National "Draft Hillary" Campaign To Launch In Tennessee

WBIR ^ | 5/4/06

[areafiftyone]

By BONNA de la CRUZ
Staff Writer for THE TENNESSEAN

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Published: Thursday, 05/04/06

A movement to draft Hillary Rodham Clinton to run for president aims to prove Democrats can win in Southern states, and that's why they're launching their national campaign in Nashville later this month.

The group, called Hillarynow.com, thinks she can appeal to the country-music and NASCAR-loving crowd associated with Southern towns such as Nashville, said Bob Kunst, the Miami Beach-based organizer.

"The whole point is to go where we're not expected," Kunst said.

The national kickoff will be a May 23 fundraiser for Hillarynow.com at a Germantown coffee shop, Enchanted Gingerbread. About 200 Tennesseans are expected to attend, Kunst said.

Hillarynow.com bills itself as the oldest and most active organization in support of her presidency. Another group, votehillary.org, is based in Chester, Va.

Hillarynow.com has raised about $35,000 and has between 10,000 and 15,000 people who have signed up online to support Clinton as the nation's first woman president, Kunst said.

The group ran four "Draft Hillary" television ads in the fall in New Hampshire, which has the first presidential primary, and in Kentucky in December when Clinton spoke there, Kunst said.

Because media attention and fundraising dollars come easily to Clinton, who has been labeled an early frontrunner, it may be difficult to understand why she needs a draft effort, Kunst said.

But, he explained, "She's a Washington figure. She needs the energy of a grass-roots campaign."

The Nashville event will be the first of several fundraisers throughout the country and the kickoff to the group's organizing efforts to sign up supporters to volunteer for a national campaign to draft Clinton, Kunst said.

The chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party is not sure Tennesseans will warm to Clinton right away.

"I think she would have difficulty right now simply because she has been characterized by the other side as too liberal for most Tennesseans," Bob Tuke said.

"At this point, it would be tough for her. However, she has been working through press releases, legislation, positions and testimony before the Senate to demonstrate that she is more moderate than most people think she is."

Two Nashville bakers, the gingerbread maker at Enchanted Gingerbread and another who specializes in biscotti and other Italian sweets, are contributing their culinary skills to raise money for the movement.

"She's my idol, and I'm looking for a change," said Anna Lia Notardonato-Hicks of Goodlettsville, who runs an Internet-order Italian bakery, Tutto Bene (tuttobenecentral.com).

Notardonato-Hicks usually uses butter when baking from old family recipes.

But when she whips up Clinton's chocolate-chip cookies, she uses Crisco - usually banned from her kitchen - because that's how Clinton makes them.

"It's a really nice cookie," said Notardonato-Hicks, who prides herself in using only natural ingredients. "For Hillary, I have Crisco in my kitchen."

The cookie recipe became famous as part of a presidential wives' bake-off between Clinton and Barbara Bush in 1992 and Elizabeth Dole in 1996.

Clinton also famously referenced baked goods when she defended her law practice and business dealings: "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was to fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life."

E. Gayle O'Hanlon, 47, president of Enchanted Gingerbread, is baking red, white and blue gingerbread cookies for the cause. "Gingerbread is traditional and all-American," O'Hanlon said.

The chocolate chip and gingerbread cookies are for sale at Hillarynow.com and will be served at the fundraiser.

"I think we've started to condition ourselves to the idea of having a woman president," said O'Hanlon, who cited as one factor the television show "Commander in Chief," which stars Geena Davis as the nation's first female president. ABC this week yanked the drama from its May lineup.

The idea of a group which supports the former first lady and New York senator coming to a state that elected George W. Bush twice made the chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party chuckle.

"It's very interesting that Hillary Clinton's draft movement would start such an effort where both Al Gore and John Kerry were decisively beaten," Bob Davis said.

"Besides Harold Ford Jr., she is the one person who will drive every conservative voter from across the state to vote against," Davis said.

Ford is the Democrat running for Republican Bill Frist's Senate seat.

Kunst, an activist on many issues, has shown up in Tennessee before, once to protest the United States' embargo against Cuba and another time to attend "Gay Day" in Rhea County.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

I say draft her, then send her to Iraq with an M16..

[Darkwolf377]

Token "Please PLEASE don't throw me into that briar patch!" post.

[Birdland]

Al Gore's "home state". She won't fare any better than he did.

[areafiftyone]

We kinda knew this was coming that woman is raising money like its going out of style and its NOT for her Senate race because she doesnn't need that much to run for NY Senate.

[Osage Orange]

The group, called Hillarynow.com, thinks she can appeal to the country-music and NASCAR-loving crowd associated with Southern towns such as Nashville, said Bob Kunst, the Miami Beach-based organizer.

ROFLOL!!!

[Ben Mugged]

Draft her? Is there really anyone on the planet that doesn't know she has been running for President since 1991?

[ARCADIA]

"I say draft her, then send her to Iraq with an M16."

That would be uncalled for; we know she hates those evil guns; just give her a shovel and have her dig up a few minefield or two.

[Red Badger]

Like a DRAFT HORSE?..........or in this case an ASS........

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The "Daft Hillary" campaign?

I thought everybody already knew that about her.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

yea, I thought that was pretty funny myself..

[areafiftyone]

Yup don't cha know that Hillary always was a NASCAR/YANKEE BASEBALL/COUNTRY MUSIC Fan? Jeeze where have ya been?

[WV Mountain Mama]

Anna Lia Notardonato-Hicks

As a rule, I always do the opposite of what hyphenated women tell me.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

[cyberaxe]

.....that's what i was a thinkin.....

.....that, or.....

.....her arse is so wide.....

.....that the whole state of TN is gonna start following her.....

.....ala NASCAR stlyle to save gas.....

[Tzimisce]

How Would Mohammed Vote?

Better print her campaign posters in Spanish so the illegals know who supports them and in picture books for the illiterates who have been through the leftist school system.

Better go pass out free joints at some raves to promote her (cause you'd have to be on drugs to vote for her.)

[WV Mountain Mama]

Yeah, let's put her in the pace car and let her take a couple of laps waving out the window. That will definitely send her a message...

[Always Right]

National "Draft Hillary" Campaign

That's like having a campaign to Draft Bill to Cheat on his Wife.

[PBRSTREETGANG]

The group, called Hillarynow.com, thinks she can appeal to the country-music and NASCAR-loving crowd...

Hillary! probably thinks she has a head start because she's already an honorary "Dixie Chick".

[Michael Goldsberry]

thinks she can appeal to the country-music and NASCAR-loving crowd associated with Southern towns such as Nashville

Bwahaahaahaa!!!