The Democratic Party establishment and rank and file support Hillary Clinton’s nomination. But, as the recent e-mail controversy highlights, it’s not without its stress. Hillary Clinton comes with baggage:
- She and her husband have been involved in various controversies, many of their own initiation, some not, since their entry into national consciousness in 1992.
- Hillary escaped the Clinton zeitgeist as Secretary of State, but her re-entry into partisan politics has been weak.
- Claims of financial hardship,
- Hundreds of thousands in speaker fees,
- Big foundation salaries from CGI,
- Solicitations from the mega rich and foreign governments for CGI,
- And, her conducting public business on a private communication system
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| Hillary Clinton |
But, the Democratic Party has few alternatives and many reasons to ride with Clinton regardless of any doubts.
- The Party’s identity politics has prioritized a women president. Powerful Senate and House feminist leaders will not be denied their turn – Pelosi, Boxer, Mikulski, etc. nearing or at their retirement – intend on securing the nomination for Clinton.
- Clinton has earned Democratic support for more than two decades of service on women and liberal issues.
- She got 48 percent against Obama and, but for some bad luck and an inept campaign, would have been the nominee and president in 2008.
- A Democratic third term will be difficult. But Clinton is not just most likely the best candidate, she may be the only plausible candidate – Biden and Kerry are even more burdened by their relationship with Obama. Gore would be a Democratic nightmare. The ambitious Warren and O’Malley are unknown, untested, and mostly far left in an election that is unlikely to move to the left of Barack Obama.
So regardless of baggage and a stumbling start, Democrats are hard-pressed to not be “ready for Hillary.”
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