Hillary Clinton declares 2016 Democratic presidential bid

[Publicus]

All the odds makers in N America and Europe show H is the odds-on favorite. This is due to the fact Americans have known HRC since 1992.

What do Americans know about H?

They know H is safe on the economy and in the matter or war and peace.

Americans know all of the 'scandals' against the Clintons since the 1992 campaign Bill and Hillary won are Republican party (right wing) invented scandals ballooned from some germ of a reality, such as Monica or the completely above board Whitewater development project in Arkansas. HRC has no scandals, only Republican party and other right wing inventions.

Because of this reality, Americans have made up their minds about H for president and all the mainstream credible and reliable polling shows she beats everyone in either party.

Also know that white, blue collar voters who did not vote for Barack will vote for H. Add to that the polling from 2008 to the present that consistently shows suburban Republican women decidedly for H for prez.

In 2012, which is instructive history and not predictive, the Ds had three strategies independent of one another to win. Not a combination, but separately as any one of the three would do the job. There was the Western strategy of winning Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Iowa. Then there was the Mid-West strategy of carrying Iowa and Ohio. Third was the Southern strategy of bagging North Carolina and Virginia. Succeeding in any one, exclusive of the other two, would produce a win.

The Ds lost only one state, NC, which means the three separate and independent strategies converged on election day to produce victory. Next year, Rs need to win Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Nevada. Or any combination of the 52 electoral college votes they need to win. The votes are not there.

Top Democratic party figures expect the R nominee to be either JEB or Walker, with Rubio as the outside shot. If the nominee is JEB, it will be the end of the Bushes forever, thank the almighty voters. If it's Walker, voters will choose the known HRC over this unknown. If it somehow might be Rubio, the evangelicals, the tea party and the war hawks have no candidate.

Voters know now how they will vote, so when the Rs reach back for the kitchen sink -- whatever that might yet be-- it still means that it's all over but the shouting.

Don't forget Sarah Palin, Publicus. The Republican field is pathetic. All their issues are just that...their issues.

Who can forget Condoleezza "Mushroom Cloud" Rice and that Rice was HRC's immediate predecessor as SecState....no one anywhere on the globe misses 'Condi' (except perhaps the Russians who knew how to get under Rice's skin).

Palin has to be careful as Carly Fiorina has decided to be the Republican party foil of HRC in this election cycle. Trouble is the R party isn't asking Fiorina to do anything given Fiorina's high profile firing by HP and then defeat for governor of California. Voters don't like these self-appointed or self-financed candidates who get tossed out of their day job and now have time to kill and money to burn.

Fiorina is struggling to get on board the Republican Party Official 2016 Election Campaign Bubba Bus with all those good ol' boys on it. All she can manage so far is an exploratory PAC and her own separate clown car.

[zydeco]

Calling Hillary "Granny" used as an obvious intended denigrating insult is very SEXIST.

How many presidents have been grandfathers? Never heard one of them being insulted with snarky accusations of being Gramps.

Hillary derangement syndrome victims keep at it. That kind of sexist rhetoric is going to backfire big time and energize the majority out there which doesn't go for that regressive garbage.

And this is a taste of the campaign to come. Dare to criticize the old crone, and you're "sexist," despite the fact that similar and much worse language was used against Ronald Reagan in 1980 and 1984. Well, got news for you, bub, granny she is, and granny she'll be. She and Uncle Billy make the Clampetts look downright sophisticated.

[Publicus]

Luv it.

The right's going down hard.

[zydeco]

In his 70s, Reagan was chopping wood. Hillary is still in her 60s and much overweight, puffy, and tired looking. Her age and health is a MAJOR issue. Imagine her going to a summit with Putin and having to be helped down the plane and put in a wheelchair. She would literally embody weakness.

[Chicog]

So this is to be the thread line now is it?

She's too old?

That rules out half of those unproductive and senile old duffers in Congress and the Senate then surely?

