In the most unsurprising announcement so far this year, Hillary Clinton today entered the race to become the 2008 Democratic presidential candidate.
Clinton’s announcement, days after Sen. Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record) shook up the contest race with his bid to become the first black president, establishes the most diverse political field ever. [And to that, I say "YAY".]
Clinton is considered the front-runner, with Obama and 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards top contenders. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who would be the first Hispanic president, intends to announce his plans on Sunday.
Sen. Clinton is in an odd position: Republicans want to paint her as a wild-eyed socialist determined to destroy truth, justice, and the American way, while some on the left think she’s a middle-of-the-road sellout. She has the campaign funds and the connections that will go a long way toward securing the nomination, but she’s going to have to define herself now — and stick to that definition — if she wants to be our next president.
I’m conflicted. I admire Sen. Clinton both for living through the witchhunt against her husband with her head held high and for building a successful career in her own right. I think she’s a good United Methodist with a strong sense of social justice, and I also believe she’s a political realist who knows she has to get elected before she can do anything to make a difference in legislation.
But — and maybe it isn’t fair to tar her with this brush — I think this country has had enough of political dynasties. A real democracy wouldn’t reward a politician based on family connections, and we’ve certainly suffered through the last six years because of George H. W. Bush’s powerful connections and George W. Bush’s name recognition. Hillary Clinton’s IQ and political experience are far beyond W’s, but maybe it’s just time for a new face and a new direction.
Pam weighs in as well. She’s disgusted with Clinton’s waffling on LGBT equality, and I’m right there with her on that issue. It’s time for every Democratic candidate to make it clear in no uncertain terms that the party opposes second-class citizenship for our LGBT brothers and sisters.
UPDATE: Talmadge East at Alabama-Democrat has concerns about the effect of a Clinton/Obama candidacy on down-ticket Alabama races. Sad but true that it could make a difference here.
i’ve said this elsewhere, but if clinton is the nominee, than dubya could run again – hey, the president has absolute power in war time, so why not? – and win in a landslide.
look, i used to be a right wing fundie, and i can tell you that you dems have absolutely no idea the depth of the hatred the republican base has for hrc.
for example, my alma mater – a fairly conservative university in arkansas – recently hired dr. rex horne as its president. horne was also bill clinton’s pastor during the witch hunt and received serious criticism from many baptists because he would not kick ol’ nautius maximus out of the church. that was what, ten years ago? still, there are fellow alumni from my school who have decided they will not give the school a dime as long as horne is president.
i’m telling you, the absolute best way to “energize the republican base” is to nominate hillary.
It’s the dynasty question that worries me most, although I think her position on the war will cripple her with people far more moderate than the progressives who have been bugged by it all along. I think it’s going to be hard for anyone to get elected next time who doesn’t have a strong position anti the Iraq War. And that’s true for both parties.
My statement is probably not going to be a popular one, but….I AM EXCITED. Hillary Clinton is the reason that I became interested in politics. As a sixth grader at the start of the 1992 presidential election season, she was my hero. She was smart and powerful in her own right, but committed to her church and family. I still have an egg crate of every article about Hillary Clinton my local newspaper printed during that campaign. I saved my allowance to purchase books about her and reserved my copy of “It Takes a Village” as soon as the bookstore would let me. Anyway, all of this to say…let the games begin and may the best woman win!
I’m with you on this one, Wheeler. A local attorney whom I don’t think of as particularly conservative held a fund-raiser for Hillary’s opponent when she ran for her current office. Raised a nice chunk of change to send all the way up to New York, all for the hatred of Hillary. People are completely irrational about her. It’s weird. I think somehow she’s a transference magnet for their personal emotional baggage–I can’t explain it any other way.
I mentioned this very problem in an earlier post on my blog. As I was telling a friend today, if it was just Hillary that I had to worry about and not races in Alabama further down the ticket that would be affected by her nomination I would definitely support her. I do believe she is the most intelligent candidate on the Dems side, but I have not made up my mind simply because I am scared of the local ramifications.