Hillary Can Win (If voters continue to see timid ineffective action by the Republican senate)

washingtondispatch ^ | May 6, 2003 | Dan Abbett

[TLBSHOW]

Hillary Can Win

May 6, 2003

Can Senator Hillary Clinton win the nomination and then election to the office of the President of the United States? If Republican Senators don’t get off their timid butts and starting acting like leaders, it could be a slam-dunk.

In November 2002, the voting public gave President George W Bush exactly what he campaigned so very hard for, a majority in the House and Senate. In the months since the elections, the Republican majority in the Senate has been about as ineffective a body as any on record.

There is a better likelihood than not, that George Bush will be successful in retaining office in the 2004 elections. He is popular for all the right reasons respect, confidence and admiration for his leadership quality. This may carry him to victory in his personal pursuit but he may well loose any ability to be effective, as a result of a growing apathy of conservative voters with respect to the milquetoast performance of the Republican Senate.

The flaming issue of the witch-hunt for Senator Rick Santorum’s head is one example. He is being persecuted by liberals for making a perfectly plausible reference with regard to precedent and the potential for consequences of a Supreme Court ruling on the privacy of consensual sex. While conservative publications have rallied to defend the context of the Senator’s statement, nary a peep of serious defense has emerged from the greater body of Senate Republicans.

Voters sent a clear message last November, as to their preference for the direction of the country. In a surprising upset over the projection for Democrat victories in both the House and Senate, voters gave clear majority to the Republicans. The spineless performance of the Republican Senate majority however has been a slap in the face of the voters, for the mandate that they handed them.

The inaction by Senate Republicans, to force Democrats to actually hold a true filibuster to block a vote on nominations by the president to the judiciary, is pathetic. Senate Republican leaders, cowering in fear of the possibility of negative press and potential consequences for re-election, isn’t what we are looking for in those we empower to represent us. Lest they forget, the voters giveth and the voters can taketh away.

The time has come to demand that elected Republicans cease to succumb to gloomy predictions, look under the bed, realize there are no monsters and start acting from a position of strength. Democrats are great for playing to the fears of a population worried about making ends meet. Let the left continue its appearance as the specter of doom. It’s time for Republicans to play to their hopes.

Tax cuts are an essential part of the president’s plan to boost the economy. Some Republicans look more like Democrats on this issue and jeopardize a serious tax break for the public at large. With the effort on the war against terrorism going well, the Democrat’s strategy appears to be to throw everything they have to bring President Bush down, by blaming him for a weak to flat economy. They may be successful, if foolish “moderate” Republican ideologues don’t get behind their president.

The American Voter went to the polls last election and gave President Bush a majority to get his agenda through Congress. A Democrat minority, barren of honor and decency, has been successful so far in denying the mandate of the people. If voters continue to see timid ineffective action by the Republican members of the Senate, they will certainly not be so quick to repeat their pattern in 2004.

This will certainly be at the heart of the plan by Democrats, to create the appearance that President Bush is not an effective leader. With active voters still close to even in their voting records, a continued weak performance by Republicans in the Senate may well be all the edge Democrat hopefuls like Hillary will need to win.

[TLBSHOW]

I guess I am not the only one that sees it.

Republicans need their feet held to the fire but GOOD!

If the scare of Hillary being the President doesn't do it, well nothing will.

[backhoe]

Like the chains on Marley's Ghost

That "clinton legacy" has been forged...
link...
by link...
by sordid link....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/765080/posts

The Clinton Files
various links | 10-08-02 | The Heavy Equipment Guy

 

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/723210/posts

Liars-- and Sleaze, Incorporated... ( my files on the clintons and friends )
various links | 7-27-02 | The Heavy Equipment Guy

 

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/611951/posts

Hodgepodge O' Hillary
various links | 01-20-02 | backhoe

 

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/771000/posts

The Atomic Genie- what we have about North Korea's Nuclear program
various FR posts | 10-17-02 | The Heavy Equipment Guy

[bybybill]

This is getting so stupid. Bush is going to lose because his" base" hates him and, unless they get EVERYTHING they want, to hell with GWB. OK, do it, elect Hillory or Liarman., that will show`em.

Thank GOD most conservatives aren`t stupid and GWB will be reelected.

[Joe Boucher]

Starts with Senate leadership.
Mr. Frist is no leader, anyone fear him?
Can he crack a whip and get his party in line? Obviously not.
Have the two turncoats gotten any committee assignments taken away? Has anything at all happened to anyone that fails to support the presidents agenda?
Need a more dynamic conservative with some balls and not just a nice guy to run the Republican controlled senate.