Edited April 14, 2015 by Chicog

[Exsexyman]

A win by Hillary would also be a great self-image boost for girls in the US - and possibly around the world. Girls need all the help they can get in the self-image dept. Not so much in the US, where females can do just about anything men are doing, including combat roles in the military, wall street hot shots, astronauts, lead guitarists in rock groups, piloting jumbo jets, boxers. .....but more importantly a role model for countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa where women are often treated as 2nd class or worse.

I project Hillary as president would also campaign for less sugar in diets. Currently, the average American eats over 50 kilos of sugar/year. Probably similar for the average person in every country. Look at any mall or sidewalk in the US: Grossly Fat people everywhere. Mayor Bloomfield of NYC came within a gnat's ass of getting legislation enacted to ban super size cola drinks in NY, but at the last minute, a concerted campaign by Big Sugar trashed it.

Conventional thinking: Whiskey, sugar, vodka, trans-fats, MSG: no problem. Hemp, no way, that's an illegal drug and can get you thrown in prison (no matter that no one has ever gotten stoned from smoking hemp).

"Hillary as a role model for countries in the Middle East where women are often treated as 2nd class or worse"? What a load of deluded nonsense. The Bill,Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation have solicited tens of millions of dollars from Middle Eastern governments which deny women te most basic human rights. She oozes phony from every pore, going right back to her unethical behaviour which got her sacked from her position on the House Watergate committee. Saudi Arabia have been a very generous benefactor to the Foundation giving at least $10 million since 2001, despite the State Department under Hillary's tenure in 2011 faulting the Kingdom for "a lack of human rights for women and children" and saying violence against women and gender discrimination were all common there. Hillary as a champion of womens rights is laughable, no true "feminist"would tolerate and enable a serially adulterous husband who seduces younger powerless women, let alone blame and ridicule the young woman. The idea that she represents the typical middle classes is more nonsense. When was the last time a middle class American lived in a multi million dollar mansion and took their holidays on a Private jet? When was the last time they secured a six figure for their daughter? When was the last time they had Wall St give millions of dollars to YOUR foundation? And so on and so on. Hillary is not a middle class American. With the Clintons it is always, ALWAYS about power and money. They can never get enough of either.

[redandyellow]

I sort of suspect that Jingthing has a secret crush on Hilary - as she wears the pants!

Just ask good Ole Bill

Whats the Thai word for being scared of your own wife?

My first Thai GF told me the word in 2006 - because she said her Dad was scared of her Mom. But again, they lived near the crocodile farm in Samut Prakan.

And my Thai wife claims not to know the word..

[notmyself]

In his 70s, Reagan was chopping wood. Hillary is still in her 60s and much overweight, puffy, and tired looking. Her age and health is a MAJOR issue. Imagine her going to a summit with Putin and having to be helped down the plane and put in a wheelchair. She would literally embody weakness.

FDR

[zydeco]

1. So this is to be the thread line now is it?

2. She's too old?

3. That rules out half of those unproductive and senile old duffers in Congress and the Senate then surely?

1. It's my line and that of a number of other people worried about the health, vigor, and mental alertness of an aging elderly woman with a recent history of health problems.

2. Yes, she is.

3. Would be nice if it did.

[zydeco]

In his 70s, Reagan was chopping wood. Hillary is still in her 60s and much overweight, puffy, and tired looking. Her age and health is a MAJOR issue. Imagine her going to a summit with Putin and having to be helped down the plane and put in a wheelchair. She would literally embody weakness.

FDR

Yalta.

[Jingthing]

In his 70s, Reagan was chopping wood. Hillary is still in her 60s and much overweight, puffy, and tired looking. Her age and health is a MAJOR issue. Imagine her going to a summit with Putin and having to be helped down the plane and put in a wheelchair. She would literally embody weakness.

Like FDR? We should be so lucky.

[zydeco]

In his 70s, Reagan was chopping wood. Hillary is still in her 60s and much overweight, puffy, and tired looking. Her age and health is a MAJOR issue. Imagine her going to a summit with Putin and having to be helped down the plane and put in a wheelchair. She would literally embody weakness.

Like FDR? We should be so lucky.

