Clinton Underperforming

[Hillary Lost]

Hillary Clinton led Obama and the rest of the 2008 field by 30 points or so, but lost to a rookie from IL.  In 2016 she led Sanders by 66, but it became a moderately close race.  She led Trump by 17 in early August, but lost.  Would she have lost to John McCain in 2008.  If not, then what's different about it compared to any other national race she's run?

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

While Hillary's election record is pathetic, it's not quite as bad as you say. Those 66 point leads never actually meant anything, those are from 2013 when she was leaving the SOS position with very high approvals in that job and when literally no one was thinking about 2016. The 17 point lead was just after the DNC/Khan Bounce, which was never going to hold up entirely.

She would have won in '08 GE simply because it was basically a crime to be a republican that year, but she would have won fewer EVs than Obama did.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

The political climate makes a difference. Hillary beats McCain in 2008. McCain beats Hillary in 2016.