Clinton For President?

[sunny-dave]

Hillary that is ...

Hillary Clinton is busy making alliances and working for key Democrats - presumably with an eye to nomination as their Presidential Candidate in 2016.

I was always a vociferous proponent of Hillary - back in 2008 I thought she would make a rather better fist of the Presidency than Obama - nothing I've seen over the last 5 years has changed that view.

The main snag in 2016 could be "the age thing" - she will be (just) 69 when the election is fought - but then Reagan was older than that and completed two terms.

Can she do it? Should she do it?

http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/hillary-clinton-campaigns-in-va-for-mcauliffe/article_3ce113b8-38f8-11e3-96bb-0019bb30f31a.html?photo=0

[jno]

I think Americans may have had enough of "minority candidates" for a while (a black man and then a female??). Our own choices have been entirely mainstream since Maggie was defenestrated.

That said, it's a matter of who she'd be up against. Normally, the opposition candidates would be fairly clear by now, but the Republicans still seem to be tearing themselves apart, middle-of-the-road v Tea Party. If she'd faced Mitt Romney she'd have beaten him too.

The Democrats themselves don't seem to have produced a more promising candidate than Hillary yet, so she'd be in with a very good chance of getting the nomination at least.

[The Builder]

A family friend in the US was on Bill Clinton's campaign team. He's confident that she'll go for it.
I always thought I'd like to see it come down to her and Condi Rice. Assured of a woman in the White House then. That would be interesting.

[humbersloop]

An incredibly able and effective woman dave, though I think her time has passed.

And yes, age will play worse against her as a woman anyway. She may be wiser to be a broker

[DTCwordfan]

Her daughter is being trained for 'The Job'.......she won't make it at 69.

[boxtops]

I'd like to see her try for it - she has grown considerably in status in recent years.

[askyourgran]

I think she will go for it, and she seems to be ready for it. Her age is against her but she's been in politics a long time and knows the score.

[sunny-dave]

I'd like to see her have the opportunity - even for just four years.

Actually some of the most effective US Presidents have been 'one term only' candidates - without the need to be cutting deals for re-election (and often with a majority in both houses for most of their term) they have the freedom to actually move things forward.

[humbersloop]

while I think it pretty likely she'd get the nomination if she chooses to run, even with the Republicans in their present state I'm somehow doubtful she'd get elected

[FredPuli43]

Wonder who will stand against her for the nomination? They do produce surprise candidates who nobody here, and few there, have heard of at the beginning of a campaign; jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton for example

[jno]

true, FredPuli, but the recent trend is for people to get going early. As I recall both George W Bush and Obama had laid out their stalls within a month or two of their party's second election loss. These days a Republican hopeful has a huge job just to persuade his own party to unite behind him (or her, of course).

I think if I were one such, I'd sit this one out and hope that four years later the Republicans would have ended their civil war and the electorate at large would have had enough after three terms of Democratic rule.

[Eve]

I'd like to see her go for it, I hoped she would get the ticket last time.

Interesting who she would be up against.

I'm not the biggest fan of all the fuss and fanfare of US elections though. I was in New York when they were awaiting a ticket announcement about Sarah Palin, it was something else! I just don't see the need for all the ridiculous amounts of money spent on campaigns.

[CokeTulip]

Yes. I'd love to see her do it - she will not disappoint and I would like her to have the chance - she has devoted herself to politics and is very strong.
Her age could go in her favour actually (she's very sharp). I have to admire her.

[douglas9401]

Dear America, this is not the X-Factor. Please vote without whooping like jungle animals wakened from a peaceful slumber.
Please look deep into her eyes before casting your vote. After Bill's adventures she's obviously prepared to put up with and do anything for that job.

[sandyRoe]

Didn't she have a 'health scare' not so long ago? The Republicans would make much of that.

[grumpy01]

Don't remember Margaret Thatcher being thrown from a window jno.

[FredPuli43]

You must remember the Defenestration of Smith Square? It is the third most famous defenestration in history. And the more poignant because Denis's eyes were glazed at the time.

[modeller]

What would be even more interesting is if we had a female PM at the same time.

[coccinelle]

Joe Biden could be another candidate. He's a lovely bloke but Hillary Clinton would make a good President.
When both she and Bill met it was an understood thing between them that they would both help each other to get to that post...

[ToraToraTora]

Gawd I hope not! anyway it's the republican's turn.

[AB Editor]

I don't think there's much love for Hillary outside of her own party.

She's no Bill: http://tjg2.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/bill_clinton_the_lady_killer_by_sharpwriter-d5wx11h.jpg