John Phillips: Why Hillary Clinton must run in 2012

If Hillary Clinton's primary voters and President Obama had their relationship status listed on their Facebook pages, it would change from “Married” to “It's complicated.”

To be fair, Hillary voters never fell in love with Obama, they just fell in line. Their relationship is less like a Julia Roberts chick flick and more like a Bengali arranged marriage.  

Because of their arrangement, Hillary-loving Obama voters are quick to jump ship whenever Mr. Hope-and-Change looks like he's getting played again by his political opponents, is in over his head or is dissing their girl.

Despite Obama's anti-climactic campaign announcement just now, according to all the recent polls, Hillary voters aren't only jumping ship –- they're taking their fins, snorkels and pina coladas with them.

A new Quinnipiac University poll shows President Obama's approval rating at....

...a pathetic 42% –- down four points from early March. The American public isn't impressed with his handling of the crisis in Libya either -– with 47% of the public against the war and 58% of registered voters saying the president has not clearly stated U.S. goals for the mission. 

These numbers are bad –- really bad –- CNN prime time ratings bad.

To put them into context, according to Gallup, 76% of Americans supported military action against Iraq in 2003, 90% gave the A-OK for strikes against Afghanistan in 2001, and 65% approved of putting boots on the ground in Somalia in 1993. 

It's also important to state that this isn't part of a "throw all the bums out" mood directed at Washington.

The approval numbers for Hillary are nearing an all-time high –- with Gallup showing 66% of Americans giving "Hill the Thrill" a big thumbs up –- up from 61% in July.

This leads to the questions: Why are one out of three Hillary lovers giving Obama bad marks? Will they stick with him in November 2012?

And, most importantly, if she senses enough blood in the water, will Hillary quit the administration and launch a primary bid against Obama?

Hill-rage at Obama

Hillary Clinton's big selling point during the 2008 Democratic primaries was that she was an experienced hand who's been around the block a few times...not like how her husband has been around the block...but, you get the point.

Then-Sen. Clinton's "3 AM Phone Call" ad drove that point home. The 30-second TV spot raised the possibility of a future world crisis and asked voters who they would want in the White House making the big decisions if all hell broke loose. 

Hillary voters ate it up with a spoon –- deciding that an awakened and enraged Clinton with cold cream on her face and curlers in her hair is far scarier to third-world despots than an ex-Illinois state senator.

The military action in Libya is Team Hillary's 'I told you so' moment...with Hillary serving as the realistic, aggressive war hawk and Obama being a not-ready-for-prime-time waffler.

This frustration was expressed by a Clinton insider in the British newspaper The Daily, who said, "Obviously, she’s not happy with dealing with a president who can’t decide if today is Tuesday or Wednesday, who can’t make his mind up...it’s like playing sports with a bunch of amateurs. And she doesn’t have any power. She’s trying to do what she can to keep things from imploding.”

This may not be a vote of no confidence...but at a minimum, it's voting 'present.'

Hill today, gone tomorrow

Hillary voters weren't swooned by Obama in the 2008 Democratic primaries and many are abandoning him in public opinion surveys today. But are they mad enough to ride the elephant in 2012? 

Get out the saddle, because that's exactly what they did in 2010.

In the midterm elections, while it's true the Democrats were routed everywhere, they got especially creamed in states where Hillary did well. In House races, the Democrats lost four seats in Florida, six in New York, five in Ohio, four in Pennsylvania and three in Texas –- all states Hillary carried in the 2008 Democratic primaries. 

Meanwhile, the Democrats strengthened their hand in places that went heavily for Obama in 2008 –- with pickups in Hawaii, Delaware and the MSNBC prime-time lineup.

The lesson: Hillary voters aren't only willing to pull the plug on their fellow Democrats -– they're willing to yank it like they're starting a lawn mower.

What the Hill? Hillary in 2012?

While it's true the Clintons are ambitious people, they've never been known to go on suicide missions -– those are for terrorists and hotel chains willing to rent rooms to Charlie Sheen. 

