May 5, 2015

"Democrats will announce Tuesday six presidential primary debates, giving long shots a potential opportunity to share the debate stage with frontrunner Hillary Clinton..."

CNN reports.

I'd have said: ... six presidential primary debates, giving Hillary Clinton shockingly long stretches of time to bore the pants off us.

I mean, I'd say that today, even though I'd like to place a bet that she's going to withdraw from the race before the primaries begin. If you'd give me good enough odds....

52 comments:

khesanh0802 said...

Ann; I won't give any odds. Just hope you are correct.

etbass said...

I think you are right, too. It might take another revelation of something but I don't believe she has it in her to stay the course without Bill constantly propping her up.

Nonapod said...

This is good news. I hope they have Hillary speak as much as possible. The more she speaks the less likable she becomes.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

So how many egg salad sandwiches would your commentors have to eat for the odds to be good enough?

Scott said...

POLITICO: "Mitt Romney wins debate season"

glenn said...

Elizabeth Warren has been the presumptive nominee all along. Try to pay attention.

Scott said...

That's a presumptuous assumption.

Scott said...

"Oh Blinding Light,
Oh light that blinds,
I cannot see,
Look out for me."

Brando said...

I hope you are correct, but think if she's still in it by September she's not withdrawing.

I'm surprised she even agreed to the six debates--she could have weaseled out of them, and the debates could only hurt her.

Hagar said...

Hillary! vs. a screen displaying previous Hillary! statements?

Have the DNC lost their ever-loving minds?

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

Hillary has the Democrat nomination in the bag. Althouse is off her meds if she is predicting otherwise. She doesn't seem to understand how the Dems work.

They gave a women the VP nomination - didn't work out well. They gave a Jewish guy the VP nomination - didn't work out well. They gave a black guy the presidential nomination - a big success. They are going to give a woman the presidential nomination - almost nothing can stop that.

They care about fairness as well as electoral success. It is inconceivable that they won't select Hillary if she is an even vaguely plausible candidate when the time arrives.

Scott said...

Are there any other women Democrats who might have the ambition or desire to be president? I can't think of any.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

I wish Barry Sanders had taken the opportunity to show how un-democratic the Democratic primary is. I wish he hadn't run. Why be the fig leaf?

There is no primary. It's a coronation. Why pretend? Why let the Democratic party pretend that this is anything other than a bought and paid for election?

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

And I don't understand Althouse's idea that Hillary Clinton will withdraw. I know she's lived through a lot of last-minute primary surprises but this isn't the 1960s or 1970s. Even Obama, the big surprise, was showing some signs of competitiveness at this time in 2007. There's nothing, no one, like that now. Hillary isn't a Muskie or Ted Kennedy.

A big question is whether the public is going to accept such a sham primary. George HW Bush had a higher hill to climb. George W Bush had to at least beat John McCain. Barry Sanders? Really? That's it? That's what the Democratic party is reduced to now? No one will dare take on Hillary?

What's it going to be like if she's elected, if no one in her party will oppose her?

furious_a said...

Will Hillary! be taking questions at these debates?

Hagar said...

Maybe the Democrats feel that after Obama, they do not really want the presidency anyway, so the thing to do is to hand it to the Republicans and then complain about what a poor job the Republicans are doing of fixing the mess left after him?

Mark said...

Withdrawal isn't an option. As soon as she withdraws the money well dries up. (Why do you think she condescended to be Secretary of State for that oaf Obama? To sell influence you have to at least appear to have influence.) She's peddling inevitability over any real policy goals for the same reason.

It's already a miserable cycle for the Democrats, and it's just going to get worse.

Brando said...

"Will Hillary! be taking questions at these debates?"

Ha! I could actually see Queen Hillary standing at her podium, not answering any question, and her handler walking up and saying "Madame Secretary chooses not to answer that."

Big Mike said...

I'd like to place a bet that she's going to withdraw from the race before the primaries begin. If you'd give me good enough odds....

Even odds should be good enough. Sooner or later someone from her entourage (I think Carville) will tell Hillary that she has no chance whatsoever to win, that the "great right-wing conspiracy" has undercut her.

You can probably do an online bet with bookies in Vegas if you poke around a little

damikesc said...

