Would Hillary be More Popular Right Now than Obama if President?

[SilentType]

I think the Democrats might be having "buyers' remorse" these days. I think this entire health care situation is the result of President Obama's lack of experience in championing legislation. I don't think Hillary would have played it that way at all and would have tried to do something incremental instead of all encompassing in one massive FUBAR bill. Hillary Clinton learned her lesson the hard way in the initial attempt at massive health care reform and although a self-described progressive is certainly more attentive to the polls than President Obama has proven to be.

Let's face it if President Obama had provided leadership he could have seen, as apparently everyone else, that the health care bill was becoming a massive mess and pushed to chop it up so that the Congress could move forward to accomplish other goals within his first year. Part of good leadership is being able to recognize when a frontal assault just isn't working and it's time to try flanking. The Democrats pushed an insanely complex and out-of-control in terms of sheer size bill just too far past the poll drops and now they're having trouble piviting to move past it.

President Obama should do the smart thing and shelve health care, move toward something populace like his Student Loan proposal and a tax break to go with the spending freeze he has proposed. If he's smart and does those things poll numbers for the Dems will come back and he then can try to get some legislation that "cuts costs on health care" passed before November. Concentrate on expanding coverage after November. In short, break up the bill into two pieces, but don't move on any of it until he regains some ground.

If the Democrats proceed with their Batan Death March forward on health care they're going to find themselves receiving a record number of pink slips this fall especially if unemployment numbers remain above 8%.

What do you guys think? Should the Democrats play it smart or go for broke? I think Hillary would have played it smart, but something tells me Obama will go for broke.

[Castlegrade]

Honestly? If Hillary had become the Democratic candidate, McCain would be President. As it is, I'm appalled that she was appointed SecState.

My guess is that Obama will go for broke. And break a lot of political careers in the process.

[muck]

Maybe?
Maybe not. She didn't pretend to be a modern Messiah at least. Her fall wouldn't have been that deep as Obamas is.

[Euroamerican]

We'd probably be enduring stories of Bill doing a bunch of whoring around in the White House again.

[seraosha]

I was pretty much "anyone but Hillary" in regards to the Democratic nomination...but looking back after this past year, I'd like to change it to "anyone but a Democrat".
Ok, but seriously...I'm just wondering how she is going to try and run in 2012...how does a Secretary of State swing it?
If anyone can do it, she can.

[Jobu]

Just a little side note on the so-called spending freeze.

Obama increased discretionary spending by over 20% in his first budget, will increase it again in his second budget, and then proposes a freeze.
Let's not get carried away thinking this is anything praiseworthy or fiscally responsible.

[SoftLion]

Just a little side note on the so-called spending freeze.

Obama increased discretionary spending by over 20% in his first budget, will increase it again in his second budget, and then proposes a freeze.
Let's not get carried away thinking this is anything praiseworthy or fiscally responsible.

Aha, something I can agree with.

Would Hillary be more popular? Who knows. I do agree with what someone else suggested in regard to Hillary possibly approaching health care in an incremental fashion to get the ball rolling as opposed to Obama's tactics.

[LineDoggie]

Hell of a choice

Syphillis or Gonorrhea.......

Which do you prefer?

[Ordie]

Hillary had more union support than Obama, so much so there was alot of consternation within the unions to switch endorsements.

[Mordoror]

what Hillary ???
she looks even more Turkeyish than S.Palin if it is possible

the only thing interesting coming of those chicks (in the sense chicken brained girls and not anything related to hotness) would be anyway a wrestling in mud

[SoftLion]

the only thing interesting coming of those chicks (in the sense chicken brained girls and not anything related to hotness) would be anyway a wrestling in mud

I may well prefer to seem some dudes mud wrestling before watching Hillary doing anything of the sort. Now Palin on the other hand......

[CanadianStormtrooper]

I was actually rooting for her in the beginning, but it was hopeless after awhile.

[gaijinsamurai]

Six O' one, half-dozen of the other. Both are politicians when it all comes down to it. Of the two, I find Obama slightly less annoying.

[Podman]

I was pretty much "anyone but Hillary" in regards to the Democratic nomination...but looking back after this past year, I'd like to change it to "anyone but a Democrat".
Ok, but seriously...I'm just wondering how she is going to try and run in 2012...how does a Secretary of State swing it?
If anyone can do it, she can.

First, she picks a job-related issue to resign over saying she disagrees with Obama's policy. There's plenty of issues to choose from with the way Obama is cozying up with the Ahmadinejad's and Chavez's of the world. Or maybe pick national security after a terrorist attack. It would have to be on an issue where the American people see Obama as weak.

Second, wait a year and hope Obama doesn't recover in the polls and/or the economy does not improve. Also hope for a huge Republican win this November.

Third, challenge O for the Democratic primary as the "centrist" and last, best hope for the Democratic party.

If you don't think they are thinking about this, then you don't know the Clintons.

[Panchito12]

Here's my theory (that I expounded to my wife & friends in late 2008):

-The economy does not recuperate
-Another major terrorist strike
-Hillary (who now has corrected her own political weakness: lack of foreign affairs experience) resigns from her post on the middle of 2011
-Hillary becomes a candidate against Obama
-Democratic Party "Civil War" ensues
-Obama looses Democratic nomination
-GOP wins WH & both chambers of Legislature with supermajorities in next election

[tea drinker]

Hell of a choice

Syphillis or Gonorrhea.......

Which do you prefer?
lol, statement fits perfectly with your avatar

[California Joe]

Hilary was a far more polarizing candidate. The same people that hated her before would still hate her. I think Obama is a pragmatist, not an idealogue. He is a Chicago politician. I don't think his greatest threats are Republicans, it's those douchebag powerwhore Democrats leading Congress.

