Is Hillary Still Our Best Bet

[Blair]

If you're attacking Hillary because her husband signed a bill 28 years ago that kept a star on a flag then you're really struggling.

On HRC I'm in two camps. Part of me knows that her political power is immense, and the backing of the party should be held in highish regard. The fact she's polling 50% shows she's clearly powerful, even if it is against a weak field. She's got a record, that republicans claim is all worthless but she's immensely qualified and we won't get the whole 'wink wink community organizer' attack that was used against Obama.

The rest of the field is also weak- O'Malley is the Bill Bradley of the race, and that's an insult to Bill Bradley. Biden may have immense experience, and could be a good candidate to fall back but his history of pretty awful gaffes (Put them back in chains, nice articulate fresh comments, Kinnock Speech) The sad thing is that even the people waiting like Gilibrand, Kaine, Castro and Harris don't have that touch yet. Likewise I'd be skeptical of polls that show Sanders beating Clinton in a GE-this time in 2011 we saw Polls that said that Cain would beat Obama. Michael Dukakis had a 20 point lead after the conventions and look what happened... polls a year before don't have much importance.

However Hillary has some absolute awful weakness as a candidate. Scandal has always stuck to the Clintons, it's a combination of Republicans being determined to sink the popular southern governor in 1992 after he won, but it's also a result of them being secretive. HRC's challenge isn't getting past the scandals, that will never happen. Her challenge is to what Bill did in 1996, and 1998- get people to vote for you even though they don't trust you at all.

[heatmaster]

She is by far the best bet....as far as Republicans go😉

[Mehmentum]

Assuming the email scandal resolves itself (which, at this point, I think it will), she's more electable than Biden or Sanders.  Biden, for all the good polling he's getting recently, will see his favorables decrease once he actually gets in the race.  Both he and Sanders aren't really getting attacked by their political opponents. 

Biden is bound to make gaffes that will hinder his campaign.  There's a reason why Biden's two previous presidential bids were flops.  Biden would be a decent backup candidate, but he won't be on Clinton's level.

Sanders has many problems in a general election campaign.  He can too easily be painted as an extremist.  He doesn't have the image or charisma to sell his kind of message to a skeptical audience.  Turnout among African Americans and Latinos could decrease, since they don't seem to support him much in the primary.

Of course, all of this goes out the window if Clinton is indicted.  In that case, I would switch support to Biden.

[emailking]

Yes she is.

[WVdemocrat]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

[pho]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

Massachusetts I blame on Martha Coakley, who apparantly couldn't win an election if she were running against NOTA. Besides that, Patrick was the onlg Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Dukakis left office in 1991—so its not like Baker winning was unprecedented. For comparison Ehrlich, who only served a single term, was the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

[Figueira]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

There are much better criticisms of O'Malley than that.

[WVdemocrat]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

Massachusetts I blame on Martha Coakley, who apparantly couldn't win an election if she were running against NOTA. Besides that, Patrick was the onlg Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Dukakis left office in 1991—so its not like Baker winning was unprecedented. For comparison Ehrlich, who only served a single term, was the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

Are you trying to make the argument that Maryland is more liberal than Massachusetts?

[Figueira]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

Massachusetts I blame on Martha Coakley, who apparantly couldn't win an election if she were running against NOTA. Besides that, Patrick was the onlg Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Dukakis left office in 1991—so its not like Baker winning was unprecedented. For comparison Ehrlich, who only served a single term, was the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

Are you trying to make the argument that Maryland is more liberal than Massachusetts?

I don't know if it's more liberal, but to be fair, it's more democratic when it comes to gubernatorial elections.

[WVdemocrat]

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and left office with a middling approval rating.

There are much better criticisms of O'Malley than that.

I'd love to hear them.

[WVdemocrat]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

Massachusetts I blame on Martha Coakley, who apparantly couldn't win an election if she were running against NOTA. Besides that, Patrick was the onlg Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Dukakis left office in 1991—so its not like Baker winning was unprecedented. For comparison Ehrlich, who only served a single term, was the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

Are you trying to make the argument that Maryland is more liberal than Massachusetts?

I don't know if it's more liberal, but to be fair, it's more democratic when it comes to gubernatorial elections.

And sometimes Democrats lose. It happens. But Anthony Brown lost because of Anthony Brown. Hogan went around the state distorting O'Malley's record, and Brown didn't defend it well. Like I said, he really ran a piss-poor campaign.

[Figueira]

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and left office with a middling approval rating.

There are much better criticisms of O'Malley than that.

I'd love to hear them.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/04/29/david-simon-on-baltimore-s-anguish

By the way, if you have a response to that I'd love to hear it.

[The Free North]

Hillary is a very very strong choice for president and I think that a majority of Americans know this and will end up voting for her, despite not necessarily loving her. She just oozes competence and always have.

Dear lord, what is wrong with you?

[DrScholl]

Of course, based on name recognition and experience alone. Any other candidate would have to start from the ground up at this point.

[All Along The Watchtower]

Even granting the notion that Hillary is an increasingly unpopular candidate, a lot of the Democratic Party is already heavily invested in her campaign (in more ways than one). Unless most people within the donor class and the party's state and local affiliates, etc.  get on board with switching to Biden or whomever, a divided Democratic Party would be a sure way to lose the White House - which would mean the GOP/American Right would have full control of the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, the executive branch....etc.

