Clinton faces adjustment upon return to Senate

AP via SFGate ^ | 5/30/8 | LAURIE KELLMAN, Associated Press Writer

[SmithL]

Hillary Rodham Clinton, who ran for the presidency with the aura of inevitability, faces the reality of being one of 100.

For the first time since she was elected to the Senate in 2000, the former first lady is no longer the candidate with the best shot of capturing the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. That title belongs to someone else. She's still simply the junior senator from New York with no committee chairmanship, the coin of the realm bestowed by seniority.

At least for a while.

As she walks the familiar marble halls of Congress, from news conferences to committee hearings, she not only will be one of 100 senators. She'll likely be one of a dozen who have tried for the White House and come up short. It's a long list of Democrats and Republicans, from Edward M. Kennedy in 1980 to Elizabeth Dole in 2000 to John Kerry in 2004.

They have felt Clinton's pain. It's a humbling experience, say those who have gone through it. But if Clinton rebuilds the goodwill she may have drained by staying in the race — by campaigning hard for Democratic front-runner Barack Obama, for example — empathy will be abundant if the past is any guide.

"There's a mythology that it's hard to come back to the Senate after running for president. It's garbage," Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 nominee, said in remarks provided by his office.

In recent interviews, many senators with dashed presidential dreams predicted that Clinton has the work ethic and the drive to distinguish herself from within the Senate's exclusive walls.

...Other questions loom: Could she be happy and stimulated representing the interests of New Yorkers for years until she becomes something of a national senator, without a presidential prize waiting just over the horizon?

[SmithL]

Poor thing - only a Senator

a w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w w

[EagleUSA]

Adjustment? Yeah, she will acutally have to go to work as a Senator, and not just sitting there to be able to put something on her empty resume. She will also be under the microscope as well....something the Clintons do not like, for obvious reasons.

[MediaMole]

She’s going to be shunned and pushed out of power. Couldn’t happen to a nicer person.

[donna]

She’ll be the new Kennedy.

[Nervous Tick]

Wow... they're talking as though her return to the Senate is, well, inevitable.

[unkus]

And if she decides to run again in 2012, she will have to watch her P’s and Q’s. Otherwise, she will do some overtly damaging things to the country. “Vindictive” is only one of her middle names.

[Sax]

Please, she’s perpetually stuck in the I’m better, deserve better, and will get better than you mode. Arrogant entitlement shields her from reality.

[RonF]

She’s still a member of the most exclusive club in America. And her Presidential ambitions are not yet gone a-glimmering, especially if Obama doesn’t win.

[Nonstatist]

But she is a wee bit insane; filled with hatred, bitterness, and bile. She blew her big chance, and its hard to see her settle down to doing the infighting thing without many shots of Jack Daniels (like she did in Pa.)

[unkus]

“But she is a wee bit insane; filled with hatred, bitterness, and bile. She blew her big chance, and its hard to see her settle down to doing the infighting thing without many shots of Jack Daniels (like she did in Pa.)”

Jack Daniels is the only male you will see in her bed room at 3:00 AM

[goldstategop]

Just like John F*ckin' four years ago. Hey - she still has a day job to come back to.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[what's up]

Both she and Obama are going to be back in the Senate.

Lots of junk will be going on there for the next 4 years as they jockey for '12

[snarks_when_bored]

When Hillary ran for the Senate, she said repeatedly that her only aim was to serve the interests of the people of New York. Most New Yorkers were quite sure that she was being sincere, so they voted her in (only a jaded cynic would have suspected that she had aspirations to even higher office). Now she's going to be getting the opportunity to continue the immensely impressive work for New York that she's already done. What better outcome could any New Yorker hope for?

Heh.

[MrB]

The Senate should pass a rule that you must resign your seat to declare your candidacy for another office.

[johnny7]

"There's a mythology that it's hard to come back to the Senate after running for president. It's garbage," -Jean Francois Kerry

It's mythology that John Kerry was anything but a traitorous, gold digging blowhard... before... and after his presidential bid.

[Dilbert San Diego]

And it’s true that the atmosphere surrounding her will change. She will be looked at differently. When she arrived in the Senate, it was assumed that she would be running for president someday. So she was on the “fast track” if you want to call it that, or a “rising star”. Now that her inevitable rise in national politics has ended,we’ll see if she ever runs for pres. again, or will be happy as a Ted Kennedy type senator for life.

Heck maybe she will get up her courage and leave Bill. Her whole personal life might change as a result of her pres. campaign experience.

[kcm.org]

Once Mrs. Bill Clinton informs America she has taken Jesus into her heart, Americans will forgive her and her husband of their mob hits on opponents...

[incredulous joe]

Does anyone know the historical origin of the term “thrown under the bus”?

