Preparing for 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton embracing Obama

[webfact]

Preparing for 2016 campaign, Hillary Clinton embracing Obama
By JULIE PACE and KEN THOMAS

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rather than keeping him at arm's length, Hillary Rodham Clinton is embracing President Barack Obama — sometimes even literally.

Clinton had been expected to look for some ways to separate herself from the president to avoid the impression that having her in the White House would amount to a third Obama term. But as she prepares for another presidential campaign, Clinton has aligned herself with Obama far more often than not.

On Monday, a few hours after meeting Obama at the White House, Clinton tweeted a list of accomplishments of the president's health care law on its fifth anniversary. "Repeal those things? Embrace them!" she declared, posting an old photo of herself extending her arms to hug Obama at the White House.

The tactics carry risk with an electorate that often seeks change after one party runs the White House for eight years. Republicans are already warning voters that Clinton would merely cement Obama's most unpopular policies and continue in his vein.

"She will have to break with Obama significantly and substantively if she wants to win," said Phil Musser, a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association. "Obama is no Reagan, and America is ready for the end of his presidency, not the extension of it."

Clinton, who is expected to announce her campaign in April, hasn't presented an overarching message of where she would take the country. For now, she's talking about finding consensus and building on "what has worked in the past."

She has also begun taking on the Republican-led Congress — recently blasting the House GOP budget plan on Twitter, the letter written by Senate Republicans that was seen as interference in Iran nuclear talks and delays in the confirmation Loretta Lynch as attorney general.

Aligning herself with Obama may pose fewer risks than once thought. While his approval rating is still under 50 percent, it has stabilized following a noticeable dip last year. Obama could help Clinton connect with the diverse coalition of voters who powered him to two victories. And perhaps more important, the economy is steadily improving, with job creation up and unemployment down to 5.5 percent.

Dan Pfeiffer, a longtime Obama adviser who recently left the White House, said that while he expects Clinton to break with the president when she actually disagrees with him, it would be unwise to create differences where none truly exists.

"Manufacturing agreement or disagreement to score some political points would be a mistake," Pfeiffer said. "Candidates that get all tangled up trying align with or separate from their party or their president have a very poor track record of success."

While Clinton has been avoiding substantive policy splits with the president, she's suggesting her presidency would mark a change in style. While Obama has long been criticized for his lack of outreach to Congress, Clinton has emphasized the importance of having strong ties across the aisle, saying "I don't think there's any substitute to building relationships."

Hillary and Bill Clinton know firsthand what it's like to be in the White House when an ally is running for the Oval Office.

In 2000, Vice President Al Gore distanced himself from Bill Clinton's impeachment battles and some of his centrist policies, framing the contest against Republican George W. Bush as "the people versus the powerful." Bill Clinton said in his autobiography that the message mobilized conservative interest groups against Gore.

"The problem with the slogan was that it didn't give Al the full benefit of our record of economic and social progress or put into sharp relief Bush's explicit commitment to undo that progress," Bill Clinton wrote. The populist approach, he argued, "sounded to some swing voters that Al, too, might change the economic direction of the country."

One of Hillary Clinton's most public breaks with Obama came last summer when she took a veiled shot at his "Don't Do Stupid Stuff" foreign policy doctrine. In an interview with The Atlantic magazine, she said, "Great nations need organizing principles, and 'don't do stupid stuff' is not an organizing principle."

Clinton scrambled to walk back the jab, calling up her old boss to try to smooth things over. Obama and Clinton met in person a few days later and "hugged it out," aides said.

Still, foreign policy matters could be an area of divergence, reflecting Clinton's position as one of the more hawkish members of his first-term national security team. But there have been few public signs of that in recent months.

Clinton has avoided commenting on U.S.-Israeli relations in recent weeks, which have been strained by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition to Palestinian statehood and his late campaign warning that Arab voters were heading to the polls "in droves," comments he has since backtracked.

Clinton also has largely backed Obama's decision to take military action against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. She's supported his nuclear negotiations with Iran and joined him in sharply criticizing Republican senators who wrote to Tehran's leadership warning that Congress could disrupt a deal.