They care about fairness as well as electoral success.

You just said they focused on religion, genitalia, and skin color.

damikesc said...

And I don't understand Althouse's idea that Hillary Clinton will withdraw. I know she's lived through a lot of last-minute primary surprises but this isn't the 1960s or 1970s. Even Obama, the big surprise, was showing some signs of competitiveness at this time in 2007. There's nothing, no one, like that now. Hillary isn't a Muskie or Ted Kennedy

You know who SHE does remind me of?

Nixon.

Felt she was ambushed in 2008 and will do anything to make sure it does not happen again.

...except Dems would never tell her she needs to leave office, no matter what she did.

exhelodrvr1 said...

If Barry Sanders ran, he would be a shoo-in. I think you mean Bernie Sanders.

Hagar said...

Elizabeth Warren to "moderate"?

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...

She'll withdraw when she calculates that being a candidate no longer gives her any extra protection from the possibility of being indited.

At that point, time spent on the foolish but required campaign activities will be seen to be better spent furiously building and deploying fog machines and redoubts.

ron winkleheimer said...

" I'd like to place a bet that she's going to withdraw from the race before the primaries begin. If you'd give me good enough odds...."

Why would she withdraw? The fix is in, she's getting the nom. All these so called "scandals" are irrelevant.

Its Clinton vs Bush in 2016. The republic is gone.

Hail to the empire.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=star+wars+parody+emperor+robot+chicken&FORM=VIRE8#view=detail&mid=AF9EF4B08D500DBB5D6DAF9EF4B08D500DBB5D6D

kcom said...

You put up a dollar, I'll put up twenty.

If you're right, it will be money well spent.

richard mcenroe said...

"I'm surprised she even agreed to the six debates--she could have weaseled out of them, and the debates could only hurt her."

relax, she has a staircase reserved to fall down ight before the first debate.

Michael said...

I can't imagine this will actually happen, unless the designated tomato cans agree to have their statements scripted by the Clinton campaign. Why should she take a chance on someone landing a lucky punch? I wouldn't be entirely surprised if she declined to debate the Republican nominee as well...

khesanh0802 said...

Areasonableman: starts off very strong for Hillary, but by the time he finishes he uses the BIG IF "It is inconceivable that they won't select Hillary if(!!!!!) she is an even vaguely plausible candidate when the time arrives."

He obviously is with the rest of us who doubt her plausibility, or hope that she is implausible.

madAsHell said...

SIX??...can't they see?? Hillary is suffering from over-exposure.

Jim in St Louis said...

She will self-destruct- maybe before or maybe after the primaries.(I don’t know which- won’t take the bet)

Her campaign’s value is as a legal defense for the Clinton Foundation dealings. A former president and a retired SOS would be subject to lawsuits and fines and penalties audits etc. But as long as she is running, then the Clinton camp can paint all the charges against them as being politically motivated. There is no upside to withdrawing yet.

campy said...

Ralph Hyatt at 1pm nails it.

Sadly.

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...

No way she drops out. You would have to pry the nomination from her cold dead fingers.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

khesanh0802 said...
He obviously is with the rest of us who doubt her plausibility,


In a two or three horse race nothing is ever absolutely certain, but she is a prohibitive favorite for the Dem nomination.

MPH said...

5/1

Bay Area Guy said...

I will take the bet. I think Hillary will the nominee. I offer 3-1 odds.

But, I don't know what to bet. 3 San Francisco Sourdoughs to 1 Wisconsin Bratwurst?

Hillary's in it to win. She thought Obama jumped the line, and delayed her ambition, but the only thing stopping her is age and health.

Dan Hossley said...

Can the nation survive six so-called debates, with Hillary Clinton giving non-answers to non-questions from non-reporters.

I predict there will be a lot of drunk blogging going on.

Mountain Maven said...

Absent the revelation that she has committed an obvious felony, she will get the nomination.
How can HRC survive six so-called debates with a half-crazy Sanders dragging her to the left? And a reasonably seasoned and smart O'Malley challenging her. I don't she has enough mental and physical strength to fend them off.
I'l like to see Webb declare. He would be hard on her.
She could arrive at the convetion mortally wounded and everyone would pretend otherwise.

Gusty Winds said...

