Color me a woman overboard from the Hillary Express. A lifelong Democrat, I cannot imagine a worse fate for my political party, or for that matter the United States of America, than bringing this ship to port.
Democratic candidates who can win next November do, in fact, exist. Yet, the national news media doesn’t publicize the credentials of candidates like Joe Biden or Chris Dodd. Rather, the media consistently downplays these candidates' political prowess, accomplishments, and admirable experience.
Like some vast left wing conspiracy, media conglomerates and their minions continue to herald Clinton as the clear Democratic frontrunner. Their blatantly obvious bias is not so much indefensible as it is incomprehensible. Hillary is nothing more than one of seven credible challengers perched behind an uncut ribbon at a pre-dawn marathon. Still, the media proclaims she will handily win the nomination as well as the presidency.
It’s time the American people sent a message to the national news media and vote their own minds in the upcoming primaries. Democracy cannot function effectively unless each American formulates and voices an opinion about the candidate who best reflects their individual needs and interests.
I, for one, will not hand Mrs. Clinton my party's nomination on a silver platter. I thumb my nose at media elite, and throw my support behind any other Democratic contender, going so far as to pledge my vote in the general election to the Republican – any Republican – if my party nominates this pathetic excuse for a candidate. Here’s why:
1. Clinton does not have the credentials to lead America. She has no track record of successful management of any large organization. She has never led the charge for successful passage of any consequential legislation. Even liberal Democrats give Hillary a pitiful 60% approval rating for piggyback voting, i.e. a failing grade on legislation Clinton supported but did not initiate.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Marcia L. Neil
Clinton was led to champion causes to put plaintiffs to work as examples of human resources not securely managed; and the spouse-candidate might be on the same misguded track.
2 - missed you
The author of this articl is an idiot! That is all.
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
"She is ethically unsuitable for the office of president. Clinton will do or say anything to get elected."
No, this actually makes her qualified.
4 - Everton
You are an idiot. Obama and Ewards cannot win in the general election for several reason. but, without boring you with a list, i'll be brief.
John Edwards said said the war on terror was nothing but a "bumper sticker." Now, while I may agree, it would be a republican field day to run commercials on that.
Sen. Obama suffers from your points 1 and 8 above, but in a much more severe way. In addition, you don't have to be a genius to know that Al Sharpton, Oprah, and Jesse Jackson will turn swing voters off. But his biggest problem is that, most people will not trust him to be commander-in-chief. A BIG difference between him and JFK is that JFK fought in WWII.
With regard to Hillary, need I remind you that Gov. Bush had ALL of the issues you listed above in 2000 (including the dynasty thing)? Guess who won that contest. The last President to win of the merits was probably JFK. Everyone since (save Clinton) won by riding coat tails, or having a really bad opponent. All of the flaws listed above are not disqualifiers, because in case you don't know GWB would still beat Kerry in 08 if he could run, because he knows how to win despite all of his MAJOR flaws as a candidate.
Clinton has the best chance among the candidates BECAUSE of her flaws. This is not some video game. nominate somebody else, the republicans win and Roe v Wade is gone, Iran goes Iraq, and the dollar falls below the peso. Grow up and join the bandwagon. Don't be like the 97000 idiots that voted for Nader in 2000 in FL.
5 - Dave
Finally some straight talk on Hillary. She's not the only candidate, just the one corporate media conspired to give to the democrats so we get another republican in 2008. Why not vote your conscious?
Do you want out of the war when the new president starts his or her term? Do you want to live in a democracy instead of the representative government we have now?
Then vote Mike Gravel. You'll be glad you did.
Learn about gravel here: gravel2008.us
6 - citizen
Atleast somebody has some sense.
7 - Lumpy
Obama and Edwards can't win? Well a poll out today shows Hillary losing by 3 to 5 points to any of the top 5 republicans including Huckabee. The dems ought to dump her as fast as they can.
8 - john polifronio
Wow! I don't know where to start. More from the old republican goon squad, trying desperately to change the voting system in California, to suit Giuliani, so fearful are they, of this woman. It's amusing to see republicans so completely apoplectic at the prospect of being beaten by a "woman," no less. Every point made by Taragin, is either false on its face, a gross exaggeration, or, is a quality, or fault, if you will, shared by all the dem candidates, and that actually qualifies Hillary for the presidency.
I'm voting for this First Lady.
9 - handyguy
If any Democrats change their primary votes because of the poll Lumpy cites, they deserve to lose.
