Could Hillary take the Democratic nominantion from Obama

SAWYER

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
16,742
42
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It is obvious she HATED losing to the noob and would love to run, but I am not sure if it is possible. Des a sitting president have an automatic nomination from his party or can he be challenged? All the talks online about Hillary not opting again for her position and supposedly her disgust for Obama's lack of leadership on the issues makes me wonder. While I wouldn't have voted for Hillary, I would take her over Obama any day of the week.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
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No, she can't take the nomination from Obama, who by the way is viewed as having pretty good chances.

Intra-party challenges of an incumbent president are possible, but rarely work. The only one that comes to mind is LBJ, who withdrew when a primary he won made it clear he was vulnerable, and then his nemesis Bobby Kennedy entered the race with a good chance to win. Ted Kennedy lost challenging Carter.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
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If she had a clear shot at it, sure. The political machine won't allow the citizens to make that choice though.
 

Schadenfroh

Elite Member
Mar 8, 2003
38,416
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Not if we have center Obama running against her.

BTW, this came out recently
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=134600686
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday she does not want to stay in her job if President Barack Obama wins a second term in 2012.
...
The nation's top diplomat also firmly said she neither has plans to mount another White House bid nor interest in other posts, such as vice president or defense secretary.
Clinton as defense secretary? Was anyone even imagining that?

Not bashing Hillary, backed her in the Democratic primaries and her campaign rally remains the only such candidate rally I have attended (for politicians not related to me or friends with my family).
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
If she had a clear shot at it, sure. The political machine won't allow the citizens to make that choice though.

Of course it 'allows' it.

The 'political machine' is about power, and it prefers the advantages of incumbency, so it would oppose a challenge like that against Obama, but if she decided to run, and IF she got the voters to vote for her in the primary, she could win the delegates and the election. The problem for her is getting those votes.

That's how it works now; before, IIRC, Kennedy, the delegates were generally assigned by back-room deals, but politicians had a right to try to win votes in primaries, and since Kennedy used that approach to get around experienced leaders like LBJ locking up the delegates, it's become the norm in elections.
 

Matt1970

Lifer
Mar 19, 2007
12,320
3
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It can happen, but it is highly unlikely. The only sitting president to ever lose his party's nomination race was Franklin Pierce in 1856.
 

Hayabusa Rider

Admin Emeritus & Elite Member
Jan 26, 2000
50,879
4,268
126
Of course it 'allows' it.

The 'political machine' is about power, and it prefers the advantages of incumbency, so it would oppose a challenge like that against Obama, but if she decided to run, and IF she got the voters to vote for her in the primary, she could win the delegates and the election. The problem for her is getting those votes.

That's how it works now; before, IIRC, Kennedy, the delegates were generally assigned by back-room deals, but politicians had a right to try to win votes in primaries, and since Kennedy used that approach to get around experienced leaders like LBJ locking up the delegates, it's become the norm in elections.

If is an interesting word. If she could overcome the resistance by her party If she could get support. A third party candidate could also win if he or she had the votes.

I consider the chance of success vanishingly small in either case and you would be hard pressed to find someone who won against the party machine in a Presidential election. The one with the best shot was Howard Dean, but eventually the "rogue" got put down in favor of Kerry. I found that disappointing, but that's my opinion.

It's the difference between political theory and practice.
 

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
3,536
0
0
Hillery's too old. We some good looking female willing to wear tight cloths and who knows how to flirt with the camera. Someone who can make mama grizzly look like the dumb bimbo she is.
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
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Hillery's too old. We some good looking female willing to wear tight cloths and who knows how to flirt with the camera. Someone who can make mama grizzly look like the dumb bimbo she is.

UberNObama.jpg
 

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
3,536
0
0
I said good looking. The left has all kinds of support from Hollywood and the porn industry and its about time we started cashing in.

nikki_dial_flag_bikini_evqu8hu_sized.jpg
 

bamacre

Lifer
Jul 1, 2004
21,029
2
81
I'm gonna need some condoms, saran wrap, and duct tape before I even shake hands with that thing.
 

Farang

Lifer
Jul 7, 2003
10,913
3
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No. The idea of Obama facing a primary challenge means it coming from the far left. Clinton, having both been outflanked in this manner by Obama and having served in his administration, is in no position to do this.

This far into his presidency the worst the far left can say about Obama is that he is what they feared Clinton would be. And Clinton has proved that she would have been just that.
 

Siddhartha

Lifer
Oct 17, 1999
12,505
3
81
It is obvious she HATED losing to the noob and would love to run, but I am not sure if it is possible. Des a sitting president have an automatic nomination from his party or can he be challenged? All the talks online about Hillary not opting again for her position and supposedly her disgust for Obama's lack of leadership on the issues makes me wonder. While I wouldn't have voted for Hillary, I would take her over Obama any day of the week.

I think she knows that challenging Mr Obama would lead to spliting the Democratic Party and the GOP winning the White House. Also it would torpedo any chance she would have in 2016.