Posted on 01/26/2005 6:24:19 PM PST by NCjim
Despite a very liberal voting record, Senator Clinton is veering strongly to the Centre
If there was doubt before, there can be none now. Hillary Clinton is positioning herself for a run for the White House in 2008.
With her recent attention to God, the military and opponents of abortion, her insistence that she is focused only on her 2006 Senate re-election campaign looks increasingly implausible. Political pundits, the media and late-night comedians have drawn the obvious conclusion: the New York senator aims to be the first woman to occupy the Oval Office.
Shes tacking towards the Centre, Randall Strahan, a Professor of Political Science at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, said. I think shes running.
At the inauguration of President Bush last week, Mrs Clinton was seen nodding appreciatively to a religious-patriotic anthem written by John Ashcroft, the former Attorney-General and right-wing Christian loathed by liberals.
This week, before pro-choice activists who form a key part of the Democratic base, she declared her respect for those who believe with all their hearts and conscience that there are no circumstances under which any abortion should ever be available. You could have heard a pin drop. Much of her audience fears that Mr Bush will try to rob American women of abortion rights by changing the balance of the Supreme Court in his second term. They listened nervously as she staked out a centrist position, arguing: There is an opportunity for people of good faith to find common ground in this debate.
In another apparent nod to the Centre, she raided deep into Bush territory recently by declaring that there was no contradiction between backing faith-based initiatives and protecting the separation of Church and State.
Mrs Clinton has had a lot of practice at reinventing herself. She did it repeatedly during her eight years as First Lady and knows that she must remake her liberal image. Her Senate voting record puts her on a par with the extremely liberal Edward Kennedy, and conservatives will be watching for any hint of insincerity.
Nevertheless, she looks the most likely candidate to win the Democratic nomination in 2008. A lot can change in four years, but she has many advantages, including her name-recognition and fundraising power.
She has made astute use of her time in the Senate, impressing by striving for legislative success on issues that matter to New Yorkers but do not grab the headlines.
Yet many wonder whether she can overcome the loathing that many Americans still feel for her husband. Some on the Right see Mrs Clinton as more manipulative and will not forget her much-publicised failure as First Lady to reform Americas healthcare system.
CLINTON ON ABORTION
What Hillary Clinton had to say this week:
Yes, we do have deeply held differences of opinion about abortion, and I, for one, respect those who believe with all their hearts and conscience that there are no circumstances under which any abortion should ever be available.
What she said in 2000:
I am and always have been pro-choice, and that is not a right anyone should take for granted. There are forces . . . that would try to turn back the clock. We must remain vigilant.
What she said in 2004:
For too long those of us who have defended and advocated on behalf of a womans right to choose have seen that as one battle, and then civil rights and affirmative action as another battle, and protecting the rights of workers as a third battle and on and on. They are all part of the same struggle. There is an effort to undermine our basic rights.
I hope she does get the `Rat nomination because that should keep the `Rats out of the White House for another 4 years and at the same time shut up the Clintoons in this country once and for all.
Hillary Clinton, the smartest pile of bullsh!t in the world....
Yes. We do not need Hillary. A liberal, pretending to be a moderate. Gee, I wonder where we've seen that before?
The words "centrist" and "moderate" will be used more times by the media over the next four years to describe Hillary than they have used in the history of the civilization up to this point.
I hope she gets the same fair treatment as did Dr. Rice.
She'll tack toward the center with confidence that that the far left knows she's lying just to get elected.
Minor stuff compared to her anti-illegal immigration posturing.
nope but we better not take her for granted and put a well thought up candidate or the same thing will happen to us that happened in 96
Safe money on that prediction.
This is the most dangerous women in the World.
Whoever started the rumor that Mrs. Clinton is the smartest worman in the country is smarter than she is. What a great scam.
What the hell is a Centre?
You're right. I'm thinking either Condoleezza Rice or Newt Gingrich.
You've got it. Just yesterday Jay Severin on the radio in Boston said the same thing, and I got home and turned on the computer, and what did AOL have on its page? A picture of Hillary, and a headline about how she was trying to bring both sides together on the abortion debate. Of course as Severin pointed out they neglected to mention how in that same speech she said she was for late-term abortion and no parental notification. Centrist in name only, but it doesn't matter--the DUmmies will appreciate she's giving them a wink and just BSing the rubes to get their votes.
Rice is cool......don't know about Newt, he a genius but like Hillary is kind of devisive still......
It's in a place in England. .....and it's the equivalent of our far left.
All the GOP has to do is broadcast Hillary's shrill speech about "questioning her patriotism." No man in his right mind would vote for her.
Gingrich?
Won't happen. He left the House due to ethics problems. That will come back to haunt him. Gingrich is old news.
Rice?
Won't happen. She has never held elective office.
It's like watching "American Idol" and seeing someone who thinks deep down that they really can sing beautifully if only they had a chance for an audition. Then they get a 4-0 vote and are told they stink. Hillary is like that. She really thinks she could be President. She might get a chance at an audition in the primaries. The voters though will tell her how much she stinks. She will then flee cursing, shouting, and throwing things and blame the VRWC.
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