Any of the top 3 Dems have a better than even chance to beat any of the top 4 GOP candidates, because of:
1. the war
2. pessimism about the economy
3. the war
4. health care
5. the war
6. the other "war" - allegedly on terrorism, but actually waged against our own self-respect as a democracy, distorted and demeaned by the incompetence of the current administration
My predictions may not mean much this far out, but neither do polls.
PS This article is terrible, and in fact constitutes a "kook factor" all by itself. Unproven allegations and an unpleasant attitude do not in themselves tell us very much that is useful.
10 - Debbie
Wow, what a bitter woman. So she's in Maryland taking care of her hubby? Maybe her hubby should start taking care of her.
11 - Dave Nalle
Debbie, a lot of Democrats both on the far left and in the middle are pretty bitter right now and feel like their party has betrayed them.
Dave
12 - epillay34
The author of this article ought to read Carl Bernstein's book "A Woman In Charge" before she embarrasses herself any further. This piece is the work of someone with too much time on her hands and not enough brains in her head. Shameful and ridiculous.
13 - Phillip Winn
Joe Biden or Chris Dodd could win in a general election? And I thought Ron Paul supporters were naive!
14 - CherylT
Hot topic? Of course! Love all the comments - positive and negative, although personal attacks such as "idiot" make the people who post them look stupid. If you disagree, then tell me why. I'm ready to listen if you point me to facts. So far, no detractors have.
Take for example comment #4. My article specifically mentions Biden and Dodd, yet the comment goes to great lengths to discredit Edwards and Obama. Yikes. Not going to go there.
Comment #9 - we'll just agree to disagree, although I'm surprised that you've characterized my reasons - backed by links to factual information - as unproven allegations. Did you even bother to watch the videos? If not, you should. I'm not the one with the evidence - just the one reporting it. Okay maybe I did show some unpleasant attitude in reasons #7 and #8, but this woman rubs me the wrong way. I am only human. On the other hand, if you see unpleasant attitude in the other six reasons, it is only because you haven't reviewed the facts objectively. I wish you would do so. Then feel free to post some facts and links of your own. We'll see who makes the better case.
Comment #10 - I just don't know how to respond. I'm not bitter and that was not the tone of this article. Your comments add nothing of substance to this discussion. Counter with some real facts if you disagree. And please leave my husband out of it. If you must know, I don't really take care of him. He has a full time job, helps around the house, and even makes his own dinner. Perhaps the "tongue in cheek" part of my writing got lost in translation.
To clarify: I didn't write the article to endorse a particular candidate. My point is to encourage everyone to cast their vote in the primaries for the candidate who best reflects their own personal interests - not who the media says is the clear frontrunner. It's like everyone wants to jump on some bandwagon to be right. Stop it! Research the candidates for a change. If we get a choice like Bush and Kerry in 2008 (bad and worse), I may have to take Debbie up on her suggestion.
Finally, I'm not the only Democrat who won't vote for Hillary. The primaries are one of the few times each American can send a real message to their political party and I plan to do so. I'm also prepared to let the chips fall where they may. I just wanted my party to know if they nominate Hillary they're losing my vote in the general election(although in Maryland, it won't really matter; then again, the General Assembly has moved to abolish the electoral college).
Again, thank you everyone for your comments. This is a discussion the blogosphere needs to have.
15 - Baritone
The media proclaims Hillary to be the frontrunner. Is that not true? Are they making it up out of whole cloth? Or are they reporting the facts? The media report polling results from a variety of sources. Some media outlets do their own polling. Others subscribe to polling organizations. Many do both. So, by extension, you are claiming that the polling results are inaccurate or just lies? If Hillary is NOT in fact the current leader amongst the Dems, who is? Tell us of your sources. Do you have access to better, more balanced data? If so, spill the beans.
Hillary may not be my idea of the ideal candidate. She has a lot of baggage. But it is comical how she has so many people soiling themselves over her candidacy. She may or may not wind up being the Dem nominee. If nominated, she may or may not win next November. But I can at least enjoy the ride watching all her detractors having apoplectic seizures in their efforts to beat her. This is going to be fun.
Baritone
16 - Robert Morrow
THE BOTTOM LINE: HILLARY IS IRRESPONSIBLE WITH POWER
Dear American Friend,
I have attached my "Hillary file" which is culled from the 205+ books and other media that I have on Hillary and Bill. The Clintons are thugs. On the campaign trail in 2007 Hillary and Bill are play acting as the loving, respectful couple - singing each other's praises on stage and engaging in public affection as they troll for votes.
