Would it be different after exactly one year? 54% think we're on the wrong track. 40% say President Obama has done worse than expected (nearly one-in-five Democrats say so). Health "reform" is in shambles. Off-year 
elections have been disastrous for Democrats. Or maybe the question should be: Could things be any worse with Hillary Clinton as president? I suppose it's an unanswerable question, but just asking. (source: Zogby International)
Craig blogs daily for CQ-Roll Call
Follow Craig Crawford on Twitter: www.twitter.com/craig_crawford
Obamas bad showing in the primary debates should have been a clue to this.
Hopey changey isnt working. Never has. Obamas campaigne pledges were just fabrications to get into office and all of us are paying the price.
Btw, Obama now has a year of experince BEING president. He prevented a full blown economic drepression, has made more progress on health care reform that the Clintons ever did, is delivering on his commitment to end Bush and Hillary's War in Iraq by summer 2010.
Why continue to attack President Obama in bitter frustration over Hillary's failure as a candidate? Think about the nation, maybe? He is our president for three, and likely seven more years. Do you really think the Republicans offer better alternatives, or do are you judging him now so you can satisfying your desperate need to say a bitter "I told you so?
She would not been afraid to confront Pelosi, Reid or the Republicans. She always said the republicans were strong, smart and relentless. She knew that they would not sing kumbiyah, hold hands, and pass legislation they fundamentally disagreed with just because Obama was full of hope and asking nice.
Obama was fantastic at campaigning but he had not been in the national office long enough to build a reputation. He has very little leverage and in DC that works against you. Many big insiders wanted Obama because they knew they could push him around, but the short-sightedness and disloyalty inside their own party is drawing negative karma.
But look at Hillary's forty year record to tell you what kind of President she would've been. Take a look at SCHIP, pell grants, foster Care, HIPPIE, her accomplished senate voting record and the millions of dollars worth of benefits she AND republicans fought and got for veterans.
Now we all must pay the price of hiring a President who needs on-the-job-training during war time in one of the worst recessions in American history.
Now we all know what Hillary supporters used chant at their rallies:
"Yes We Can" is not a plan!
-HealthCare would have truly been UNIVERSAL, with a strong Public Option put on the table as bargaining chip if not Single-Payer!
-Senate would have acted like a MAJORITY, not a bunch of wimpy, short-panted "What do we have to do to cave in the Republicans' way of doing things?" confused and misguided juniors!
-Wall Street would have strong regulations that would ensure their fiasco would not be repeated
-Medicare would not be robbed of 500 billion to support an Insurance-Reform Bill!
-Foreclosures would be negotiated and made part of legislative solution (remember her campaign?)
-US foreign policy would not be confused and no way she'd have sent 30,000 troops to Afghanistan--the money could be used for Health care at home
-She be working hard and not SLEPT IN SUMMER, dropping the ball on Health-Care Reform letting the Republicans pick it up and turn it to a Tea Bag Party phenom that keeps on growing
-She'd PART of the Democratic and Independents' Tea Bag Phenom!
-She'd have earned Respect for her Tough Efforts; and
--for rolling up her Sleeves and not playing Golf/basketball while the country burns!...
HRC would not have been a crybaby as evidenced from Barack's remarks during the campaign when it was evident he couldn't take the "heat", WHINING...
"Periodically, when she feels "down", Hillary starts launching attacks against (poor) me to boost her appeal"!~~~
------
And we'd have a WORKHORSE, not a SHOWHORSE-IN-CHIEF!
Some people try to beat up Hillary to puff up Obama. We know better. Somehow I dont see any acountability for his hollow retoric during the campaigne but we can hope for change or is it change for hope.
It's impossible to know, but for some reason I think we will find out from her own words if Obama doesn't get his act together.. The Republicans framed her as polarizing in the 90s IMO and certain Democratic haters who still buy into this are perfect examples at what last night showed about the electorate in this country. I voted for her because she's a fighter and the 90s proved it.
If she still is at 70% approval rating and doing a great job as SOS. If the progressive message is still a PR nightmare it wouldn't surprise me if she sees the opportunity to frame a "Teddy v Carter" primary to in '12.
Fact is the 18 mil who voted for her in the primary weren't all PUMAs. I know voters who were ridiculed and made to feel ashamed for the thought of supportering her instead of Obama. I'm not a PUMA but I am one of those voters and would vote for her again if she chose to run.
Well said! PUMAS were actually both disenchanted with the Obama Campaign's strong-arm tactics dictated by Axelrod and Rahm and the fraudulent caucuses and the ignominious push for delegates to push Hillary off the ring while she was winning the primaries! The PUMAS were hard-working white, black and latino Americans and men and women who wanted a workhorse, not a showhorse to work for them in Washington.
PUMAS left Obama due to these tactics of harassing women with Hillary signs on their cars, sexist remarks, even violence; they were tired of being treated like second-class citizens by the Democratic party (they put the "mock" in Democracy!) and voted en mass, whilst holding their Democratic nose, for McCain. If it weren't for the sudden economic meltdown and the media's apotheosis of the inexperienced Chicago senator, the PUMA movement would not have been born in the first place!
PUMAS were true Independents and dissafected, poorly understood Democratic voters. And they all wanted Hillary's Universal HealthCare --Public Option for All! They trusted Hillary's record. Barack, altho well-meaning and with excellent baritone voice and rhetoric delivery, had none other than 'present' votes in the Senate! He was a manufactured "brand" well orchestrated by huge corporate interests!
The populist was, and is, Hillary! But it's too late for lamenting what could have been, isn't it? We already know what hasn't happened that we were promised. Forget about HealthCare Reform. It's all about Insurance-Reform and no one needs this sham!