[NeverAgain]

Even granting the notion that Hillary is an increasingly unpopular candidate, a lot of the Democratic Party is already heavily invested in her campaign (in more ways than one). Unless most people within the donor class and the party's state and local affiliates, etc.  get on board with switching to Biden or whomever, a divided Democratic Party would be a sure way to lose the White House - which would mean the GOP/American Right would have full control of the Supreme Court, both houses of Congress, the executive branch....etc.

You do realize Hillary isn't the incumbent, right?

[WVdemocrat]

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and left office with a middling approval rating.

There are much better criticisms of O'Malley than that.

I'd love to hear them.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/04/29/david-simon-on-baltimore-s-anguish

By the way, if you have a response to that I'd love to hear it.

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-05-15/david-simon-is-wrong-about-baltimore-arrests

If you have a response to this, I'd love to hear it.

[pho]

If the alternative is Sanders or Biden, then she is unquestionably still the best option.

What should really have you worried is that there is literally no one of equal quality to fill the void should Hillary implode.

A Vice President of the United States, 36 Year Senator of Delaware. A Former Mayor of Burlington, Congressman, and Senator of Vermont. A Former Mayor of Baltimore, and Governor of Maryland. A Former Sec. of The Navy and Former Senator of Virginia. A Former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island.
Yup. No quality here, hun.

A Vice President of the United States...who compulsively puts his foot in his mouth.

A Senator from Vermont...who openly identifies as a socialist while apparently having no understanding of what that word means.

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and  left office with a middling approval rating.

A former Secretary of  the Navy (under Reagan) and former (one term) Senator...who defends confederate "heritage".

A former Senator and Governor of Rhode Island...do I really need to explain why Lincoln Chafee is not a quality candidate?

1. And Hillary has never made a gaffe?

2. *Democratic-Socialist, and I'm thinking by your reply you don't know that is.

3.  2014 - Republican Wave, Low Turnout, Blah Blah Blah. Really wasn't all O'Malley's fault, I'll leave his defense to Dimpled though.

4. Yeah, I know, damn southerner! No politician in their right mind would defend the confederate flag and especially not use it in campaign memorabilia...

5. Hey, he voted against the Iraq war... Can't say the same for peacenik Hillary though...

They aren't all the best cherries in the field, (trying to get my phrase to catch on) but they are "quality".

3. That would be a decent argument if we weren't talking about Maryland.

Maryland elected Bob Ehrlich, and also: Anthony Brown led a piss poor campaign. Plus, low turnout and GOP wave are legitimate points, even in Maryland. Do you blame Baker's victory in Massachusetts on Deval Patrick?

Massachusetts I blame on Martha Coakley, who apparantly couldn't win an election if she were running against NOTA. Besides that, Patrick was the onlg Democratic governor of Massachusetts since Dukakis left office in 1991—so its not like Baker winning was unprecedented. For comparison Ehrlich, who only served a single term, was the first Republican governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

Are you trying to make the argument that Maryland is more liberal than Massachusetts?

Maryland doesn't have to be more liberal to be more Democratic on a state level. Since 1969, Maryland has had two Republican governors (including the current incumbent). 6/10 Massachusetts governors from the same time period have been Republicans.

[Figueira]

A former mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland...who was succeeded by a Republican and left office with a middling approval rating.

There are much better criticisms of O'Malley than that.

I'd love to hear them.

https://www.themarshallproject.org/2015/04/29/david-simon-on-baltimore-s-anguish

By the way, if you have a response to that I'd love to hear it.

http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-05-15/david-simon-is-wrong-about-baltimore-arrests

If you have a response to this, I'd love to hear it.

That doesn't seem to address whether the mass arrests happened. It just says that they weren't the cause of the recent riots.

However, I'm finding mixed things about this online. Does anyone have any info on O'Malley's "mass arrests" in Baltimore?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

She can galvanize the womem and Latino vote. But; Biden clearly is the best bet. But; either one is better than Jeb or TRUMP.

[Crumpets]

Why are people so confident about Biden? I mean, he's a fun guy, but his approval rating is probably very overrated, just like Clinton's was last winter.

[exopolitician]

Why are people so confident about Biden? I mean, he's a fun guy, but his approval rating is probably very overrated, just like Clinton's was last winter.

A lot of people, Democrats and Republicans, respect him and think he is an overall good guy. He is more charismatic than Clinton and people trust him more.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Biden helped Obama win 2 natl campaigns; and handily beat Ryan & Palin in 2 VP debates. Both Clinton or Biden are the country's best bet.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

Biden helped Obama win 2 natl campaigns; and handily beat Ryan & Palin in 2 VP debates. Both Clinton or Biden are the country's best bet.

No he didn't. I love Joe, but he didn't make a significant difference in any election other than not insulting Palin and mocking Ryan to give the base a boost of the Denver debacle (the Biden v Ryan debate was THE highlight of the 2012 campaign). Plus remembering Biden also cocked up a number of times during the campaigns, but because Obama was top of the ticket no one cared. If Biden did it as the nominee... it would have much bigger consequences.

His personal ratings will return to where they were earlier in the year. Like I said, I love the guy and would support him before Sanders or O'Malley, but I think he'd definitely be a high-risk candidate. Almost higher risk than Sanders, because you know what you're going to get.