It's unclear whether Clinton will ultimately back a nuclear deal if the U.S. and its negotiating partners achieve one. But she was involved in the administration's early efforts to start secret talks with the Iranians, dispatching her policy adviser, Jake Sullivan, to lead them.

"It's by no means a referendum completely on the current president," Democratic strategist Mike Feldman said of the 2016 campaign. "It will be a choice, and President Obama won't be one of the choices."


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-03-26

[sdanielmcev]

Probably not a good idea to align herself with a low-rated president and his low-rated policies. I really think her reaction to Benghazi will be her biggest obstacle.

[zydeco]

Mutt and Jeff.

[Daniel Ingalls]

........OH MG!...........What is she talking about? What Obamabomb has done?.....what about what has she done over the past 20 years? What has she done as a Senator from New York?....What has she done as Secretary of State?......nothing....and then there is Benghazi. She still hasn't fully answered her involvement of doing nothing.

Then she was fired by Obama. She was given the opportunity to resign or get fired. She choose to resign. This woman just needs to disappear. The Demo's are putting all their money on a no win candidate, no experience, nothing accomplished under her watch. I am tired of hearing the name Clinton. Out of over 325 million people, she is considered the best Democratic party choice?.........Naw!.....send her back to the kitchen....maybe she can reheat up some Brownie cookies for the next Convention!

Edited March 26, 2015 by Daniel Ingalls

[sdanielmcev]

A bit off topic, but why are the lefties not raving about this topic, instead ranting about the right?

[sgtsabai]

I'm one of your lefties, but I'm no liberal, I'm a left wing militant always have been always will be. No "peace, love, dope, and good vibes" here. I learned a lot from Vietnam (VVAW)and the Nixon regime. Clinton is a disaster, a neocon/neoliberal that is the tool of Wall Street criminals and banksters. She could care less about the working/middle/poor classes. Like Obama, she is to the right of President Eisenhower, probably to the right of tricky Dick Nixon. I'm no fan of her husband either, who teamed up with the Repubs. to get rid of Glass-Steagall thus bringing down the economy under Bush the junior. She certainly does NOT represent the Democratic Party, or at least what it is supposed to represent. Her only redeeming factor is support for women, gays, minorities, true religious freedom. Even those are suspect. I'm sick and tired of voting for the lessor of two evils and if she gets through the primary, that is what she will be. Certainly better than any bat-shit crazy, plutocrat loving, right wing religious dominionist wacko, climate change denying, Koch (John Birch Society) bros. owned, woman hating, minority hating, gay hating, racist, troglodyte, middle/working/poor class hating, war mongering, teabagger nutter the Republicans put up. She did nothing wrong with Benghazi and in fact if the Repubs. hadn't have cut the State Department budget for security it might have never happened, beating a dead horse there partner. Personally I sincerely hope something is found that will stop her before the primaries. Right wingers need to stop hating for all the wrong/false reasons, there are plenty of real ones. Oh I forget, right wingers are all mysologists. Mam, I sincerely hope that is not a "hook 'em horns" finger sign you are attempting there.

[sdanielmcev]

I'm one of your lefties, but I'm no liberal, I'm a left wing militant always have been always will be. No "peace, love, dope, and good vibes" here. I learned a lot from Vietnam (VVAW)and the Nixon regime. Clinton is a disaster, a neocon/neoliberal that is the tool of Wall Street criminals and banksters. She could care less about the working/middle/poor classes. Like Obama, she is to the right of President Eisenhower, probably to the right of tricky Dick Nixon. I'm no fan of her husband either, who teamed up with the Repubs. to get rid of Glass-Steagall thus bringing down the economy under Bush the junior. She certainly does NOT represent the Democratic Party, or at least what it is supposed to represent. Her only redeeming factor is support for women, gays, minorities, true religious freedom. Even those are suspect. I'm sick and tired of voting for the lessor of two evils and if she gets through the primary, that is what she will be. Certainly better than any bat-shit crazy, plutocrat loving, right wing religious dominionist wacko, climate change denying, Koch (John Birch Society) bros. owned, woman hating, minority hating, gay hating, racist, troglodyte, middle/working/poor class hating, war mongering, teabagger nutter the Republicans put up. She did nothing wrong with Benghazi and in fact if the Repubs. hadn't have cut the State Department budget for security it might have never happened, beating a dead horse there partner. Personally I sincerely hope something is found that will stop her before the primaries. Right wingers need to stop hating for all the wrong/false reasons, there are plenty of real ones. Oh I forget, right wingers are all mysologists. Mam, I sincerely hope that is not a "hook 'em horns" finger sign you are attempting there.

