HILLARY ROMPS IN DEMS' PREZ POLL

Exactly right. And she and her so-called husband "own" the Dem party and their money machine. She could lose in 2004 if the war in Iraq is successful and the economy recovers. But if those things don't happen, she could win.

She will win in '04 if the economy doesn't recover at least in time for people to recognize that it has and can start reaping the benefits in terms of their personal situation, and that means 401(k) statements and personal portfolios. That means a 10-12 month lead time. So if the economy is still in the dumper but this time next year, Bush is going to get slaughtered by Hillary! or whatever Rat runs, regardless of the war, homeland security, or whatever. The Rats will bring back Carville and the war room and it will be It The Economy, Stoopit and the stoopit sheeple will buy into it just like before.

Yes, there is a lot of bad stuff out there about Hillary!, just like there was about Klink, but that didn't stop him from being elected, twice, over decent, capable men. Bad stuff makes a difference only if, first, people hear about it, and, second, people care about it. The lamestream press loves Hillary!, and won't do anything about bringing out the bad stuff. Remember when she was running for the Senate, and all the talk about the "tough" New York press? Yeah, right, tough, my a$$. They savaged Lazio over nothing more than they tried any rough stuff with Hillary!, it was just fluffball after fluffball. If anyone tries any rough stuff, they'll get killed by the Clinton smear machine, and Hillary! will put on her abused, victimized woman face, and everyone will go after whatever "mean-spirited conservative" did her wrong. There's the internet, yes, and Fox news, a cable channel, but the fact is that the majority of people don't have access to those and/or don't really have the intellectual drive to make the effort to learn from them. Then, even if the bad stuff comes out and people hear about it, they have to have the brains to understand what it means and care about it. Most people will care more for the fact that she's a Rat, she feels your pain about the terrible Bush economy, and says she will go after the bad guys (corporations) and fight for the little guy (the poor), and is a woman (the group identity thing).

I'm telling you, the state of the economy this time next year will trump all other issues. If its like it is today or worse, Bush will be tending the ranch down in Crawford come January of 2005, and Hillary! will be sitting at that desk in the Oval Office. She's dangerous and brutal and will take no prisoners to accomplish her goal of being there. I'll do my part to make sure that doesn't happen, and I really, really hope events prove me wrong, but I just have a feeling that its shaping up like '92, same names and all.

the state of the economy this time next year will trump all other issues.

I think it will be the main issue, but not the only one. The others will be peace and morality.
We're very likely to have other terrorist incidents in this country. How those are handled, and whether they are seen as likely to recur will be more important than the economy. The Dems so far have not looked like they take the threat seriously. Of course, if the Bush admin. is successful beyond their expectations and we have no further incidents, that would be a plus for the Dems.
And even some of my Leftmost friends are happy to have a President that they know is not going to be involved in any scandals. The clintoon scandals tired us all out. This isn't a point against any possible Dem nominee, but it will hurt hillary.

I do agree with you that too many voters are ill-informed. I get thoroughly exasperated by the people who think they are well-informed because they read the NYT or WP faithfully. Some of them are too closed-minded to ever reach, but there are others who will listen if you give them the rebuttal. And I spend every election year looking for those.

I'm not as pessimistic as you sound, but I think it's going to be a battle.

At Bush's State of the Union speech, she took care to plunk herself down in prime camera angle - second row, just behind the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

While this is entirely ( and manipulatively) true,after he completed his speech, it was probably only a minute and a half until George W. Bush had walked around to the front and shook all of the Chiefs of Staffs hands and SHE WAS NOWHERE IN SIGHT!!!Piece of Garbage that she is, she sure couldn't be seen shaking his hand,could she?Taking it a step further---After the Presidents address shortly after 9/11, even Tom Daschle intentionally blocked/stood in the way of GWB going across the front--- he wanted/ needed that scene to be caught on film for posterity.But not Senator Rotten,mmm hmmm, she left the building.A truly wretched,partisan hack.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.