Althouse: "So, what happens if Hillary Clinton doesn’t run in 2016? It is hard to imagine the presidential field without a woman contender..."

February 4, 2013

"So, what happens if Hillary Clinton doesn’t run in 2016? It is hard to imagine the presidential field without a woman contender..."

"... and here’s one to keep your eye on: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Napolitano is quietly making it known that she is considering the race, and there is reason to take her seriously...."

68 comments:

Cody Jarrett said...: LMAO.

That's really all there is to that.

Why is it when they say "women" they mean "liberal women"? There are plenty of good republican women in the pipeline.; 2/4/13, 9:11 PM
MadisonMan said...: If Napolitano dissolves DHS and is therefore looking for a job, I'll consider her. Otherwise, not so much.; 2/4/13, 9:11 PM
Anonymous said...: Today's Gatsby sentence?

It is hard to imagine the presidential field without a woman contender, superior candidates holding each other tortuously, fashionably, and keeping in the corners — and a great number of single contenders dancing individualistically or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps."

2016: America wants Relief from banjo or the traps."; 2/4/13, 9:13 PM
kentuckyliz said...: I can't wait to see her rivulets.; 2/4/13, 9:14 PM
chickelit said...: What about Debbie Wasserman-Schultz? Dems love her.; 2/4/13, 9:14 PM
bagoh20 said...: 2016 Birthers will be demanding proof that she's a woman. I can get on board that one myself.; 2/4/13, 9:15 PM
Anonymous said...: "Hillary's notoriety, spread about by the hundreds who had accepted his hospitality and so become authorities on his past, had increased all summer until he fell just short of being news."; 2/4/13, 9:15 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: DW-S? Good Lord.

I can't stand to hear Barry yammer on, I can't imagine a campaign season listening to ol' marble mouth.; 2/4/13, 9:16 PM
Bob Ellison said...: American citizens should consider whether they are ready to elect a lesbian POTUS.; 2/4/13, 9:17 PM
edutcher said...: Hillary looks so happy (and, dare I say, even pretty), one is forced to believe she's really glad to be out of the rat race.

If the rat wants a third term, he'll have to ride Chelsea's coattails.

Then again, Big Sis barely qualifies as a woman, even among the Demos.; 2/4/13, 9:17 PM
YoungHegelian said...: DHS is known locally in DC as such a nightmare on stilts that no one who heads it up will emerge unscathed.

When you get politicians who get together in a bipartisan frenzy and say "well, we've got to do something, then you know the shit is really gonna hit the fan.; 2/4/13, 9:17 PM
Anonymous said...: Obama went out of the room calling 'Hillary!' and returned in a few minutes accompanied by an embarrassed, slightly worn woman, with shell-rimmed glasses and scanty blond hair."; 2/4/13, 9:18 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: Bagoh, no way in hell do I want to be any part of trying in any way to determine of Big Sis is a real woman.

We have Truthers and Skeeters...would someone trying to prove her woman-hood be a twatter?; 2/4/13, 9:18 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: "American citizens should consider whether they are ready to elect a lesbian POTUS."

A really hot lesbian POTUS? Sure!; 2/4/13, 9:19 PM
Bob Ellison said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/4/13, 9:19 PM
Anonymous said...: "I see now that this has been a story of the West, after all — Bill and Hillary, Obama and Vernon Jordan and I, were all Westerners, and perhaps we possessed some deficiency in common which made us subtly unadaptable to Eastern life."; 2/4/13, 9:20 PM
Anonymous said...: Hillary 2016: "My buttocks are a frosted wedding-cake."; 2/4/13, 9:21 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: Hillary 2016: "My buttocks are a frosted wedding-cake."

ENOUGH! Good God mercy!; 2/4/13, 9:23 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Big Sis is just another dim bulb lifelong pol.; 2/4/13, 9:24 PM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Karen Timmult of Time Magazine wrote the article and she must be a dim bulb too.; 2/4/13, 9:25 PM
chickelit said...: Vedi Napolitano e poi dieta.; 2/4/13, 9:28 PM
Anonymous said...: "Napolitano is quietly making it known that she is considering the race, and there is reason to take her seriously: she is again keeping half a dozen dates a day with half a dozen men, and drowsing asleep at dawn with the beads and chiffon of an evening dress tangled among dying orchids on the floor beside her bed."

Everything is Gatsby Day.; 2/4/13, 9:31 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: beta: why don't you pretend it's Hemingway day?

Takes a lot more talent to write like Papa than to vomit garbage like Scottie.; 2/4/13, 9:33 PM
Mark said...: I'm from Homeland Security and I'm here to help.

