Hillary's $6.4 Million is a Wise Investment, for 2012

This is not really a case, as some have suggested, of throwing good money after bad.

Hillary Clinton's decision to dump another $6.4 million into her lifeless campaign actually makes an odd and devious kind of sense. Because for her the end game is no longer November, it's 2012.

That's how anybody within the Clinton campaign, who's not in absolute denial, must be looking at her prospects. Clinton's 2008 campaign is dead, and nothing short of an 11th hour Obama scandal is going to change that. It's certainly not something Hillary can bet on.

But for the Clintons, who have bagged better than $100 million over the past two presidential terms (part of it working for Colombian free trade interests, but never mind), $6.4 million is not that much money.

And think about what it buys them.

First, it gives her another few weeks in which to delude herself that Obama might implode.

It helps keep Clinton afloat, perhaps long enough to get the DNC to change the rules, and turn the exhibition games in Florida and Michigan into regular season games that count in the standings.

More importantly, it gives Clinton more time to attack Obama, in order to make him less elect-able against McCain, come November.

Having a Democrat in the White House for the next four years is not good for Clinton's Oval Office aspirations. It virtually rules out her running again before 2016, when she'll be pushing seventy.

Clinton's only chance, for 2012, is to continue to damage Obama so badly that McCain wins in November. That would allow Clinton to take a run at McCain or some other Republican, four years from now.

And Clinton won't be able to keep bashing Obama, at least not publicly, once the Democratic race is officially over. Once that happens, she'll have to put on her team-player-let's-bring-the-Party-together act.

So she's forking out a few million to extend her 2008 campaign, and make it the un-official start of her 2012 run.

Normally, to subscribe to this kind of theory would require one to have a particularly cynical view of the junior senator from New York/Arkansas/Illinois/Pennsylvania etc.

But look at the evidence.

Clinton's already written a large part of McCain's anti-Obama material. There was the 3am ad. The nonsense over "clinging to god and guns", which she made the most of. Playing the Jeremiah Wright card, repeatedly.

Republican talking points all, that she took to heart, and ran with.

Politicians, when it comes to governing and policy, tend to live in the now, often failing to take the long view. Electoral politics are a different matter. When it comes to that, candidates are always thinking ahead.

That's what Obama did. His original plan was to run in 2012, but when he realized the White House was there for the taking this time around, he too did the math, and realized if he didn't run now, he was probably looking at 2016.

All of a sudden there was a bit more audacity there. A bit more hope. Enough to accelerate his plan.

Hillary Clinton is making a similar calculation. Investing, wisely, she probably thinks, in the future.

Get ready for a few more weeks of Obama bashing, courtesy for the Junior Senator from Everywhere. I get the feeling Hillary Clinton is going to get her money's worth.

Comments

[elusiveyo]

your cynycal view is not supported by the facts, but by your anti-clinton bias, which is full of inuendo and untruths, says way more about you and your candidate of hope

[KillTheMessenger]

When did they invent the resurrection treatment for the politically dead? I mean, is the Clinton zombie really going to be able to stand on its feet by 2012? It is so stale that it smells already.

[PennP]

I never understand why prognosticators look at the future as if four years is next week, and they can apply the same dynamics that prevail today to the same period 208 weeks later. Four years. Four years of a different kind of governing and different assumptions by an ever-increasing percentage of the electorate, who may be much more engaged and activist than in the pre-Obamaian world. This is what people seem to miss in projections; that WE, the little people, are finding OUR voices, our place within the structure. We're not, as some would have us, vote-delivery ciphers. We're seeing the possibility of democracy the way it was intended, with citizens who participate in their own governance, who hold their elected leaders accountable, and--most importantly--who act.

Imagine four years of evolution of the electorate. Imagine ignorance and passivity becoming unpatriotic, and responsible engagement by constituents becoming common at every level of government. Gaining traction with large parts of the population now entails telling them what you think they want to hear, while they suspend disbelief, or at least critical doubts. A more observant, communicative, and informed body public would set the bar far higher. It is difficult to see an autocratic shape-shifter who's dedicated to authoritarian, vertical hierarchy finding nearly the currency in such a possible future milieu.

In other words, she's just blown $11.425M from her own purse, and if there's a God, she won't score diddley from it. Now or ever.

[MarMom]

A lot of folks have talked about that as an approach. I'm a big Obama fan and think he will win the election. But in the worst case and he doesn't - Hillary will go down as the one who ruined the democrats chance and she won't even be a nominee in 2012. So far all of her strategies have gone wrong - this is another mis-guided one.

[talkingclock]

I have to agree with you on this topic.

[ariadne1]

the media should ignore hillary clinton. that is the way to stop her manipulative, machiavellian, machinations.

[globality]

Here is why she will not win in NY

Obama will win 2008 and 2012

Straight from GOP web site

http://www.gop.com/media/PDFs/082907Research.pdf

[prattvictory]

"Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up!"

[KillTheMessenger]

Why didn't I think of this? That is so funny! One wonder if Billy Wilder knew what a classic running joke he was about to create!

[justobserve]

In this election she had fallen from an inevitable to an unelectable so if she is playing to get in 2012 she would be shocked! Especially she is prolonging this race and people would know more about her negative tactics against a Dem fellow, her spins and lies to win at any costs (even at enormous debt). She continues to ask for donation from little people for a race already lost. This is the work of a swindler that voters will see clearer and clearer as the day passes. She can divide the country into this group or that group of people who, she spins, won't support Obama but he won despite all that. What further proof she needs to see the reality? She has no chance to win in 2012 but as delusional as she and Bill now, they still think they are the comeback kid of yesteryear. The sad thing is voters are not as delusional as they are.

