Clinton Interview

[vorlon13]

It was a bad political move, sure, but my point is that she just said what the rest of us were thinking in that case. Most people say that's what they want out of their politicians, but I guess those same people don't like it if that politician is a woman and/or if it is something said about them.

Yeah, I'd prefer that she keep her negatives down and her positives up.  You know, get elected.

I'm reading HRC now. Starts off with a post mortem of the 2008 primary loss to Obama, and I can assure you grim reading that is since I'm reading it after her subsequent loss in the 2016 Presidential Campaign. Jesus, what an awful slog wading through that part of the book was. (but damn, I didn't realize what a GREAT candidate Obama was in 2008. Hell, "Good" yeah, that was evident, but Obama out of the box was really fantastic at it. My oft used phrase "taut, efficient campaign" kept springing to mind.

Additionally, the authors give more detail in how the Clinton Enemies List works. (and don't kid yourself, ALL politicians have them, so Bill and Hillary are not unique in having their own)

The "CEL" is large and complex enough to merit paid staff being hired to manage and organize it. Some aspects of it's implementation seem to have severely damaged Hillary's 2016 campaign. During 2008, all members of the Congressional Black Caucus were given a pass for supporting Obama. No one else with a D behind their name in state or national offices were given a pass for supporting Obama and were dumped on to the CEL as a result, regardless of their ability to 'impede' subsequent goals of the Clintons. This explains the tepid and flaccid support Hillary received from so many of her fellow Democrats. There being no way off the CEL once on it, support for Hillary was going to be wan as there won't be any 'spliff or boodle' coming their way if she should win, lest it help her greatly be seen as a benefit (to her especially) to do so.

This problem is EXTREMELY underappreciated now. Areas that went like gangbusters for Obama that subsequently went limp for Hillary certainly look inevitable now knowing how the CEL (self)inflicted a massive wound on Hillary's 2016 run. Easy enough for dems in those areas to offer lip service to her campaign, but the lack of enthusiasm (a direct result of being put on the CEL) was picked up by staffers, campaigners and THE PUBLIC. The lack of actual leg work in those areas was a significant blow to a campaign that (incorrectly due to Robby Mook's flawed analytics) didn't feel they needed it.