Just to clarify, I am stating the Benghazi fiasco might bring her down, as it seems to have the most 'legs' as they say in the media. I am curious, though, how you say you are a leftie, but not a liberal, as the two are the same.. That's my GF in the pic, not me. I'm ND Irish all the way, except for Hoosier basketball.

[chuckd]

She has more baggage than Samsonite. Just trying to step around the droppings of her husband will keep her too busy to do much.

Here's the latest scandal she will be facing... http://observer.com/2015/03/the-jeffrey-epstein-affair-imperils-hillary-clintons-presidential-prospects/

[BKKBobby]

She has more baggage than Samsonite. Just trying to step around the droppings of her husband will keep her too busy to do much.

Here's the latest scandal she will be facing... http://observer.com/2015/03/the-jeffrey-epstein-affair-imperils-hillary-clintons-presidential-prospects/

Im from a country were mainstream groups always are compared as being left of the US democrats. No matter if the Swedish government currently is left/right in Swedish politics.

Left/right in politics hace different meanings in different countries.

But, I wish that the US citizens never ever wants to vote to get Hillary Clinton as president. Even though I prefer the Democrats.

Hillary is a psycho and acts unstatesmanship.

Clinton jubilant over Gaddafi's death: "We came, we saw, he died": https://youtu.be/J_x04Gn3-2g

Edited March 26, 2015 by BKKBobby

[AZBill]

She's done as a candidate. She was awful the first time around. The Clintons are as corrupt as they come.

[Jingthing]

She's done as a candidate. She was awful the first time around. The Clintons are as corrupt as they come.

Translation. You won't vote for her. Not before. Not now. All she needs is one more electorial vote and she's president. That so many people do detest her ... not a problem.

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Well, ...people vote with their pocketbook and Obama has had outstanding economic success. Best economic performance of any president ever.

Stock market up over 200% and the 230,000,000 people with retirement accounts are feeling pretty good, no?

Unemployment slashed down from over 10% to near 5%.

Housing crisis over. In fact the new housing crisis is not enough inventory.

Banking crisis and great recession over.

2 major wars over.

Deficit coming down at record levels.

Millions of deadbeats now have health insurance.

Dependence on foreign oil way down and energy prices slashed.

Healthy, strong US Dollar.

Hooking up to this train is a good idea for any candidate.

Now the oppositions best hope is George Bushes brother??? Ted Cruz, Sara Palin, Donald Trump, Tom Ridge, Michelle Bachman, Huckabee?

Those people are all from wacky world. Whats going on here?

Edited March 27, 2015 by jamesjohnsonthird

[NeverSure]

She's done as a candidate. She was awful the first time around. The Clintons are as corrupt as they come.

Translation. You won't vote for her. Not before. Not now. All she needs is one more electorial vote and she's president. That so many people do detest her ... not a problem.

If Hillary was going to be elected POTUS it would have been 2008 but she couldn't even get the Democratic nomination against an unknown called Obama.

She's a loser who keeps Samsonite in business. One wouldn't think she'd want any additional baggage but she keeps piling it on.

With her skeletons the Dems are trying to figure out where to turn and get her face gone. Last time, the Dems and the MSM didn't run, they rocketed to Obama as soon as his eyes appeared over the fence. They were hunting for an alternative.

It's too early for polls just as 2008 proved. She was way ahead. With nothing substantive accomplished in her life in her public career other than to ride her husband's stained coattails, she's going to be put out to pasture. You Dems had better hope she is gone in the primaries, too. because she's a loser.

Edited March 27, 2015 by NeverSure

[NeverSure]

Well, ...people vote with their pocketbook and Obama has had outstanding economic success. Best economic performance of any president ever.

