Will Hillary Clinton win the presidential election?

[suburban george3]

The key is to run a southern candidate... though any southern candidate won't do. The guy must be able to at least carry his own state.

The candidate doesn't have to be southern, but has to be able to relate to the South. Kerry wrote the South off from the beginning. The Democrats have to realize that with population shifts and the changes in the electoral college that you must win a couple of Southern States to garner the White House.

Kerry alienated many Southerners, and his wife didn't help. I was on jury duty around election time just after Teresa made the comment deriding Laura Bush's career path. That alienated a LOT of the female vote that Kerry may have gotten in the south. I know every woman on the jury that I was serving on was very anti-Kerry after her remarks.

[Snowguy716]

I asked my mom yesterday whom she would vote for: McCain or Clinton.. she said "McCain in a heartbeat... do you have to ask"

ANd then I asked: Rice or Clinton: Clinton

Dick Cheney or Clinton: Clinton

The only republican she would vote for in 2008 is McCain... and we all know full well that Bush and his cronies will try and block him from getting hte nomination...

[Snowguy716]

So what would happen if we had.. say... Mitt Romney against Al Gore?

My bet is that the south would still go for Romney.

[AuLukey]

Dick Cheney or Clinton: Clinton

The only republican she would vote for in 2008 is McCain... and we all know full well that Bush and his cronies will try and block him from getting hte nomination...

A. Dick Cheney would die in office from all the stress

B. Dick Cheney is the devil (is it irony that this is my 666th post?)

As much anti-hillary as I might be, I don't think I could rationalize voting for Cheney. I think even as odd a man as McCain has become over the years, I think he would do a good job. It is an early prediction but I think the 08' election will be Edwards vs. McCain. Edwards has the NC "southern" thing. So that would make the election much more interesting. And hey, ol' Dubya didn't have a son. So the only male member left is Jeb, and let's face it, that will never happen.

[runawayjim]

A. Dick Cheney would die in office from all the stress

B. Dick Cheney is the devil (is it irony that this is my 666th post?)

As much anti-hillary as I might be, I don't think I could rationalize voting for Cheney. I think even as odd a man as McCain has become over the years, I think he would do a good job. It is an early prediction but I think the 08' election will be Edwards vs. McCain. Edwards has the NC "southern" thing. So that would make the election much more interesting. And hey, ol' Dubya didn't have a son. So the only male member left is Jeb, and let's face it, that will never happen.

i don't think there's any chance that cheney would even run.

there's a shot for mccain, but the national GOP won't want him to. primaries could put him on the ticket though, unless he runs independent (which i wouldn't mind seeing, breaking him away from the GOP).

[monsoon]

Cheney is not running for office in 2008.

[AuLukey]

It would take this country through another Perot loop if McCain ran as an indep. In fact, I would like to see what the government would actually look like if an independent won the presidency. They would receive criticism and praise from both sides. Although with his republican roots, it's undoubtful which side he himself would side with the majority of the time.

[runawayjim]

It would take this country through another Perot loop if McCain ran as an indep. In fact, I would like to see what the government would actually look like if an independent won the presidency. They would receive criticism and praise from both sides. Although with his republican roots, it's undoubtful which side he himself would side with the majority of the time.

mccain has been very outspoken against both parties at times. that's why i think he'd be a pretty good independent. as for siding with the republicans, i'm not so sure. he used to hate the republican party, atlhough more recently, he's siding with them on a lot of issues. that's surprised me a bit.

[snoogit]

I personally hope that Hillary CLinton can look see that her party is leaving her. I think its increasing obvious that Howard Dean, and others will do heir hardest to convince HIllary NOT to run. I think the Dean Dems realize that Hillary really, really is just too devisive to win. Its not her fault, but the fact that shes been plastered by the GOP so harshly, that I don't know how she could come out clean.

There is the perfect Canidate out there, whose name keeps coming up in the netroots blogs... Hes not too southern, and hes not too northern...

Gov. Mark Warner of Virgina.

If I had to pick the best canidate for 2008, he would be my first choice. My second Choice would be Bill Richardson of New Mexico.

He would run well against anything the GOP throws at him (because lets be honest here, while the GOP is very powerful now, the canidates they are proposing are nigh unelectable.)

What has the GOP rumor mill looked like?

Bill Frist? would never win the North

George Allen? Is probably on his way out.

John McCain? Went ape-crap wacko.

Rudy Gulliani? Too Northern, probably needs more experience.

Those are the few I know of now, none have a shot at winning 2008. too much political baggage for all of them. Plus most of them are senators, and unless its a senator vs a senator chances are the non senator will win.

[Snowguy716]

I know our governor is really pinning his hopes on winning re-election this fall because he is seen as at least vice presidential material in '08. Tim Pawlenty was seen as presidential material for '08 until the Bush campaign ended that.. for some reason, Bush doesn't like Pawlenty.

