Rove and some Democrats find common ground

It is not surprising that Karl Rove, in the interview he gave to the Wall Street Journal's Paul Gigot signaling that he would announce his resignation today from the White House, would describe Hillary Rodham Clinton as a "tough, tenacious but fatally flawed" presidential candidate.  One would expect the Republican Party's most famous political guru to press that case.

What has much of the political world abuzz is that apparently quite a few Democrats agree.

Based on more than 40 interviews, Ron Fournier of the Associated Press reports that "Democratic candidates, consultants and party chairs from every region in the country" are concerned that a presidential ticket headed by Clinton could hurt the candidates listed beneath her. You can read the piece here.

Reflecting on the story, MSNBC's First Read, in an item headlined "Hillary's a Drag?," notes that "the Clintons’ own successes haven’t always translated into successes for the Democratic Party."  It recalls that while Bill Clinton was winning the White House in 1992 and winning it again in 1996, Democrats lost Senate seats.  And there was that little problem in the 1994 mid-term vote, when Democrats lost control of both chambers of Congress for the first time in 40 years.

Calming the anxiety within Democratic ranks that nominating her for president in 2008 could undercut what otherwise would be a strong year for the party may be the major challenge facing Clinton. Meanwhile, her campaign chugs along, unveiling its first television ad.  Slated to air in Iowa (coordinated with several stops she plans to make in the state Tuesday and Wednesday), you can see it here.

-- Don Frederick

Comments

[Al]

It's too bad she couldn't allow for Obama to head the ticket, while she took the VP spot. Work/Life experience would dictate otherwise, (and only lessen by a hair the inevitable GOP swiftboating) but it would insure a win.

[lmwilker]

a Commentator in that same segment pointed out though that the real story is those negative numbers are rapidly changing to positive ones due to the strong campaign she is running. The more people actually see her and hear her the more they are liking her. She's running a great campaign which is what you would exprct with Bill behind her.

I'm beginning to think Hillary will tap Wesley Clark as her VP choice with will be a brilliant choice considering Iraq and this Middle East boondoggle George W. Bush has mired us with. Only Shakespere could do justice to the sad saga of George HW and his hapless son. Tragedy all around. I think this Country needs 8 years of the kind of medicine Hillary Clinton will bring and her presidency will lay the groundwork for a more progressive president, perhaps a more seasoned Barak Obama, to follow for the benefit of us all.

[Jimmy]

Rove and some Democrats find common ground?
You can't find common ground with such a mean spirited person like Rove.

[YankeeClipper]

The only reason Senator Clinton will have any difficulty, assuming she gets the nomination, will be because the wing nuts will come out of the woodwork with more of their wild-eyed accusations. And those ever vigilant stenographers for the right (the LAT included)will print the accusations as fact, just like they did when her husband was President. That's the only reason this Democrat is not supporting her, I don't want to live through four or eight more years of that right-wing crap. The damage done by Bush and Company will require the full attention of the next President, he/she cannot be distracted by the lunacy of the right and their cheerleaders in the main stream media.