Is Hillary Clinton Posturing To Go Independant Should She Lose Against Obama?

Breaking the Final Rule
By Gary Hart
The Huffington Post

Friday 07 March 2008

It will come as a surprise to many people that there are rules in politics. Most of those rules are unwritten and are based on common understandings, acceptable practices, and the best interest of the political party a candidate seeks to lead. One of those rules is this: Do not provide ammunition to the opposition party that can be used to destroy your party's nominee. This is a hyper-truth where the presidential contest is concerned.

By saying that only she and John McCain are qualified to lead the country, particularly in times of crisis, Hillary Clinton has broken that rule, severely damaged the Democratic candidate who may well be the party's nominee, and, perhaps most ominously, revealed the unlimited lengths to which she will go to achieve power. She has essentially said that the Democratic party deserves to lose unless it nominates her.

As a veteran of red telephone ads and "where's the beef" cleverness, I am keenly aware that sharp elbows get thrown by those trailing in the fourth quarter (and sometimes even earlier). "Politics ain't beanbag," is the old slogan. But that does not mean that it must also be rule-or-ruin, me-first-and-only-me, my way or the highway. That is not politics. That is raw, unrestrained ambition for power that cannot accept the will of the voters.

Senator Obama is right to say the issue is judgment not years in Washington. If Mrs. Clinton loses the nomination, her failure will be traced to the date she voted to empower George W. Bush to invade Iraq. That is not the kind of judgment, or wisdom, required by the leader answering the phone in the night. For her now to claim that Senator Obama is not qualified to answer the crisis phone is the height of irony if not chutzpah, and calls into question whether her primary loyalty is to the Democratic party and the nation or to her own ambition.

Your statements were eloquent, riveting and very much appreciated by one who is dismayed regarding the outright transparent filth the Clinton's are dishing out to the public.

We are facing dire prospects if Hillary Clinton and her Husband aren't addressed by the Democratic Party SOON! The Clinton's will make history in orchestrating the "what not to do" when running for or being in any elected office.

The gross contradiction of stating on one side that Obama could not handle a crisis while Hillary could....THEN...in saying he could be HER Vice President while she is losing the race is ludicrous.

What if she dies in office, is in an incapacitating accident...?? Will Obama step into Presidential position and suddenly be capable in her mind. The insanity of their illogical, incompetent "guarantees" will continue to rage until they are told by their own party to step aside.

The Clinton's serve Twin Gods...themselves, and no one else!

no she is not..that would be poltical sucide

She'd certainly like people to think she was. might scare up more superdelegates to her side.

Clinton/Obama '08!

we can only hope. That would split the leftist vote and allow sanity to prevail......of course, it worked for Senator Lieberman

Nah, Ralph's got the independent ticket sewn up. She's too much of a big business old money sell out to have any indi street cred.

Go RALPH!!!! (that's Ralph Nader, in case you were wondering)

I don't think this is in Hillary's plan (but, then again, I don't think she has much of a plan).

I am sure that Hillary will toy with this idea should she lose the Dem nomination, but she will not stand any chance of winning as an Indie (as she would not have the money to back up her campaign and would unify Reps to vote against her - and for either McCain or Obama).

Smart woman, it will make obama lose for sure

she might have to,because you democrats are splitting!!

This election is all about Sen Clinton's ambition, I get the idea she would rather see McCain win than Obama--what's that about? She has shown herself not worthy, it's difficult to known which party she really connects with. When I see her campaigning, in a way, for McCain it causes me to pause.