No surprise here. Joe, although a republican, has been one the right to disengage from the talking points more often, for a longer period than others who have finally started to come around. I wouldn't say he owns a complete volume of conservative wisdom, but he is far more pragmatic than most of them.
I do believe that as much as Hillary is hated among the far-right, these are votes that would NEVER go to a democrat no matter who the nominee. For some, the reason that she has been labeled as a liberal is good enough. For others, she is a Clinton and they have bought into the hysteria of the dirty smear campaigning of the 90's. On the other hand, Hillary is scorned by the far-left because she is not progressive enough and she is basically a hawk. Very much in the old Senator Henry Jackson mode (for those who are old enough to remember). Where she actually falls in the political spectrum depends entirely on the specific issue. The best, and most bland, catagorization of Hillary is that she is a centrist. And with the exception of those who are on the far right, and the far left, most adult Americans can see that for themselves.
The republicans do NOT want someone who is not so far left that they cannot make an issue of liberalism.
Republicans also cannot bring up their 90's screed of "values" and "character" against the Clintons at this point, and those were given much credence in the 90's. Today, they would be laughed at openly and heartily.
So, if you take away two legs of a three legged anything, what's left? Iraq? Oh, that's going so well. National Security? Outsourcing that to Blackwater is going to go over like a fart in church. The economy? We've only begun to see the consequences of deficit spending, mortgage flipping, and oil at over a $100 a barrel.
The repubs got nothing. If Hillary is the nominee, they have less than nothing because she is the sharpest tack in the presidential candidate box. It's only if they get a true liberal that they will have some kind of domestic boogeyman to wave as an issue.
Posted by jcricket at November 4, 2007 08:32 AMThe G.O.Pee is rooting for the end times.
Dust off your ascension robes, WWIII commeth.
Posted by TIKI AL at November 4, 2007 02:35 PMIf you people don't think the GOP wants to run against Hillary, you're about as high as Fred Thompson's flyboy.
And after her debate performance last Tuesday, you'd have to be mainlining meth to think otherwise.
She'll lose, and she'll kill us downticket. You're welcome to think otherwise, but you'd be wrong.
Wake the fuck up. "Playing to the center" gets Republicans elected.
Posted by RAM at November 4, 2007 03:27 PMMuch as I hate to admit it, I enjoy "Morning Joe" on MSNBC. Occasionally, the three hosts say something totally naive, but for the most part they are entertaining and informed. And for a change, I agree with Joe instead of Mika on this one. I do think the Republicans fear Hillary.
Posted by Susan S at November 4, 2007 05:33 PMIt's pretty clear that TLC has become all-Hillary, all-DLC, all the time. I mean every other post is "Hillary the Victim" and pretty much zero questioning of her actual policies.
Should Hillary, Inc. not win the general election, I'll expect to see DLC talking points echoed here between '08 and '12. If I do happen to read anything written here involving real progressive interest during that time, it will certainly be less credible coming from bloggers interested in having someone elected who is anti-real Universal Health Care, will not end the Iraq War, will not rule out a ground invasion of Iran, and will not repeal the Patriot Act (amongst other outrages).
Posted by Tampa Student at November 4, 2007 05:37 PMHillary and Howard Dean look about the same height as Kucinich. Hmmm
Posted by Sharon at November 4, 2007 06:11 PMThis is probably the most convincing argument I've read so far regarding Clinton's candidacy and this website. No surprise that it's essentially devoid of analysis by all the authors here and the content originates from Taylor Marsh and Joe "Lori who?" Scarborbough.
Posted by idiosynchronic at November 5, 2007 07:34 AM