February 25, 2005

On Hating Hillary

James Taranto at the WSJ expands a Political Diary post from a couple of days ago into a full column today. In "Hillary's Secret Weapon" he lays down a very plausible GOP failure in '08.

They may help her in the general election, too. One reason Democrats failed to unseat President Bush was that they were blinded by their hatred for him. This made them overconfident, as they mistook their emotions for facts, assuming that because they couldn't stand him, he must be (as one candidate put it) a "miserable failure." They obsessed over nonissues (Halliburton, Mr. Bush's National Guard service), and they failed to realize that their totally negative campaign reflected badly on them, not on Mr. Bush. If Mrs. Clinton is the nominee in 2008, Republicans risk repeating these mistakes.

Sanator Clinton can capture the nomination in spite of some moderate stances, then run right in the general. I am frequently pessimistic in politics, but I think she is virtually unbeatable. Unless the GOP runs Secretary Rice.

Politics Posted by jk at February 25, 2005 4:30 PM

I have a hard time imagining Hilary successfully pulling the wool over the eyes of the voting public, as she clearly intends to do. Bill was slick and handsome, and hadn't espoused the sort of radicalism that is already on Hilary's resume (National Health Care.)

On a visceral level, she's also got to break that annoying habit of saying "um" in unscripted speech. On Russert last week I counted four "um's" in a single sentence.

Posted by: johngalt at February 26, 2005 4:59 PM

Well, yeah, without President Bush's oratorical skills, it is hard to see her making it.

With all due respect, brother JohnGalt, that is *exactly* what Taranto is saying. The swing voters are not counting ums; they don't remember Nationalized Health Care (unless they wanted it); and the media have proven that they will not hold her past against her.

And she will get the greatest handlers and coaches you can get. Misunderestimate at your own peril...

Posted by: jk at February 26, 2005 5:37 PM | What do you think? [2]