From the Desk of Greg




I tend to be of the mind that Hillary Clinton would not be the right presidential candidate for 08 because she is such a lightening rod for the wacky right and of course everyone knows no good can from my commie home of New York. This does not mean that I subscribe to the corporate whore, back stabbing critique of the Nader/Dean legions and conversely I greatly respect Dean’s work in his new role in the party. I believe that in her bones she would be the most liberal candidate for president since Kerry ( read her commencement speech as valedictorian at Wellesly in 1969 and think about her goal {though lamely strategized } for health care in 92) who I believe was the most liberal candidate of my lifetime and I am 58 so I am including McGovern....anyhow Salon has an article about Hillary and the overall gist of it is not terribly profound by this list of why she might be a strong candidate was interesting to me ( the jpw refers to John Warner):

1) Universal name recognition. (In contrast, JPW, only 3 percent of likely Democratic primary voters know that you were originally the president in the Gershwin classic "Of Thee I Sing.")

2) Her capacity to raise $100 million without once working late into the night cold-calling strangers to beg and grovel for money.

3) The ability to dominate the free media. Hillary will never make a public appearance in this campaign without being tracked by 100 reporters. (In contrast, JPW, imagine how much coverage you will get for your first press conference bragging about your gubernatorial record and the "Tennetucky Miracle.")

4) Her emotional support from a significant percentage of women voters out to make history.

5) Nostalgia for the Clinton era of peace and prosperity in the 1990s.

6) Continuing Democratic resentment over impeachment.

7) Hillary's over-cautious political style that avoids risk and, quite likely, deliberate mistakes.

8) The most potent candidate surrogate in political history in the form of Bill Clinton.

9) The ability of the Clinton name and legacy to attract 75 percent of the African-American vote and a large slice of the Hispanic vote.

10) At least a half-dozen candidates (including JPW) who will divide the anti-Hillary Democrats, so that she could win major primaries with just her hardcore base of, say, 35 percent of the vote.