Despite her contemporary denials, Hillary would only throw her hat in the ring if she thought she had a better than even chance at moving back into the White House. Obama is looking weak, but not weak enough to justify a primary challenge...yet.

If Libya turns into a full blown disaster...resulting in billions of dollars wasted, boots on the ground and abysmal public opinion numbers, my money is on Hillary resigning her post as secretary of State and jumping in the 2012 primary.

She can even rerun the "3 AM Phone Call" ad...with the tagline 'See, I told you so.'

Previous John Phillips' Ticket items

For Republicans in 2012, it's Sarah Palin or another big fat L

At CPAC with Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum and Sarah Palin

Lessons from a political visit to Washington

-- John Phillips

Strangely enough, a man named John Phillips hosts “The John Phillips Show” on Talk Radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, which can be heard weeknights from 6 to 10 p.m. Pacific.  Outside Southern California, his show is available live online at KABC.com  Also follow Phillips on Twitter  @JohnnyDontLike

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Photos: Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Jimmy Stewart]

No way! She's would be just as bad as Obama, just at a little slower pace. Obama is a 10 on the destructive power he has had on America. Hillary would just be a little less agressive but it would be the same failed liberal policies. 2012 is going to a conservative Republican. Maybe a woman like Michelle Bachmann!!

[James]

Looking back, how many democrats do think really, seriously, honestly think they made a real bad mistake with Obama? If any are truly capable of honesty, I would bet the numbers would shock.

[James]

Looking back, how many democrats do think really, seriously, honestly think they made a real bad mistake with Obama? If any are truly capable of honesty, I would bet the numbers would shock.

[Fred]

The lack of vetting of this president will come back to haunt anyone connected to Obama, which includes the MSM and the entire Democratic party.

We elected a president that had been left by first, his father, then his mother. He was left with relatives.

Who taught him, who talked to him about being an American? It was his socilist grandparents. Then the radical, hate-America, crowd got their chance.

The rest is history.

[mfm321]

Please God, let her run! Hate the woman but it would kill Ø's chances! All the blacks would stay home. Run Hil Run!

[whatnot]

H. Clinton = B. Clinton = B. Obama = A. Gore = J. Kerry = N. Pelosi = H. Reid = radical liberal. Mrs. Clinton has been inspired and influenced by Saul Alinsky, just as Mr. Obama has been, just earlier. Mrs. Clinton aimed for national health care from her unelected position of First Lady. The Clintons were just as star-struck as the Obamas in their roles as Celebrities in Chief - but not as polished. And don't forget the Clintons' efforts to use the White House furnishings to supply their new homes after Mr. Clinton's terms in office were over. And remember the questionable ream of pardons at the end of Mr. Clinton's administration. Is it credible that Mrs. Clinton didn't know about those pardons, or is it credible that her denial of prior knowledge helped protect her senatorial campaign? The Clintons have not changed. Mrs. Clinton's presidential craving merely has been shelved, waiting to be dusted off at an opportune time.

[John R]

It's not about (or should not be) about what it would do the party, it's about what's best for our country.....and Obama is not. Hillary was the far better choice and still would be.
I don't think our country, the economy, or the world can take another four years of Jimmy2.
She needs to run and he needs to bow out. He is a disaster.

[J. T.]

Can't stand her either but anyone would be better than Alfred E. Neuman. I hate to denigrate Al that way but this guy is not only in way over his head, he is just flat out horrible for every segment of our society.

[wcronan]

Never ever thought I'd say this, but if the election we're held today, I'd vote for Hillary. And...I'm a staunch conservative. This assumes she takes seriously limited government and true cut backs in goverment spending. Otherwise I will be voting for Ron Paul.

[jpeditor]

"Because of their arrangement, Hillary-loving Obama voters are quick to jump ship whenever Mr. Hope-and-Change looks like he's getting played again by his political opponents, is in over his head or is dissing their girl."