[NetValue]

You are not the only one who sees it. Elected Republicans seem overcome with fear that they might actually become successful if they LEAD. Republican performance on the budget, i.e. deficit, is abominable. It's like there is nobody home. The choir without a voice. Prediction: Republican voters will just stay home in the next election to express their dismay with the lack of leadership, backbone, and fiscal responsibility by the elected.

[11B3]

Not only that, but we need elected officials who actually understand the issues that they are voting on - in both chambers. Oops, must have been dreaming there for a minute, what was I saying?

[Happy2BMe]

Laugh if you want to, but IMHO, George Bush has made a hugh error in alienating his most reliable voting base - the American Christian.

It did not sit well when he castigated three of the most representative Christian leaders in the country when they spoke out against Islam being a "Religion of Hatred, Murder, and Chaos."

Nor has it sat well with the silence and support by default of homosexuality and abortion.

Dubya's got some major, major fence mending to do between now and Nov 2004 - or we could see DejaVu 1992 all over again.

Seriesly.

[gulfcoast6]

Elected Republicans in Washington all want to be the 'Mr. Nice Guy', forget that and get after the demoflops.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

I believe Hillary could win but for another reason. The startling speed with which U.S. jobs are being exported by the millions is causing a rapid increase in unemployment and a fundamental lowering of the U.S. standard of living.

George W. Bush might be a good, moral guy but if the average VOTING American is standing in a soup line on election day, it won't matter. It will be the "economy stupid" AGAIN.

[David Isaac]

Is it true that the Dems are secretly choosing who will be the GOP majority leader in the Senate? Looking at the last two majority "leaders", it would seem quite likely. The GOP administration has not accomplished much in the way of castigating and/or motivating those seemingly recalcitrant members of the Republican Senate.

The only way of mending the GOP is from the bottom. We need to ignore the party political experts who say we cannot win with anyone but a "moderate" candidate, nominate a candidate who will unabashedly speak the truth, and then spare no effort getting said candidate elected.

I often feel that at the very top, our two supposedly different parties, are nothing of the kind.

[AmericaUnited]

Can Senator Hillary Clinton win the nomination and then election to the office of the President of the United States? If Republican Senators don’t get off their timid butts and starting acting like leaders, it could be a slam-dunk.

This is absurd! The writer has no clue how hated this women is or how naked and exposed is the Clinton legacy.

[AmericaUnited]

George Bush has made a hugh error in alienating his most reliable voting base - the American Christian.

Oh really?! They are so alienated?! UTTER NONSENSE! Most Christians love Bush and understand that the President has to say that blather about Islam.

[Ed_in_NJ]

Hey, a few plane crashes, a few cases of Arkancide, and she's right in the race.

[biss5577]

I agree. The only reason she is "out" there is because of the media. I am, truly, getting sick of all the hillary "print".

[The Wizard]

this is BS...the GOP needs to be firm, but old crusty ain't gonna be president, no way

[Nick Danger]

Can Senator Hillary Clinton win the nomination and then election to the office of the President of the United States? If Republican Senators don’t get off their timid butts and starting acting like leaders, it could be a slam-dunk.

Oceans of blood! Seas of fire! We'll roast their stomachs!

Ya know, the Mullah Omar rhetoric just makes people laugh. There are probably useful ways to motivate Senators, but that Hillary Clinton will be elected president if the Senate doesn't do something, is preposterous.

Please come up with better threats. Thank you.

[proud American in Canada]

"Dubya's got some major, major fence mending to do between now and Nov 2004 - or we could see DejaVu 1992 all over again."

I sure hope not. It would be incredibly short-sighted to either stay home or vote for anyone other than GW.

[PGalt]

Agreed

[grumple]

What a frickin' pantload...Why are we not asking why this shrew is the supposed Democratic frontrunner? What are we going to do, just hand her the Presidency??...She is just as inactive as the Republican party in terms of debates and answering questions. This and other articles, along with polls and liberal media are only serving to form and frame public opinion. There is nothing true here...hell the writer doesn't know what it is to loose, because they would have apparently got the spelling right...as in lost=lose and loosen the knot.(/side-rant off)

Anyway, why are we accepting the fact that she is the frontrunner when she doesn't participate in debates, she doesn't answer questions, she doesn't outline her policies or suggestions however, she does wench about the economy and other concerns WE identify here ALL without no solutions proposed by her. Yet we sit around and wonder about a supposedly spineless entity that will be portrayed as such no matter what we do (as in this article) when we should be demanding Hillary outline her positions on what makes her the most preferred Democrat candidate capable of leading this country...

While we go about wondering when the Republicans will find their identity, Hillary goes around not outlining hers...

what a crock...

[PGalt]

Agreed