That'll work.; 2/4/13, 9:34 PM
JAL said...: What reason [to take her seriously] might there be?

srsly; 2/4/13, 9:36 PM
Mark said...: As to lesbian Presidents, I was so hoping Condi would run this last time around.; 2/4/13, 9:39 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: Third woman to be governor of AZ, first to win re-election, among other things. She's not exactly a lightweight, she's just despicable.; 2/4/13, 9:39 PM
kentuckyliz said...: I contend that the American people don't want to look at either of those hags as POTUS for 4-8 years.; 2/4/13, 9:40 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: Doesn't Condi have a male companion? I think his name is "Stedman" or something...?; 2/4/13, 9:40 PM
Anonymous said...: ""So, what happens if Hillary Clinton doesn’t run in 2016? Biden lit Hillary's cigarette from a trembling match, and sat down with her on a couch far across the room..."

Everything is Gatsby Day.; 2/4/13, 9:46 PM
m stone said...: I contend that the American people don't want to look at either of those hags as POTUS for 4-8 years.

Agreed, kentuckyliz. Can anyone really argue with that statement?

Stedman is Oprah's hug.; 2/4/13, 9:47 PM
Curious George said...: I wouldn't fuck Napolitano with Hillary's cock.; 2/4/13, 9:47 PM
Mark said...: Everything I've read re: Condi's sexuality makes me think insiders think she's lesbian. Now, considering how stupid insiders, especially Republican insiders, have proven to be, they could be totally wrong, totally monstrous, or both.

(Monstrous in assuming that "American citizens" would be bigoted assholes. Of course, the Democrats basically won the Presidency this time around by saying Romney was going to subjugate all American ladyparts so I guess we deserve what we got.); 2/4/13, 9:47 PM
Anonymous said...: What about Nikki Haley on the Republican side?

Peter; 2/4/13, 9:51 PM
Methadras said...: Yes, because having a woman run for president is so, so, so Democrat.; 2/4/13, 9:56 PM
Methadras said...: Yes, because having a woman run for president is so, so, so Democrat.; 2/4/13, 9:56 PM
Cody Jarrett said...: Yeah. I'm pretty sure Condi's gay, I just never bothered to care.

Unlike certain people around here (ahem...)--I don't give a shit who sleeps with who or why (unless I'm involved somehow!). Being gay doesn't make Condi any more or less brilliant, for example. And yeah--she was bad as a national security adviser. But her whole thing was Russia and the Soviet Union (and who's currently gathering steam again?), not assorted towel-headed terrorpots.

Nikki Haley'd bring some baggage with her. She's done some questionable things and the left hates her about 75% as much as they hate Palin.

If we elect an Indian POTUS*, I'd rather have her than that fuckwad two faced lying sack of shit Jindal though.; 2/4/13, 9:59 PM
edutcher said...: ironrailsironweights said...

What about Nikki Haley on the Republican side?

Peter

Or Susana Martinez.

Or Cathy McMorris Rodgers.

All, undoubtedly, full-flavored.; 2/4/13, 9:59 PM
pm317 said...: Napolitano? ugh...; 2/4/13, 10:01 PM
Anonymous said...: "... and here’s one to keep your eye on: Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. Napolitano, above a spotted dress of dark blue crêpe-de-chine, contained no facet or gleam of beauty but there was an immediately perceptible vitality about her as if the nerves of her body were continually smouldering."

Everything is Gatsby Day.; 2/4/13, 10:01 PM
Sinnamon Buns said...: Jesse Jackson was not the first black president of the United States. That accomplishment fell to an attractive, fit, articulate, privately schooled, Ivy League educated, half-white son of university professors. For the same reason the first female president will be an attractive, fit, Ivy League educated, wife and mother, and daughter of white upper middle class professionals. Not Janet Napolitano. One step at a time (or half-step in the case of Barack Obama).; 2/4/13, 10:04 PM
bgates said...: "Should John McCain have selected a different running mate? It's hard to imagine the 2008 presidential election without a woman contender...."

What about Debbie Wasserman-Schultz?

Why not that Giffords woman? She seems popular.; 2/4/13, 10:52 PM
bgates said...: That accomplishment fell to an attractive, fit, articulate, privately schooled, Ivy League educated, half-white son of university professors.

