Will Hillary Hurt The Rest Of The Ticket?

Democrats Worry Sen. Clinton Is Too Polarizing For The Party's Success

(AP)  A candidate's unfavorability scores almost always climb during campaigns. If the pattern holds, Clinton has a historically high hurdle to overcome.

"For Hillary, who has been on the scene for so long and has had perception of her so ground in ... there's no question it will be really hard for her to change perceptions," said Democratic pollster David Eichenbaum, who represents moderate Democrats in GOP-leaning states.

Her baggage is heaviest in those states. Private polling conducted in Colorado, for example, shows that Clinton's negative rating is 16 percentage points higher than her favorability score.

Colorado is a state Democrats hope to win in the 2008 presidential race. It also has an open Senate seat, with the Republican incumbent opting not to seek another term and Democrats targeting it.

Obama has much lower unfavorability ratings than Clinton, though Democrats say he may have his own problem — that of race. It's hard to measure the impact of being the first party to put a black at the top of the ticket, Democratic leaders said.

Some Democrats hold out hope that Clinton can turn things around.

"She's got a tough road to hoe because people have formed opinions of her," said Rep. Tim Mahoney, a freshman Democrat from Florida. "But I can and will tell you that when I see Hillary get out there with the public, she changes people's minds. She's not the stereotype that people know her to be."

In Indiana, where three freshman Democratic congressmen are fighting to retain their seats, Crooks said Clinton would be a burden in districts like his full of "gun-toting, bible-carrying, God-loving, church-attending" voters.

"She is just so polarizing," the state lawmaker said. Clinton would drag any candidate down 3 or 4 percentage points, he said.

"I'm one of these Democrats who has some legitimate reservations, because the Clintons have in the past invigorated the Republican base," said Carrie Webster, a leader in the West Virginia state House who served as executive director of the state party when Bill Clinton won the 1992 West Virginia primary.

"But the fact that so many prominent Democratic males are getting behind her at this early point makes me a little more confident that she could overcome some of the more obvious hurdles," she said.

Nebraska party chairman Matt Connealy said he believes Democratic candidates will be able to avoid a Clinton backlash.

"I probably would have given you a different answer a month ago," he said, "and maybe will give you a different answer a month from now."

[erasmus6]

"Hillary is a rabid anti-gun fascist if I've ever seen one." posted by GUNOWNERDAN

Is that all you ever think about is guns?

I bet if Hillary gets voted in, people half way around the world will hear GUNOWNERDAN whimpering and whining.

[gunownerdan]

Hillary is just another rabid anti-gun megalomaniac. I bet she drools when she thinks of all the power Bush has given to himself and future presidents.
Fascism is on the march!

[randaids]

ROTFLMAO

[nottellin1]

she changes her position more then her underwear (if she wears any). Not only that if i have to see her showing clevage again I might just throw up. She is not an attractive woman and needs to keep that in mind.
Posted by killtheliars at 12:56 PM : Aug 14, 2007

Hilary going commando? As if looking at her face weren't bad enough. Yikes!

[killtheliars]

she changes her position more then her underwear (if she wears any). Not only that if i have to see her showing clevage again I might just throw up. She is not an attractive woman and needs to keep that in mind.

[tucano2]

We are NOT supporting, nor will we vote for, anyone who supports AMNESTY.

[realpatriot1]

BarbJC1,

I understand that Dole has a certain persona to folks not as familiar with her as those of us in North Carolina. To borrow a Texas expression, she is all hat and no cattle.

For example, the Navy has been trying to build a simulated aircraft carrier practice landing site in eastern NC for several years now. THe only site yhey will consider is a wild bird sanctuary on the coast. The state has offered other alternative locations but the Navy thinks they're God and we're supposed to vow. Dole sided with the Navy right up until the point where her polling operation let her know that she was hurting her re-election efforts.

There are other issues where she has done nothing to represent the state. She's the epitomy of a Washington creature who does everything for the special interests and absolutely nothing for her constituents.

That's why she's considering retirement, because she knows how unpopular she is.

[jegibbons]

I take great comfort in these postings I've read. It's abundantly clear that the usual LEFTIE LOONEY suspects are growing shy of a Hillary Clinton candidacy.

To all you ladies, I suggest you latch onto a woman candidate with some character for the next time. I'll vote for her, not a problem.

Accusations of gender bias is like an old worn out fiddle, played best by a LOSER who can't read music and doesn't have a tune to play but nevertheless is anxious to make some noise.

