Dare we dance on Hillary’s political grave? Update: Shell-shocked conservatives warn of hubris!
posted at 10:52 pm on January 3, 2008 by Allahpundit
I don’t want to jinx it, especially given the Clintons’ knack for comebacks, but in this dark conservative hour we need a little light. So take heart in this — as bad as I thought she’d do this afternoon, she actually did worse. With only 60 precincts left to be counted, she’s eight points behind and destined for the third-place finish Bob Novak and Chuck Todd declared would likely be “fatal” and a “near-disaster” for her candidacy. The only dark lining in the silver cloud: She’ll probably finish near second, within a point of Silky, who desperately needed to win and probably isn’t long for this political world after South Carolina despite his vow to fight on. He’s still around to bleed Obama for her, and who knows? If Billy Jeff pulls out his Clenis and works his magic on the stump next week, she may yet bounce back in New Hampshire.
But for now, look on the bright side:
1. If we’re going to be saddled with a sure loser in the general like Huck, it’s a comfort to know that now it probably won’t be Hillary who benefits when massive numbers of us stay home.
2. The nutroots had an even worse night than we did. Not only didn’t their fair-haired boy come through with the upset, but the “real Democrat” of choice, Chris Dodd, scored himself a whopping .02% of the vote. Bye, Chris.
3. Even more TV time for Chuck Norris.
4. I get to post this. Starring Barack Obama as Judy Garland.
Update: Fearful of the Clintons’ supernatural ability to revive, Jason-like, from apparent death, our commenters warn me to not get cocky, kid.
Update (Bryan): Nope, she ain’t dead. She’s practically undead. Edwards played his little heart out and is reportedly low on cash. This was a serious hit to Hillary but I think it’s worse on Edwards. On the other hand, if he drops out you have to figure that much of his vote heads Obama’s way. So Hillary isn’t dead but she has taken a very hard punch. The Clintonistas haven’t really begun to fight though, and New Hampshire is a bit more tolerant of negativity than Iowa is.
Update: A harder punch than we may realize yet. It’s been speculated that a big reason so much of the black vote stayed with Hillary thus far is because they didn’t think Obama could win. That fear is dead now, with South Carolina shaping up to be a proving ground.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »
Nope… not yet
Canadian Imperialist Running Dog on January 3, 2008 at 10:53 PM
3. Even more TV time for Chuck Norris’s wife.
bnelson44 on January 3, 2008 at 10:54 PM
way way to early, the machine will now go into overdrive, and woe betide he who stands in its way.
zane on January 3, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Never, ever in any way count the Clinton’s out. Barack is going to see and hear the real attack ads now.
d1carter on January 3, 2008 at 10:56 PM
Hold up there. This is just round one of a ten round fight. Huck might be ahead on the cards now; ain’t gonna last.
I don’t want to jinx it either. She has money and ambition to spare. She’s not going down without a fight without some scratching and biting.
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Not feeling good about it, but maybe.
Dash on January 3, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Dude, those midget soldiers march worse than Iranians.
Cuffy Meigs on January 3, 2008 at 10:58 PM
You do agree don’t you that Hillary’s Presidential political grave may well also be the Republican Presidential 2008 nominee’s political grave also?
Side by side plots?
MB4 on January 3, 2008 at 10:58 PM
Hence my point about Huck. If we’ve already got a fatal ailment, we might as well take joy from Hillary’s demise too.
Allahpundit on January 3, 2008 at 10:59 PM
if you are dancing on it AP, beware the hand that will come up through the grave a la carrie. she will get your manbits.
zane on January 3, 2008 at 11:00 PM
AP, you and I have similar minds (yikes!).
I was just thinking of “Ding, dong, the wicked witch is dead”.
kevcad on January 3, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Candidates speeches following the results:
Hillary’s speech was a dud, Edwards was a rabble rouser.
The huckster was full of love.
Waiting for the Big O.
rockhauler on January 3, 2008 at 11:00 PM
Yep, someone dropped a house from Iowa on Hillary.
Ken McCracken on January 3, 2008 at 11:01 PM
Hildabeast = Jason
pjf626 on January 3, 2008 at 11:01 PM
MB4 on January 3, 2008 at 11:01 PM
“Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch!
Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead.”
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on January 3, 2008 at 11:03 PM
I’ll just do a quiet little soft-shoe for now to cheer myself up a bit.
billy on January 3, 2008 at 11:04 PM
I wonder how many times various actors and singers in The Wizard of Oz slipped and said “b*tch” instead of witch.
baldilocks on January 3, 2008 at 11:05 PM
I think I saw little Billy in that clip, he handed Dorothy some flowers and probably tried to cop a feel.
