anyway.

[Gore1FL]

16. Not to rub salt in hewr wounds

but that was how she and Bill always played it--talk left, move right.

Bill had the best presidency in my lifetime. (I was born during Johnson). That speaks more to how poor the presidents have been in the last 42 years than how good he was, unfortunately.

Make no mistake, Obama is farther to the right than I care for. He is by far not my first choice, but I like his idea of fundamental change more that I ever liked Hillary's message of it'll be 1993-2001 all over again.

[locker13]

13. nah

barry would have run anyway and defeated her

[Cha]

14. hilary was on the fast track..

No way would she have waited until 2004 and not have all that experience to talk about.

Thankfully things worked out the way they did..and along came Obama

[Beregond2]

19. I was thinking

about Carol Mosely-Braun today, and hoping she will be a part of Obama's administration.