AReasonableMan said...

They care about fairness as well as electoral success.

In regards to it being a woman's 'turn' to be President, true fairness would be to respect and celebrate the accomplishments of all women, including those on the conservative side of the aisle.

Democrats are only concerned with electoral success as are Republicans.

Please quit insulting Aristotle. I don't think he'd use the word fairness in such false context.

Gusty Winds said...

The Democrats should just hire Leonardo DiCaprio to stand next to Hillary and simply state "I concur".

Unknown said...

I'd take any bet as long as the odds are good enough. That's just a dumb comment.

PB said...

I agree. Her only hope would be to skip the debates and hope the compliant media and Democratbots let her get away with it. I think the debates will show here to be incredibly unlikable and shrill. Her poll numbers will tank and she'll come up with some excuse to withdraw in an effort to save face and keep the dollars rolling in on the lecture circuit.

chickelit said...

Her poll numbers will tank and she'll come up with some excuse to withdraw in an effort to save face and keep the dollars rolling in on the lecture circuit.

The people currently trying to buy influence with the Clintons will wise up soon enough and leave them. Hillary holds sway with Dems right now out of fear, but a correction seems overdue.

Tyrone Slothrop said...

Hillary Clinton is a stalking horse. Once the primaries start rumbling through, Democrats will "discover" that Hill is not the paragon she says she is. This is by design, because it sets the stage for Warren to ride to the party's, to the nation's, rescue, on her paint pony. The crap she made up about being Native American will seem miniscule compared to selling uranium to the Russkies. So let's count Warren's minuses and plusses. Minuses? She's to the left of Emma Goldman, and Obama loves her. Plusses? She's to the left of Emma Goldman and Obama loves her. Oh, and she has a vagina. Mark my words, Hillary is a place holder and has as much chance of getting the Democrat nomination as Harold Stassen.

averagejoe said...

Bushman of the Kohlrabi said...
No way she drops out. You would have to pry the nomination from her cold dead fingers.

5/5/15, 2:46 PM

Yup. No way in hell Hillary2016!!! doesn't run. She could be tried and convicted, imprisoned, run out of town on a rail, and you'll hear that abrasive voice cutting through the tar and feathers, "Ah ain't no wise tahrred!... Ah hopes Ah kin count on yer votes, y'all!... Dis be a vass raht wang co-spiracy!..."

Luke Lea said...

Hope you are right about Hillary withdrawing. Then Jim Webb will have a chance.

Smilin' Jack said...

We all know you can't beat something with nothing. In 2016 we find out if you can beat nothing with nothing.

Brando said...

"Hillary Clinton is a stalking horse. Once the primaries start rumbling through, Democrats will "discover" that Hill is not the paragon she says she is. This is by design, because it sets the stage for Warren to ride to the party's, to the nation's, rescue, on her paint pony. The crap she made up about being Native American will seem miniscule compared to selling uranium to the Russkies. So let's count Warren's minuses and plusses. Minuses? She's to the left of Emma Goldman, and Obama loves her. Plusses? She's to the left of Emma Goldman and Obama loves her. Oh, and she has a vagina. Mark my words, Hillary is a place holder and has as much chance of getting the Democrat nomination as Harold Stassen."

I think the "stalking horse" plan would be too risky--candidates need time to raise money, build their networks, and be vetted in the daily regimen of the campaign. Waiting until the primaries actually begin to jump in the race is a pointlessly risky strategy.

The time to replace Hillary is upon the Dems now, and soon they're going to realize it's too late. Their best hope is that the GOP becomes toxic enough or divided enough that Hillary can coast by.

gerry said...

How do you place bets at Vegas? I'm sure someone is offering odds on this.

gerry said...

It is inconceivable that they won't select Hillary if she is an even vaguely plausible candidate when the time arrives.

It may have already passed. The Sleaze Meme effect.

Michael The Magnificent said...

I mean, I'd say that today, even though I'd like to place a bet that she's going to withdraw from the race before the primaries begin. If you'd give me good enough odds....

Odds are your average Democrat voter are just fine with the Clintons' lack of ethics, morals, and willingness to adhere to the law.

mikee said...

There is no way Hillary can present herself in public for 6 hours and not have more people hate her for her lies and corruption.