I think they jump off of BOTH ships now that they have seen HIllary and Obama jointly trash America, Israel and the West.

He can't be screwing this all up himself, and she doesn't make a move internationally without his input, and/or without the push of those Soros concubines Powers and Rice.

"Hillary Clinton's big selling point during the 2008 Democratic primaries was that she was an experienced hand who's been around the block a few times...not like how her husband has been around the block...but, you get the point."

Around the block doing WHAT?

Before she was a useless carpet bagging Senator from NY, in the WH her claim to fame was Hillarycare (FAIL), being the first in the WH to publicly call for a "palestinian" state to be carved out of Israel (FAIL), firing the WH Travel Staff, Vince Foster, and lying for her impeached husband.

Oh yeah, making huge $ over some kinky cattle or chicken futures with Rahms help. This is the WIZARD who will be an improvement over Obama?

Please...

Face it, we didn't leave the Democrats, THEY LEFT US as they lurched Leftward over the Cliff.

This former Registered Democrat will vote for Palin, Trump, Huckabee, hell I'll vote for ANY Republican to keep the Dems from completely destroying our country.

Do yourself a favor, Hillary; don't bother running.

[Dean]

As a Conservative, I naturally do not care for either one of these people. However, I have to say that at her core, Hillary does not harbor the visceral hatred of her country that Obama does. For this reason alone, she would make a FAR better President.

[JohnY]

What a stupid column. Midterm elections, which are decided on a district-by-district basis, are nothing like presidential elections, which are decided state-by-state. Presidential candidates cannot win by running on the extremes, which is what happened with the Tea Partiers in 2010. They must be acceptable to a wide swath of voters.
And has anyone looked at the GOP field lately? The only candidates that stand a chance in a general election are dead in the water. And to win the primary, the GOP candidate will have to take all kinds of ridiculous, extreme positions to woo the wingnuts, basically making themselves unelectable in a general election.
This election is Obama's to lose, and Hillary's not suicidal enough to run a primary against him.
I hope the LA Times did not pay this clown to write this nonsense.

[Daily PUMA]

Hillary Clinton can't run without an actual cable news channel that would support her views the way that MSNBC supports Barack Obama and Fox supports the Republican viewpoint.

Hillary Clinton is a moderate liberal, and they are biggest political group in the country, and most under represented. Without a daily cable news channel that gives stories such as the Wisconsin Collective Bargaining issue a true moderate spin, Hillary Clinton won't be able to win.

Hillary Clinton would simply be demonized, moreso by MSNBC than Fox, how ironic is that.

[georgechapogas]

give it a rest, clinton will never be president. as soon as she was nominated the financial vetting would disclose the 20 years of financial illegalities the clintons have engaged in. just re-read hitchin's "no one left to lie to". obama brings an end to the non-vetting of liberals. never again will a fraud like the current president not go through the vetting process that republicans have been subject to since nixon. the liberal press has one to blame but themselves. the right warned you all long that obama was a unqualified poser, that he was corrupt, that he lied about his associations and beliefs. the press chose to ignore that. never again.

[E]

...nah she won`t be any better.......she`ll respark the healthcare debate.look at what she tried to do when she was First Lady.....LADY?.....wheeeew please.
get all liberals out now.......show them the foot

[Voonie Vootie]

What it really means is that Obama is going to lost to a Republican.

Saying that Hillary Clinton should run (so a Democrat can win) is just gilding the lily. It is an admission that Obama could even lose in his own party.

[Will Kruse]

billary WILL run in 2012. She does not have enough character or integrity to not run. WAKE UP AMERICA!!!! The klintons and soetoro's are ALL slime.

[Walter Williams]

I'm one of those Republicans that in 2008 hated Hilary was disenchanted with McCain and fell in love with Obama. I worked for him, donated money, and last but not least voted for him. I was wrong. Now looking to 2012 there is no credible Republican in the field and with the benefit of hindsight Hilary would have been a better choice. I think she should run and I think she would win and yes I would would vote for her--as would a lot of other independents and moderate Republicans.