After Yalta, the Poles and all of Eastern Europe weren't so lucky.

[Jingthing]

I suppose as Hillary is a bit old that will mean some more attention will be paid to her VP pick. That may actually be a positive thing depending on who she picks. Obviously it won't be a Cheney or Biden type pick. It will be a younger person with future presidential potential.

[JakeSully]

I suppose as Hillary is a bit old that will mean some more attention will be paid to her VP pick. That may actually be a positive thing depending on who she picks. Obviously it won't be a Cheney or Biden type pick. It will be a younger person with future presidential potential.

The so called libertarians who are actually die hard republicans but feign innocence will just slime and find faults no matter what and never vote for a democrat as long as they live even if their own party ruins their counties, states and country. Remember from 2008, vote for obama in the primary and mccain in the general election.. 62 million people still wanted sarah palin to be 1 heart attack away from the presidency.

So I wouldn't pay too much attention from them finding faults, when you respond to faults like kerry did, you actually show they have some merit, but when you care about the issues, like the middle class is actually being flattened and pushed into poverty, and the less government party wants to let it happen without giving any help.. that's a point that helps their attacks look like trying to nail jello to a wall.

Regarding her VP, I think she'll want someone to help her get Florida. Even if she loses Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin, she'll still have 275 votes, so really the problem is for the GOP, not the Dems.

[Publicus]

HRC is not in a wheelchair nor did she just come out of a geriatric ward at the Ronald Reagan Memorial Medical Center, Somewhere, USA.

Reagan's age problem was Alzheimer's and Hillary's age problem is bitter old white right winger Republican males.

Whose vote she does not need in order to win.

[notmyself]

Regarding her VP, I think she'll want someone to help her get Florida. Even if she loses Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin, she'll still have 275 votes, so really the problem is for the GOP, not the Dems.

I saw something yesterday or the day before about Rubio's term being up and he can't re-stand because he would have his name of the ballot paper twice. Not sure if that makes a difference.

[boomerangutang]

^^^

That's some campaign slogan. "The self esteem president." As if there is a deficiency of it in the US.

Just one of 100,000 examples: A young girl in the US was harassed/extorted by an online 'sexploitation' expert from Europe (Turkish/Dutch). She committed suicide. Cops in the US and Holland were told about the predator prior, but didn't do anything to try and catch him. A female prez would likely be more dynamically concerned about, and demand action upon such issues. Hillary has already spoken up about women's rights (and genital mutilation) in the Dune countries. How many male politicians have spoken up publicly about such issues?

[boomerangutang]

Interesting how much vitriol oozes forth from the anti-Democratic Party crowd. I guess we can expect it to only get worse for the next 19 months. Here's a suggestion: try to focus on the issues, rather than some worst-case-scenario of the woman getting too old to walk and becoming a wrinkled wreck of senility.

It's actually proof of her strengths as a statesperson, ....to elicit such bile from the other side.

[Publicus]

Regarding her VP, I think she'll want someone to help her get Florida. Even if she loses Ohio, Florida and Wisconsin, she'll still have 275 votes, so really the problem is for the GOP, not the Dems.

I saw something yesterday or the day before about Rubio's term being up and he can't re-stand because he would have his name of the ballot paper twice. Not sure if that makes a difference.

Sen Rubio has stated definitively he will not run for re-election to the Senate from Florida in 2016 when the present term expires (January 2017).

Given anyway state law says he can't do both, he's said he is running for prez only. Almost all states have this law.

Sen Rand Paul has the same problem in Kentucky in the 2016 election cycle. Paul is trying to get the KY law changed so he can run for both Senate re-election and for president, but it looks grim for him as the Democratic controlled House in KY is sitting on the bill that would change the law, so it's dead there. Further, the governor of KY is a Democrat so Paul is looking at a dead end straight ahead.

Sen Paul is still acting as if there were no problem, but if he wants both money and votes he's going to have to choose one or the other campaign or get squeezed out of both by the laws.

