Democrats shouldn't settle for momentum-killing Hillary

By Paul Rogat Loeb
Seattle Times

When Democrats worry about Hillary Clinton's electability, they focus on her re-energizing a depressed Republican base while demoralizing core Democratic activists, particularly those outraged about the Iraq war. A Nov. 26 Zogby poll actually shows her trailing the major Republican candidates, while John Edwards and Barack Obama defeat them.

But there's a further danger if Clinton is nominated, beyond losing a winnable election — that she'll prevail but then split the Democratic Party.

We forget that this happened with her husband Bill, because compared to George W. Bush, he's looking awfully good. Much of Hillary Clinton's support may be nostalgia for when America's president seemed to engage reality.

But, remember that over the course of Bill Clinton's presidency, the Democrats lost six Senate seats, 46 House seats and nine governorships. This political bleeding began when Monica Lewinsky was still an Oregon college senior.

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