Posted on 09/19/2003 11:30:23 AM PDT by yoe
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- The idea that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) will run for the Democrat nomination for president in 2004 remains a possibility as none of the other ten Democrat candidates has been able to emerge as a clear frontrunner.
Former President Bill Clinton spoke candidly about his wife's possible presidential aspirations in a Democrat forum hosted by his former chief of staff Leon Panetta that took place at the Monterey Conference Center in Monterey, California on Wednesday.
"I'm not about to take a position in the primary," Clinton told Panetta regarding who he supports for the Democrat nomination for president.
But when he was asked about the possibility that his wife Hillary might enter the race for president, he told the partisan audience that he would not have any input about it.
"That's really a decision for her to make," the former president said.
Hillary Clinton was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 when she received 55 percent of the vote to defeat Republican Rick Lazio in what was described by The Almanac of American Politics as the most expensive New York Senate race in history that did not include any personal money from the candidates.
Although Sen. Clinton has promised the citizens of New York that she would serve a full six-year term before seeking another political office, former President Clinton said the former First Lady has been asked by many of her constituents to run for president.
"I was impressed at the state fair in New York, which is in Republican country in upstate New York, at how many New Yorkers came up and said they would release her from her commitment if she wanted to do it," former President Clinton told the Monterey audience.
Panetta says the prospect of the New York Senator running for president is certainly generating the kind of media buzz that the other candidates crave.
"She's getting a lot of people talking," he exclaimed.
Recently, former President Clinton revealed that he believes the Democrat Party has two stars presently, Sen. Clinton and former Army Gen. Wesley Clark, who officially announced his candidacy for president on Wednesday. His name has been mentioned as a possible vice presidential running mate for Sen. Clinton if she decides to run for president in 2004.
A new Quinnipiac poll released on Wednesday found that Hillary Clinton would easily win the Democrat nomination for president with 45 percent of primary voters and would have the best showing in a one-on-one race against President George W. Bush in 2004.
But the same poll shows that Bush would easily defeat any of the Democrat challengers, including Hillary Clinton.
Although many believe it is inevitable she place her name in the race, the Democrat National Committee says they would be completely surprised if Hillary decides to run in 2004.
"She's not running," said DNC spokesman Tony Welch. "We know that. She told us that."
Despite the fact she has denied that she is running for president, Hillary Clinton is getting so much media attention over her possible run that she will be impossible for the other Democrat candidates to ignore.
"I don't think she's going to run, but I think she's loving the coverage," says political consultant Joseph Mercurio.
Hillary Clinton is expected to make several key appearances soon in New Hampshire, Iowa, and South Carolina, three states that will be conducting their Democrat presidential primaries/caucuses early in 2004. Many believe she will gauge her support for a possible run during these visits.
Oddly enough, gamblers are already taking bets on who they think will become the next president of the United States. Bookmaker William Hill says that Hillary Clinton has an 11/7 chance of winning the next U.S. presidential election even before she has announced herself as a candidate.
"We have taken a string of bets for Hillary Clinton both to win the next presidential election and also to become the first female President of the U.S.," said Graham Sharpe, spokesman for William Hill.
The other Democrat candidates fare a lot worse than Hillary Clinton based on their odds of winning the presidency. Sen. John Kerry is at 5/1, former Vermont governor Howard Dean has 11/2 odds, and Clark, Rep. Dick Gephardt, and Sen. Joe Lieberman all have an 8/1 chance of becoming the next president. None of the other Democrat candidates statistically have a chance of winning the presidency according to the oddsmakers.
Interestingly enough, despite all the negative attacks coming from the Democrat candidates for president about his handling of the war in Iraq and the economy, President Bush is still the odds-on favorite to win with his chances at 4/7.
NO TO MRS. CLINTON!!!
I'm from Upstate, NY. They hate Hillary. True to form, Clinton is blantantly lieing, or he's misinterpreted their meaning.
They'd release her because she's a skank and they want her to get the hell out of NY, but they'd never vote for her as a presidential contender.
Either way, Upstate NY detests Hillary.
She comes to Upstate and rapes the restaurants as violently as Bill raped Juanita! They can't do anything about it but put some ice on it!
Maybe she thinks even if she loses, it won't hurt her run in 2008. Who knows exactly what's going on in that conniving head of hers.
Be careful not to create a self fulfilling prophacy. The Republicans need to rise above her, and think positive, lest we do something subconsciencely in err based on fear. Keep the high ground. Liberals cannot defend themselves against logical minds. Without emotion and a "tolerance for every sin" holy war, the democrats can never win. If we remain rightous, she cannot attack us in any way. No man can hold anything against a rightous man and have it stick.
Their policies would never make it through the ballot box. That's why they've taken up facist litigation to get the power they want. Good people do not want what they have to offer. No one likes thought control , and the nation is overwhemingly traditional.
I don't think she will have the "juice" to run in '08, or be nominated in '08. Personalities like the Clinton's seem to have a shelf life. She either runs in '04 for Pres. or stays in the Senate for a 2nd. term as NY Senator. She can't "keep" until '08.
You have to understand WHY they voted for her in the first place.
The sloth thought she'd bring back their welfare. She promised them manna if they bowed down to worship her. It didn't happen.
The businessess felt she had enough crimminal connections, she could force business into NY. It didn't happen.
Most though she had so much political clout, she could make NY a heaven on earth. It didn't happen.
Lazio was virtually unknown until he ran, but she had celebrity status.
She ran, again, on Bills coat tails.
Now, after Clinton letting Bin Ladin go and the resulting 9/11, even many in NYC have a low opinion of her and her demonic minions. They boo her.
Nah. Her chance at re-election is null and void without massive voter fraud. She got lucky before, 55% of the vote, but she's lost that 5% Edge.
Has anyone noticed the huge transformation that has taken place in 10 years and the lack of comment by the media? In Slick's run, the idea that he could run without spousal support was preposterous. The 60 Minutes interview illustrated that. Now, we see half of the nation's most powerful political couple stating matter of factly that a decision to run is entirely up to the other.
This is notable for a couple of reasons. First, it is clear that the Clinton "marriage" is anything but. The media provided the necessary cover for them to pose as husband and wife. But the second, and more profound implication, is that the Clinton's actually believe that such an "arrangment" will now fly if openly practiced. Hillary's only chance at the Oval Office hinges on Bill. If they continue to publicly distance themselves from each other's actions, she loses that.
Has anyone ever considered that a Hillary presidency would actually be Bill's worst nightmare? Could his ego withstand it? We know his political acumen. Did he utter such a seemingly innocuous statement knowing that it would hinder her chances eventually? I think it's something to consider.
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