Rubio not running for re-election in FL provides an open Senate seat for a bunch of Democrats in FL and in Washington to run at.

Next year 24 of the 34 US Senate seats up for the voters in the respective states to decide are held by Republicans. Ds are favored in several of 'em already and need only a couple of more to win back majority control of the US Senate. So this expected open seat in FL is going to be a proverbial barn burner for the Rs who are going to have to put out this fire or lose the FL barn too.

[chuckd]

Hollywood might be somewhat lukewarm to her candidacy. They probably prefer Pocahontas Warren.

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Hillary Clinton's Hollywood Support Is Reluctant in Some Quarters (Analysis)

by Tina Daunt 4/12/2015 12:08pm PDT

Hillary Clinton's Sunday announcement that she will seek the presidency in 2016 is not getting Hollywood's universal applause, as her most fervent supporters predicted.

As the first female candidate and a partner in a political marriage that has close and long-standing ties across the entertainment industry, Clinton enjoys the support from key Hollywood fundraisers. But her backing is hardly unanimous, and some of what she has is softer than it may appear because industry liberals regard her as a party centrist.

"You'd be surprised by the number of people I've heard from who aren't supporting her," one top executive told The Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hillary-clintons-hollywood-support-is-788019

[geriatrickid]

Hollywood might be somewhat lukewarm to her candidacy. They probably prefer Pocahontas Warren.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hillary Clinton's Hollywood Support Is Reluctant in Some Quarters (Analysis)

by Tina Daunt 4/12/2015 12:08pm PDT

Hillary Clinton's Sunday announcement that she will seek the presidency in 2016 is not getting Hollywood's universal applause, as her most fervent supporters predicted.

As the first female candidate and a partner in a political marriage that has close and long-standing ties across the entertainment industry, Clinton enjoys the support from key Hollywood fundraisers. But her backing is hardly unanimous, and some of what she has is softer than it may appear because industry liberals regard her as a party centrist.

"You'd be surprised by the number of people I've heard from who aren't supporting her," one top executive told The Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hillary-clintons-hollywood-support-is-788019

That will be a boost, won't it. If Hollywood is described as being anti Clinton, the GOP won't be able to claim she's a pawn of those evil Liberals, sodomites, amoral free thinkers etc, However, the fact remains that these people are not going to support the GOP candidate are they? In fact many of them would void their bowels at the though of another Bush in the whitehouse. The end result is that they will quietly support Clinton if she is nominated, providing a win win scenario. Clinton wins because Hollywood distances itself, and wins again because they will still contribute. The Hollywood activists win because they will send a "message" to Clinton.

[zydeco]

Hollywood might be somewhat lukewarm to her candidacy. They probably prefer Pocahontas Warren.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hillary Clinton's Hollywood Support Is Reluctant in Some Quarters (Analysis)

by Tina Daunt 4/12/2015 12:08pm PDT

Hillary Clinton's Sunday announcement that she will seek the presidency in 2016 is not getting Hollywood's universal applause, as her most fervent supporters predicted.

As the first female candidate and a partner in a political marriage that has close and long-standing ties across the entertainment industry, Clinton enjoys the support from key Hollywood fundraisers. But her backing is hardly unanimous, and some of what she has is softer than it may appear because industry liberals regard her as a party centrist.

"You'd be surprised by the number of people I've heard from who aren't supporting her," one top executive told The Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hillary-clintons-hollywood-support-is-788019

From the same article:

Even so, Hollywood is not the sort of town in which moderation stirs much passion — and that's what Clinton will need if she's to do the fundraising here that a billion-dollar campaign would require. There also may be lingering doubts about whether her moment has passed. If elected, she will be 69 when she takes office, which would make her the second oldest first-term chief executive after Ronald Reagan. (In a town that values youth — and plastic surgery — some people have complained that she is showing her age.)

Yep. Apparently, it's not just all those Right wing meanies who think so.

