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GOP Views Clinton As Virtually Unbeatable
The Politico ^ | 2/7/2007 | Carrie Sheffield and Jim VandeHei

Posted on 02/07/2007 5:48:59 AM PST by Mike Bates

What many conservatives regard as the nightmare scenario -- President Hillary Rodham Clinton -- is increasingly seen by veteran Republican politicians and strategists as a virtual inevitability.

In GOP circles, the Democratic front-runner is seen as so strong, and the political climate for Republicans so hostile, that many influential voices -- including current and former lawmakers, and veterans of President Bush's campaigns -- have grown despairing. These partisans describe a political equivalent of the stages of grief, starting with denial, then resentment and ending with acceptance.

For now, these Republicans say the party needs good luck, including a change of fortune in Iraq, and a revival of organization and leadership in the conservative movement to avert another Clinton presidency.

"If the conservative movement and Republicans don't understand how massive the Clinton coalition is, she will be the next president," former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said in an interview last week, after giving a private talk to GOP lawmakers. Clinton will win, he added, "if we don't use everything available to us and motivate our base, the people that believe in us."

In his closed-door comments to conservative House members, DeLay warned of the wealth and political potency of the Clinton fundraising network.

"We do have to get our act together, and I'd agree with Tom DeLay on that," said Rep. Steve King of Iowa. "At this point, short an inspirational Republican nominee, then I would agree that it's going to be very difficult to beat Hillary if she wins the nomination."

Those comments echoed those by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich last month on Fox News:

(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: elections; hillary; verrucktenfreude
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To: RockinRight

What if Colin Powell were to throw his hat in the ring?
He's a RHINO but he would beat Hillary.


141 posted on 02/07/2007 6:51:33 AM PST by weston
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To: pissant

yep:)


142 posted on 02/07/2007 6:52:08 AM PST by OMalley (Hi Mom:) Duncan Hunter 08)
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To: TomGuy
Too many want to thow up any R and hope that person gets elected. Then they will whine about how so many so-called Rino's get elected.

It's far too early for that.

143 posted on 02/07/2007 6:52:12 AM PST by alnick
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To: weston

Doubt it.


144 posted on 02/07/2007 6:53:17 AM PST by RockinRight (What I want in '08: Gingrich's politics, Reagan's appeal, and Tancredo's immigration stance.)
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To: Mike Bates

Oh HilaryCare, Don't throw us in the Briarpatch!!

Pray for W and Our Troops


145 posted on 02/07/2007 6:53:28 AM PST by bray (Redeploy our Troops to Tehran)
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To: John W; pissant
Both of you guys are right: the piece doesn't really back up the headline at all. (the pubbies have essentially conceded the 2008 election to HRC in Feb 2007? lol!)

Basically what these GOP pols are doing is stating the obvious (i.e., HRC's campaign is a well-financed juggernaut, duh). Big woo, it's the same boilerplate fire-up-the-base to raise money stuff you hear from politicos in any party around this time. I'll bet you can find dem pols making the same remarks around the country giving the same chicken-little warnings to their base about Rudy Giuliani.

Measuring in political years, there are about 7 lifetimes until D-day Nov 2008. This is silly.

146 posted on 02/07/2007 6:53:52 AM PST by leilani
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To: leilani

Silly is an apt term.


147 posted on 02/07/2007 6:54:25 AM PST by pissant
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To: All

Hillary will NOT be the next president. Heck, she may not even win the Democratic nomination.

Rudy Guiliani or John McCain will be the next president.


148 posted on 02/07/2007 6:54:27 AM PST by ClarenceThomasfan (It's like a plantation - and you know what I mean!)
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To: Mike Bates

We put our faith in people we elected, unfortunately, they caved in to DEMSM pressure and acted, not as Conservatives, but CINO'S (Conservatives in name only).

They weren't true believers and their rhetoric didn't match their actions, they allowed criminals in the democrat party to walk away with 'wrist slaps', allowed a porous border, allowed assaults on the party to go unanswered, allowed a "gang" to control the Senate and allowed politics to direct the war on terror.

We have few options available for '08, the only man who could change the consequences , IMO, is Newt but our party is so filled with the spineless they fear what the DEMSM will say and won't get behind him. They think they would have a better chance with people like Rudy or McCain because they would appeal to the DEMSM.

The Clinton / Obama ticket is going to be almost unbeatable if the Republican Party doesn't grow a pair and FAST.