[barbjc1]

Kathleen Sebelius, I totally agree. I am a Kansan, and our governor, who happens to be Kathleen Sebelius is in her last term per the Kansas Constitution. I am hoping she will unseat Sam Brownback. At this point however, besides the two women you named what other women do you think are qualified.
P.s. I vote independent but I am a fan of Elizabeth Dole

[sgtrds]

If Hilary wins the nomination and Mitt wins the nomination, who wilkl we vote for?
Posted by RandaIDS at 02:42 PM : Aug 13, 2007

This is not me. This is someone posting under an imitation of my old screen name. Notice the capital "I" instead of a small "L"

[opfor311]

A couple of Corrections:

1. Five Senators have been elected president (JFK, Warren G Harding, Benjamin Harrison, James Garfield, and Franklin Pierce). Only 2 in the last century however.

2. It is true that Clinton fired all 93 US Attornies at the beginning of a term (which is the more normal time). It is also true that Presidents have fired US Attornies at other times in their term, and they have chosen to fire less than all of them. Keep in mind that all US Attornies serve at the pleasure of the President, are confirmed by the Senate, and can be fired at any time for any reason by the President. No matter how much Congress investigates this matter, the firings themselves cannot be illegal.

[name_verify]

LIBERALS, POVERTY PIMPS, TERRORIST APOLOGISTS JOIN THE PRIDE PARADE HILLARY / BARAK 2008

[rhs648]

"We've done quite a bit since Sept.11 to defend the homeland from terrorist attack and I give the administration and Congressional memebers from both parties credit for that. There's still a whole lot more that needs to be done.

We need to do more to protect public spaces that're lower value targets but still acctractive to terrorists who want to create a significant body count, like monitoring shopping centers. Congress just passed legislation to tighten up on Port security. That's how we can best prevent having to "fight them on our shores". I support surveillance of terror suspects where probable cause exists."

Posted by realpatriot1

You present well reasoned arguments. I would simply add that we need to fight these people wherever we find them. They have shown an ability to move from one area to another as the need arises.

[realpatriot1]

rhs648,

We've done quite a bit since Sept.11 to defend the homeland from terrorist attack and I give the administration and Congressional memebers from both parties credit for that. There's still a whole lot more that needs to be done.

We need to do more to protect public spaces that're lower value targets but still acctractive to terrorists who want to create a significant body count, like monitoring shopping centers. Congress just passed legislation to tighten up on Port security. That's how we can best prevent having to "fight them on our shores". I support surveillance of terror suspects where probable cause exists.

As far as waging war against the Jihadists with our military is concerned, we need to stay focued on Afghanistan & Pakastan because that's where AQ and its state sponsers the Taliban's leadership structure is. Iraq is and has always been a diversion from the real war on terror, we need to get back to fighting the real war.

The people who attacked us(AQ & the Taliban( are Sunni Muslims. If we leave Iraq tomorrow, the 60% Shiite majority will rule the country. They aren't going to allow the Sunni AQ who bombed their sacred temple to take over the country. On the other hand, if the Taliban were to regain control in Kabul it's a certainty that AQ would once again have a safe haven to export terror, much like they do in northern Pakastan today.

[rhs648]

Speaking of getting sucked in by the hype, not one Democrat who voted to give the President the authorization to take action was cheerleading for the action he took. All Republican candidates, with the single exception of Ron Paul are still cheerleading to this day for what any rational person can see was a gross mistake and tragedy for the country.

I can understand why the Republicans want to spread the blame but it's BS of the highest order.

Posted by realpatriot1

What will you say when we are fighting the terrorists on our own shores?

[realpatriot1]

Speaking of getting sucked in by the hype, not one Democrat who voted to give the President the authorization to take action was cheerleading for the action he took. All Republican candidates, with the single exception of Ron Paul are still cheerleading to this day for what any rational person can see was a gross mistake and tragedy for the country.

I can understand why the Republicans want to spread the blame but it's BS of the highest order.

As a democrat who was pummeled for questioning the invasion before the fact and is still being pummeled for wanting out, I'd like to see conservatives take some personal responsibility for their decisions and stop trying to blame the democrats.

[gunownerdan]

Hillary is a rabid anti-gun fascist if I've ever seen one.

[rhs648]

If Hilary wins the nomination and Mitt wins the nomination, who wilkl we vote for?

Posted by RandaIDS

Not everyone has this problem? It is obvious from these posts that some people favor Hillary and some people favor Mitt. These people seem happy with the choices.

[randaids]

If Hilary wins the nomination and Mitt wins the nomination, who wilkl we vote for?

[rhs648]

I didn't vote for Bush..I knew all along it was a big mistake and I was right...you must have followed the hype yourself, so thank you for helping to put him in office.

Posted by horse3farm

An interesting opinion. Too bad you don't have facts to support it.