"Hillary's Hundred": Why the GOP Rarely Runs a Senator as the Nominee...

[CorpGovActivist]

The advanced search feature on the Library of Congress's THOMAS site just became the GOP's best friend: http://thomas.loc.gov/bss/d110query.html

From the 107th through the 110th, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's sponsorship or co-sponsorship of legislation will provide a rich vein of "opp research" material.

For example, to run scare tactic ads in coal-dependent regions of the country, GOP opp researchers might type in the word "coal," confine the search to her first Congress (the 107th), and include bills on which she was either a sponsor or co-sponsor.

They'd come up with this bill, introduced by Senator Jeffords: thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:s.00556:

Date of her signing on to co-sponsor: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:SN00556:@@@P

The TV commercials for coal-dependent regions of the country practically write themselves: "During her first 100 days as a United States Senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton co-sponsored legislation that would have cost many of the few remaining coal-producing jobs here in {fill in the blank with local media market}."

"Hillary's Hundred" commercials - focusing on the bills she sponsored or co-sponsored during her first 100 days as a Senator (or the first 100 she sponsored or co-sponsored) - are just one illustration of why the DNC ought to be taking a good hard look at its roster at the NGA:

http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/BIOBOOK.pdf

I personally am extremely grateful to Senator Clinton and her *extremely capable* staff for their professionalism, savvy, and genuine public policy interest. But I just don't understand for the life of me why she didn't run for Governor somewhere, if she contemplated the Presidency.

- Dave

[Spinzonner]

1. The GOP has always preferred stealth candidates

[tridim]

2. Except for Dole and Poppy.

[ronnykmarshall]

10. Poppy wasn't a senator.

An asshole yes, but not a senator.

[Cleita]

13. It was Poppy's pappy, Prescott Bush, who was the senator.

Still there is way too much nepotism coming from this family. Time to retire the Bush family from politics. Our poor country can't take the destruction anymore.

[CorpGovActivist]

5. The Governor of Arkansas Was a Bit of a Stealth Candidate...

... back in '92.

; )

- Dave

[Straight Shooter]

3. I believe it's called the "Senator's Curse."

Someone with time on their hands can compare past presidents -- we actually should exclude the last two stolen elections -- and determine what prior political office has the greatest chance of winning. I personally think governors have the best chance.

The American people don't understand, apparently, how fraught the congressional process is with deals and "winks and nudges" that tend to cause the congressperson to vote sometimes and give us all a "WTF" moment, in exchange for something which the congress critter perceives as more vital to the long-term interests of their constituents.

I would have a higher opinion of Hillary Clinton if she would kick James Carville to the curb.

[CorpGovActivist]

4. Imagine If She'd Run for Illinois Governor...

... with its 21 Electoral College votes, the third-largest American city by population, and a diverse population, Illinois would have provided one heckuva launching pad.

Governors tend to:

1. Get to kick off "showcase" projects, for which they are remembered, win, lose, or draw.
2. Get the local media bully pulpit to explain any counterintuitive nuances.
3. Define themselves and their agenda, to a much greater extent than Senators.

Personally, I think Governor Spitzer is sitting pretty for '12, especially if (God forbid) the GOP manages to hang on to the White House.

- Dave

[Straight Shooter]

7. Elliott Spitzer as president. From your mouth to God's ear.

:)

[CorpGovActivist]

12. The Bullpen in 08 Should Have Had ...

... at least one candidate of his quality locked, loaded, and ready to go.

I'm astounded that neither party has produced one.

- Dave

[Straight Shooter]

14. I think America is ready for a "law and order" type of candidate.

Especially when Fitzgerald gets through chewing through the barricade surrounding the White House, people will want someone who is known for integrity and going after the bad guys in a big way.

Kerry was that candidate, BCCI and all that, but his "handlers" miscalculated what America was looking for and seriously misjudged Rove's ability to turn a strength into a weakness. Then they hamstrung him, and here we are in this big ugly mess.

Spitzer isn't perfect, but after reading the article on him in The New Yorker, I was solidly impressed with his credentials and determination. I work in the legal field and I know how hard it is for people not to compromise themselves, not to give up. A lot of folks with their money market funds have no idea who it is that really saved their a** from the Wall Street profiteers.

It's great to see you posting on DU again. :hi:

[CorpGovActivist]

16. Smart, Ethical, Thoughtful, and Open-Minded...

... start focus grouping the attributes that voters in key swing states want, if you want to see the eventual nominee get a passing grade in the Electoral College: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College

- Dave

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. It's governor, isn't it?

Or VP...

Dubya - governor/favored son
Clinton - governor
Bush I - VP, etc
Reagan - governor
Carter - governor
Ford - VP (obviously)
Nixon - everything under the sun
LBJ - VP (obviously) formerly senator
JFK - Senator

So you basically have to go back to JFK to find a semi-career Senator who became President. And by this point we're getting back to a place where the nomination process was completely different than what we have today. The list of failed Senators-for-President is long.

[sandnsea]

8. This makes no sense

Do you want a candidate who doesn't support Democratic values?? How can she be a corporate shill AND have a record the GOP will rip apart, all at the same time?? :crazy:

[Skidmore]

9. The Republicans are praying that Dems will run Clinton.

It'll be back to the future and the meanest campaign in history.

[ronnykmarshall]

11. With many DU'ers heading up the pack.

[CorpGovActivist]

15. I Deeply Admire and Like Senator Clinton...

... please make no mistake there. I think she would be one of the smartest people ever to occupy the Oval Office. I think she would re-energize and electrify both foreign and domestic policy.

But I have serious doubts about how she gets a passing grade in the Electoral College: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Electoral_College

- Dave