No, it fell to the guy who's in there now.; 2/4/13, 10:55 PM
Carnifex said...: "The sun was warm in my eyes as it lowered in the west. The humid air lay still over the fetid swamp. Slowly the large water-buffalo raised her head as the flies buzzed around it's ass. "There she is" I said to my trusty Kikuyu track, M'bekweh. The hell beast had terrorized the villagers, running rampant over the rights. The natives called her "Nepoli-ton-o" which meant "eater of carpets" in their strange tongue."

Everyday IS Hemingway Day in MY house!

Later on, our intrepid hunter tales on RINO's and old Dead Elephants.; 2/4/13, 10:57 PM
McTriumph said...: Hillary will run in 2016, Bill is already lining up bundlers. Does anyone believe he was only in NY for the Koch funeral?; 2/4/13, 11:02 PM
Andy Freeman said...: Yup, Hillary. The only woman in American who didn't know that Billy Jeff was boinking in sight.

Her Egypt plan is working out almost as well as her Libyan consulate security.; 2/4/13, 11:46 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Big Sis is just another dim bulb lifelong pol.

Neither is actually true. Made partner in one of the top law firms (Lewis and Roca) in AZ (and now NV, with smaller offices in NM and CA) and was very well respected there, before going into politics. And this was out of law school, and not after being in politics for awhile. Then, she left, and won state-wide office multiple times in a somewhat conservative state.

I think that she is easy to underestimate, given her looks. But, I expect that she would do decently at least with the Hispanic community, having been governor of a border state, and her helping to implement Obama's illegal immigrant amnesty plan.; 2/5/13, 12:06 AM
Mark said...: Hillary! would be a worse President than Obama because she'd actually be better at doing what she wanted to do.

God help us.; 2/5/13, 12:15 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: I just don't see Hillary! running in 2016. Her best shot was 2008, when she was still young enough. 2016 is almost 1/4 century from the time her husband first was elected President.

Republicans seem to nominate someone who has run for President before (with the exception of GW Bush, whose father had been President). Every Republican nomination after war hero Eisenhower (except maybe Goldwater and Bush(43)) had either run for President or VP before, or was or had been President or VP. Which is a bit scary for me, given the rest of the Republican field last year.

Dems though seem to go the other way. Since Stevenson, they don't give the nomination to previous losers. And, I think importantly here, their winners since LBJ have been Washington, D.C. outsiders (Carter, Clinton, Obama), while their D.C. insiders (Humphrey, McGovern, AlGore, Lurch, etc.) have lost. Hillary! has now spent 20 years as a power player in D.C.

Besides, the woman has baggage. A lot of it. 30 years of corruption and what I think will ultimately be considered a failed foreign policy while Secretary of State.

And, finally, back to her age. She is old enough that she is only marginally a Baby Boomer. Since then, we have had Gen X, Gen Y, the Millenniums, etc. How does someone that old really communicate and connect with these voters, some 1/3 her age? She's older than some of their grandparents. And, remember, one of the reasons that Obama won election and reelection was the youth vote - he was much hipper than his older, white, opponents. How hip is a dumpy woman nearing 70 (in 2016)?; 2/5/13, 12:33 AM
Kirk Parker said...: AJL,

"Big Sis is just another dim bulb lifelong pol. "

Yeah, ok, fine.

But let's go beyond her campaign literature--what do her critics say about her?; 2/5/13, 3:57 AM
Kirk Parker said...: OK, Bruce, serious question now: what on earth was wrong with the AZ voters, that they put such a person in office not once, but twice?

Or has she pulled a Gore and gotten seriously wack as the years have passed?; 2/5/13, 3:58 AM
C R Krieger said...: I was surprised no one has mentioned Senator Elizabeth Warren. She is what the left wants, compared to the DLC like Hillary Clinton.

Senator Warren attracts money and in 2016 will have twice the senatorial experience as President Obama when he ran.

Regards — Cliff; 2/5/13, 6:44 AM
Cody Jarrett said...: Cliff:

They're talking that up a bit over at LI. Scares the crap out of me.

It's something I never really considered.

A little while ago I'd have said "that woman can't do well outside the northeast and maybe the west coast, but as Comrade Sotero recently demonstrated, that, plus a well regulated vote stealing machine in a couple of other states, is really all you need.

And that woman--that woman's dangerous. Comrade Barry Buttons is bad. Very bad. Extremely bad. Bad enough that every time I see a Barry sticker on a car I want to ram it bad...but that woman would be dangerous.

She's one of the people who puts thoughts in Obama's head.; 2/5/13, 6:58 AM
Anonymous said...: Christine Gregoire

Jennifer Granholm?

