DID SHE LEARN ANY LESSONS FROM 2008? - Hillary Clinton made her first public speech since leaving the State Department last night, addressing the Vital Global Leadership Awards at the Kennedy Center. She did not say she is running for president in 2016. But this week, at least, she seems very much like she is.
A super PAC staffed in part with former Clinton campaign aides is up and running and sending out press releases. Clinton made a show of support for gay marriage in a Human Rights Campaign video, and will make a whole host of speeches at venues across the country over the next few months. (She’s on the lucrative private speaking circuit as well.)
There is a series of clichéd caveats you have to get through when you write about this stuff: 2016 is a long ways away. Making predictions is an invitation to mockery in a few years’ time. At this point in 2006, the 2008 election was supposedly going to pit Mark Warner against George Allen.
But this time, Clinton really is a prohibitive favorite. She’s probably never been more popular, she’s already got a network of major donors and supporters, and there’s really no more exciting alternative.
(Sorry, Gov. Cuomo.)
As for her probable Republican opposition, it looks like the most formidable candidate might seriously be a member of the Bush family. (Sorry, Sen. Paul.) It would almost be stupid not to run, having put in this much work already. (Read the rest … including whether a Clinton will pass the Mark Penn test … here.)
-cw
CityWatch
Vol 11 Issue 28
Pub: Apr 5, 2013