149 posted on 02/07/2007 6:54:44 AM PST by RetSignman (DEMSM: "If you tell a big enough lie, frequently enough, it becomes the truth")
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To: pissant

Agree, and I am afraid that AL Gore is the one who has the biggest chance of becoming President and he is the toughest to beat.


150 posted on 02/07/2007 6:55:17 AM PST by jveritas (Support The Commander in Chief in Times of War)
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To: RockinRight

Newt is a brilliant guy and a dynamic speaker. I would love to see him take on Hillary in a debate. But I fear that Newt has been so demonized by the mainstream media that he is unelectable on a national ticket.


151 posted on 02/07/2007 6:55:46 AM PST by IndyTiger
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To: TomGuy
Too many want to thow up any R and hope that person gets elected. Then they will whine about how so many so-called Rino's get elected. Maybe, if the GOP would put up a viable, strong conservative candidate, they wouldn't have that problem. Instead, they keep rushing to the left to fill the void of the Dems moving even further leftward.

Actually, what they do is tell those who would prefer a more conservative candidate that "the time for that is in the primary". Of course, when the primary rolls around there they are again screaming that a conservative is unelectable, and the party's only chance is to unite behind a moderate.

I've seen this pattern of behavior time and again during my stay here at FR.

152 posted on 02/07/2007 6:55:54 AM PST by NittanyLion
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To: Mike Bates
What many conservatives regard as the nightmare scenario -- President Hillary Rodham Clinton -- is increasingly seen by veteran Republican politicians and strategists as a virtual inevitability.

Then they may as well run Newt and we can have fun watching him tear Hillary a new one in debates.
153 posted on 02/07/2007 6:56:47 AM PST by aruanan
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To: jveritas

Most likely, but the ammo to use against this moonbat could fill 1000 warehouses.


154 posted on 02/07/2007 6:56:58 AM PST by pissant
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To: Mike Bates
Only pussed up. Wimps, see her as unbeatable.

She is rich white trash.

My candidate can beat her!

If you are a Freeper supporting Duncan Hunter please make your voice heard in this poll!!!

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/poll?poll=170

155 posted on 02/07/2007 6:57:18 AM PST by GulfBreeze (I Like Duncan Hunter for the GOP Presidential Nomination in 2008)
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To: william clark
This is exactly why we can't run a nominee who's only 25% more conservative than Hillary.

You're exactly right!
Run a conservative, fight like wild dogs, give America a real choice and see what happens.
If the "beast" wins, make her miserable life the most miserable it's ever been for four years then do it again.
The key to this is giving America a real choice.

156 posted on 02/07/2007 6:57:26 AM PST by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: nwrep
"Hillary's greatest supporters are single-issue conservatives who would refuse to vote because they disagreed with the GOP nominee on that single issue."

Or said this way,

Hillary's greatest supporters are single-issue liberals masquerading as conservatives who refused to consider a conservative candidate because they think ONLY Rudy can beat Hilliary.

There's two sides to this argument, ya know?
157 posted on 02/07/2007 6:57:31 AM PST by dmw (Aren't you glad you use common sense, don't you wish everybody did?)
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To: RockinRight

As if Hillary Clinton has better charisma? She is much duller than John Kerry and of course much meaner and nastier.


158 posted on 02/07/2007 6:57:32 AM PST by jveritas (Support The Commander in Chief in Times of War)
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To: freeperfromnj

Giuliani won't win NY. If they were stupid (and definitely liberal) enough to elect Hillary as their Senator, they'll hand her the states electoral votes without giving it a second thought. Or a first thought, for that matter. After all, they're liberals.


159 posted on 02/07/2007 6:58:20 AM PST by william clark (DH4WH)
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To: deep
"They need to find someone that can appeal to more than the hard right."

We need someone that wont turn off 50% of the Republican voters.

Everyone that thinks you can throw away all the social issues they so hate and just run on lower taxes and less government better stop and think real hard what they are asking for.

You would become nothing more than another Libertarian party, and the last I knew they can't win much of anything!

Do you think there would have ever been any "Reagan Democrats" if he ran as Anti- gun? Pro-abortion? Pro- Queer?

Not a Chance! We have to offer more than just not being a total socialist. Many of those Dem's that crossover to vote Republican do so because they can't stomach the Rat party's position on those social issues. If those voters are offered no choice on those issues they will vote Rat every time.
160 posted on 02/07/2007 7:01:24 AM PST by Beagle8U
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