10 of 21

by Mj Ferruzza

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When election makes strange bedfellows, the same
holds true to political pundits, campaign advisers
and can even stretch across party lines. The Republican
Party was all but convinced that the former First Lady
was going to be a shoe in to the Democratic nomination
for the presidential ticket. This has all changed to which
I now list the Top Five reasons why the Republicans
feel sorry for Hillary Clinton.

1. Hillary was a Known Commodity.
The Republicans had little they did not know about when campaigning
against a candidate like Hillary. She was liberal. She had her
Senate voting on record. She had the baggage of a wandering eyed
husband. She had faults and a few weaknesses that they had planned to
expose over the course of the election process. But someone jumped

the gun. It was a fellow Democrat, Barrack Obama. Now if she wins the
nomination and the Republicans drudge up the negativity, they will only
be rehashing what didn't stop her before in the Democratic primaries.
Poor Hillary.

2. Popular Candidates are Shoe-Ins
Hillary was the front runner for so long that the only presidential
campaign excitement was going to come from the Republican side, or so
the Republicans thought. Front runners and popular candidates of the
old guard are not safe. If a young African-American can beat the supposed
front runner of his party, what chance does the popular Republican front
runner have against him? Hillary should have had a plan to stop Obama that
worked, so the Republicans could have used it later, if needed.
Alas Hillary.

3. Popularity Means Money
Hillary as Democratic front runner should have been bathed in liberal
Hollywood donations and campaign cash. Instead, she has to fight and scrape,
even using her own money. It does not weigh well with a party when the
candidate has to use personal cash. The Republicans see this as a threat
to fat cash dinners and the like. Not far in the future can be campaign
reform in the form of more regimented donations and gifting.
Woe Hillary.

4. The Train Keeps a Rolling
JFK grew a following out of nowhere. Bill Clinton grew a following out of
nowhere. Barrack Obama? Well, both JFK and Bill Clinton followed lame duck
Republican presidents, Eisenhower and Bush, Sr. The country wanted a new fresh
voice which didn't hurt if it came with a new fresh face. The Republicans
wanted Hillary to break what might turn out to be history repeating itself
again. McCain may feel the sting of following lame duck, George Bush, Jr.
I mean why elect another staid Republican? Hillary can be seen more as a
John Kerry than a JFK, or even her own husband. The Republicans don't really
see her as breaking new ground as a woman running for president. They see
her as just another liberal Senator in Congress, an easier target in an election
year coming off a lame duck president.
Oh Hillary.

5. Ladies and Gentlemen! I Give You...
Popularity among the young is a powerful thing. It is infectious. It is hip.
It is overwhelming. When all the kids are using Ipods, if you are an adult
and not know what an Ipod is, you are old and out of touch. When a candidate
like Barrack Obama reaches the young and you start to campaign against the
young ideal, you are out of touch. Hillary represents the liberal old guard.
She is hearkening back to the glory days of her husband's candidacy and his
economic fortunes for this country. Obama fans care less, we are heading to
a new future and it is time to move on. Hillary is having a hard time trying
to get her message heard. She was sabatoged by her female mouthpiece, Oprah.
She is banking on her husband's campaigning. She was hot. She is not. The
Republicans feel bad for her. Why? They see themselves in the same position.
What if McCain has the message, but a groundswell of youthful support for change
and direction buries his campaign in the fall? 'Hillary, why did you not have the
key to beat Obama', the Republicans cry.
Why Hillary?

When the Republicans watched Hillary's towering numbers fade away, they could only
see their own future. Politics makes strange bedfellows? So does political sympathy!

Learn more about this author, Mj Ferruzza.

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