Clinton bombs debate

So it seems Hillary Clinton, the democratic anointed one to lead the party to White House victory on November 2008, had a very bad day at the office yesterday.  The question is: will this be a turning point or just a sobering moment for her supporters.  I think the latter as this ship has already sailed and it is pretty much a formality at this point to nominate Clinton.

However, larger consequences may loom on the horizon.  What the GOP crowd has known for a long time and has kept quiet about even longer is that they hope to run against Hillary Clinton in 2008.  The reason is that Clinton has been around Washington DC for such a long time that her weaknesses and her strengths are well known to the opposition.  In military terms, Republicans know where to attack and where to defend.  They have been forming, refining, and tweaking a strategy against Clinton since her husband left the oval office 7 years ago.  Seven years of planning allows for some serious opposition research.

The Republicans hoped and still hope that Clinton will get the overwhelming support of her party, the nomination as Presidential candidate, and be true to herself.  Unfortunately she was a bit too true yesterday and gave a glimpse of why the GOP folks are so confident in beating Clinton.  At the debate in Pennsylvania, she openly contradicted herself on many occasions, opened herself up to criticism about her integrity, and failed to provide any solutions to major problems.  The democratic bloggers are scratching their heads today wondering what happened and if she can win against the Republican candidate.  Their consistent failure to confront the damning statistic that 50% of American voters would ‘never’ vote for her, was largely ignored until yesterday.  Then it was raised by a fellow debater last night and may be finally sinking into the minds of democratic voters.  The question they should be asking today is: can Hillary actually beat a Republican candidate?

Democrats like their sub group, the liberals, are a very optimistic lot.  They don’t like to think about the negatives and do not understand how a country could possibly elect a Republican after the Bush years.  The problem is that they seek counsel and reassurance from other liberal democrats.  It’s a vicious circle of people confirming that ‘yes Bush is very bad and no way will the United States elect another conservative.”  The fallacy of this is of course, that the people who elect Republicans are not asked for their opinion.  The same applies to Clinton.  So what if 50% of the US voters will not vote for Clinton and 100% of registered Republicans would not vote for her.  They reason that the Democratic Party can elect her nonetheless.  That’s the power of positive thinking.

As the days count down toward the first caucus in Iowa and the first primary in New Hampshire in the early days of January, the democratic contenders for the White House will attack Hillary and try to persuade democratic voters that she is the wrong candidate to battle a Republican in 2008.  Let’s hope Hillary Clinton does a better job at masking her true self for a little bit longer and that her supporters do not sober up too much, too early.

by Gryphon

An Example of Democrats Waking Up Today:

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071031/OPINION09/710310325/-1/OPINION21

A transcript of the Debate:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/pdf/democratic-debate-oct-30-2007.pdf

Is Clinton for or against Drivers Licenses for Illegal Immigrants?  You Decide:

RUSSERT:

Senator Clinton, Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer has proposed
giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. He told the Nashua,
New Hampshire, Editorial Board it makes a lot of sense.
Why does it make a lot of sense to give an illegal immigrant a
driver's license?

CLINTON:

Well, what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is fill the
vacuum left by the failure of this administration to bring about
comprehensive immigration reform. We know in New York we have several
million at any one time who are in New York illegally. They are
undocumented workers. They are driving on our roads. The possibility
of them having an accident that harms themselves or others is just a
matter of the odds. It's probability.
So what Governor Spitzer is trying to do is to fill the vacuum.
I believe we need to get back to comprehensive immigration reform
because no state, no matter how well intentioned, can fill this gap.
There needs to be federal action on immigration reform.

RUSSERT:

Does anyone here believe an illegal immigrant should
not have a driver's license?

DODD:

 ...a license is a privilege, and that ought not to be extended,
in my view.

CLINTON:

Well, I just want to add, I did not say that it should
be done, but I certainly recognize why Governor Spitzer is trying to
do...

DODD:

No, no, no. You said -- you said yes...

CLINTON:

No.

DODD:

... you thought it made sense to do it.

CLINTON:

No, I didn't, Chris. But the point is, what are we
going to do with all these illegal immigrants who are driving...

DODD:

That's a legitimate issue. But driver's license goes too
far, in my view.

CLINTON:

Well, you may say that, but what is the identification?
If somebody runs into you today who is an undocumented worker...

RUSSERT:

Senator Clinton, I just want to make sure of what I
heard. Do you, the New York senator, Hillary Clinton, support the New
York governor's plan to give illegal immigrants a driver's license?
You told the New Hampshire paper that it made a lot of sense. Do
you support his plan?

CLINTON:

You know, Tim, this is where everybody plays "gotcha."
It makes a lot of sense. What is the governor supposed to do? He is
dealing with a serious problems. We have failed. And George Bush has
failed. Do I think this is the best thing for any governor to do?
No. But do I understand the sense of real desperation, trying to get
a handle on this? Remember, in New York, we want to know who's in New
York. We want people to come out of the shadows.
He's making an honest effort to do it. We should have passed
immigration reform.

WILLIAMS: New subject, Senator Edwards.