" ... a candidate with seriously complicated woman issues"

 

"THE FIX: How potent do you think the "enabler" claim might be as a political tool?

BROWN: This is a particularly potent claim against Hillary. According to a recent CNN/ORC International Poll, less than 20 percent of Americans sampled said that they did not think that America was ready for a woman president. Indeed, Gallup polling data has shown that Americans are increasing likely to support a woman candidate, particularly if a voter’s political party nominated a qualified woman.

These numbers indicate that Americans may not be opposed to electing a woman president; it is the candidate herself that matters most. Therefore, Trump does not necessarily have to play the gender card against Hillary but rather showcase why she, in particular, is the wrong woman for the job. This nuanced argument is an individual attack against Hillary — not women candidates. As such, Trump may be able to sidestep overt claims of misogyny and sexism." The Fix

--------------

The media in its willingness to help Obama get HC elected is launched upon a full throated campaign to denigrate and mock Trump.  His seeming inability to control what he says is a big help to them in this.  The imprecision of his speech gives them many openings, and they use them.  A typical example is his claim that HC abused and sought to humiliate and destroy those women who had the gumption to say that Bill had used and abandoned them or something like that.  "A wealthy rogue seduced and abandoned me" as the Irish terrorist gal says in "Ronin."  Her male colleague then replies, 'Funny, that's what happened to me as well." 

The press have twisted Trump's claim into a pretzel by insisting that Trump is criticizing her for tolerating his affairs when in fact he accuses her of attacking Bill's gals in order to protect their joint political career.  That is a big difference in focus.

Nevertheless, she has a lot of problems with women and her score card in the primary season with them is not all that good.  Her real strength is with Blacks.  Without them she would be in bad shape.

IMO she is very vulnerable to circumstances in which she is relentlessly pounded by Trump surrogates with accusations of a lack of virtue, civic and otherwise.  Trump himself should keep his mouth shut about this kind of thing and should concentrate on seeming the friend of miners, unemployed victims of Clintonian trade agreements, etc. 

I am increasingly attracted by the idea that he might ask Jim Webb to run with him.  Yes, I know that Webb is, at the moment, a Democrat, but... the GOP leaders are not going to like Trump, so, to hell with them.  Webb is a seriously "bad" dude.  Navy Cross, Silver Star, Secretary of the Navy, US senator from Virginia,  writer.  He is quite fluent and has that hard edged Scotch-Irish thing going.  Let him do the talking about military and foreign policy.

If Trump plays his cards right, he can beat Hillary.  pl  

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/05/11/hillary-clinton-a-woman-candidate-with-seriously-complicated-woman-issues/

Comments

[escot]

wow, until a year ago, I'd have been much enthused at the thought of Jim Webb as a solid running mate.... perhaps especially so for DT. Alas, Webb disappointed much when he mysteriously came down hard against the deal with Iran, just as his own campaign was running on empty. So out keeping with the independent minded Webb I'd come to respect, who had long made stand after stand against the neocons....

[DC]

Obama's mistake was wading into the email controversy in the first place. By telegraphing that the FBI investigation is about "intent" -- which it is not -- he is seriously misleading the american public, as of course her surrogates are all too happy to follow. Trump will pile on her poor judgement, Obama's complicity, and the DNC's corruption, as soon as DoJ lets her off. HRC is toast, imo.

The President should have read the tea leaves long ago and sent the opposite message to his flunkies at DOJ. Biden would have had an easy swim to the nomination. Now they are stuck with anti-establishment Sanders if they hope to have a shred of a chance against the charismatic, aggressive, Trump.

[Erika]

I agree. I too was disappointed with Webb.

If Trump were to pick any democrat it should be Tulsi Gabbard. That should solve the woman problem, and it would be someone the Republican base (i.e. voters) would actually respect, considering that Gabbard is after all a veteran.

[turcopolier]

Erika

I, too, would prefer Gabbard, but Webb, although as prickly a character as I, has a wealth of experience that must be considered. the Iran opinion? Yes, most unfortunate. pl

[hans]

When Bill got caught out over Monica the first, gut reaction among women I knew was that Hill should've borrowed a pistol from one of the Secret Service detail. Ask women you know, today, how noble they think Hill is for standing by her man.