In order to understand Hillary and Bill, one must first understand the wildly dysfunctional Jerry Springer lifestyle they have lived for 36 years. Hillary has covered for Bill who not only has had HUNDREDS of women, but also perpetrated several rapes and vicious sexual assaults, often involving biting the lips of the women victims. In order to cover up this Jerry Springer chaos, Hillary has often used Sopranos tactics: a secret police and criminal intimidation tactics to harass, intimidate and terrify Bill's sex victims and girlfriends.
WE'VE HAD ENOUGH "EXPERIENCE" WITH HILLARY; CLINTON BLACK OPERATIONS MUST STOP
These tactics include the savage beating/almost murder of Gennifer Flower's neighbor (Gary Johnson - 6/26/92), criminal harassment campaigns on Kathleen Willey (1997-98 car vandalism, stole or killed her cat Bullseye, witness tampering), Liz Ward Gracen (who Bill probably raped [1983] while she was Miss America - harassed/threats, 1997), Gennifer Flowers (break-ins, threats, 1992), Sally Perdue (car vandalism, threats, 1992), Bobbie Ann Williams (break-in), Christy Zercher (a flight attendant, groped 1992, break-in, 1994), Patrick Knowlton (extreme harassment campaign Oct. 1995; witness tampering), Suzi Parker (a journalist harassed off Arkansas tainted prison blood scandal 1999, fearing for her life), Connie Hamzy (lying campaign, 1991) and Juanita Broaddrick (raped by Bill 1978, break-in and IRS audit when she went public in 1998). It is not a stretch to say that Hillary, Bill and Buddy Young may have organized the murder of their former contract employee Jerry Parks on 9/26/93 because he knew too much about the Clintons.
Hillary and Bill were well on the way to crucifying Monica Lewinsky as an unstable stalker, liar and fantasist - - and would have done so if Bill's semen had not been found on Monica's blue dress. Hillary's private eyes were already digging into Monica's past, when the real story was the Clintons' criminal track record.
Additionally, biographer Roger Morris describes a vicious sexual assault by Bill on a woman (around 1980) on p.238 in his book Parters in Power. Journalist Michael Isikoff details a extremely crude sexual advance by President Bill in 1996 on a lady married to a Democratic VIP on p.162 of his book Uncovering Clinton. Additionally, pervert Bill exposed himself to Paula Jones in May, 1991 and also to Carolyn Moffet in 1979.
Other Clinton dysfunctions include Bill's cocaine addiction as governor, Hillary's lesbianism and the fact that Chelsea is probably the seed of Webb Hubbell, NOT Bill Clinton. Bill's only offspring is probably Danny Williams, the product of deadbeat dad Bill's cocaine-fueled sex orgies with (no condoms) drug-addicted street hooker Bobbie Ann Williams and her girlfriends back in 1983-84. Bill paid $200 to Gennifer Flowers so she could have an abortion in Jan., 1978, just 3 months before Bill's double rape of Juanita Broaddrick on 4-25-78. Bill severely bit Juanita's lip to disable her during the rapes. Also, wild Bill, brother "Roger the Dodger" and best friend Dan Lasater were partying with high school girls and providing them cocaine when Bill was governor in the early 1980's.
And, of course, there is Hillary's long and intense affair with Vince Foster who was her emotional husband while Bill was screwing everything in sight. Hillary has a long record of fomenting domestic violence with Bill. The Secret Service, fed up with this insanity, leaked to the press Hillary smashing a lamp during an argument with Bill. Hillary has often thrown objects at victim Bill.
Hillary has used criminal tactics such as a secret police and illegal IRS audits to go after both political enemies and Bill's sex victims and girlfriends. It was probably Clintons' FBI who put a rotating harassment team of 25 people on Patrick Knowlton, a witness in the Vince Foster investigation, on October 26, 1995, and continuing for a week. What the Clintons did to Patrick Knowlton was Clinton street fascism as well as witness tampering.
This was a prelude to the intimidation campaign waged on Kathleen Willey in 1997-98 before her deposition in the Paula Jones case. Paula Jones who Bill exposed himself to, rape victim Juanita Broaddrick, probable rape victim Liz Ward Gracen, and mistress Gennifer Flowers all got audited by Clintons' IRS in the late 1990's.
