According to one of my friends who spends more time on Twitter than I do, this article, by my new friend, Ruby Cramer at Buzzfeed, ruffled some Dem-tweet feathers today.
Top Democrat: Hillary Clinton Would “Clear The Field” In 2016
O’Malley, Cuomo, and Biden would all make way, Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer predicts. “I don’t know that anybody would run against Hillary.” posted on February 19, 2013 at 7:06pm EST
Ruby Cramer BuzzFeed StaffHouse Minority Whip Steny Hoyer predicted Tuesday that Hillary Clinton would “clear the field” of potential Democratic rivals for the 2016 presidential nomination were she to throw her hat in the ring, deterring runs for the White House from Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, and even Vice President Joe Biden.
“I don’t know that anybody would run against Hillary,” Hoyer said in an interview with BuzzFeed. “If she runs, she clears the field. If she doesn’t run, I think Cuomo is a leading candidate and O’Malley is a leading candidate.”
Asked if he believed Biden was considering a run — the vice president joked last year that 2012 wouldn’t be the last time he voted for himself — Hoyer said, “I think Joe is really thinking hard about running. If Hillary doesn’t run, Joe will run. I don’t know that Joe runs against Hillary, though.”
If you have spent any time here at this blog at all, you know the amazing dedication Hillary Clinton invested in her position as Secretary of State over four years. So, to borrow a phrase from Nixon, let me make one thing perfectly clear. Hillary Clinton is not obliged to do or to say another public thing. She is not obliged to run in 2016, and neither is she obliged to say whether or not she is running. She is a private citizen now.
Democrats who insist that she is running, should run, or should say whether or not she will run in 2016 are missing the larger, looming picture that is 2014. If they continue to invest all of their energy in pushing for Hillary 2016, they will lose the House in 2014, again, and a lot of the Democratic agenda is at stake there.
Hillary asked us, on August 26, 2008, whether we were in this for her or for the people she met and told us about that evening as as well as on the trail. At the moment, I told her on my TV set (near tears), that I was in it for them and therefore I was in it for her. If the House remains Republican in 2014, all of Hillary’s people – the ones she fights for – lose. It makes no sense to push for her in 2016 and ignore 2014. None.
So all the people who had their feathers ruffled by what Steny Hoyer said need to take a pill. It is not even 2014 yet, and that is where your sights should be aimed. 2016 will roll around soon enough. Let Hillary have her nap. Before long you will see her campaigning – for her supporters who are up for election in 2014.
Great food for thought. It is very important that we get Democrats elected in 2014! I know Hillary would expect us to work hard to see this gets done. I know she will be…. Jane Gray-Todd
LikeLike
We are going to see her on the campaign trail, Jane. It’s going to be great fun!!!!!
LikeLike
yeahhhh!!! 🙂
yes, very important to support Dem for the 2014 Congressionals.
LikeLike
Excellent point – I for one, am following the KY McConnell vs. (maybe??) Ashley Judd scenario. Ol’ Mitch needs to GO…
LikeLike
McConnell – one of the all-time great obstructionists. Took Nancy Reagan very seriously when she said “Just say no.”
LikeLike
You know what? I think Hillary is in the joke…http://politics.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474981852143
She’s just messing around now.
On a side note, the Ready for Hillary SuperPAC needs to focus on setting her up with a strong Congress to work with Obama the last two years of his term.
LikeLike
Confirmed – she is so in on the joke of all the speculation – http://dailycurrant.com/2013/02/20/hillary-clinton-im-running/
I have to say that if she’s jogging, then clearly she’s feeling better.
LikeLike
Nevermind…this is what happens you are refereeing kid crap while surfing the net…still it would be HILLarious if true!
LikeLike
It isn’t true. 1) She doesn’t jog. She walks. 2) She does her walking in the woods, not in town. 3) She is still on rest orders after a concussion and blood clot and could not jog anyway. 4) She isn’t in Chappaqua. No one has been at the house all week. It’s a lie.
LikeLike
Yes, that “jogging” story was posted originally by the Daily Currant, which is a satire site similar to the Onion (see here: dailycurrant.com/about/). PS, thanks for posting the Hoyer piece!
LikeLike
Hi Ruby! My pleasure. The Currant version was the last one I saw.
LikeLike
[…] as I said a few weeks ago, Democrats, Let Hillary Clinton Nap And Get Focused On 2014 (She Will Be When She Gets Some Sleep). I took some flak for that one. but there had already been indications that aside from the […]
LikeLike