Why not Hiilary Clinton for president?

2nd poll finds Hil's on top



BY MICHAEL McAULIFF
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Clinton has enough public support to go all the way to the White House, another new poll said yesterday.
It's the second time since the weekend that a national survey found the New York Democrat can beat or tie Rudy Giuliani and Arizona Sen. John McCain, the top two Republican White House contenders.

In the latest poll, CNN found Clinton even with McCain at 47% and topping Giuliani, 48% to 46%. Over the weekend, Newsweek found Clinton leading McCain 50% to 43%, and edging Giuliani 48% to 47%.

Clinton's pollster, Mark Penn, said the numbers are no fluke.

"It's really a function of what you see with Sen. Clinton having such a strong win in New York, with her really seen as a leader in the Democratic Party, and she is seen as the most admired woman in America as well," Penn said.

The rosy surveys come at a key time.

Clinton is set to announce her presidential plans soon, and advisers have told the Daily News the key issue for her is whether she thinks she can win. That also has been the big hurdle for Democratic voters, who often wonder the same.

"I do think the electability issue is crumbling," Penn said. "If she's competitive or leading, let's take that issue off the table."

But skeptics abound, and some say any known Democrat would poll as well these days, thanks to the national mood that gave Democrats control of Congress in last month's election. "The Democratic wave has not crested," said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato.

He noted that Al Gore does about as well as Clinton in the CNN poll, edging McCain and tying Giuliani.

"If the election were held today, almost any Democrat would win," Sabato said. "The problem is, the election is almost two years away."

Originally published on December 20, 2006

Al Gore and HC both poll the same, neither are electable.

I think we need a woman president who would wear an apron and bake cookies.... that's what would be electable apparently

I believe that Al Gore is a viable (meaning electable) candidate. I would be able to get behind his candidacy.

Unelectable. We won't know until the fat lady sings. The nomination and election will hinge On events yet to unfold.

Truman was unelectable. I can still remember the headlines in the NY Daily news. Dewey Wins.

The poll seems to say that either Al or Hill is electable. Moreover, they could be a good team, and very hard to beat.

Unfortunately, I think you're serious. I also think you're wrong.

They are both excellent people who have performed very well in office. Both are highly intelligent and have been assets to the country.

In what order do you see them on the ticket?

Al would, of course, be on top.

Unless the Republicans do something really stupid, like put a theocrat on the ticket, many of the swing voters who voted Democratic in '00 and '04 to try to eliminate Bush would not support a Gore/Clinton ticket <raises hand as an example>.

JPB, would you prefer McCain (he of forked tongue) to an Al and Hill ticket? I believe that he will be the Rep nominee.

Regarding the ticket's electability, who knows so early in the game. But both of them seem to making the right moves, and are polling pretty well.

McCain will be destroyed by the theocratic wing of the Republican party who see him as not theocratic enough.

If McCain somehow squeeks through the Republican primary, he will come though badly bruised by the attacks from the right.

There is also the possibility that the nomination will be won by one of the several theocrats who are now accumuting support in the GOP base including Brownback and Duncan Hunter.

Of course, the real deciding factor in 2008 will be the war. If there isn't a miracle between now and the election, there is no Republican candidate who will be able to beat any of the top tier of Democrats including Hillary.

Too bad we can't change the Constitution real quick and get Bill Clinton to run against Ahnold. That would an interesting campaign. Of course, Bubba would destroy the Terminator or anyone else the Republicans put up.

Yes. I'm less of a McCain fan than I was 8 years ago, but would still choose him over either Gore or Hillary. He's done some bonehead things to appease the far right, such as sucking up to Jerry Falwell, but I see that in the same light has Hillary's new statements on how she wouldn't have voted for the war if she'd known what she knows now. At this stage of the game, they are trying to win the nomination. Both are sucking up to get the most points from those who will choose the final race. McCain is wooing the far right, Hillary is wooing those against the war.



I agree.