[marc1antony]

In this day and age of video tapes, and youtube, and the internet, four years is nothing - look at what happened with her BOSNIA LIES, her Ireland Peace Process LIES, her been to AFRICA LIES... she still has the hauntings of Monica Lewinsky, Whitewater and Vince Foster, Travelgate and NAFTA/CAFTA... she's dead politically - it will all just come back again, and if Obama is not elected as a result of all of her crap, you can be sure she will be a pariah in the democratic party, so get ready to vote for her as a Republican in 2012 if you are so inclined to bullcrap artists.

[MinerSam]

The SUCCESS of Hitler and his "architect" Goebbles are studied in speech classes.

These 2 discovered if you repeat lies enough people believe them. Was a time when brainwashed citizens turned in demonized neigbors who were carted to their deaths.

As one who get news from C-Span, Media Trained, seen 31 Obama stump speeches, and 35 Hillary's, every debate (both sides about 44) AND Disparity between reality and reporting, I can assure you that what you site and the hatred does not comport with the facts. QUITE THE OPPOSITE

Assuming you are a good person I attribute your comunique to THE poisoning of our information pieplines (both sides)..

Hllary actually incredibly good person who is briliant and achieved a great deal on behalf of millions of people here and around the world.

Sadly for our country she has been put in difficult positions. Genuine critisims of Obama have been turned, by his camaign and countless scewed media outlest into racism and other outrageous claims.

Someone said we get the leaders we deserve. I cannot tell you how sad it makes me feel. You are repeating Republican lies from the 90s when they hunt down our President because he turn things around on behalf of the people (from 12 years damage by their Party's control of the Executive and their looting..

The overated Obama has lead a campaign thriving on people too busy working to know facts. Hard to tell someone they are brainwashed.

[aj4321]

Am I to believe you are not "brainwashed?"

[SlappHappy]

The Obamatons are going to be laughing out of the other side of their mouths when Barry Hussein Obambi loses every state in the GE. I can stand having the Repubs for four more years to (1) be able to laugh at the humiliated OBAMATONS and the discarded husk of Barry Hussein Obambi during that time and (2) get Hillary as president in 2012. Great deal all around!

[MikePS65]

I've gone to your profile and have read all of your tiresome posts. Let me ask you - why are you so angry?

Really. I'm wondering why you blame Obama and/or his supporters for everything that's gone wrong in Hillary's campaign. Couldn't it be that maybe, just maybe, Hillary's approach to campaigning has been at least part of the problem?

You yourself have resorted to name calling and childish taunts in almost all of your posts, and now you stomp your feet and hold your breath telling us how we've all been bad sports. But what would you have us do? See the light of your wisdom and just write to Obama to tell him to please disregard the numbers and just give it to Hillary, because YOU like her?

I'm hoping you'll vote for Obama to set the economy right and end the war. If the shoe was on the other foot, I'm certain you'd be asking me to vote for Hillary. You'll ask me again in 2016, no doubt, but I gotta tell you, unless I sense genuine support from her for Obama's candidacy (and soon), I will conclude that her political aspirations have nothing to do with me, and I will, in turn, have nothing to do with her.

I'm interested in your opinion, if you think you can offer it without name calling.

[Agentprovokatur]

I think responding to posters such as SlappHappy is really a waste of time. As you noted from a review of the poster's other comments they are probably angry beyond rationality - the cause of which can only be speculated on - or a Republican or other troll only trying to start fights and raise other peoples' blood pressure.

The trolls should be ignored or dismissed.

For the angry, one can try to calm them to a state of listening to reason but for those such as SlappHappy I fear that is as useful as trying to talk the suicide jumper down from the roof of the 20 story building as he plummets past the 5th floor on their way to the ground.

[Robespierre]

Based upon your writings, you must be one of the great unedumacated white trash that Hillary touts as being her base. Good luck with that!

[snobama]

yup... i agree

btw heres a video about obamabots

http://youtube.com/watch?v=nBA017FZQRA

[Waltb31]

You all are sad. Hillary lost. Based on her behavior, I will never vote for her in any election.

[katefranklin]

Watch out. Hillary's been known to spring-board off calls for her withdrawl. It would be funny if the MSM gave her the cold shoulder. They won't, of course. Too much ad revenue at stake. The spectacle of Hillary's drunken cries for relevance is too tempting. This all begs the question though - in the tactical sense - how much establishment support (read: superdelegate support) will this early 2012 bid help her garner?

[SaintZak]

There will be no 2012 for Hillary Clinton. This is her last moment on the stage, and she'll have to be dragged off. She is a product of yesterday, her time has passed. I highly doubt she will exit gracefully (I thought for a moment Tuesday night, that she might). By the time this campaign has ended she will be toxic to the Democratic Party.

[Suzie813]

Really, if we won't have her this time around, what makes her think she will be more palatable in 4 years?

[escrow7]

2012........I don't think so!
Go. Obama!!!!

[avvocato]

Meet Hillary McClinton the next Joe Loserman.

[tora]

I think her future 2012 presidency race is pretty much doomed and highly unlikely she would be reelected for her senate seat.