Hillary Clinton 2016? Women Look Ahead To ‘History In the Making’

[DonViejo]

Jan 16, 2013 4:45 AM EST

After Hillary Clinton left 16 million cracks in the glass ceiling, supporters anticipate that she can smash through it in 2016. Paul Alexander reports. Women see in Clinton a female candidate who could not only run for but win the presidency.

The day after she returned to her job as secretary of state following a month-long medical leave, Hillary Rodham Clinton held a press conference, her first since she had sustained a concussion, due to a fall, that lead to her absence. When one reporter asked if she was going to retire once she left the State Department, Clinton countered: “I don’t know that that is the word I would use, but certainly stepping off the very fast track for a little while.”


For Clinton watchers who parse each of her comments for any clues about a possible 2016 presidential bid, this one delivered. “Hillary Clinton Rules Out ‘Retirement,’” one headline read. “Onwards to the White House?” another asked. By the end of the week, despite her recent health problems, a poll showed Clinton the prohibitive frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination and a formidable challenger to Chris Christie, the Republican governor of New Jersey, in a possible general-election match-up.

Friends close to Clinton say that her longstanding plan has been to take a break after leaving her post as secretary of state before laying the groundwork for a second run for the presidency. Her recent medical episode underscores her need for a sabbatical. At the same time, though, rarely has there been such a palpable groundswell of anticipation for a politician’s potential run for office.

The reason is simple: Women see in Clinton a female candidate who could not only run for but win the presidency.

-snip-

read more:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/01/16/hillary-clinton-2016-women-look-ahead-to-history-in-the-making.html

[Kelvin Mace]

1. Other than the entertainment value

of watching rightwingers work themselves up into a stroke, I can't say I am stoked about another center-right Dem running for president.

[CheapShotArtist]

7. Calling Obama center-right is stretching it.

I doubt that a center-right president would've repealed DADT, strengthened Affirmative Action and student loans, or sign the Fair Pay Act. He might be directly in the middle of the spectrum at best.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. No, but a cernter-right preisdent

would refuse to prosecute Bush war crimes, legalize domestic spying, use drones to assassinate American citizens, fail to significantly prosecute any Wall Street criminals, constantly strike completely unnecessary "bargains" with the GOP that screw over the poor, and have to dragged almost kicking and screaming into repudiating DADT (while inviting anti-gay bigots to speak at his inauguration).

So, yes, center-right is being kind.

[leveymg]

2. I'd like her a lot more if she hadn't been so gung-ho on Middle East regime change and Iran

She's too far over on the Neocon side of the tracks for me.

[antigop]

3. NO thank you. I don't want more outsourcing of US jobs. nt

[antigop]

4. Same thing as in 2008--- the "inevitability" meme...there is no other Dem, she's the one. nt

[Little Star]

5. I hope she decides to run...

IMHO, she is no Bill Clinton and she is also no more hawkish than most Dem candidates have been through out history.

I do think her supporters have to be careful with the inevitability language, although she would most likely stand a pretty good chance of winning if she runs.

[davidpdx]

6. I think you are right on that one

The "it's her turn argument" has already resurfaced on DU. Some people don't learn.

Personally I don't think her or Biden will run.

I think Biden is happy he had the chance to serve in a higher office and get to shape policy on a large scale level before he retires. He ran for president many times and wasn't a good of a solo candidate as he was as a candidate on a team.

Hillary Clinton has been going at it for over 20 years (first lady, senator, presidential candidate, SOS) at near full throttle. I think she has paved the way for other women in the way no one else has and that can't be taken away from her. Her husband is semi-retired and the two of them could do quite a bit to help the world together.

[WI_DEM]

9. If she feels up to running, I think I'll support her

[Carla in Sequim]

15. That is the question.

I will be very surprised if she runs. Also, even if she could stand the grueling months, Bill couldn't. They need to be involved but perhaps as advisors.

[Beacool]

10. I'll support Hillary in whatever she chooses to do.

In 2008 there were two "historical" candidates running. They each received almost half of their party's votes, but only one could win. There are many who feel that it's time that the US have a woman president and that the best candidate would be Hillary. Not only would she have the experience and gravitas to do the job, she would also have the ability to raise the money needed and an already built-in following (those vaunted 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling).

Will she choose to throw her hat in the ring once again? Who knows? I keep hearing that she doesn't know herself. She wants time to decompress and have a normal life for a while. I think that people should stop pressuring her and give her at least a year to make her decision.

[CTyankee]

11. I'm wondering about her physical health right now. I think we should wait and see what happens

in the coming months with her recovery from the clot in her head before we start again with the drumbeat to her running for President. She might get good news but she might not. I don't want to be a doomsayer, just to hold on for a bit. She suffered from a problem that needed medical attention. Let's let that play out before we have her in the Oval Office.

P.S. I voted for Hillary in the CT presidential primary in 2008.

[Beacool]

13. Several neurologists on different networks said that patients with those types of clots

make a full recovery. So hopefully Hillary will too. As for 2016, so many things can happen in the next couple of years.

[CTyankee]

14. My fear would be more of the "rumor" type of campaign, rather than "fact based" information such

as what you have cited (I've read the same). Out and out lies have done damage to Presidential ambitions before, as we've seen. And we know what the RW is capable of doing...

[Beacool]

17. Oh, I have no doubt that they will try to use it.

Last edited Fri Jan 18, 2013, 05:45 PM - Edit history (1)

They will also continue to use benghazi against her, but Hillary is too well known and people already have firm ideas about her. So I don't think that strategy will work for them.

[CTyankee]

18. Barring any furhter disturbance, I think Benghazi will fade by then. So, I am hoping, will the

current health problem, since she seems to be caring for herself.

[totodeinhere]

12. I like Clinton but if Joe Biden runs it will be tough choice. n/t

[ohheckyeah]

16. If she runs she has my support and my vote.

If she doesn't, I would certainly understand. She's been a very busy woman and may just want to be free to do what she wants.