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For the Democrats, Signs of a Possible Changing of the Guard
NYT ^ | May 8th, 2008 | ADAM NAGOURNEY

Posted on 05/08/2008 9:40:36 AM PDT by The_Republican

After 16 years, the Clinton era may be coming to an end, presenting Democrats with a historic but potentially wrenching transition and a challenge to Senator Barack Obama as he seeks to reconcile a deeply divided party.

Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been at the heart of the Democratic Party since Mr. Clinton steered it back to the White House in 1992, with a campaign that combined a moderate appeal with the hard-edged political tactics that had once been the province of Republicans. Mrs. Clinton seemed poised last year to lead Democrats into the general election campaign if not beyond.

And while the relationship between the party establishment and the Clintons has always been uneasy at best, an entire generation of Democrats has known no other figures as dominant as the two of them.

Mrs. Clinton said Wednesday that she would remain in the race despite her double-digit loss in North Carolina and winning only narrowly in Indiana. But across the party, Democrats — including some of her own supporters — were confronting an increasing likelihood that their tangle of ties to and feelings about the Clintons would be swept aside for now as the party prepares for a new era with a leader, in Mr. Obama, who comes from a different generation and promises a very different style of politics.

“There is going to be a new set of people running the show,” said Simon Rosenberg, the executive director of the New Democratic Network, a political action organization not affiliated with any candidates. “The Clintons and their allies have been running the show for 16 years. You’re going to see a new generation of political leaders coming to the fore. It’s going to create an upheaval.”

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; changingofguard; democratfuture; hillary; next; obama

1 posted on 05/08/2008 9:40:36 AM PDT by The_Republican
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To: The_Republican

Whitewater?


2 posted on 05/08/2008 9:45:14 AM PDT by kcm.org (Now unto Him)
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To: The_Republican

Hang in there, Hillary. Your ego demands it.


3 posted on 05/08/2008 9:47:07 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Average White Conservative)
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To: The_Republican

A changing of the guard? I’ll believe it when Ted Kennedy passes from the scene, otherwise it’s still business as usual. This time it will be under Ted’s newest hand-picked protege.


4 posted on 05/08/2008 9:52:28 AM PDT by contemplator (Capitalism gets no Rock Concerts)
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To: The_Republican

The disgusting Clintons’ have come to the end of their disgraceful (lots of “dising” here) infliction on America! I am delighted to see the, hopefully, not temporary, end of the bent one and his bride from hell. Obama will prove to be the beginning of a socialist Amerika and he will put our Nation in great danger from Islam. Kissing up to Amadinnerjacket will bring us nothing but weakness in a time when the Chicoms and Russia and North Korea along with Iran and Syria to the conclusion that America will be a second rate military pushover. The Americans voting for this fraud will awaken and be totally amazed that such a thing could happen, after all Obama is such a nice guy with all the trappings of the down-trodden black people in our Nation. What a monster the drive-bys are creating.


5 posted on 05/08/2008 9:52:44 AM PDT by Rockiette (Democrats are not intelligent)
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To: The_Republican

6 posted on 05/08/2008 9:54:43 AM PDT by johnny7
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To: The_Republican
HA!.....National Democrat Marxist-Socialist Savior Party....the "GIMME THAT" Party....
(the name changes/results are the same....spread the misery...misery for all)
7 posted on 05/08/2008 10:02:26 AM PDT by skinkinthegrass (just b/c you're paranoid,doesn't mean "they" aren't out to get you..our hopes were dashed by CINOs :)
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To: The_Republican
hard-edged political tactics that had once been the province of Republicans

When have the Republicans EVER used "hard-edged political tactics"? They've been pu$$ies since they capitulated to the Democrats by ending Reconstruction in 1876.

8 posted on 05/08/2008 10:09:20 AM PDT by MuttTheHoople
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To: The_Republican
From the article:

"Mr. Hart recalled that after a similarly divisive primary battle against Walter F. Mondale in 1984, he made a point of throwing all his effort into trying to get his supporters behind Mr. Mondale."

So, how'd that work out for ya, Mr. Hart?

9 posted on 05/08/2008 10:10:24 AM PDT by carolinablonde (Proud member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy)
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To: The_Republican

With the Clintons experiencing a threat to their power within the Dem party, expect them to lash out with everything they have to take down Obama. I’ve watched the Clintons for 16 years. They do not lose graciously. They would rather take down the whole Dem Party than lose their power


10 posted on 05/08/2008 10:10:29 AM PDT by PapaBear3625 ("In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act." — George Orwell)
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To: Rockiette

And we may never neither survive it nor recover from it.


11 posted on 05/08/2008 10:12:09 AM PDT by UScbass
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To: The_Republican

Unlike many observers, I don’t think there will be a lot of conflict within the party when Hillary is beaten.

Sure, the women liked the idea of a woman as Pres.—but how many of them will forswear the Dem party if Hillary isn’t chosen as the candidate?

I don’t think there is that much love and loyalty for the Clintons in the party when push comes to shove.


12 posted on 05/08/2008 10:13:56 AM PDT by wildbill
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To: The_Republican
One example of the political environment Mr. Obama faces could be found in the fact that nearly 50 percent of Clinton supporters in Indiana said they would vote for Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, or stay at home if Mr. Obama was the candidate, surveys of voters leaving the polls said on Tuesday.

That's impressive.

13 posted on 05/08/2008 3:18:18 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: AdmSmith; Berosus; Convert from ECUSA; dervish; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Fred Nerks; george76; ...
Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton have been at the heart of the Democratic Party since Mr. Clinton steered it back to the White House in 1992, with a campaign that combined a moderate appeal with the hard-edged political tactics that had once been the province of Republicans.
Well, that's BS, right there. "Hard-edged political tactics" like what? Was that nuclear war scare ad run by Republicans against Goldwater in 1964? Was Bella Abzug a Republican when that beotch attempted to reject Gerald Ford as Nixon's appointed VP and impose an appointed Demwit in his place (the coup attempt was rejected by the Speaker)? [Paint-peeling expletive] partisan media shill wrote that spin-doctored pile of offal.
14 posted on 05/09/2008 10:27:18 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Profile updated Monday, April 28, 2008)
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To: neverdem

Oh, and thanks neverdem. ;’)


15 posted on 05/09/2008 10:27:46 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Profile updated Monday, April 28, 2008)
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