You forgot to mention that the national debt will have about doubled from 10 to about 20 tril when that community organizer (finally) leaves the WH.

When that guy gets gone he will have added as much to the national debt as all presidents preceding him did in 233 years.

Edited March 27, 2015 by NeverSure

[Jingthing]

She has more baggage than Samsonite. Just trying to step around the droppings of her husband will keep her too busy to do much.

Here's the latest scandal she will be facing... http://observer.com/2015/03/the-jeffrey-epstein-affair-imperils-hillary-clintons-presidential-prospects/

Im from a country were mainstream groups always are compared as being left of the US democrats. No matter if the Swedish government currently is left/right in Swedish politics.

Left/right in politics hace different meanings in different countries.

But, I wish that the US citizens never ever wants to vote to get Hillary Clinton as president. Even though I prefer the Democrats.

Hillary is a psycho and acts unstatesmanship.

Clinton jubilant over Gaddafi's death: "We came, we saw, he died": https://youtu.be/J_x04Gn3-2g

Americans are not the slightest bit interested in who foreigners think should be our next president, or not, nor should we be.

[jamesjohnsonthird]

"She's a loser" ..."With nothing substantive accomplished in her life in her public career other than to ride her husband's stained coattails, she's going to be put out to pasture."

.....so says some guy on a Thai internet forum at 5AM..

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

Yea. What a loser...

Edited March 27, 2015 by jamesjohnsonthird

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Well, ...people vote with their pocketbook and Obama has had outstanding economic success. Best economic performance of any president ever.

You forgot to mention that the national debt will have about doubled from 10 to about 20 tril when that community organizer (finally) leaves the WH.

When that guy gets gone he will have added as much to the national debt as all presidents preceding him did in 233 years.

A majority of that debt was from the George W Bush fiasco and the interest piling up. About 16 of the 20 trillion is on Bush.

Obama owns a small percent of that debt and he was forced into the spending because of Bush's great recession.

Luckily, under Obama, the USA survived the greatest economic disaster since 1929.

The deficit is dropping like a rock now you know.

Edited March 27, 2015 by jamesjohnsonthird

[NeverSure]

Well, ...people vote with their pocketbook and Obama has had outstanding economic success. Best economic performance of any president ever.

You forgot to mention that the national debt will have about doubled from 10 to about 20 tril when that community organizer (finally) leaves the WH.

When that guy gets gone he will have added as much to the national debt as all presidents preceding him did in 233 years.

A majority of that debt was from the George W Bush fiasco and the interest piling up. About 16 of the 20 trillion is on Bush.

Obama owns a small percent of that debt and he was forced into the spending because of Bush's great recession.

Luckily, under Obama, the USA survived the greatest economic disaster since 1929.

The deficit is dropping like a rock now you know.

Edit. I'm not going to reply or we'll get busted for going off topic. It's about Hillary's campaign...

Edited March 27, 2015 by NeverSure

[Scott]

That is a very, very wise move.

[NeverSure]

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

Other than being an inactive lawyer, it's like I said. Riding her husband's stained coattails. She would never have been noticed if she hadn't been with Bill.

[NeverSure]

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

One more time, seriously. What important legislation did Hillary introduce and get passed as a Senator? What did she accomplish of note in the Senate? How would she have gotten noticed or elected without first being in the WH with Bill?

What did she accomplish as Secretary of State that will be remembered other than scandals? Where are her illegally missing emails so we can find out under the FOIA? All I remember is negatives.

Maybe you can list with specificity her great accomplishment such as establishing whirled peas or something, but I see her as a hanger-on.

We can prove she was a loser as a presidential candidate and that much of the press about her lately is negative or non-existent. The news from two hours ago is that she securely wiped the data off her private email server. LINK How's that baggage working for her campaign?

Cheers

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

One more time, seriously. What important legislation did Hillary introduce and get passed as a Senator? What did she accomplish of note in the Senate? How would she have gotten noticed or elected without first being in the WH with Bill?

