There are further rumours that Hillary Clinton is planning to run for President in 2008. She has just kicked off her US Senate re-election campaign, but many commentators seem to think that her speech seemed to more directed towards the presidency rather than a Senate campaign that she should win easily.
However, there are large barriers before could be elected President. The main problem is that she is seen as too liberal (even if she is no where near as liberal as some Democrats), and would have a hard time getting a lot of the independent and liberal Republican voters that would be critical to win. In particular, she would find it very hard to win the swing states of Ohio and Florida.
According to a Washington Post-ABC poll, 84% of Democrats have a favourable impression of her, but 73% of Republicans have an unfavourable view. In contast, Senator John McCain, a possible Republican candidate for President, is seen favourably by 65% of Republicans and 50% of Democrats.
Consequently I think it is unlikely that she will gain the nomination in 2008 - maybe four years later, but not yet. In the event she does get the nomination I think it is very unlikely that she will win, unless the Republicans make a seriously bad decision with their candidate (like the Democrats did with Kerry in 2004).
As for me, I don't think she is as liberal as she appears. Recently she has collaborated with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on some incremental improvements to health care, and takes fairly sensible (from my point of view) views on security and the military. I do not agree with her on some of her fiscal views. However, given my conservative views, I would be much more likely to vote for any sensible Republican candidate (if I could vote that is). Having said that, Clinton would be a much better President than some of the other Democrat options.
Comments
I think she can win. It's a historic election, first woman President. Women make up more than half of the US population. They also vote in greater numbers than men. They're going to want this very badly. So she doesn't score highly among Republicans yet, it doesn't mean that she wont in time, she's won them over in New York. A certain percentage of them will never vote for any democrat. The question for dems is to choose someone who will energize the voters. I think the first woman President after 43 men is going to do that.