Posted by
Andrews on Thursday, April 24, 2008 12:32:00 PM
I hate to say this, but Hillary Clinton would make a better president than Barack Obama. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not switching sides, I am still voting for McCain and
my arguments all still stand for voting for McCain rather than
sitting out the election or
voting third party. But, if I were told that I was going to be governed by the winner of the Democrat primaries, I would certainly hope Hillary Clinton secured the nomination.
Now this is not based on their beliefs, as I am not buying Hillary's new public image as a centrist who is moderately hawkish on defense. I know Hillary is every bit as left as Obama, and if she were given free reign she would enact policies every bit as destructive as he would.But I do think that the nature of the primaries, as well as the public personae of the candidates will serve to make Hillary much less dangerous than Obama.
I suppose it is easiest to explain if we start with Obama. If he wins the general election it will be not so much an inauguration as a coronation. The Democrats will get the message very quickly, Obama has a mass of followers, mostly young voters new to the party, who are his alone, and if any Democrats want their support, it depends entirely on how well they agree with Obama. Assuming the Democrats hold on to both houses of congress, there will be no problem ramming any proposal through. He may have some filibuster issues in the senate, but that will be it*. On the Democrat side of the aisle, his word will be law.
Hillary will have none of those advantages. Her coalition is just another Democrat coalition, made up of traditional Democrats who will continue to support and oppose congressmen based on the issues, rather than the single-minded, easily directed voters most of the Obamaniacs will be. Since she will not be able to deliver legions of followers for midterm elections, she will have to persuade the congress just like any president.
And that is where Hillary will be much better than Obama. As she already has existing rivalries and friendships form her term and a third in the senate, as well as all those animosities built up during her husband's presidency, she will find it much harder to force her policies through congress than Obama. In fact, as Democrats may prove intractable, she may even have to cultivate some Republican support, and, as a result, end up from time to time supporting the right side of an issue.
I know it is not a glowing endorsement, nor does it make me want to support Hillary, but I think the fact that she will have less to offer congressmen will mean she will get less done. And if I had to choose a Democrat for president, I definitely would opt for the one who would do less every time.
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* Should the filibuster become too much of a problem for the Democrats, I do not doubt for a moment they would exercise the nuclear option, Gang of Fourteen or not. Which is part of why I found the Republican reluctance to change senate rules so foolish. The Democrats would not hesitate to do the same were situations reversed.