Does this mean that she would be metaphorically thrown under the wheels, or that she is put in with the baggage.

Just curious?

[Sacajaweau]

A JUNIOR senator with a "BIG L" on her forehead. Kerry wasn't the shoe in that she was.

And like I've said before, if she had run as VP with Kerry...they would have won. I'll bet his weak point was the womans' vote..

[MNJohnnie]

Here is hoping she decides to follow McCain’s lead and become a “maverick” pain in the ... to her own side for rejecting her.

[Luke21]

She's nuts. She had the best PR people in the game, telling her not to be so loud and shrewish when she talked, to quit snorting and cackling, and to down shots of whiskey and pretend she was a soldier and coal miner.

She has (still) an adoring press. Surveys have shown she gets only slightly less positive press than Prince Obama. They either still love or fear the shrew.

She was anointed. The same people that sneered at George Wallace running his wife for governor years ago, were prepared to carry her on their shoulders. Liberals are such hypocrites. It will be a great day if or when she finally gets beat. I don't care if it's by Bozo the Clown.

[MNJohnnie]

http://www.word-detective.com/2008/02/12/under-the-bus-to-throw/

[rod1]

Kerry’s is right. Once you have been a ketchup gigalo, collecting a Senate paycheck for doing next to nothing is really not that hard.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

"There's a mythology that it's hard to come back to the Senate after running for president. It's garbage," Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 nominee, said in remarks provided by his office.

Translation, if one is a do-nothing Senator before their Presidential run, it's no problem to return to the Senate and continue to do the same.

[zavvone]

Well, she will always have her devoted, loving husband by her side! That’s gotta be a plus!

HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

I couldn’t stop laughing while I wrote this!!!

[theDentist]

Hillary will start her next run on Jan 22, 2009, no matter who is elected. The only question will be how obnoxious she’ll be (depending on the Party of the occupant).

[Nailbiter]

If there were any justice she would be an ex senator, ex citizen sitting in jail

[incredulous joe]

thanks, and cool site!

“etymology” was the word that I was looking for

[The Sons of Liberty]

It’s too bad she won’t just go away. Count on her showing her ugly face on all of the talk shows giving her worthless opinions just so she can remain “relevant”.

[Dante3]

I want the sleazy Clintons out of Washington. Like sociopaths, they have no shame or ethics, only greed for power. MSM is not asking them about Juanita, Marc Rich pardon, the pardon of dangerous radicals, etc. Yet they complain and whine and feel entitled to special perks. They must be going nuts over losing to an empty suit like Obama.

[Nailbiter]

I find it hilarious.
Hillary is on the receiving end of what she has done to many in the past

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

"There's a mythology that it's hard to come back to the Senate after running for president. It's garbage," Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 nominee, said in remarks provided by his office.

1. I think the word you were looking for, Senator, is myth, not mythology.

2. It's garbage. A bit touchy on this subject, are we Senator?

[Old Grumpy]

“The Senate should pass a rule that you must resign your seat to declare your candidacy for another office.”

Totally agree.

[Non-Sequitur]

Wait’ll she and Obama meet up again on the Senate floor in January. That should be interesting.

[Non-Sequitur]

The Senate should pass a rule that you must resign your seat to declare your candidacy for another office.

Why just the Senate? Why not House and Vice-President as well? Maybe the individual legislatures should do the same for Governors?

[Joe Boucher]

You could be describing Dick Nixon in 1960

[cubreporter]

As long as hillllreee is back in the senate that’s all that matters to me.

[Nonstatist]

You could be describing Dick Nixon in 1960

Only Nixon didn't contest the election which was transparently stolen from him, and the Press ALWAYS hated his guts. Plus, he was right about the Commies.

Other than that, theres a lot of similarities.

[eastforker]

When she loses the election and goes back to senate, any doubt it will be her last term and will be ditching Bill?

[stylin19a]

Junior Senator.

[Joe Boucher]

Mr. Nixon though flawed had the utmost respect for the office of the Presidency.
Mrs. Clinton simply seeks power.

[Mogollon]

Guliani should run against her in 2010 and take her senate seat away from her.

[OldEagle]

OK, I will go out on a limb here. Hillary will not be back in the senate very long. If Obama wins, she will, have a seat on the Supreme Court. If McCain wins, she will likely have the same appointment, unless he picks her as VP in a classic reach across. Either way, Chelsea P Clinton will be the Senator from NY. Please hold the laughter until next year unless you just can’t hold it.

[The Ghost of Rudy McRomney]

Hell, not ONE person in the entire media has the guts to ask “Who is Huma?” Let alone anything else. Since we’re at war with radical Islam, you’d think they’d be a bit curious. What if McCain had a muslim following him around 24 hrs; a day and handling everything for him? Think the media would be quiet?