[SB Jack]

Do they let all of the editorialists smoke crack before writing there at the LAT?

Hillary will positively NOT run. But, if you want to paint a scenario with her in it, try replacing Biden at the bottom of the ticket, putting Hillary on, and setting her up for 2016. Frankly, Biden must be replaced or there will be no 'incumbent' for 2016. Joe will be too old.

[Kristy]

I don't know how I feel about this. I am conservative all the way, but even I wish Hillary had won the primary in 2008. But, I don't want her to run in 2012 because I don't want her to win. At the rate we are going, if Obama wins, I think a conservative candidate has a really good shot to win. Who that candidate will be is a completely different issue...

[justin]

I am not surprised these numbers are bad. Obama is listening to dimwits lke Samantha Powers and George Soros who have no clue about the very complicated nature of politics in developing Democracies and countries! For these baffons every governing political party in a developing country is EVIL and Corrupt! And every opposition group is a democrat and Good, which is totally IDIOTIC and Shallow!!!

[Mark]

Keep dreamin'. The President will be re-elected in 2012. No doubt about it

[hiway280z]

I could have told you she would rerun as soon as she lost the election. She has been setting it up since then
She will resign SOS to care for sick slick willie.
She will run in 2012 as she is needed. Ha Just remember she is a marxist just like Obama. If we have another four years of Maxist they will finish what Obama has done.

[Cleg]

Anyone who doesn't think Hillary is setting herslf up for a draft - is just carrying Obama's water.
Not that I would vote for the ultimate globlaist patsy - but that is what is about to happen.

[avery]

There is no way the black voting bloc will transfer their loyalty to anyone else, so it is pointless to primary the president. You paid your monies, you bought your tickets, now we ride the ride to the end.

[NormanE3D]

I was one of the members of the if Hillary doesn't win, I want nothing of that team, and actually held my nose while I voted to McCain. Lets face facts folks, Obama is a walking disaster -- everything he puts his hands on is either not enough, way too much, or way too late. This country is falling apart like never before. Oh you say it still is Bush's fault, well I didn't vote for him either. Hillary was our one glint of hope, until the biggest propaganda machine in the last century took those looking for real change and hope was elected first by the media and then those foolish enough not to see the emperor was naked. Well the people surely got what they wanted -- change real change -- from bad to much worse.

[Free Jeff Dubay]

I like the change that Obama has brought us. Higher food prices, higher health insurance, higher gas prices, higher debt. Can't wait for more changes.

[Delphi]

While this is an interesting thought piece, there are many significant flaws in this argument:
-Afghanistan in 2001 as an example compared to Libya? Surely you recognize the differences in pitching the public on a fight against the state sponsor of terrorism responsible for 9/11 compared to a multi-lateral action against Libya, no?
-Iraq in 2003 - similar to Afghanistan, though President Bush was riding on the approval bump coming down from 9/11 and Afghanistan, well before bottoming out.

A more appropriate comparison should be another time the US instituted an air campaign against a dictator with the coordination and support of European allies in a multi-lateral manner. This is where a more apt comparison comes in to play. This Pew Research poll from before the President's speech, puts the comparison into context for you: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1927/strong-opposition-us-involvement-libya-military-overcommitted Intervening in the fighting between Serbians and Bosnians was seen as a responsibility by the US for only 30%, compared to 64% against, compared 27% for and 63% against in Libya. This action is somewhat more consistent with the Libyan campaign. The other poll shows a roughly even split on the imposition of a no-fly zone.

However, on March 28, Pew then published another poll that shows the public supported the decision to intervene by a split of 47/36: http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1941/poll-airstrikes-libya-right-wrong-decision-lengthy-involvement-moammar-gadhafi-remove

Obama's 42% approval rating is pathetic? In March of 1983, during Reagan's first term, his approval rating was 41% according to Gallup. So, should Obama throw in the towel now? Should Reagan's Secretary of State George Schultz have jumped from the Cabinet and challenged his boss in the 1984 primary?