Speakup on January 3, 2008 at 11:05 PM
OK, well everyone decrying the Iowa first caucus because they are not diverse enough. . . how about some kudos for choosing a black man with the name Barack Hussein Obama to represent the D party.
I think people need to reconsider their own racist tendencies when they cry about Iowa not being diverse enough to be a bellweather for the nation. They do just fine.
ThackerAgency on January 3, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Nope. She’s in third. Fred’s in third. He’s gonna take the nom and the general, so anything could happen. :D
MadisonConservative on January 3, 2008 at 11:05 PM
Way too early on the tapdance.
The only way to knock her off is with a silver spike hammered thru her heart. And unfortunately, we aint there yet.
She will arise again to haunt our dreams.
Always Right on January 3, 2008 at 11:05 PM
So the coronation is when?
TheSitRep on January 3, 2008 at 11:06 PM
For the purpose of this thread there just isn’t any difference.
Speakup on January 3, 2008 at 11:06 PM
Yea, that’ll really ensure your taxes get cut. I can’t believe anyone would “protest” vote and stay home. How’d that work for us in 06′?
BacaDog on January 3, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Am I the only one who’s more terrified of an Obama presidency than a Billary presidency? If a DEM is to be elected president in 2008, I’d rather it not be a suicidally naive dove.
-phil
phile on January 3, 2008 at 11:10 PM
Exactly.
Spirit of 1776 on January 3, 2008 at 11:12 PM
I think AP needs the number to the Huck Suicide Hotline. I find it difficult to believe that you would stay home and watch America elect a leftist President just becuase you only agree with Huck 50% of the time. Is the other 50% that bad?
DrW on January 3, 2008 at 11:12 PM
Yay, the Republican’s best chance to win is now on the ropes!!! Surely that’s something to celebrate…sigh. Not that it had/has that much impact on this, but I don’t get why talk radio was so relentless against her so early. Am I the only conservative who realizes Clinton is the most responsible and serious major Democrat candidate?
Patriot33 on January 3, 2008 at 11:16 PM
Did you really say “pulls out his Clenis”?
Esthier on January 3, 2008 at 11:18 PM
I think Hillary would do much less damage than Obama or Edwards. There’d be plenty of corruption, of course, but I don’t think she could accomplish all that much in terms of a long-term leftist agenda, nor would she even try all that hard to.
Hillary annoys and disgusts me, but Edwards and Obama genuinely worry me.
sandberg on January 3, 2008 at 11:18 PM
To me it isn’t racist. Simply, he is not qualified. Iowa just validated that their right to vote should be taken away.
In a sane world, Obama would be trounced in the general. Then again, Huck opens up all sorts of doors to victory.
awake on January 3, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Amen, DrW. Anyone who stays home and helps get a Dem elected will get what they deserve while dragging the rest of us along with them.
Can’t wait to see your faces during Hildebeast’s first State of the Union address when she proposes increasing your taxes by 20%.
You just keep smiling, ’cause you stood up in protest.
BacaDog on January 3, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Was that word even invented back then? I mean. Did you get a load of how…wholesome that was?
RushBaby on January 3, 2008 at 11:19 PM
You’ve gotta explain how you come to that conclusion at this point in the process. I know that YOU fear Christians and evangelical Christians like Huck scare the living daylights out of you but the simple fact is that Huck isn’t going to make it nationally.
My best (and not so ignorant) guess is that the GOP nominee will ultimately be Romney. Sorry that dumps your idol Rudy but I’d hope you could support him since he’s from the Northeast and is Mormon which sets many Christians against his candidacy. That good enough for your anti-evangelical agenda?
Here’s the bitter truth which you might as well understand now.
Evangelical Christians are much more fluid in their support than ideologues like you could possibly understand. They vote on principle. Romney has led a much more Christian principled life than your guy Rudy. Romney still has the same wife. Romeny’s friends and colleagues are not indicted the way Rudy’s folks are. Most of us “Jesus Freaks,” which you clearly hate, are less interested in flip-flops than the preponderance of the evidence.
I’ll end with this comment:
Ignore the political sophisitication of evangelical Christians at your peril. We are able to discern far more than people like you give us credit for understanding. You mock a Huckabee win without clear understanding of why he won.
highhopes on January 3, 2008 at 11:20 PM
This is a real problem for Hillary and not so much so for the Republicans. Iowa was a unique situation for Republicans with an evangelical running against a Mormon in the evangelical’s back yard. There were no such “special circumstances” for the Democrats. She should have won and didn’t. Unless he bounces back quickly she’s in trouble. her supporters and the $ will flock to Obama who most of them are totally in tune with anyway. I don’t the same holds true for the Huckster. In states outside his power alley I doubt he has any support at all – people who are for Mitt, Rudy, McCain, etc., are not going to be cool with the Huckster.