Floyd Brown's offices were burglarized in 1992 and only his Clinton files were stolen. Brown's private phone conversations were illegally wiretapped by Hillary's goon Jack Palladino. Another one of Hillary's thugs, Anthony Pellicano is in jail in LA for the same kind goon tactics he did for the Clintons in 1992.
Clinton biographer Emmett Tyrrell also had his offices twice broken into and his NY apartment invaded once. The manuscript of Tyrrell's book Boy Clinton was stolen when he couriered it to Robert Novak for a blurb. Clintons thugs tried to intimidate 2 of Tyrrell's researchers in Little Rock.
Also, at least one independent counsel in the 1990's took to carrying a gun after being harassed by Clinton goons in yet another intimidation event.
HILLARY TREATS PEOPLE LIKE DIRT LIKE THEY ARE "INVISIBLE"
Many people close to the Clintons describe Hillary as rude, vulgar and abusive, not just with staff and co-workers, but especially with Bill who she made a sport of ridiculing, according to L.D. Brown, Bill's favorite state trooper. Hillary is well known for making mean, vicious and personally degrading comments often towards people who work for and with her. She probably got that from her dad Hugh Rodham, a deeply disturbed man.
Hillary and Bill are sociopaths, not unlike serial killers such as Ted Bundy. Seemingly personable and normal while brown nosing wealthy contributors or opinion makers, Hillary and Bill have no regard for the integrity and well being of others. They disregard rules and lie with practiced ease, not feeling guilt or empathy for others.
Bill is the kind of guy who can rape your sister upstairs and then come down to the living room and tell you what a great book he has read about women's rights. Hillary is the kind of person who can be in the kitchen calling up a secret police to terrify your rape victim sister into silence, and then come out to the living room and ask what do you think about her latest speech on women's and children's rights.
Some of the goons that Hillary has used to cover up her and Bill's Jerry Springer lifestyle and criminal activity include Ivan Duda (1982), Jerry Parks (1980's), Jack Palladino (1992) and Anthony Pellicano (1990's). Pellicano is now in JAIL in Los Angeles for the same kind of thug intimidation tactics that Hillary hired him for. Also, Buddy Young, the head of Bill's trooper detail and who Bill made #2 at FEMA, is additionally a dangerous criminal that Hillary and Bill has employed in their black operations. Terry Lenzer is also someone Hillary has used extensively.
Please forward this information to your Democratic friends and co-workers and ask that they (and you) vote for and support John Edwards, Barack OBAMA, Bill Richardson or any other Democratic candidate, and NOT Hillary. The difference is Hillary will break your kneecap to get to the White House; the others will not.
Thank-you and have a great day!
Robert Morrow Clinton expert Austin, TX [Personal contact info deleted]
17 - Captain-Sky
You Write A Column And Call Mrs Clinton Everything From A Slut To A Scumbag,And Then You Try To Control What Someone Elses Response Maybe Toward Your Irresponsible Column Of Obvious Obama Tactics,Well I Got News For You I'am Going To Say Just What I Think Of You And You Can Print It Or Not Either Way I Don't Really Care.Is Everybody That Lives In Maryland Junkies,Because That's What You Remind Me Of You And Mr Obama,& Oh And By The Way OPRAH To,Guess What Else It Did Not Take A Entire Column Just For You To State In Your Own Nasty Way That Senator Clinton Was Not Your Cup Of Tea,Just A Mild I Won't Vote For Hilliary,And Just In Case You Don't Know All These Candidates Democrats,& Republicans Alike But It's Strange That She Is The Only One Getting,Negatives Awarded To Her Campaign,For Instance What About Rudy,What About Edwards,What About Mcain,And What About Mr Obama,None Of These Candidates Has Taking As Much Flak As Senator Clinton,To Believe Everything That Is Going Around About Her Would Have You Thinking That She Is A Maryland Junkie,And We Both Know That's Not Correct,Hang Out With Obama He's Also A Junkie And A Dope Smoker,And Finally,Just About Your Entire Post Were Emotional At Best It Really Say's A Lot About You, Which Is Nothing.
18 - Dave Nalle
Captain Sky Why Do You Capitalize Every Word In Your Comments And Not Space After Punctuation Or Use Paragraphs? Dave.
19 - Dave Nalle
Joe Biden or Chris Dodd could win in a general election?
I could see Biden winning an election. He's appealing in a kind of a slick way. But Dodd? Good lord, who would vote for him? He looks like he's made out of mashed potatoes and is about as interesting as tapioca.