[kao_hsien_chih]

I think it is extremely likely that Trump will run with a Democrat, and not improbable that HRC will run with a Republican--possibly someone like Brian Sandoval, if she can find one who is willing. Trump is looking to appeal to voters who might otherwise be inclined to vote Democratic, had it not been for the latter's sociocultural, economic, and foreign policy leanings (cosmopolitan in both directions) but have fallen out of the electorate since then. HRC represents, as a multiculturalist, interventionist, free trader all her life, the ultimate anathema to their interests. By the same token, HRC is looking to court Republicans who are cosmopolitan in all these respects as well. It would make sense, then, that the Democratic ticket will feature a pair who are essentially "moderate" (in the peculiar sense that term has acquired recently) Republicans while the Republican ticket will be headlined by a pair of old fashioned Democrats.

[Will Reks]

The election's going to come down to the same old swing states, like Ohio and Virginia, that Democrats won by relatively small margins in the last couple of elections. It's probably not going to be the landslide that some on both sides seem to think could happen. If the missing white vote actually exists in these particular states then Trump's focus on ending free trade agreements and bringing jobs back could bring those voters out to the polls. Country club conservatism doesn't appeal to those folks but Trumpism might.

Nativism, nationalism, and white backlash will help him as well. I'm surprised he came out against the bathroom bills but he could easily flip the other way on that.

Clinton is probably the worst candidate the Democrats could have nominated this cycle.

[Joe100]

I still have a Webb 2016 bumper sticker on my truck - I thought this was long obsolete, but had been wondering about a Trump VP play.

My suspicion is that Webb's animosity to Iran may well go back to the 1983 Marine barracks bombing. He had been awarded an Emmy for his pre-bombing coverage of the Lebanon situation for the MacNeil/Lehrer hour and then went back to cover the aftermath. He would have made solid personal connections during his pre-bombing coverage with many Marines who were killed and there may have been a few he knew from his time in uniform.

[HankP]

Of course Trump can win, but I still think it's very unlikely. As mentioned, he simply can not and will not keep his mouth shut, and contradicts himself within days if not hours. How anyone can accept anything he says as his "position" is beyond me. Also, winning 30 - 60% of Republican primary voters is very different than winning >50% of all voters.

[SmoothieX12]

Tulsi Gabbard is an amazing women. Smart, courageous, with real integrity and gorgeous--no man can resist her powers;-) Realistically and without a joke, such choice could be a stroke of genius for DT's campaign and a very clear message globally. The contrast between Hillary and Tulsi Gabbard can not be more startling than this, with Tulsi being absolutely in the league of her own when compared to this war-mongering she-devil and neocon shill Hillary.

[different clue]

I wonder if Senator Webb's opinion on Iran was in part based on Senator Webb's own perception of unfinished bussiness with Iran about the Embassy hostage taking. I don't know enough to theorize . . . I can only wonder.

Could Webb stand to be anybody's Vice President? Trump's own inner security would make Trump uniquely UNthreatened at a psychological level by a powerfully independent Vice President. Perhaps a Vice President Webb could use the Vice Presidency as kind of a semi "Fourth Branch Lite" of government, sort of like Cheney but in a GOOD way.
Perhaps a Prez Trump and VP Webb would both be okay with that and make it work.

And if a Trump-Webb Administration had good luck and good results for four or eight years, it would open the way to a Webb run for President in four or eight years from now if Webb wanted to do that.

Webb could perhaps be a stabilizer to the irrepressible and unpredictable Trump, and could be presented in part that way . . . if both were okay with that.

[different clue]

Erika,

Tulsi Gabbard announced her support just a little after Madeleine Albright invoked "a special place in hell" for women who don't "help eachother". I wonder how many "career-thwarted" professional women agree with that view? Such women would regard Gabbard as an Evil Traitor for supporting the Dark Pretender Sanders to the Throne which is rightly Clinton's.

If Clinton is elected President, Gabbard will have to prepare for all kinds of behind-the-scenes political-personal persecution and sabotage from the Clintonite Forces. Clinton considers such "failure-to-support" a personal matter, and she will take it that way and make it that way.

Hopefully Gabbard will be able to visibly wear Clinton's barely-passive aggression against her as a public badge of honor.

[scott s.]

Erika,
I don't think too many Republicans would be enamored of a socialist like Gabbard near the White House. Her main claim seems to be publicity seeking, as compared to our other Congress critter Mark Takai who also is a vet BTW (LCOL HIARNG).

[different clue]

DC,

I don't think I could have voted for Biden under any circumstances. Among other things, he was very gung-ho responsible for the so-called "Bankruptcy Reform Act" which made student debt non-dischargeable in bankruptcy, among other things.

Also, I gather his surviving son has investments in a company which hopes to do all kinds of fracking for oil and gas all over East Ukraine. This would tend to bias Biden in favor of the illegal Nazi-Nazi Banderazi coup regime currently occupying the seat of government in Kiev. I feel confident others can offer other reasons to say " no Biden, no thank you."

