<p>Anyone can become a senator. People have proven that all it takes is money. The path into congress can (and has often been) bought, but you cannot buy the presidency.</p>
<p>People like Perot, [that guy who ran against Reagan in the 80’s - his name escapes me], and several defeated candidates throughout the 19th century spent (in age adjusted funds) millions of their own money to try to make a run at the office - they never got far. </p>
<p>People elect presidents based on an intangible. Kind A protective fatherly figure. Always have - take a look in a history book.</p>
<p>Hilary wouldn’t win if she was a man solely due to what the public thinks about her. Now add the fact that she isn’t a man and no woman will be elected anytime soon, and you have a recipe for a landslide if, by some act of divine intervention, the dems were stupid enough to let her be nominated.</p>
Actually, the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth were telling the truth. Liberals just repeat to themselves that the Swift Boat Veterans were untruthful hoping that if they continue to repeat the Big Lie, it will become the truth. Fortunately the Swift Boat Veterans brought down a man who lied when he said he was in Cambodia at Christmas under Nixon’s orders when none of it was true especially given that Nixon was not yet in office. </p>
<p>I actually think Hillary has a chance at winning it all. The downside would be that many countries, especially middle eastern counties, would perceive America and weak. The upside is that if middle eastern women see a woman running a superpower, they may ask themselves why women are treated so unequally in their own countries. Of course, there would be many other ups and downs, but this one seems most interesting to me.</p>
<p>and Maize: 56% of American voters wanted Hillary to run for president in 2004. </p>
<p>And what does the public think of her? Do you have anything to support this?</p>
<p>Hillary’s approval ratings among republicans in her state of NY is 49% and more wealthy republicans are supporting, even plan to fundraise for her campaign.</p>
<p>If you’re citing the poll I think you are, you’ve got it wrong: 56 percent would consider <em>voting</em> for HC and 39 percent wouldn’t. Her favorable/unfavorable ratings have been steadily improving. No doubt a halo effect from the fact that the Clinton years are beginning to look like “the good old days” to a lot of people.</p>
<p>Maize&Blue22,
Look, Hillary is extremely popular in the Democratic Party (virtually all polls show her leading other possible candidates by huge margins). And yes, the Presidency can be bought, just look at John F. Kennedy. Kennedy’s father, Joseph, was extremely wealthy and used his vast connections in the Media to help elect his son. And remember, as much as Republicans deny it, Hillary is a moderate. She has not wavered on her positions and is even “hawkish” on military matters. Many Republican try to paint Hillary as anti-religion. This is not true; Hillary has long been a devout Methodist. If she runs, the Democratic Party will rally to her. However, it is yet to be seen whether or not she can win in the South or the Midwest (the biggest hurdle for Democrats).</p>
<p>Let’s see - no reason to impeach Bill Clinton because he lied about a “consensual sex act”. No matter that his partner was an intern over which he had full authority, no matter that she was barely of age, no matter that it took place in the Oval Office on “company time”. Forget the immorality of it. Just no big deal.</p>
<p>Does anyone on this message board know of a company that wouldn’t fire a chief executive - male or female - who dallied with a subordinate (no less an intern) in his.her ceo office? Boeing recently ousted its CEO over an extramarital affair.</p>
<p>BigGreen, yes, compared to the lies about Iraq, it’s trivial. Certainly not impeachable. As the whole long sorry charade proved. Morality? Bush?</p>
<p>“If they ask why we died,
Tell them because our fathers lied.”
– Kipling</p>
<p>I think people keep getting Hillary wrong, and never ackowledging it. </p>
<p>I remember when Bill was president, and the republicans said “oh, they’re just married because he’s president - just wait. The minute he’s out of the White House, she’ll divorce him.” She didn’t. No one apologized.</p>
<p>When people started talking about her possibly running for the Senate in NY, I heard some - not all - republicans saying she was just doing it for publicity. She would never run; and if she did, she had no chance of winning. She ran, she won, no one apologized.</p>
<p>Then in 2004, I heard almost every republican saying that Wes Clark was her stalking horse. How many times did we hear that at the last minute, she would jump into the race against Bush. Oh, absolutely, no question, that’s what the horrible woman would do. She didn’t, no one apologized. </p>
<p>And now, after all this time, instead of saying, gee, we’ve always been wrong, maybe we should accept the fact we don’t understand her instead of always assuming we know exactly what’s going with her motivations, now the inaccurate predictions just weigh more heavily on her reputation. It’s bizarre, almost as if people have convicted her of nefarious motivations and schemes for things she, well, never did to begin with! I’ve never seen anything like it.</p>
<p>I’m not really a Hillary fan, but it does seem that it’s almost a pimitive reaction to her in a lot of people.</p>
<p>Divorce him now? Now that she’s been through the worst and he’s making over $20 million /yr.? That geotgous house in Georgetown is not a possibility for most jr. senators.</p>
<p>Have family living where HC grew up - they don’t like her there, either. What is sad is that some predominantly Moslem countries have had women Prime Ministers, yet we have as yet not had a woman Prez - HC can’t be elected nationwide, and could set back women’s battle to place woman in the presidency for many years to come. A battle between Rice and HC would be very eye-opening! Now that is an accomplished woman - smart, multi-talented and brilliant in everything she has undertaken. The sad thing is is that many women want to vote for a woman, but many do not like HC, and want a viable female candidate to vote for.</p>
<p>The only way Hillary would win is if Condi Rice were the Repub nominee. Nothing against either of them, but I tend to agree with Maize that most people would automatically penalize her for being XX. And a woman would beat a minority woman if it came to that.</p>
<p>It’s not important enough to deny her the Presidency, but it’s something that should be considered before holding her up to young girls as a role model.</p>
<p>The interesting thing about a Sen. Clinton v. Sec. Rice election would be how the minority Democrats would vote. Please don’t jump on me for stereotyping, but it would be interesting to see what happens when the decision is between a Caucasian candidate of their own party, or a minority president of the opposite party.</p>
<p>As to impeachability - the act itself is not impeachable - it was lying under oath that caused the situation. Honorably admit to the act, and no one could do anything, but he lost his law license (as if he really carde) over that one because it violated the law - a CRIME. If the Prez commits a crime, then attempts to enforce laws, that is hypocrisy. Nixon was caught and he resigned. Conspiracy is a crime, as perjury is - both impeachable. Adultery is not a crime - that is between the 2 of them. However, I cannot approve his abuse of office (as any office manager or CEO would be held to a higher standard). And I am judgmental regardless of party. I think that election to any higher office carries with it a tremendous duty and officials need to see themselves as role models and live up to that. Needless to say, there are few I really like - McCain (bi-partisan suppport) and Dean (don’t really care for him or what he has to say, but at least I know where he stands, so I have respect for that).</p>
I agree with you and I think a lot of people in this country would too, that is why Bush was elected. I know before he(Bill) was elected I was the one that did not mind about the Jennifer thing, I argued with my friends about it, but when he was in office that was a total different matter.</p>