Dave
20 - DUSTIN
I FEEL FOR THIS CHERYL WHAT'S HER FACE. POOR THING . NOT AN IOTA OF BRAINS ; AND TO BELIEVE ONE'S OPINIONS ARE OF ANY SUBSTANCE OR IMPORTANCE , FOOLISHLY SHOOTING YOUR MOUTH OFF. SO SAD .
I'M ALL FOR STEM CELL RESEARCH OR ANY THING ELSE , THAT WOULD HELP THESE POOR MORONS TO GROW BRAINS. MY SYMPATHIES , DEAR CHERYL .
DON'T LOOSE HEART DEAR . THE LIKES OF YOU WILL GET HELP WHEN SENATOR CLINTON WINS THE WHITE HOUSE . I WANT TO SEE THAT CHIN UP , YES REALLY UP.
NO NO NO !!!!! NOT SO FAST PLEASE . WE DON'T WANT OUR NECKS TO SNAP , DO WE ?
21 - Lucy Andrews IOWA
Does Cheryl Snyder Taragin know how to read news/polls? FIRE THIS IDIOT! hey Cheryl its 2007, almost 2008....WAKE UP.
FACT: WOMAN LOVE HILLARY, WE WILL MAKE HISTORY BY ELECTING THE MOST QUALIFIED AND EXPERIENCED PERSON AND BEST YET....SHES A WOMAN...
22 - Everton
Cheryl,
I know you dislike the word "idiot" but only an idiot would not know that this entire article is meant to promote Sen Obama's latest push to show he is the most electable. You do not say who you are supporting, but if you were supporting Biden or Dodd, you Hillary rant would not be so caustic. Clearly you are an Obama plant. Edwards supporters are just as angry at Clinton, but usually much more polte and reasonable about it.
I also like how you had nothing to say about the substance of what I said. You know and i know that Sen Obama has not been vetted by the media, and so national polls and head-to-haed polls are meaningless.
One last thing, in my political conversations, I have noticed that when women say the will never vote for Hillary, they always give silly answers like "she is too ambitious" (how can you run for the office and not be ambitious?). Here you have a list, but the reasons come straight out of anti-Hillary books. They are not based on facts, but taken from political enemies of the Clintons. I mean Carl Bernstein? C'mon. Women who hate her are the same women who hate models because they will never look like that, or hate business women because they don't play a typical family role. You should take an honest objective look at why you do not support Hillary (if you are a democrat).
23 - pearl elliott
oh man i support her to the be the president! to hear of all of this slander is just stupid! she is the only one that can lead this country out of the slump it is in now----- GO HILLIARY YOU HAVE GOT MY VOTE I AM SO TIRED OF ALL OF THE MUD SLINGING THAT IS GOING AROUND ABOUT YOU, DO YOU THINK THEY ARE JEALOUS??
24 - Franco
Cheryl, Excellent opinion piece. Thank you.
The only offer of criticism would be that you left a lot of very serious dirt out that equals or exceeds what smells here. But then over kill is not really needed, as those who choose to remain blind to all the warning signs due to their own shallower reasoning.
There are several examples in this thread. I will address one of the more recent ones.
#21 Lucy Andrews IOWA is a classic example.
Lucy fails to discuss/debate any of the issues you raised. Instead she uses the stand in ad hominem argument attack so she dose not have to address the substance of the argument or producing evidence against the claims.
Lucy further evidences her shallowness when she reveals her most important premis for support for Hillary the boils down to the fact that Hillary is a "woman" and this is more important that the issues or the clear factual questions you raise.
Lucy reviles her submission to hard core feminism for the sake of feminism, which like any hard core causes they produce dark shadows over common sense and rational assimilation.
If Lucy wants to make a statement for the respect of women, she should earn it like you Cheryl and get into the arena of discussion/debate instead of hacking out ad hominem argument attacks.
Lucy, FYI an ad hominem argument, "argument to the person", "argument against the man/woman") consists of replying to an argument or claim by attacking a characteristic or belief of the person making the argument or claim, rather than by addressing the substance of the argument or producing evidence against the claim.
Whenever you see ad hominem arguments being used in a discussion, the person who can only make their case via ad hominem doesn't have much of case to begin with.
Lucy, recognition and respect are worked for and earned. If you want recognition and respect for the women you are, earn it like Cheryl has. Otherwise keep living under your delusional shadow. .
I prefer and respect the real thing. Good job Cheryl
25 - RALPH
LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT PIAPS AND HER R"LE IN THESE LAST DAYS!!!!