I'll Just Say It Now -- Hillary Can't Win

[SheilaT]

139. Thank you.

I get weary dealing with the "OMG! Hillary is The ONE!" people who simply don't look beyond anything at all but her name.

Some years ago I recall being in a community college class with some very sweet young women who were gooing over the possibility of a Condaleeza Rice run for the presidency. All they could see was that Ms. Rice was female, and therefore nothing else in her qualifications mattered. Pointing out that she had NEVER run for elected office, and so therefore hadn't a clue what it was all about, meant nothing to them. She was a woman. And African American, which was a further plus to them. They had no idea whatsoever what was involved in running for office.

I've run for office. The Kansas State House, in fact, in 2004. I lost my race, understandably. I was up against a popular, moderate, incumbent Republican, but I did well enough in a three-way race (there was an idiot Libertarian in the mix) that the Democratic party saw the seat was winnable, put money into the campaign two years later. I'd persuaded a much better candidate to run, and he won, then won re-election, but lost out to the tea party insurgency in 2010. Too bad.

But my point is I've been out there. I've been in the hustings. I know what it's like, I know what's involved. Too many of those who are getting misty-eyed over a Hillary Rodham campaign have no idea. They think that it's all roses and angel cake, because after all she ran once before and now is her time. They do not understand the realities of political campaigns.

I'm reminded of how in earlier years people were misty-eyed over a Gore-McCain ticket, or other various improbabilities. The realities of partisan politics are pretty simple. A person may choose to change parties, but they will NEVER be a national candidate ever after. Bi-partisanship is largely an image, not what actually happens.