Reply #76: I wish I could agree

[Jai4WKC08]

But it seems to me that human psychology argues just the opposite. First impressions count, and it's easier to reinforce a belief that is already held than to change it to something else.

The past 15 years of Republican slander have taken their toll. Too many people, even among those who like or admire Hillary, have it somewhere in the back of their heads that there's just something not quite right with the Clintons, and especially with Hillary.

As the right-wing freak show gears up for 2008, they will only need to water a seed they planted years ago. The 40% or so (and while I'm pulling the numbers out of my butt, I think I'm being generous) who hate Hillary already will hate her all the more, be more likely to tell all their friends and coworkers why they hate her so much, and will shell out the bucks to help someone/anyone defeat her. Meanwhile, the 40% who like Hillary will be reminded of any doubts they may have had in the 1990s, and the 20% in between will, well, who really knows? But you can't count on them not being swayed by the resurgence of anti-Hillary propaganda.

I don't know that Hillary can't overcome it. She certainly has the experience and the machine to fight the gutter war that the GOP will bring. And let's face it, the Repubs will slime whoever gets nominated, so it's reasonable to think we'll be better off with a nominee who knows something about how to fight back. I sure haven't seen anything in either Obama or Edwards to show me they're capable of playing hardball the way the Clintons can.