watch this space
Saturday, January 20, 2007
I'm not saying it'll happen or that she'll deserve it, but how cool would it be if Hillary Clinton were elected and had most of the country behind her?
My earliest political memories are of the '68 Dem Convention in nearby Chicago (age 7 when my father took us to his parents' house in Memphis to avoid the chaos), my friends' older siblings calling the President Tricky Dick and generally implying that Democrats were cooler than Republicans (age 9, backed up my uncool father leaving the Dems for Nixon in '72), and Watergate (age 11).
I remember despairing over Carter emerging as the front runner in '76 and believing that the Democratic Party decided after McGovern's huge defeat that they had no choice but to moderate. Only the nightmarish prospect of Ronald Reagan becoming President made me think that Carter being re-elected would be o.k. Mondale didn't have a prayer. I assumed the country would have given Reagan a third term if they could; so, I was not at all surprised that Dukakis lost.
When the big names like Cuomo opted out for '92, I assumed Bill Clinton would fare no better. I had many misgivings when Bill Clinton was elected in '92. Nevertheless, I remember getting swept up in the hype and the possibilities. Despite all his faults and the damage done to the Democratic Party in Congress during Clinton's two terms, there's no way I'll ever believe it would have been better if he had never been elected or re-elected.
How great did it feel when not only did the Dems fulfill expectations in re-capturing the House last November, but surprised all but the most optimistic Dems in re-capturing the Senate? Certainly, the climate has changed thus far this year. And prospects for continued Democratic control of the Congress that will convene in '09 look very good.
At least a couple of states, New Jersey and ours have state elections this year. If the Dems can keep up the momentum, the prospects of the Dem nominee winning the general election in Nov. 2008 will look very good, especially if Bush can't find some way to counter his massive unpopularity.
If Dems win both the White House and Congress in '08, especially if Hillary is the Dem nominee, they'll have to know the importance of avoiding the mistakes they made with that type of control in '93-'94.
As the Dem Presidential primary candidates begin to challenge each other, let's keep our eyes on the prize. There's always a lot we can do even if we don't hold the levers of power. Imagine, however, the possibilities if we do.
My earliest political memories are of the '68 Dem Convention in nearby Chicago (age 7 when my father took us to his parents' house in Memphis to avoid the chaos), my friends' older siblings calling the President Tricky Dick and generally implying that Democrats were cooler than Republicans (age 9, backed up my uncool father leaving the Dems for Nixon in '72), and Watergate (age 11).
I remember despairing over Carter emerging as the front runner in '76 and believing that the Democratic Party decided after McGovern's huge defeat that they had no choice but to moderate. Only the nightmarish prospect of Ronald Reagan becoming President made me think that Carter being re-elected would be o.k. Mondale didn't have a prayer. I assumed the country would have given Reagan a third term if they could; so, I was not at all surprised that Dukakis lost.
When the big names like Cuomo opted out for '92, I assumed Bill Clinton would fare no better. I had many misgivings when Bill Clinton was elected in '92. Nevertheless, I remember getting swept up in the hype and the possibilities. Despite all his faults and the damage done to the Democratic Party in Congress during Clinton's two terms, there's no way I'll ever believe it would have been better if he had never been elected or re-elected.
How great did it feel when not only did the Dems fulfill expectations in re-capturing the House last November, but surprised all but the most optimistic Dems in re-capturing the Senate? Certainly, the climate has changed thus far this year. And prospects for continued Democratic control of the Congress that will convene in '09 look very good.
At least a couple of states, New Jersey and ours have state elections this year. If the Dems can keep up the momentum, the prospects of the Dem nominee winning the general election in Nov. 2008 will look very good, especially if Bush can't find some way to counter his massive unpopularity.
If Dems win both the White House and Congress in '08, especially if Hillary is the Dem nominee, they'll have to know the importance of avoiding the mistakes they made with that type of control in '93-'94.
As the Dem Presidential primary candidates begin to challenge each other, let's keep our eyes on the prize. There's always a lot we can do even if we don't hold the levers of power. Imagine, however, the possibilities if we do.
Comments:
The bland leading the bland. Hillary is as much a product of her father's disinterst as you seem to be. Even in her Obama-esque web announcement she reveals how the race is ultimately her last chance to prove herself worthy a male's love. Apart from her money and organization (read electability)in what way is she a superior candidate to any dem who has or is likely to declare?
Oh yeah. Go Bears!
Oh yeah. Go Bears!
# posted by 
: 7:52 PM
: 7:52 PM
I think my Dad would have liked Hillary.
I doubt Bill Clinton would have let things get this far if he weren't lusting after a chance to get back in the White House. If Hillary does that for her husband, she'll have proved herself worthy of his love. If he disrepects her again, the country will support poor President Hillary even more than they supported poor First Lady Hillary in the aftermath of the Monica Lewinsky affair. If she does get the love she will have earned, she wins no matter how she fares as President.
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I doubt Bill Clinton would have let things get this far if he weren't lusting after a chance to get back in the White House. If Hillary does that for her husband, she'll have proved herself worthy of his love. If he disrepects her again, the country will support poor President Hillary even more than they supported poor First Lady Hillary in the aftermath of the Monica Lewinsky affair. If she does get the love she will have earned, she wins no matter how she fares as President.
