Hillary is No Clinton

I was talking to a friend last night about the nightmarish scenario in which Hillary becomes the Dem nominee for President. We were going over all the ways in which Hillary's candidacy would be like that really terrible relationship you were in in high school or college; you know--you look back, you loved the person truly, you learned a lot and you don't regret having been with them...BUT...it all ended so badly, you got so freakin' hurt, and you just don't want to go back there, no matter how much time has passed. The worst part being that we'd re-energize all the Clinton-haters who'd dredge up all the bad stuff again to be further parsed and analyzed and judged, and in the end, we wouldn't actually have BILL Clinton back (which might make the heartache worth it). We'd have Hillary, who in the words of my friend, "is no Clinton."

Perfectly said. Where Bill is persuasive, she is hectoring. Where Bill is a communicator, she is a speech-reader. Where Bill is personally liked even by those who don't like him, she has poll negatives that rival her positives across the board. I don't mean to sound like a hater myself, but when we think of the Clinton years, think of what Hillary is identified with: the perception of a massive, failed health care plan, and Monica Lewinsky. All of the good she did as First Lady will necessarily be put to the side when she is the candidate rather than the wife of the previous occupant of the office. It's a mess anyway you slice it.

Like that old breakup from years ago: let's just not go there. Call it a lesson learned, however hard-won, and move on.

Wes Clark anyone?