What did she accomplish as Secretary of State that will be remembered other than scandals? Where are her illegally missing emails so we can find out under the FOIA? All I remember is negatives.

Maybe you can list with specificity her great accomplishment such as establishing whirled peas or something, but I see her as a hanger-on.

We can prove she was a loser as a presidential candidate and that much of the press about her lately is negative or non-existent. The news from two hours ago is that she securely wiped the data off her private email server. LINK How's that baggage working for her campaign?

Cheers

[chuckd]

"She's a loser" ..."With nothing substantive accomplished in her life in her public career other than to ride her husband's stained coattails, she's going to be put out to pasture."

.....so says some guy on a Thai internet forum at 5AM..

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

Yea. What a loser...

None of which she could have accomplished with a married name of Jones.

The magical moniker "Clinton" got her everything she "earned".

[NeverSure]

Hillary is an accomplished Attorney, Author, First Lady, New York Senator and US Secretary of State and Democratic frontrunner.

One more time, seriously. What important legislation did Hillary introduce and get passed as a Senator? What did she accomplish of note in the Senate? How would she have gotten noticed or elected without first being in the WH with Bill?

What did she accomplish as Secretary of State that will be remembered other than scandals? Where are her illegally missing emails so we can find out under the FOIA? All I remember is negatives.

Maybe you can list with specificity her great accomplishment such as establishing whirled peas or something, but I see her as a hanger-on.

We can prove she was a loser as a presidential candidate and that much of the press about her lately is negative or non-existent. The news from two hours ago is that she securely wiped the data off her private email server. LINK How's that baggage working for her campaign?

Cheers

Thanks for cheering me on. I thought it was a good post too.

[gudtymchuk]

Hill the "Shrill" couldn't win the nomination with a lot less personal and political garbage in 2008 but now with her salacious pandering she actually believes she has a chance in 2016....? Run Hillary, Run! Please, please give it your best shot.

[Steely Dan]

So after two terms of Obama the Dems may well be trying to sell damaged goods to the electorate for a third time in a row.

[samran]

The usual suspects in their own Benghazi, she's a Clinton echo chamber.

People care about economics and the economy is ticking along. She's going to hang off Obamas coat tails on this one, whether they are his or not people perceive them as his.

Politics 101 fellas. But you bang on about Benghazi. That is exactly what she needs to get her over he line. The caricature of her GOP rivals as old man Simpson yelling at the sky. And deep down, you reluctantly know it.

Edited March 28, 2015 by samran

[spidermike007]

........OH MG!...........What is she talking about? What Obamabomb has done?.....what about what has she done over the past 20 years? What has she done as a Senator from New York?....What has she done as Secretary of State?......nothing....and then there is Benghazi. She still hasn't fully answered her involvement of doing nothing.

Then she was fired by Obama. She was given the opportunity to resign or get fired. She choose to resign. This woman just needs to disappear. The Demo's are putting all their money on a no win candidate, no experience, nothing accomplished under her watch. I am tired of hearing the name Clinton. Out of over 325 million people, she is considered the best Democratic party choice?.........Naw!.....send her back to the kitchen....maybe she can reheat up some Brownie cookies for the next Convention!

Actually, from what I hear, she was a fairly effective senator. Of course, considering the absolute wimps and duds she was competing against, it is not hard to stand out in that crowd! And she was a decent secretary of state. Especially when compared to Wooden (I was born without charisma) John. It is not a matter of trying to find more talent from among America's population. I think the reality is that people of great talent and integrity, do not want that office. For the most part, it is mostly losers who seek that office. And honest people would not go anywhere near national office in the US. Or elsewhere, for that matter. If she has any chance of winning (I could care less. I consider all national politicians in the US to be morally bankrupt and corrupt as the day is long) Bill is going to have to get our of her way. He really blew it last time around. So did she.

[Jingthing]

I believe she will run.

I believe she will be nominated.

I believe she will beat any republican they put up.

But I do think her challenge now is to "reinvent" herself in a similar way to what other politicians have done, as in the "new" Nixon.

I'm sure her team is working on that right now.

Prepare to be surprised.

[jamesjohnsonthird]

Who will she choose as running mate I'm wondering?