It'll be interesting to see who wins. I want a true liberal for president.. and a liberal who concentrates on bread and butter issues.. not wedge issues. But I don't doubt the Republicans'll be at it again fanning the emotion flames as they introduce other hot-button issues in '08 to rally the neo-con base.

[runawayjim]

I know our governor is really pinning his hopes on winning re-election this fall because he is seen as at least vice presidential material in '08. Tim Pawlenty was seen as presidential material for '08 until the Bush campaign ended that.. for some reason, Bush doesn't like Pawlenty.

It'll be interesting to see who wins. I want a true liberal for president.. and a liberal who concentrates on bread and butter issues.. not wedge issues. But I don't doubt the Republicans'll be at it again fanning the emotion flames as they introduce other hot-button issues in '08 to rally the neo-con base.

they won't introduce new ones... they'll use the old ones... like "those democrats that voted down the ban on gay marriage".

they seem to use the same issues over and over again...

[somad]

It would take this country through another Perot loop if McCain ran as an indep. In fact, I would like to see what the government would actually look like if an independent won the presidency. They would receive criticism and praise from both sides. Although with his republican roots, it's undoubtful which side he himself would side with the majority of the time.

I'll try not to get any more political than this... but I feel Perot was more of a visionary and wasn't all tied up with special interests. McCain may be a "maverick" in the Senate but he's still bought like the rest of them.

[somad]

I really think Rudy could win it all. If a Republican carries New York I say they carry the election. Not every President had a lot of experience. Lincoln had no real experience other than 2 years in congress when he was elected President. Rudy governed a city of 8 million people through a crisis. I don't agree with his tactics, but the end result of his redevelopment efforts was great and I think that's what the average person sees other than the 9/11 stuff. NYC is bigger than most states... so who's to say a Mayor doesn't have as much experience as the governor of, say, Arkansas?

[runawayjim]

I really think Rudy could win it all. If a Republican carries New York I say they carry the election. Not every President had a lot of experience. Lincoln had no real experience other than 2 years in congress when he was elected President. Rudy governed a city of 8 million people through a crisis. I don't agree with his tactics, but the end result of his redevelopment efforts was great and I think that's what the average person sees other than the 9/11 stuff. NYC is bigger than most states... so who's to say a Mayor doesn't have as much experience as the governor of, say, Arkansas?

rudy supports bush practically 100%, need i say more? he used to be more moderate, more of a democrat type republican, but he's changed.

[somad]

rudy supports bush practically 100%, need i say more? he used to be more moderate, more of a democrat type republican, but he's changed.

He's a hawk and he's always been that type. His way of cleaning up NY included going building to building raiding apartments for drugs. He was a tough prosecutor and attorney general so a hawkish position on Iraq isn't surprising. What would be interesting is to see a real debate discussing the pros and cons of just simply pulling up and leaving Iraq. He's going to support the President while we're at war... I still think he can win.

[Snowguy716]

He's a hawk and he's always been that type. His way of cleaning up NY included going building to building raiding apartments for drugs. He was a tough prosecutor and attorney general so a hawkish position on Iraq isn't surprising. What would be interesting is to see a real debate discussing the pros and cons of just simply pulling up and leaving Iraq. He's going to support the President while we're at war... I still think he can win.

Going apartment to apartment looking for drugs? More than enough to lose my support. If cleaning up a city means gestapo style politics, then give me the crime.

Has the phrase "Give me liberty or give me death" lost all merit in this country. It has become "Please slowly shave away our civil liberties so that we can feel secure in an evil and dangerous world that you, the protector, has created. Oh thank you so much, oh all knowing Authority!"

[somad]

Going apartment to apartment looking for drugs? More than enough to lose my support. If cleaning up a city means gestapo style politics, then give me the crime.

Has the phrase "Give me liberty or give me death" lost all merit in this country. It has become "Please slowly shave away our civil liberties so that we can feel secure in an evil and dangerous world that you, the protector, has created. Oh thank you so much, oh all knowing Authority!"

I agree with you. But that doesn't change my opinion that he's very electable.

[monsoon]

Rudy will have to be nominated by the GOP before he becomes president. The fact that he was the mayor of of NYC hurts him more in the GOP than helps. First, the vast majority of the country does not consider this much of a qualification for president of the USA. The fact that Rudy cleaned up NYC is not going to do much for people who live in areas where these problems don't exist. But more to the point, the social conservatives that control the GOP are not going to be confortable with a moderate republican from what is a fairly liberal state.

The other problem with Rudy is that he just isn't going to play well in most of the country. It has been demonstrated time and time again that for a President to win in the USA he has to win in the South and the West. Rudy will last about as long in the South as a cube of ice would on asphalt down here in the summer. I just don't see him connecting with many people outside of the NE. This was Kerry's problem as well.

