Posted on 11/03/2004 12:29:48 PM PST by Michael Goldsberry
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Scarred from their second defeat at the hands of George W. Bush, the Democratic party will be searching for names who can take on the Republicans in four years. And an obvious one is Clinton.
Many Democrats and experts believe that if Senator John Kerry (news - web sites) had the same charisma as ex-president Bill Clinton (news - web sites) he would have easily taken revenge this week for Bush's controversial defeat of Al Gore (news - web sites) in 2000.
But Hillary Clinton (news - web sites) is the most quoted name for the next contender.
University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato believes there are several reasons why Kerry lost Tuesday's vote.
"One, he is too liberal, well to the left of the American mainstream on the critical social and cultural issues such as abortion, gay rights and gun control."
More important for Sabato was personality.
"John Kerry is no Bill Clinton. There is very little warmth there, and people didn't warm to him. A moderate Democratic candidate with personal warmth would have defeated George W. Bush easily."
The new defeat is certain to lead to some painful soul-searching within the Democratic party.
After Bill Clinton's victory in 1992 and re-election in 1996, his vice-president Al Gore was narrowly defeated by Bush in 2000 even though he won the popular vote.
The Democrats were hit hard in 2002 mid-term elections, losing control of the Senate and seeing the Republicans extend their advantage in House of Representatives.
Bush's new victory left a bitter taste for many Democrats who look back to the Clinton years with affection even though the ex-president divided the country with many of his actions.
Bill Clinton electrified a crowd of tens of thousands when he returned from a quadruple heart by-pass to appear at a rally with Kerry eight days before the vote.
Though thinner, Clinton was given rapturous applause after castigating the Bush administration and telling adoring fans "my fellow Americans, we can do better."
Clinton remains wildly popular with core Democratic voters, especially black Americans, a voting bloc Kerry was never able to touch in the same way.
Kerry has been criticized as a one-dimensional campaigner compared to Clinton.
Now Hillary Clinton, the senator for New York state, is likely to dominate the Democratic party debate while she makes up her mind whether to stand.
"Hillary Clinton is the natural heir apparent" of Bill, according to Allan Lichtman, a political science professor at the American University in Washington.
Wildly popular among Democratic loyalists and able to raise vast amounts of campaign funds, Hillary Clinton has "worked very, very hard not to play into a caricature of herself," according to a Democratic party strategist who asked not to be named.
She is however the Democrat that hard-core Republicans most love to hate.
"The Republicans will very happily reverse to a caricature, and she becomes a lot less appealing when she puts herself forward" as a candidate, the strategist said.
So there is an outside chance that the Democratic party's 2008 presidential candidate is a long shot bet.
Barack Obama, a 43-year-old rising star in the party who became the lone black American senator in Tuesday's election, is talked about as a possible future candidate.
The Democrats "need only nominate a moderate candidate with warmth," said Sabato, pointing to figures like telegenic Indiana Senator Evan Bayh.
I can't believe the Dems would be that stupid again. OK, so yes I can. I believe the Democrats would have won this election fairly easily if they had nominated a moderate candidate with a good voting track record on defense issues. In 2008, if they nominate one of the most reviled Democrats, they are just setting themselves up for a repeat. Go right ahead, make our days!
LOL!!! He is about to give her a knuckle sandwich.
He's my senator and I think one of the best senators there. But he's already gathered a nationwide group of people who hate him and are contributing money to defeat him in 2006. I think he'd have a hard time getting elected. But I also think he'd make be of our better presidents.
He will have to change that name to get elected. Is that Klingon or something?
Bet she's not around in 2008?
So much for charisma in the next Democratic candidate...
Four years is a long time. Hillary could very well win considering how close Kerry came. Who's out there to run against here in 2008?
The BEAST has triple the baggage of sKerry and 10-8 skeletons in her closet. So as the Swift Boat Vets and POWs outed the phony war hero, people will come forward with the dirt on her, to wit:
Like Dubya has been saying about Kerry's record;
"You can run - but you cannot hide!"
So yeah, bring her on. It'll be fun seeing her self destruct in 'fly-over' country. Her disdain for the 'little people' will go over real well when they're told she wants to make them irrelevant by eliminating the Electoral College.
Mitt Romney?
George Pataki?
Rudy will be too old, so I'm not sure who else would be on the short list.
According to the DUmmies, Hillary AINT the answer to their woes.
Dean will be coming back for them.
I can't say I ever recall HC ever accused of having 'charisma', not even hinted. This is a first.
I say "Bring It (Her) On".
Hoeffel is a tough competitor. I've heard John Street might run for it. And I know a college professor who has been raising money for a 2006 run now for awhile. He's trying to get the State democratic committee to get behind one candidate so that they won't splinter in the primaries and will be in a better position to defeat Santorum in the general election. Of course, the gentleman I know wants to get the state comm behind him and we don't think that will happen. If they follow his advice, it may be Street if he wants it. I hadn't thought of Hoeffel, but I bet you're right. That's a worry. There are crazy people in the PA forum here on FR who want to oppose Santorum at any price because he endorsed Specter instead of Toomey. Because of efforts of short-sighted people like them, Santorum could be in some trouble, although I hope not.
His name is African-Islamic in origin. Obama's father is a Kenyan Muslim who apparently took little interest in his upbringing. His mother is a classic white liberal. He was reared in a middle-class essentially white cultural lifestyle far removed from the urban black experience.
He has a way of invoking religion and using pious-sounding words, but if you probe below his religious exterior it you find a bowl of unitarian-style mush mouldering there.
He's tall and well-spoken. That counts for something. But conservatives will reject him for his unabashed liberalism.
But look how far Kerry got. Obama has more of a personality and is even more smooth talking than Kerry. His father may have been a Muslim, but Obama never was that I know. His parents are dead, so I doubt that they will be an issue.
Look for Hellery to adopt a new "moderate" tone to her senate presense. I will welcome it, but will see right through it and will make sure others do too.
....... was not vote for personal retroactive abortion.
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