Democrats quietly fear a backlash from Clinton

[maseman]

Source: MSNBC

WASHINGTON - Looking past the presidential nomination fight, Democratic leaders quietly fret that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton at the top of their 2008 ticket could hurt candidates at the bottom.

They say the former first lady may be too polarizing for much of the country. She could jeopardize the party's standing with independent voters and give Republicans who otherwise might stay home on Election Day a reason to vote, they worry.


Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20237246/

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I can see many Republicans secretly either voting for Hillary or not voting at all. Why? Most people were very well-off during the Clinton eight years. I think many secretly desire to back to that place again. Just my humble opinion.

[Dark]

1. This is why the Democrats lose elections:

They all expressed admiration for Clinton, and some said they would publicly support her fierce fight for the nomination — despite privately held fears.

[Prophet 451]

2. I think they may be right

Don't misunderstand, I think Hillary would make a decent president (although I think a couple of the other candidates would be better) but, after 16 years (assuming W finishes out his term) of "Billary" jokes and Clinton-bashing, many Repubs think of the Clinton's as the moral equivelent of Jack the Ripper. For that reason alone, a Hillary nomination would be the great GOTV move the Repubs could ever have.

[Double T]

3. Isn't that the rethug plan? Hillary becomes the Democratic nominee..........

and the right wing is galvanized and united to defeat her with the largest rethug voter turnout in history. How does it feel to be setup?

[NEDem]

4. Its the truth.

I admire her personally, but she will bring every wacko right winger to vote. I think people have forgotten how much the right hated her and Bill when he was President.

[napi21]

14. I think ANY Dem. candidate will activate the RW!

They come out to vote AGAINST Obama because he's black, against Richardson because he hispanic, and against Edwards because he "pretty".

Don't you understand, the two tools they use all the time is hate and fear~!!!!

[Colobo]

5. DUPE!!!

[onewholaughsatfools]

6. of course, I am one

I have dragged my butt to the polls for many many years have always seemed to vote Democratic and always will. However I am one of those who simply say if Hillary gets the nod, I will not vote this time. I have had enough of Bush and the Clinton's. There are too many good candidates out there to get stuck with more of the same. I think Bill Clinton was the best President, the republicans ever had..

[msongs]

7. so how many times will this same topic be posted in different threads today? nt

[onewholaughsatfools]

8. probaly until you allow it to have some playtime

this is a hot topic and i am wondering what people think about this issue

[illinoisprogressive]

9. One thing they are also thinking about is that Bill had no coattails.

he got elected but, he did not bring many along. when he campaigned for them, alot of them lost. He is seen as a great pol for himself but, death to other candidates. They figure Hillary is probably worse.
Part of this is that neither Clinton could translate into votes from the indies and swing republicans. usually the clintons caused both to vote gop. Many are worried what will happen if this happens again.
I personally will not vote for Hillary at all. If many dems stay home rather than vote for Hillary and she is not able to pick up indie and swing votes plus energizes the right, well.....

[onewholaughsatfools]

10. I agree, she really had not done much

She should do the democratic party a huge favor and drop out.....that would be best for those who really want change.....

[maseman]

11. We all know that won't happen

Hillary isn't dropping out and she will most likely win the Dem nomination. Then we have a choice...rally around her or have a minimum of 4 more years of right-wing rule. Remember, more Supreme Court nominees will need to be made as more retirees to come.

I am not a fan of Hillary, but I will campaign for her and vote for her if she is the nominee. My country is worth more than my stubbornness to stay home and not vote for her.

[onewholaughsatfools]

12. Great point, but

I don't see anything good in this person, but good for you for campaigning and voting for someone you are not a fan of......