Liz Warren; 2/5/13, 6:59 AM
Glen Filthie said...: I don't think you will see another Donk anywhere near the Whitehouse after Barkie's second term. Least of all a shrill, lying cankle like Hillary.

But what do I know? Any country dumb enough to elect an idiot like Barry twice in a row can do anything.; 2/5/13, 7:43 AM
Unknown said...: Every time lately that I see a lefty as contemptible as Reichsinspekteur Napolitano nominated and think that this time they're surely over reaching the bastard wins. The longer I watch the more tempted to paranoia I become, the "opposition" being distinguishable only as a slightly different flavor of madness. I'd like to quit watching.; 2/5/13, 8:15 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: ruce Hayden & Kirk:

I am basing my comment on observing how she sounds when she speaks- she sounds like a dim bulb, no one home moror. Not quite as dumb sounding as Ken Salizar but close.; 2/5/13, 8:22 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Sgt:

Granholm was born in Canada.; 2/5/13, 8:23 AM
Hagar said...: I swear, there must be something in the air around Washington, D.C. that gets to people!; 2/5/13, 8:45 AM
Hagar said...: And Napolitano was born in the South Valley of Albuquerque.; 2/5/13, 8:47 AM
Hagar said...: Correction:
From Wikipedia:
Janet Napolitano was born on November 29, 1957, in New York City, the daughter of Jane Marie (née Winer) and Leonard Michael Napolitano, who was the dean of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine.[3] Her father was of Italian descent and her mother had German and Austrian ancestry.[3][4] Napolitano is a Methodist.[5] She was the eldest of three children; she has a younger brother and sister. She was raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she graduated from Sandia High School in Albuquerque in 1975 and was voted Most Likely to Succeed. She graduated from Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California, where she won a Truman Scholarship, and was valedictorian. In 1978, she studied for a term at the London School of Economics as part of the Santa Clara's exchange programme through IES Abroad. She then received her Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of Virginia School of Law. After law school she served as a law clerk for Judge Mary M. Schroeder of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and then joined Schroeder's former firm, Lewis and Roca located in Phoenix.[6]; 2/5/13, 8:51 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: The Screeching "what difference does it make!" control freak harpy who spends millions of tax payer dollars to travel the world and accomplish nothing vs Big Sis. I'll take big sis.; 2/5/13, 8:55 AM
Cincinnatus said...: The idea of taking Janet Napolitano seriously is hilarious.; 2/5/13, 9:21 AM
James Pawlak said...: I would vote for you!; 2/5/13, 9:53 AM
Strelnikov said...: Only the Post (ok, probably the NYT, too) would have trouble imagining something that has happened dozens of times.; 2/5/13, 10:54 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: I am basing my comment on observing how she sounds when she speaks- she sounds like a dim bulb, no one home moror. Not quite as dumb sounding as Ken Salazar but close.

What is interesting to me is that Salazar's background is somewhat similar to Napolitano's, but in Colorado instead of Arizona, he worked his way up in Colorado, again, starting around rural Alamosa, then through Colorado College, law school, some top Colorado law firms, and then AG and the Senate.

He may sound stupid, but I would suggest that is more because, at least until he took over Interior, he was always also a part time rancher, 5th generation in Colorado, and umpteenth in the SW, with some of his ancestors coming into NM before the Pilgrims landed in MA. For those of us who grew up listening to that sort of person talking, he doesn't sound all that stupid. Its more a regional thing.

Now, I don't know if he really is that smart. He had a decent reputation in college, and graduated from a good law school (Michigan), but that is the school that went to the Supreme Court over quotas (and he backed his alma mater with an amicus brief when he was CO AG), and he is the good type of Hispanic, white, fully assimilated, etc., so there was likely some affirmative action involved. And, he was extraordinarily well connected to the Democrat Party power brokers in the state even before being elected AG. Still, I think it is mostly the accent, and think that there are indications that he was smarter than his boss when he was Interior Secretary.; 2/5/13, 11:17 AM
RonF said...: "It is hard to imagine the presidential field without a woman contender ...."

Really? For who? Not for me. Not for most people I know. This last one was the only one in my lifetime (I was first eligible to vote for President in 1972) that had a serious contender in the primaries, and none have had one in the general election.

Who is this person speaking for? Some insular, limited community? Or are they asserting that they speak for the general public?; 2/5/13, 1:49 PM
mikee said...: So for the past four years whenever anyone has disagreed with a policy put forth by this administration, RACIST! was the response. We still aren't past that.

What on earth would make one want to spend four years hearing SEXIST PIG! whenever a disagreement occurred?; 2/5/13, 3:21 PM