Why can't Hillary win?

Another day, another Hillary in 2008 story.

Slate's Jacob Weisburg explores and demystifies some of the arguments surrounding Hillary's potential presidential bid.

One that he perpetuates, though, is the liberals love Hillary meme.

I really don't see any evidence of that. I mean, I'm a liberal and I don't want her to win. She's the DLC-type centrists, the sworn enemy of us liberals. Where does Weisburg get that we like her?

Really though, liberals like Sen. Russ Feingold. I'm not really sure why we like him, he's not exactly uber-liberal himself. Maybe it is because he is the one guy who voted against the Patriot Act the first time around and his name is on the campaign finance reform legislation that lots of us wanted to see pass.

The truth is that Hillary does have an image problem, but she's always had that problem. Look at footage from Bill first term as Arkansas governor and then from his second non-consecutive term. She's mad herself over before to be more appealing to the masses. She's gonna raise a lot of money, and she's going to spend a lot of money. If she wins the nomination, I'm not sure who will be able to beat her from the other side. Maybe McCain, but he will never be mainstream Republican enough be on the ballot. Frist will get washed out early in the primaries because, let's face it, he's the biggest douche in the universe.

It may be Hillary vs. some unknown Republican senator, which would probably be a walk for her.

She's got name ID, and high enough favorables to make it through a tough primary, and have enough money to trounce anyone half-assed GOP nominee. So she can win.

The question gets back to do we want her to win?

Comments

[CGG]

I was living in Brooklyn during Hillary's first campaign. NYC liberals were never thrilled about her running, but we voted for her anyway. For me it was all about her being better than the alternative. Lazio was nothing more than a Republican hack who had no valid reasons for running other than that his last name wasn't Clinton. She did really well with moderates and even conservatives upstate though. They loved her, and still do.

There's a great book about her campaign and election, Hillary's Turn by Michael Tomasky. He does a great job covering the phenomenon that is Hillary. IMO it's a must read for liberal and moderate democrats alike. Much as I want a President Boxer or Spitzer, HRC may be the magic candidate we've been looking for.

[damn yankee]

Nate-- do you really think a woman can become President?? Considering where we live, the south. How many rednecks does it take for a woman to become president? Also the way the last two presidential elections have gone. I have my doubts. I'm not really that excited about HRC on the democratic ticket either, but I'm definately not excited about another 4 years of a republican administration either. Enlighten me....please.....

[Nate]

I don't see why a woman can't win the presidency. If one can, Hillary would be that one. She's got high name ID and the ability to raise gobs of money. And she has the added benefit of having lived in the White House 8 years already.

I keep telling people, we don't need southern votes to win. I'm more concerned with our performance in Ohio and how close Pennsylvania was. We can win by winning Ohio and the industrial midwest and/or the southwest. The Republicans have pretty much given up the northeast and the west coast, they're only refuge is the south and the midwest if we can start picking up steam in New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Nevada.

Hillary might be the best chance of winning for the Democratic party.