[modred]

20. Hillary, please drop out so a Democrat can win!

My prediction is that if Hillary is nominated, the Republican will win. Right wing hatred for any Democratic nominee is rabid, but for Hillary it's diabolical. They will stop at NOTHING to defeat her. It will be the dirtiest campaign of character assasination we've ever seen. Not all Republicans are ruthless, of course. But the high-powered political operatives like Rove are willing to go to any length to defeat her. If you think swiftboating was bad, you ain't seen nothing yet. We need to recognize that she will be up against campaign PR professionals who will use every psych/ops tactic there is, including the subliminal, to induce the public to see her in an extremely negative light. She should know this, after what they did to Bill (with his help). I can see them already stirring the cauldron--bubble bubble toil and trouble--cooking up the potion they will serve the public to poison their minds against her. This is why I have opposed her nomination from the beginning. What I think of her is almost irrelevant.

Another concern is that the left wing Hillary haters and third party voters (maybe Ralph Nader too) will provide the Republicans with just the edge they need to defeat her. If she is nominated, I will vote for her. In the meantime, I will not criticise her outside of my immediate family, although she is not my first choice.

[RBInMaine]

13. IF Hillary is nominated, you better DAMN WELL support her!!!

Oh Jesus! Do we keep having to hear this Hillary-bashing from our own people???!! Why don't we all just stand in a circle with guns and shoot. I am so sick of this overly negative attitude about the idea of Hillary being the nominee, and this from someone who supports Edwards right now. I realize she'd have some work to do and poses some risks right now, however, if, and mean IF, she is nominated she would be a MILLION TIMES BETTER THAN ANY GODDAMN REPUBLICAN, SO FOR GOD'S SAKE QUIT THIS CRAP AND SUPPORT OUR NOMINEE EVEN IF IT IS HILLARY FOR CHRIST FRIGGING SAKE!!!!! She has taken it on the chin over and over and over, and so has Bill, and they have almost always prevailed. If Bill could have run again in 2000 we sure as hell wouldn't have had to worry about Florida recount bullshit because he'd have beaten W like a steel drum, and right now his Presidency rates a 60+% historical approval rating in the polls. Clinton was a moderate and a Godsend compared to Dubya and his band of right-wing neocon crooks. Hillary has beaten the shit out of two R Senate opponents in New York, her favorables are rising, she is smart as hell, a tough and very savvy campaigner, and would be VERY formidable. Her favorables are rising, and the country wants change badly. WE CAN NOT STAND FOUR MORE YEARS OF AN R IN THE WHITE HOUSE. Again, I'm with Edwards now, but if Hillary is nominated let's make history and have the first woman American President. She may not be perfect for everyone, but she'd be a good President and LIGHTYEARS better than another ReTHUGlican!!!!!

[onewholaughsatfools]

15. Glad to hear you are supporting John Edwards

I agree John Edwards is 20 times better than Hillary, but you don't seem to understand I see Hillary as a republican, just as I see Joe Lieberman as a republican...

[harpboy_ak]

16. Anybody BUT Hilary

or it's time to form a new Real Democratic Party and the grassroots can tell Rahm, Nancy, Harry, and all the other Repugnican Lites to forget about it, we're going to run Real Democrats who are not owned by corporations and lobbyists.

Sorry, but I simply can't support any more of these Repuke Lite triangulators. Isn't there any way to convince Russ Feingold to run?

[Bongo Prophet]

18. Even for Supreme court judges and a sane cabinet with Dems in it? Not even for that?

Really?

Maybe a HRC presidency would help in your creation of that third party.
Give us all time to breathe a bit, while we all work on moving the party this way or that.
With 4-8 years of ghouliani, Fred or MorMAN, we will not have the LUXURY of working for anything at all.

[modred]

21. Is Hillary a closet Republican?

Hillary might be a Republican. But whatever her shortcomings may be, she still isn't a member of the Project for the New American Century (PNAC). That is, she is most definitely not part of the Neo-con right wing cabal that's rapidly undoing our Constitutiion and trying it;s best to drag us into war with Iran (then Syria, then Lebanon, ...) to further their agenda of Pax Americana, by which they mean world domination (outer space too).

[ButterflyBlood]

19. That's why the article is on why Hillary should NOT be nominated

That's the whole point.

[caligirl]

17. Saw a bumper sticker "I miss Bill" this week.