Your comparison between Obama and Hillary about approval ratings lacks the grounding to make any sort of sweeping conclusions. Sure, Hillary's approval rating is higher, but a significant portion of that comes from the fact that Obama is the face of the government, is the one who is seen as leader of the Democratic party and is the primary individual responsible for all of the decisions. Hillary is mostly out of the spotlight, she is the public face for the government abroad and her visibility within the US is greatly diminished, especially in a direct comparison with Obama. Put her in a campaign, 66% won't stay. Not for a month. Most definitely not for a whole campaign season. As Gallup even indicates in their write up on her approval ratings, "Clinton's popularity may be partly due to the nature of the secretary of state position, which is somewhat above the fray of partisan politics and focused on defending U.S. interests globally." http://www.gallup.com/poll/146891/Hillary-Clinton-Favorable-Near-Time-High.aspx

Furthermore, you state that because 66% approve of her, and 42% approve of Obama, one in three are jumping ship from the Hillary boat when presented with Obama. But, that is a statistically invalid argument. The poll doesn't say that "of the 66% who approved of Hillary, only 67% approve of Obama." That would be one of three jumping ship. What that says is 66% approve of Haillry's performance AND 42% of the same overall group approve of Obama's performance. You don't know if that group of 66% includes all of the 42%, or not. For that matter, that 42%, for argument's sake, could only include an overlap of 8% (the 34% who don't approve of Hillary, and the remaining 8% needed to hit 42% for Obama's approval rating - an intensely implausible result, but demonstrating the statistical significance of drawing conclusions of Obama's support within the Hillary sample). Small distinction in phrasing, but it means a huge amount of difference overall since support for Obama is independent of support for Hillary and vice versa. You can't draw any meaningful conclusions about their relationship except to say that of those polled, Hillary has a 24% higher approval rating.

[Rick Geiger]

Hillary called "illegitimate" Jews building homes on land that has been Jewish for near 4000 years. Hillary is not any better than Obama. I hope she runs, in the end it will not matter. Sarah Palin will be sworn in as pres in Jan 2013, and frankly it cannot come fast enough. We will have someone in theWhitehouse with intelligence, executive experience, courage and policies that support American values

[walter12]

God help this country. Hillary no, Obama no. This nation cannot stand another four years of these two after all the destruction that Obama has already done.

[Dan Shay]

Ted Kennedy tied Jimmy "the peanut farmer" Carter in the 1979 democrat primary, Ted "f-in Kennedy," but (surprise) the dems didn't have the balls to take it to the a floor vote at the convention. There is precedence, and Hillary was actually tied with 0bama last time around, but again, the dems lacked the balls to take it to a floor vote. The spineless shills looked at their worn, pathetic play book and said, "black man trumps woman." The rest, is history, and what a sad and sorry history it is.

Run, Hillary, run!!

[Johnnie]

Based on the performance of our political economic establishment... Vote for Mickey Mouse in 2012!

[Tony V]

Operation Chaos Part II

[F. Goodpasture III]

Teddy Kennedy tried challenging Carter and got the spanking that Jimmy promised. Hillary is in a much different posture in as much as she would have won the nomination if John Edwards, who was playing to her southern market, had be exposed thirty days earlier. Curiously her finger prints are all over the Libya war but the potential ugliness will hurt Obama more. Her best shot is for 2012 because the Republican field is not strong, black Democrats will support her in the general election and her stock has never been higher.

[George Dixon]

Hillary 2012

With all the resume' of an exPresident's wife and after pausing at the Senate before the Secretary of State thing.....now we want her as President.

Libya will flesh out an admittedly thin resume', but not in a good way.

Go for it...Please?

