Hillary's biggest challenge in 2016: Democratic enthusiasm

[Yavin4]

Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Gore, and Kerry all lost because Democrats were not enthusiastic about their campaigns. Clinton and Obama each won twice because Democrats were excited about their campaigns. Clinton's 1992 and Obama's 2008 campaigns crossed into the pop culture with Clinton playing the sax on Arsenio Hall's talk show and Will I Am's "Yes, we can" video featuring a number of celebrities.

For Hillary to win, she has to make Dems excited about her. If she relies on the usual Dem campaign consultants who ALWAYS advise to take the base for granted and play for the mythical moderate voters, she will lose no matter what the polls say. Dem consultants encourage candidates to be more conservative in order to curry favor with big donors which also mean fatter paychecks for them, no matter the results.

[hrmjustin]

1. Well I still think Gore won.

[napi21]

2. He did, but by so few votes, it enabled our partisan SCOTUS to push him out.

I agree with the OP. Dems NEED a candidate they can get excited about.

I remember how excited I was about Howard Dean, and how the media used sound trickery to eliminate him. I vote for Kerry that year, but because I detested SHrub, not because I really liked Kerry.

[TheNutcracker]

3. It was just a few votes because they stopped the count! When they DID count all he was up 35K!

[Reter]

14. I think he meant it was still close

Even if Gore won by 35k in Florida, Bush still legit got 250+ Electoral Votes. That's close.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Clinton is as exciting as

[blkmusclmachine]

5. Pic URL: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1e/80/86/1e80863fe1ffbaccaf61089afdceb6f9.jpg

Comments are my own.

[HappyMe]

13. I agree.

Big snooze-fest. I'm glad I have TCM. Old movies with NO commercials.

[RBInMaine]

6. The prospect of the first woman president will be BIGTIME exciting, and she IS exciting.

She's brilliant, very talented, won't make the same mistakes as last time, and she will be exciting because she will KICK ASS in a big way. She is TOUGH and THAT is what we need in the Democratic Party. TOUGH campaigning and TOUGH in leadership.

[Yavin4]

7. I agree, but my fear is...

her advisers will tell her to tone down the historical nature of her campaign. Clinton advisers (both Bill and Hillary) tend to always want to play to moderates and conservatives. Recall that Dick Morris was once an adviser to Bill.

[brooklynite]

8. Do you think Bernie Sanders will excite Democrats?

Important: I said DEMOCRATS. Not DU members. Not political activists. Not progressives. Democrats. The 35 million or so who can reasonably be expected to vote, and come from places like Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, Wisconsin, etc. where they've been otherwise happy to elect Tea-Partyesque Republicans, and may not be attracted to a self-proclaimed Socialist?

[Thinkingabout]

20. Having followed the Clinton family closely since 1980 I know they are advocates for working families

Lots of folks complain about their wealth, this has happened since Bill left office. As governor of Arkansas the salary was very low, probably one of the lowest governors pay in the nation. Hillary has fought for Civil Rights during her college days and still today. She has fought for women and children rights and against violence through out the world. She is experienced in foreign affairs. She is needed, does she excites Democrats, yes she does, this is the reason behind poll numbers.

[Lil Missy]

9. Don't confuse the membership of DU with the real world. n/t

[DeeDeeNY]

12. So true!!

[davidpdx]

10. We are preprogrammed to worship her

Oh damn, I guess mine broke.

[AtomicKitten]

11. She's got bigger problems than not being exciting.

The more she's in the public spotlight, the less the public seems to like her.

http://www.truthrevolt.org/news/msnbc-hillary-more-shes-public-spotlight-less-public-seems-her

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. Does anybody really think

that lots of people (maybe even some Republican women, I wager) wouldn't be eager to elect Hillary as the first woman POTUS? Despite the fact that she ultimately ended up losing the Democratic Primary in 2008, she was not edged out by much. At the very least, hopefully, Democrats are enthusiastic about keeping Jeb Bush or whatever clown they end they wind up running in the GE from actually making it to the WH.

[HappyMe]

16. Being a woman and not being a Bush isn't enough.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

17. Maybe not for some

but for a lot of people it will be quite important. I get some of the concerns about her, but her stance on the issues and how she would likely govern are plenty acceptable to me, not to mention the kind of people she would likely nominate to SCOTUS (as if that isn't reason enough to ensure that she, not a Republican, winds up in the WH). Until or unless, a popular alternative presents themselves, I think that she will likely be the nominee and, hopefully, the next POTUS. If anybody has the gravitas and strength to continue and build upon the past 8 years, it's her IMHO.

[HappyMe]

18. I will wait to hear her position on

issues and how she may govern after she announces. At this point the only person that is aligned with my politics is Bernie Sanders.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

19. To each his or her own

I like Sanders (and Warren) too but neither have formally announced (I know that Hillary hasn't either but all signs are pointing to her doing so) nor am I convinced (yet) that either of them have enough name recognition and/or gravitas to win a national election in 2016. That being said, I am keeping an open mind and seeing how things play out. Hillary seemed inevitable in 2008 but, of course, it didn't pan out for her once Obama entered the race and became a serious contender, so, anything is certainly possible.

[libdem4life]

21. I like them both, too, but it takes a really strong, combative, passionate, kick-ass type to be able

to receive and neutralize the insanity from the Right. Just the fact that the Right duly fears her is enough for me. There can only be ONE human in the office of President to represent millions of people.

Few are going to be her ideological family and fewer still have the capacity to get the nod (that means they think one's a winner) for the billion bucks. Ideology is one thing, but the handing out massive money and scores of PACs ...of course they are going to expect not only winning, but favors.

And for that, neither the current candidates or parties are at fault. It's what a corporatocracy does...that's what we are and it started long before Hillary Clinton. Like the Electoral College...it's likely here to stay for the foreseeable future. Difference is that rank and file Democrats are not real comfortable with it and the Republicans fully embrace it.

Ditto for Jeb Bush.

[WI_DEM]

22. Sorry, but many people will be excited

and I say that not even knowing if I will support Hillary in the primaries. It will not be a Dukakis-Mondale type of thing without enthusiasm from the base. Many in the base do support her.