 EDITORIALS |
Beyond the Rhetoric - When Will Hillary Make Her Move?
by Harry C. Alford
NNPA Columnist
Originally posted 7/28/2010
(NNPA) - Common logic is that Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State and former First Lady, will once again run for the presidency in 2016. After all, that would follow current President Barack Obama assuming he will win another term in 2012. In 2012 Secretary Clinton will be 65 years old. That is significantly younger than the 69 she will be in 2016. Furthermore if President Obama fails in his re-election she would be facing a tough incumbent in 2016 and the chances of losing become far greater than succeeding someone of your own party.
Make no mistake Secretary Clinton is a terribly competitive politician with ambition that exceeds the skies. Once decided she will relentlessly pursue the Presidency and her ever politically astute husband, former President Bill Clinton, will be right at her side along with an army of veterans from his former administration. Many of these veterans now work for the Obama administration but I am sure that many are growing wary of the very negative and nonproductive atmosphere right now. Given the signal many will be more than happy to jump ship. In fact, some may be laying acts of sabotage to push along this possibility.
President Obama is losing his base. The very strong independent segment of support is evaporating with each gaffe. The economy is not improving and may even dip once again. This alone will lose much of the independent block he enjoyed in election 2008. Hispanic voters are now less than excited about this presidency as nothing constructive in terms of their direct issues is happening. This group has always been bi-partisan and has no problem going to the right if it appears that it is in their best interests. Then there is the Black segment of voters who still unwaveringly support President Obama solely based on the 50 percent of Black blood in his body.
Ninety-six percent of Black voters still support President Obama even though they are getting very little for that support. One percent of the Stimulus Bill; remaining high incarcerations of young Blacks versus other groups; Black farmers are once again bamboozled; largesse programs that will bust our debt and continue to increase the deficit to the detriment of lower income citizens and on and on. Times have not improved for Blacks and sooner or later that support bubble is going to burst and the President’s unwavering Black loyalty will start to wither away.
If independents, Hispanics and Blacks start to leave the Obama camp the Democratic Party will become toast. This fall the House and Senate are up for grabs and who would have thought it. You more than likely will see some new Black congressional members who will be Republicans and this will send a strong message. At the last Republican National Convention there were about 32 Black delegates. This season there were 37 Black candidates running for Congress. RNC Chairman Michael Steele has made that significant turnaround and offers an alternative to frustrated Blacks, i.e. capitalism.
The Clinton Administration was strong on outreach to Black Americans. There were key people who were always engaged in our communities. The Obama Administration is anything but Black. Yes the first Black President is basically doing a white thing at the White House – so odd. Recently, the debacle on Civil Rights Activist Shirley Sherrod who was disgraced for no reason and pummeled by the Obama Administration with false charges was an indication of the naiveté this administration has when it comes to blackness. It was awful the way they bludgeoned this fine Black woman from Georgia based on the lies of a right wing zealot. Don’t they consider the source on these matters? The Obama Administration seems to run from race as opposed to taking a leadership role.
Bill and Hillary are certainly analyzing all of this. Their blind ambition sooner or later is going to kick in and they are going to seize the moment to the detriment of Obama’s tenure. There is no feud like a family feud and it is starting to form. Hillary was on her way in 2008 until this young cocky mulatto from Illinois upset the stage. She still burns from that setback and will be ever relentless the next time she jumps in and she is going to jump in.
When will that be? Here is my guess: Hillary will announce her resignation from Secretary of State in spring of 2011. She will announce her candidacy by June 2011 and will begin assembling an awesome army of supporters and donors to the detriment of the Obama camp. She will attempt to hurt Obama’s chances and hurt them real bad. Then she will pick up the democratic pieces and charge on. An opportunist will certainly seize a great opportunity.
Harry Alford is the co-founder, President/CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce®.
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