[Hollis]

Hilary was a far more polarizing candidate. The same people that hated her before would still hate her. I think Obama is a pragmatist, not an idealogue. He is a Chicago politician. I don't think his greatest threats are Republicans, it's those douchebag powerwhore Democrats leading Congress.


That is what Obama seems like to me. His worse enemies are Pelosi, Frankie Baby, Reid, and probably all the good old National Dems. The big q is, can the R's field a decent candidate for the next presidential election.

[Castlegrade]

Everybody keeps talking about how pragmatic Obama is; can someone give me an example?

[Derbedeu]

Hilary was a far more polarizing candidate.

Yes she was. I know people who got out of bed for the sole reason to vote against her, otherwise they wouldn't have even bothered to vote (or so they told me).


The big q is, can the R's field a decent candidate for the next presidential election.

Are there any viable leading candidates? Cause I honestly can't think of one (at least among the established and well known Republicans).

[California Joe]

Maybe Jobu can help me out here but I'm basing my opinion on the fact that he thrived in the Democrat Party Machine in Chicago of all places. I see his membership in Reverend Wrights church as a political, rather than a religious necessity to be taken seriously in local politics. I know that's cynical but I think it's the case. I think he takes very seriously the "mantle" bestowed on him as the nations first black President. I think his ego demands that he make a historical mark so he doesn't appear as an abbheration. I think he must be extremely driven to have achieved what he has. He's not a dreamer or an idealist, I think he will use those perceptions when they suit him which makes him a real politician. JMO.

[MaNiC]

What do you guys think? Should the Democrats play it smart or go for broke? I think Hillary would have played it smart, but something tells me Obama will go for broke.

I always play for broke so that's what I would recommend. And he needs to stop apologizing for everything and be more assertive, especially with some of those career politicians in Washington.

[FlintHillBilly]

I think Hillary would have been a better president than Obama. She, hands down, had more experience in politics than Obama. The only thing i see Obama as is someone center stage pressing HIS OWN agenda/priorities without thinking them through. I also see fiscal irresponsibility by Obama and the party. OKay enough ranting. I would not have voted for Hillary unless it was between her and Obama and nobody else. Personally right now, i feel anything would be better than Obama and the dems.. its getting out of hand.

[budgie]

Depends what Clinton's policies would have been. If she'd done things differently from Obama she might be more popular or at least a different kind of unpopular.

[Hollis]

Are there any viable leading candidates? Cause I honestly can't think of one (at least among the established and well known Republicans).

Same here.



I think Hillary would have been a better president than Obama. She, hands down, had more experience in politics than Obama. The only thing i see Obama as is someone center stage pressing HIS OWN agenda/priorities without thinking them through. I also see fiscal irresponsibility by Obama and the party. OKay enough ranting. I would not have voted for Hillary unless it was between her and Obama and nobody else. Personally right now, i feel anything would be better than Obama and the dems.. its getting out of hand.

One benefit Hillary has, is Bill. That would reign in the DNC. Maybe the big problem, both parties seems to lacking really cool candidates that leaves the people with a choice, not the lesser of two.

[Arnie100]

It'll be interesting to see who the Republicans will come up with to challenge Obama.

[Mastermind]

Both Obama and Clinton are political "has beens". Everyone now realizes O is a small thinker, grounded in very limited viewpoints and his presidential actions so far have shown him to be rather limited in his knowledge base about high stakes politics. He has been very inept at pushing his agenda...his pressure relationships are practically non existent...The congress leaders have simply run away with the entire ship of state making O look...well, utterly useless.

Clinton as SOS is a joke and a half. O was very substrated by her during the campaign and has not forgotten how much she can upstage him. He has shown her only marginal respect...and trotting her off on the slightest low-level missions when things at home begin to rattle around....She recently went "Rogue" and made her own speech rather counter to O's about internet freedom...O wants more control and she went off on the opposite tak expressing how no one should touch the internet...Wow! I was rather surprised by it since it really is the first time she has done something like that...gave me an inclination she might actually be thinking abut challenging him...lets face it...unless he changes his stripes in the next year...he's going to be easy meat come '12...and she probably smells blood int he water now that O's flag ship agenda project (socialist Medicine) has been pretty much blown out of the water with the change in wind in Mass.

(Ironic...now he's calling for "Change"...ridiculous.)

But, then ...looking at Clinton...My god...amazing how bad a few years can be on a woman. She looks really haggard...sagging face, under lids showing red...and she has not done herself any favors with the far left support base...in fact, that portion of the great Democrat rise has apparently become so disorganized as be fairly ineffectual as a political machine...it had shown some promise...but, it did what most leftoid efforts do...dissolved into anarchy....(think about the crew on "Whale Wars").

so...now what?

Repubs are really no better off ...still they refuse to show any spine...still have no programs of their own...still they flounder like a landed whale.

Seem like everyone knows this economic disaster has many miles to go yet ...and no one wants that baby on their lap...Repubs would be just delighted to let the Dems slosh through that unending disaster....and to the Repblican joy the Dems go on gleefully spending, spending, spending...and demanding ever more spending....disastrous debt means absolutely nothing to them...and come '12, the 'Pubbies think they will be able to just waltz right back into the WH. And indeed, the way things look, unless some sophisticated, serious, reputationed Dem comes forth (actually, there is no such animal), the 'Pubies just might. This November, with the mid terms looming, it looks like a real repeat only worse of '94 for the Dems...folks back home are really, really pissed at the Dems and their arrogance ...and stupidity....But, are the Republicans actually willing to step up? I honestly doubt it...they sure are not looking like they give much of a s4it.