You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Says 'President Hillary'

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 11-9-2006 | Catherine Elsworth

[blam]

You ain't seen nothing yet, says 'President Hillary'

By Catherine Elsworth in New York
Last Updated: 2:16am GMT 09/11/2006

Some supporters already refer to Hillary Clinton as "Mrs President" and although she remains steadfastly to be drawn on a possible White House bid, her re-election in New York will only fuel speculation that she is poised for a historic run for the presidency.

Bill Clinton congratulates Hillary after her re-election

The former first lady won a crushing victory over her Republican opponent, securing almost 70 per cent of the vote in the overwhelmingly Democratic state and even picking up support in more traditionally Republican areas.

Exhaustive campaigning – considered overkill by many in a race she was almost certain to win – has convinced commentators she is "exercising her campaign muscles" for a bid for the Democratic nomination for the presidency in 2008.

But there was no word yesterday from Sen Clinton on anything beyond the immediate future as she delivered a brief victory speech, declaring that being senator was "the greatest privilege I could have".

But as she left the stage, the sounds of the rousing rock classic You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet boomed forth.

Sen Clinton outspent every other politician running for office, laying out almost $30 million. Much of it went on television advertising but she was also generous to fellow Democrats in New York and beyond, especially those in tight races. It was one of many tactics analysts interpreted as preparation for a presidential bid.

"She'll be able to collect her chips, as we say, at some point from those she's helping out," said Prof Steven Brams, of New York University.

Despite her spending, the senator is still estimated to have about $15 million in the bank, which could be used for a White House run. Given her celebrity profile and the clout of her friends, fund-raising is unlikely to be an issue she has to worry about. More problematic could be convincing the party she has broad enough appeal to win over the country her husband once ran.

But Tuesday's result, in which she triumphed in districts she previously lost, demonstrated her efforts to appeal both to independent voters and more moderate conservatives were at least in part successful.

During the campaign, Sen Clinton, 59, focused on her achievements since election to the Senate in 2000. She also attacked the Bush administration's strategy in Iraq and urged Donald Rumsfeld to resign.

"The message couldn't be clearer: that it is time for a new course," Sen Clinton told cheering supporters yesterday, the former president, Bill Clinton, beside her.

"New Yorkers and Americans want an end to the culture of corruption and the dominance of special interests and a new beginning to our beloved country."

[finnigan2]

""New Yorkers and Americans want an end to the culture of corruption and the dominance of special interests and a new beginning to our beloved country."

- Chutzpah has always been the Clinton's strong suit.
No one else could, with a straight face, describe their own past behavior and critically ascribe them to her enemies and still enjoy the media's unquestioning support and get away with it.
That's why she's so dangerous in 2008.

[Revelation 911]

Not to rub salt into your wounds, but you also now have Spitzer and Cuomo to round out your day.

it was pretty funny actually - Cuomo is actually kinda scary to look at - his eyes bug out not unlike Barb Bush when she had graves disease - so all the ads were shot from the side and rarely had him speaking

Spitzer ran these really well done homey type ads that played on sentimentalism....while Faso ran nothing

This wasnt so much a democrat landslide but the republicans handing it to them.....which is a bit more infuriating

[Jimmy Valentine]

I wonder, if you get Andy Cuomo, do you now also have to listen to his whiney old scold of a father? Just hearing Mario's voice used to piss me off.