Clinton's image as the inevitable nominee dissolves

Source: Yahoo - Associated Press


Clinton unbowed by third-place finish

By BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer

DES MOINES, Iowa - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, claiming to be unbowed by a third-place finish in the Iowa Democratic caucuses, hailed a "great night for Democrats" and said the strong turnout pointed to the sure election of a Democratic president in November. She said she would "keep pushing as hard as we can."

But her poor showing here was a searing blow to the former first lady, dissolving her image as her party's inevitable nominee and setting up a critical five-day race to Tuesday's leadoff primary in New Hampshire.

...

Caucus goers appeared to reject the central premise of Clinton's candidacy, favoring Obama's message of hope and change over her theme of experience and leadership.

More troubling still was her performance among key groups that had been expected to form the core of her support.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/clinton

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It's good that this is being reported outside of DU.

recognition. MSM was told she was inevitable. By their bosses, and by HIllary staffers. for almost a year.

that makes her collapse that much harder, louder, and for her, more painful.

that this is not the year to take chances come the general. No squeekers. Obama or Edwards win by wide enough margins to defeat vote suppression and DREs. With Hillary, it's probably an honest defeat--not even a squeeker. That prospect is frightening. Iowans who don't read DU an d Kos etc might have rejected Hillary for reasons that many here scoff at, but what they did was important.

You really need to get over the media-fostered impression that the parties split 50/50.

So Hillary is now the maligned underdog, just as she was the maligned top dog previously.

I'm sure there's a woman somewhere, say in the next millennium, whom Americans will vote for. But sexism is not the issue. Nuh uh.

Internalized oppression? :)

she handled the Lewinsky scandal. This is not at all why I oppose her, but if there are broader feelings out there like this then it is only one more reason why it might be difficult for her to win the GE.

Spreading cheer everywhere today, I see.

The Dem candidate will win. Whoever it is.

That's what we said in 2000 -- because the Republicans were dumb enough to run Bush. I laughed my ass off when I first heard he'd be Gore's opponent.

That's what we said in 2004 -- because there was no way Bush could get another term. Anyone fooled in 2000 had surely seen the light now.

And two rigged elections later ..........

Because you would be wrong, as usual.

...and he still managed to...

...wait.

Never mind.

that was fast. :eyes:

She has always claimed she is running a NATIONAL CAMPAIGN!And it shows...she is DOUBLE digit leads all over the nation...Clinton/Obama 2008 The Righty's will freak!! haha:think:

DU people and others).

MSM CREATED Clinton (as the) inevitable nominee...

With the help of the Rethugs, of course. I think the tipping point was the Nevada debate--the favoritism Hillary received pissed off even the general public. And hopefully there will be a LOT less dependence on polls around here!

:headbang:
rocknation

so much could happen in the next few months, it's hard to read how much this really means. but surely not the night Clinton hoped for.

and who among us wants to relive the seething hatred of her from that past? This election is about going forward. Obama best represents that theme. It's time to put the Clintons and Bushes into the history books.

and so would a lot of others. Eight years of peace and prosperity? It sure sucked, didn't it?

I find your argument the weakest of the anti-Hillary arguments.

For far too many people I suspect they want Hillary to win in order to get back at the wing nuts for their vile hatred of her. That is a backward looking perspective. I may be wrong, but I stand by my belief this is about going forward with new political bloodlines. Do you really want to relive and re-fight the battles of each and every "scandal" of her past? Because that's exactly what we'd all get. That is what I don't want to relive from the nineties. And furthermore, the one and only reason for Hillary's political platform is the fact she is married to Bill Clinton. Would she have ever run for so much as the local dog catcher position otherwise? I don't dislike Hillary Clinton. I just have a more down to the nitty gritty perspective of where she comes from. She's not qualified to be President in my opinion. She's not even qualified to be a Senator either. Her greatest claim to fame is the fact she's hated by half the American people. That's not her fault, but it's true.

I don't care about the scandals. Generally it's Republicans who cared about the scandals - since they're the one's who dreamed them up. Are we supposed to be scared of the Republicans now? Are we supposed to live in fear of the media and whatever they're going to gin up for whatever Democrat gets elected next year?

Your post is the usual Hillary hatred drivel. That's all it is. She's not qualified to be a Senator? Tell that to the New Yorkers who re-elected her by one of the largest margins in that state's history. She got where she is on her husband's coattails? Save me your sexist bullshit please. I'm tired of it and I'm tired of posters like you. You have nothing to offer but bile.

If you don't care about the "scandals", then you wouldn't mind an entire presidential campaign wasted re-fighting each and every one of them. Is that what your support for her is about? How dare I point out that she is where she is because she is married to a former President? Silly me! Means I'm sexist says you. She's the corporate shill, which is why I don't support her. And thank you very much, Bill Clinton, for shoving NAFTA up our asses. We'll be paying for that dearly for generations. He and the Republicans worked quite well together on that one, didn't they? Hillary brings the same shit her husband gave us..........capitulation to the corporate masters. Hit your ignore button, you'll feel better.

.... piss off your base at your peril.

Not her style.

and in so many ways, too. Leave no voter bhind!

People see through her phoniness about that issue, and others.

It's a record that cannot escape.

So use your brain before casting any votes. One can't have both ways.

But I believe her vote reflects her as a person and a politician.

Anyone who love wars are sick people.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21225980/

The breakdown of the Iowa caucus vote showed that far more of Obama's votes came from Republican and Independent voters (by four and three to one margins, respectively) than did Clinton's...

How does that constitute her "pissing off her base"? Is her base supposed to be Republicans and Independents (like it seems Obama's is?)

Just curious who you think her "base" is....

but it's still a very long way to being final.

(But funny.)

guess the msm is feeling pretty smug now--

She leads in NH and the nation and has the super delegates. If you discount that fact, you aren't seeing the big picture.

Smug and gloating is as unattractive in dems as it is in republicans.

I just hope this is not the end for Edwards. We need that voice loud and clear and I fear Obama doesn't have the vocal chords for it.

Being all nice and bipartisan and coming together and forward for change and optimism and hope etc. won't alone cut the mustard when the attack machines gear up.

how many more waves of building up Clinton and then tearing her down will we see from the MSM, while the message of Edwards gets lost in the turmoil. Clinton seems to be more about experience than change, but we need to stress exactly what type of change is being sought.

Hillary sending him and President Bush Senior on a global tour to re-image the USA.

Can't find the DU link about this but remember reading opinions that the comments were ill-judged at such a sensitive time.

Don't they realize that so many Americans are sick and tired of everything Bush? Blowback.

Sorry Clinton supporters. I know you love your candidate (why, I'll never know, considering her stances on some things). But I see this as a positive reaction against dynasties, and that's a good thing.