[Matthew]

Col: When I read Webb's "Born Fighting," he left me seriously confused. You would have thought all the Irish Catholics fought for King and Country and all the Low Land Scots settled in Ulster were the Andrew Jacksons.

However, British military history since 1690 is almost an encyclopedia of Ulstermen. Many brave Catholic Irish fought in the ranks; but the fighting generals were Scots Irish.

[crf]

It would be very bad for the moderate constituency Webb represents within his party: that would be a loss for the Democrats. This loss for the Democrats would occur whether or not Trump/Webb wins. Webb would not be a gain for the Republicans. Too many Republican congress-people do not have a good track record of working with leaders in their own party, so what chance would Webb have to influence Republicans in congress?

And I think Trump can win, of course, but it is more likely he'll lose. He's deliberately and stupidly made himself unattractive to large portions of the swing electorate.

So Webb would be taking a loss up front, with little chance of a payoff.

[David Lentini]

From what I've heard from some dependable sources, depending on who comes forward, Hillary may have a whole different set of "women" problems. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

[Tyler]

Hah, glad to see my Webb theory has feet.

"Crooked" Hillary is his line of attack for her, and damn if it don't stick like black to tar. He'll let Manafort and Stone handle the gouges, but Trump's "mouth" is a feature more than a bug, IMHO. People like him cause he says what he thinks. People don't trust the media to tell the truth in general, and especially the truth about DJT.

If anything, it makes people investigate what exactly Trump is talking about. Its why you see the full court press whenever Trump talks about Muslim immigrants or illegal immigrants in general, either trying to obfuscate or outright lie to protect their sacred cows.

[Tyler]

IIRC, Webb was suckered in as part of the Democrats 50 state strategy to run as a blue dog, and then was whipped into line to support the globalist agenda of the Democrats.

[Tyler]

Personally I like the rumors of:

Ron Paul as SoS
Sessions as SoS or SDHS
Giuliani as Attorney General or SDHS

[bth]

Webb did poorly in the debates and trusted out in public regardless of his many attributes. Webb might make an interesting Sec of Def. China will remain a wildcard this summer which could change the calculation.

Concentrating on the swing states will be key for Trump, Ohio, Florida to name two. A popular moderate governor might be a good VP choice.

Pain in the O&G producing states is going to be acute this summer so someone that could bring cred to a national energy policy might be popular.

An infrastructure building emphasis might also work, investing in our infrastructure, putting people to work, etc would also resonate well.

Look for congress to stuff a lot of pork projects into the budget at the last minute in July. Whether Congress passes a budget or not will be important going into the convention weeks and might affect VP selection.

[rakesh]

actually she never ever publicly attacked anyone cited. Her private conversation reflect her misplaced trust in her husband. If someone disagrees please post the actual quote.

[WILL]

Trump has made it pretty clear that first, it will be a republican vp, and second he wants an experienced politician to help push his legislative agenda. The House of Reps has lately been the problem, w/ the Hastert rule. Kasich as a former representative would be ideal, except that Donald has insulted his eating habits, don't know if the governor would be able to get past that.

The dems got screwed w/ wasserman-scultz (?sp) rigging the debate schedule so O'Malley and Webb couldn't get exposure or oxygen.

After being a lifelong dem, i changed my registration to unaffiliated so i can vote in the repub primary for my congressman Walter Jones. He's way to the right of me on fiscal and social policy but he is pro veteran and anti-war. To me, that supersedes (i avoided saying trumps) everything else. There's always some neanderthal neocon challenging him in the primary.

I think Trump would strongly, strongly, benefit from ritalin, mephyphenidate. This would help him stay focused and control his tongue. They have an Arabic proverb, lsaanuk hassanuk, trkubudu wa byrkabek. Your tongue is your steed, ride it or it will ride you.
لسانك هو الحصان، ركوب أو أنها سوف تركب لك

[Kooshy]

Colonel, IMO, and as I wrote here previously, I think in general election this fall, there would be a lot of democrat voters who will cross party lines, and would cast a protest vote for Trump,this is just to to make sure Clinton would get less chance of wining in fall. Apparently this was asked and was evedent in yesterday' primery exit polls. 1/2 of Bernie' voters said they would vote for trump if Bernie is not nominated. Count me in.

[Fred]

different clue,

That's the coke snorting son who got a wrist slap discharge from that navy rather than a trip to the naval prison in Portsmouth.