Most likely I see the GOP using exactly the same game plan they used in 2000. The party leadership will annoint a successor to Bush, probably a governer of a very red state, and discourage any challengers. They don't want someone that has been in the national spotlight that much, simply because a generally unknown person, as Bush was in 2000, is easier to get elected. (no baggage from national politics). McCain will not be this person, but he will most likely challenge the chosen one, and he will be smeared again just like he was in SC in 2000 when his campaign pretty much died.

[somad]

The other problem with Rudy is that he just isn't going to play well in most of the country. It has been demonstrated time and time again that for a President to win in the USA he has to win in the South and the West. Rudy will last about as long in the South as a cube of ice would on asphalt down here in the summer. I just don't see him connecting with many people outside of the NE. This was Kerry's problem as well.

But is this really necessary in the south if he gets the nomination as a republican? I can't see the south voting in a liberal democrat candidate but I can sure see a lot of the northeast and the rust belt going for Giuiliani instead of the liberal Democrat. Maybe I'm wrong but I could see it happening with what is right now a wide open field.

[runawayjim]

Rudy will have to be nominated by the GOP before he becomes president. The fact that he was the mayor of of NYC hurts him more in the GOP than helps.

i know several people from the south and the midwest who blindly dislike new york because it's "too liberal for me". those are the types of people who would reject guiliani because of where he's from, regardless of his accomplishments (not that i really agree with his methods).

[monsoon]

But is this really necessary in the south if he gets the nomination as a republican? I can't see the south voting in a liberal democrat candidate but I can sure see a lot of the northeast and the rust belt going for Giuiliani instead of the liberal Democrat. Maybe I'm wrong but I could see it happening with what is right now a wide open field.

Being nominated as a Republican is not a guaranteed win in the South, (Clinton and Carter prove that) but being associated with the NE political establishment is certainly a death sentence. It has been 46 years since a president hailing from the NE has managed to get elected as president. In this period every president that has won election came from either the South or California. I don't think either party is going to make the same mistake in 2008 that the Democrats did in 2004 by nominating Kerry, who had little appeal outside the NE. The fact that Kerry managed to lose to the worst president since Nixon is a testimate to how little he was liked.

Rudy will not be nominated as the GOP candidate.

[egrguy]

A. Dick Cheney would die in office from all the stress

B. Dick Cheney is the devil (is it irony that this is my 666th post?)

As much anti-hillary as I might be, I don't think I could rationalize voting for Cheney. I think even as odd a man as McCain has become over the years, I think he would do a good job. It is an early prediction but I think the 08' election will be Edwards vs. McCain. Edwards has the NC "southern" thing. So that would make the election much more interesting. And hey, ol' Dubya didn't have a son. So the only male member left is Jeb, and let's face it, that will never happen.

I don't think Jeb has a chance either, however, if he did, I think he would have been lightyears above his brother.

He's a hawk and he's always been that type. His way of cleaning up NY included going building to building raiding apartments for drugs. He was a tough prosecutor and attorney general so a hawkish position on Iraq isn't surprising. What would be interesting is to see a real debate discussing the pros and cons of just simply pulling up and leaving Iraq. He's going to support the President while we're at war... I still think he can win.

I think everyone kisses the party brass at this point, however, if McCain or Guiliani were still Bush clones come primary time, then the party should be concerned with its option.

[Charlotteman]

metro, I don't have a crystal ball, but I can tell you that any Rep has a huge uphill battle in Washington State.

Look at 1988, Gov.Dukakis(D) carried Washington State handily, and moreover carried several conservative counties in the eastern part of the state. If a candidate as weak as Dukakis carried WA I can't imagine many republicans having much of a chance here.

The close governor's race was a surprise. They were both basically unknowns. Maria Cantwell runs again this fall, and I see a comfortable victory for her:)

Oddly enough the Washington State legislature is Rep dominated---a huge anomoly, one I don't understand~

[Snowguy716]

Minnesota hasn't had a DemocratIC governor since 1992.

We've voted democratic for president every time except once since 1960.

Presidential and gubernatorial politics are two completely different things. I think given two equal candidates, Washington would go for the dem every time.

[Charlotteman]

Isn't there a train of political thought that says whichever Republican candidate wins in the South Carolina primary, will ultimately win the party's nomination?

George W. Bush won there in 2000, after his henchmen politically assasinated John McCain.

I have extreme doubts about Guilliani or Pataki winning in S.C. I guess Frist could win in S.C. since he's cozied up to the Religious Right. Of course Frist is such a terrible speaker, even Walter Mondale looks dazzling in comparison! (by the way, I'm a HUGE Mondale fan:)

Would Pataki or Guilliani be able to move far enough to the right, to succeed in S.C.? I doubt it. If Frist wins, the Dems should be able to win this one. Unless the Dems nominate Hillary, or renominate Kerry or something insane~~