[JD]

Whether there's any reason to read about this subject is up to political junkies to decide. For me, it's just another snappy piece of journalism strewn with jokes and an underlying mean-spiritedness that Phillips' listeners have come to know him by on the radio--a man with a smile in his voice and a vicious asp's tongue. I'll never forget the night he tore into the grieving sister of a Long Beach man who was shot and killed accidentally by police. She was filing a lawsuit and going to the media to counter the police department's story and the public's perception that the shooting might have been totally justified. That's fine--reasonable minds can disagree about the case. But Phillips had not even one scrap of compassion for the man's sister; in fact, he accused her of merely wanting to grab her "fifteen minutes of fame" in the media.

[Earl Shumaker]

I for one, would like Hilary Clinton to run for President. It is obvious that Mr. Obama has not truly shown any leadership when it comes to both domestic issues and foreign policy. He campaigned for the public option, he campaign that he would fight for the middle class; I could go on. Instead he has been missing in action or very passive in regards to his positions. Apparently, he is doing exactly what he did when he was in the Illinois legislature--and that is voting "present" which means you would not know how he actually stood on the issue at hand. Hillary Clinton, on-the-the-other hand has the courage ,tenacity and courage to fight for what she campaigned upon. There is not question, she would be a more effective, superior President who would fight for the Middle Class and insist that the rich in this country along with the corporations start paying their fair share in our society.

[Lu Moore]

If Obama had any sense, he would step down. It is all downhill for him from here on out. The last thing I want is another repub in the Whitehouse, but if Obama runs, that is what we are looking at.

[Enrique S.]

What would one expect from Andrew Malcolm, he wants the Republicans to win....

[forparity]

How's Hillary going to top the birther issue, which was born out of her campaign during the primary season in the summer of '08?

[JandJ]

She's a typical liberal progressive. Not much diff't than Obama. Also, in a more global world, due greatly to the Internet, Muslim nations don't respect women too much (which is odd that liberals support Muslim naitons while bashing Christians in their own nation).

[Timothy D. Naegele]

This opinion is correct:

"Hillary voters never fell in love with Obama, they just fell in line."

Amen, in spades!

Barack Obama is America’s pathetic far-Left, naïve, narcissistic "Community-Organizer-In-Chief"—our “Hamlet on the Potomac” or “Jimmy Carter-lite”—who has been weakening this great nation at every turn since he became the president. He must be removed from office at the earliest date possible, before he can do even greater damage, and sent packing to either Chicago or Hawaii to lick his political wounds and write his memoirs, and work on his presidential library full time.

It has been said: “Jimmy Carter may be heading to #2 on the [list of] all-time worst presidents in American history, thanks to ‘O.’” This is an understatement.

See http://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/barack-obama-is-a-lame-duck-president-who-will-not-be-reelected (see also the footnotes and comments beneath the article)

[smb12321]

Why is it that the LAT (or NYT, WP, TIME, NPR, etc) never wring their hands over a possible GOP shellacking? LOL This is simply an acknowledgment that BO is out of his depth & the public is beginning to notice. Time for a speech!

[BobDR]

Hillary has shown her colors, basically a light weight!

[wrestler79]

Run for President? She looks like she has been running to the refrigerator. She may waddle for President.

[JP]

What has she done???
She embarrased us in every nation friend & foe.
Barry Hussein is so bad, Hillary looks good.

[Bill Billson]

She can't run. If she beats Obama, the Demos lose the black vote.

[Dorothy Palmer]

Obama's election to the Presidency shows just how stupid Americans are. One poster got it right when he said if Hilary ran the blacks would stay home and not vote. The blacks got this jack wipe elected, and they could not have paid back whitey anymore savagely for slavery than electing this Kenyan impostor.

[HillSupporter]

This Hillary supporter from 2008 is waiting for her to do exactly what this article says. Hillary 2012!!!!

[John Taylor]

let the millionaires entertain a public on food stamps once again. Give them lots of bread and circuses and the voters will reward the millionaire that puts on the best performance.