[chuckd]

It would seem Hillary's first campaign appearance was underwhelming, to say he least.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reporters Outnumber Voters as Hillary Clinton Opens Campaign in Iowa

BY EMILY SCHULTHEIS

April 14, 2015 MONTICELLO, Iowa—

Hillary Clinton may have been speaking to just 22 people here at her Iowa kickoff event, but the now-official 2016 candidate was looking far beyond the voters in the room when she outlined in the clearest terms yet the rationale for her campaign.

"A lot of people in the last few days have asked me, 'Why do you want to do this?' and 'What motivates you?'" Clinton said at the event. "And I've thought a lot about it, and I guess the short answer is, I've been fighting for children and families my entire life. ... I want to be the champion who goes to bat for Americans."

Article continues here: http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/hillary-clinton-2016-iowa-20150414

[zydeco]

It would seem Hillary's first campaign appearance was underwhelming, to say he least.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reporters Outnumber Voters as Hillary Clinton Opens Campaign in Iowa

BY EMILY SCHULTHEIS

April 14, 2015 MONTICELLO, Iowa—

Hillary Clinton may have been speaking to just 22 people here at her Iowa kickoff event, but the now-official 2016 candidate was looking far beyond the voters in the room when she outlined in the clearest terms yet the rationale for her campaign.

"A lot of people in the last few days have asked me, 'Why do you want to do this?' and 'What motivates you?'" Clinton said at the event. "And I've thought a lot about it, and I guess the short answer is, I've been fighting for children and families my entire life. ... I want to be the champion who goes to bat for Americans."

Article continues here: http://www.nationaljournal.com/2016-elections/hillary-clinton-2016-iowa-20150414

Interesting that the article claims this is the design for Hillary's campaign. Small and intimate panels where she sits, instead of "rousing" speeches before thousands where she stands. It is a campaign designed for no energy, because to do otherwise would exhaust her. A tired campaign for a tired old woman.

[geriatrickid]

Strongly favored?

are we not jumping the gun a little bit? There is this little thing called the Nomination,We have not seen her opposition in the primary yet, but we favor her over them? and then we have the general election, I assume there will be a republican opponent, we don't even know who that will be, yet we favor her over him/her?

as much as the media would like this to be a coronation, there is this pesky little thing called , the democratic process.

Unfortunately, the primaries are not very democratic as long as PAC money rules the roost.

The reason why the nomination process is being treated as a done deal is because no one viable has yet to come out against Clinton. The Democrats will keep the process civil and try to debate ideas and policies and to keep the personal attacks to a minimum. The GOP process if it is anything like the last one, will be a bloodbath and multiple embarrassments, one after the other. Don't you remember the little wacko congressman Paul kept impaling his opponents and making them look like dimwits, even though many of them didn't need the help. I doubt there will be anyone as stupid as that Bachmann woman this time around, but with luck, Rubio and Cruz will make desperate attacks on Jeb Bush ruining any chance he has to be elected.

If Jeb Bush is nominated vs. Hilary Clinton, we may actually get to see a presidential election where ideas and policies are debated and compared. Both are hard nosed experienced politicians, but both are civil and not given to cheap shots. Former President Clinton has grown close to the former President Bush the elder and the type of personal attacks one has seen in previous elections will be a rarity. We just might see a return of civility and politeness, to the presidential electoral process, with its dignity restored. America doesn't need another spectacle of people like airhead white trash Sarah Palin or slime ball John Edwards mucking about.

[geriatrickid]

Interesting that the article claims this is the design for Hillary's campaign. Small and intimate panels where she sits, instead of "rousing" speeches before thousands where she stands. It is a campaign designed for no energy, because to do otherwise would exhaust her. A tired campaign for a tired old woman.

The campaign at the early stages is to build the image of a listener and caring person, as she has had a reputation for being cold and aloof. Not as bad as the robot Vulcan image of Obama, but it is one that needs to be worked so that she appears as caring and compassionate. A motherly figure.

I note the ageist comments being offered. They remind me of the insults directed at Maggie Thatcher. She showed the old guard tories that she was no feeble woman. There were Israelis who played to the macho image Israeli men had back in the day before they discovered male grooming products, who said the same about the old granny Golda Meir. She showed those tough boys a thing or two about being tough and ruthless. I am not worried about Hilary. She was able to crack her husband's noggin back in the day wasn't she? She's a scrapper and when the time is right she'll put her handbag down and dust off her dukes.

