Replies to post #213343 on Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

Hillary 2016 MAYBE

Melissa McEwan
at Tuesday, November 12, 2013

[ Content Note: Misogyny. ]

So, first, during the 2008 election, Hillary Clinton was told to GTFO so that then-candidate Barack Obama could secure the nomination, make history, and become president.

Then, in the last year, ahead of the 2016 election, Hillary Clinton has been publicly pressured to run again, make history again, and become president. And warned, if she doesn't, she will destroy the Democratic Party and AMERICA.

Now, as it looks increasingly like she might run, it's: Not so fast, lady. [ http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/189919-left-wants-challenger-for-hillary ]

Liberal leaders want Hillary Clinton to face a primary challenge in 2016 if she decides to run for president.

The goal of such a challenge wouldn't necessarily be to defeat Clinton. It would be to prevent her from moving to the middle during the Democratic primary.

"I do think the country would be well served if we had somebody who would force a real debate about the policies of the Democratic Party and force the party to debate positions and avoid a coronation," said Roger Hickey, co-director of Campaign for America's Future, an influential progressive group.

..."If Hillary has no opposition, if she has a coronation instead, that debate doesn't happen," Hickey said.

HA HA PERFECT. Look, Ms. Clinton: We definitely want you to run, because, let's face it, you're the only Democrat with the mojo to win this thing, but YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO WORK FOR IT.

The profound irony of this shit is that, when "liberal leaders" were telling Clinton to take her boobs and go home in '08, they were all crowing about how an extended primary was terrible for the party and would weaken the eventual nominee's chances and blah blah fart. Now they're suddenly taking the exact opposite position, in that a primary challenge will strengthen Clinton as a candidate.

Gee, it's almost like the rules are totally different for women or something!

Ahem.

Personally, I supported a long primary in '08, and I would support one now. I couldn't be happier if Senator Elizabeth Warren or Representative Gwen Moore (as two not-remotely-random examples) challenged the fuck out of Clinton, kept the platform as progressive as possible, and we ended up with a Clinton/Warren or Clinton/Moore ticket. Or even a Moore/Warren or Warren/Moore ticket. I WOULD LOVE THAT.

But the thing is, I wasn't one of the assholes shouting at Clinton once upon a time to get out of the race because primaries hurt the party.

http://www.shakesville.com/2013/11/hillary-2016-maybe.html

[SoxFan]

She's not running so don't worry about it.

[F6]

Stephanie -- I for one will be surprised, and disappointed, if Warren jumps in if Hillary is running

there's precious little chance a GOPer/wingbutt can win in 2016 if Hillary runs -- unless, for example, some other candidate jumps in and fragments the Dems, helps create lines of attack for the GOPers/wingbutts, helps blur the lines between Hillary and whichever GOPer/wingbutt ends up with their nomination -- the Supreme Court, longer-term, being the key prize at stake for the future of the country in 2016 -- something of which Warren, of all people (ex-Harvard Law professor and all), should/must be well aware

with Hillary as president, the appointments open to Warren, potentially including the Supreme Court (though given the simple, brutal realities of that I'd prefer a considerably younger appointment, for example Obama, to any slot that would open up under Hillary), would be unlimited -- that should be Warren's focus if it's not enough for her to remain focused on being as consequential a Senator as possible for as long as possible -- a plenty worthy enough goal for someone who, after all, didn't bother/couldn't be bothered to enter politics until she was already well into her 60s

I consider Warren a very smart woman -- if she jumps in to run if Hillary is running, I will have to change that to consider her just another self-interested ego-driven butthead -- if Hillary decides not to run, then I hope Warren will go for it, and if she does she will have my support -- but not if Hillary is running

what we need in 2016 is to win -- period