[JLCrab]

My prognostication for 2000 was Senator Bill Bradley (D) vs. Senator John McCain ( R)

So my pick for 2016: Former MD Governor Martin O'Malley (D) vs. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida ( R)

Edited April 15, 2015 by JLCrab

[Publicus]

Strongly favored?

are we not jumping the gun a little bit? There is this little thing called the Nomination,We have not seen her opposition in the primary yet, but we favor her over them? and then we have the general election, I assume there will be a republican opponent, we don't even know who that will be, yet we favor her over him/her?

as much as the media would like this to be a coronation, there is this pesky little thing called , the democratic process.

Unfortunately, the primaries are not very democratic as long as PAC money rules the roost.

The reason why the nomination process is being treated as a done deal is because no one viable has yet to come out against Clinton. The Democrats will keep the process civil and try to debate ideas and policies and to keep the personal attacks to a minimum. The GOP process if it is anything like the last one, will be a bloodbath and multiple embarrassments, one after the other. Don't you remember the little wacko congressman Paul kept impaling his opponents and making them look like dimwits, even though many of them didn't need the help. I doubt there will be anyone as stupid as that Bachmann woman this time around, but with luck, Rubio and Cruz will make desperate attacks on Jeb Bush ruining any chance he has to be elected.

If Jeb Bush is nominated vs. Hilary Clinton, we may actually get to see a presidential election where ideas and policies are debated and compared. Both are hard nosed experienced politicians, but both are civil and not given to cheap shots. Former President Clinton has grown close to the former President Bush the elder and the type of personal attacks one has seen in previous elections will be a rarity. We just might see a return of civility and politeness, to the presidential electoral process, with its dignity restored. America doesn't need another spectacle of people like airhead white trash Sarah Palin or slime ball John Edwards mucking about.

The analysis about the Clintons and the Bushes is very likely an accurate one as I would wholeheartedly agree each would be pretty civil toward the other.

It's the rabid out there on the right that will be firing the flames all over and about fueled by the deep cover extremists with their truckloads of cash and more cash.

Rubio would hammer on the age issue while Walker would hammer his thumb instead trying to.

Reality is JEB is still rusty on the campaign course and may not get past the 9th Hole, Rubio is still immature and Walker is a klutz. Cruz is crazy and Paul is a fruit. After that with Huckabee and the rest of 'em it's all downhill right into the ravine.

[zydeco]

Interesting that the article claims this is the design for Hillary's campaign. Small and intimate panels where she sits, instead of "rousing" speeches before thousands where she stands. It is a campaign designed for no energy, because to do otherwise would exhaust her. A tired campaign for a tired old woman.

The campaign at the early stages is to build the image of a listener and caring person, as she has had a reputation for being cold and aloof. Not as bad as the robot Vulcan image of Obama, but it is one that needs to be worked so that she appears as caring and compassionate. A motherly figure.

I note the ageist comments being offered. They remind me of the insults directed at Maggie Thatcher. She showed the old guard tories that she was no feeble woman. There were Israelis who played to the macho image Israeli men had back in the day before they discovered male grooming products, who said the same about the old granny Golda Meir. She showed those tough boys a thing or two about being tough and ruthless. I am not worried about Hilary. She was able to crack her husband's noggin back in the day wasn't she? She's a scrapper and when the time is right she'll put her handbag down and dust off her dukes.

Thatcher came into office when she was in her mid 50s. "Motherly" is one thing; "grandmotherly" is another. Hillary Clinton will be 70 years old at the time of the next presidential inaugural. Grandma Moses may have come into her own when she was in her 70s, but Hillary's best days are far, far behind her.

[Jingthing]

Older MEN are OK to be president, in fact, very common choices, but older WOMEN are not. Hmm.

Edited April 15, 2015 by Jingthing