TheBigOldDog on January 3, 2008 at 11:20 PM
Huck’s strength will fold when the primaries hit the big states on the coasts.
With either Mitt or Mc, we’ve got a candidate with really strong experience. With Fred vs. Obama it would just be two one-term wonders with no real experience going against each other. In that case the moderates would swing to the black guy, just to prove to themselves they aren’t racist.
pedestrian on January 3, 2008 at 11:21 PM
Enough with that, please. I’ve had quite enough identity politics for one night, thanks.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 11:21 PM
and what, exactly, about obama, makes you happier to have him as the nominee instead of hillary. why the joy?
lorien1973 on January 3, 2008 at 11:21 PM
You can’t count her out any more than you can the person who is nearly killed in a bloody fight in the first reel. The one who crawls – barely alive – to the arsenal, prys open its doors, teeth gritted in pain, and pulls out the until-now-unseen Big Guns and Long Knives.
Hillary will be shooting and slashing at the Messiah all over New Hampshire for the next five days.
By the way, her website is headlined “THANK YOU, IOWA”
I can’t tell if that’s a thank you to her supporters or (more likely) “Thanks for nothing, jerks. Now I gotta work for it.”
eeyore on January 3, 2008 at 11:22 PM
National Numbers from Rasmussen from earlier today
William Amos on January 3, 2008 at 11:22 PM
Yup. Hillary is Karl in “Die Hard.” She’s coming back with an insane grin and a burning desire for revenge.
Slublog on January 3, 2008 at 11:24 PM
86% of Republican precincts in Fred Thompson and third-place 13.42%
TheSitRep on January 3, 2008 at 11:25 PM
Fredalanche©
TheSitRep on January 3, 2008 at 11:26 PM
She is not dead yet…
If NY elected her NH will vote for her, as will any large liberal city (NYC LA etc). Iowa not so much.
The problem I see is that Huck won in Iowa, Mitt will take NH (that is a given).
The Republician party is fractured, I will never support a gun-grabbing liberal like Rudy, nor will I support a fake “conservative” like Huck.
With the Dems at least I will get a reach around as they screw up this country and me.
How does one write in Michelle or MKH on a VA ballot?
F15Mech on January 3, 2008 at 11:28 PM
I think Huck is a prennial loser in the general.
But if he gets the nod and wins, it certainly speaks volumes about the power of the evangelicals in the US.
awake on January 3, 2008 at 11:29 PM
That’s a darn good question, AP. I’d really be interested in your thoughts on it.
BacaDog on January 3, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Dry up, bub. Plenty of us Christians around here who think Huck is a disaster.
You think Huck won because his evangelical suppporters are sophisticated beyond our ability to fathom? Really? Really and truly?
Embarass yourself if you must, but leave the rest of us in Christendom out of your ad hominem rants against AP.
TexasDan on January 3, 2008 at 11:30 PM
Because his only qualification is that he is the first serious black candidate. Once attention focuses on how much the programs of a true blue liberal will cost, the voters will wake up. The same will be true of Hillary, but the grating on our nerves would be so much worse.
pedestrian on January 3, 2008 at 11:31 PM
I was thinking more whats-her-face in Fatal Attraction.
TexasDan on January 3, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Why is it that the Democrats have 99% precincts reporting in the Republicans have only 86%?
TheSitRep on January 3, 2008 at 11:31 PM
Both are scary for different reasons.
B*tch=female dog. And just because the movies were wholesome doesn’t mean that the people making them were. Harsh language and hedonism didn’t just spontaneously spring up fully-formed forty years ago.
baldilocks on January 3, 2008 at 11:32 PM
HAHAHAHA. That’s a good one. Let me wipe the tears away. Oh man; that’s funny.
Cuz we all know voters focus on the cost of things when told they’ll get this and that and this and that. That’s why the majority of them want “universal health care” cuz they are told it’s FREE!
Come on. You are kidding right? Please tell me you are.
lorien1973 on January 3, 2008 at 11:32 PM
I actually think this is going to help Shrillary as more people begin to look at Ohprabama’s message and not just how likeable he is. Hopefully, the rest of the national Republicans will do the same to Huckster.
SouthernGent on January 3, 2008 at 11:34 PM
We killed Hillarycare when it was being spun as the peace dividend after the draw-down from the Cold War. Voters will be in an even less of a big spending mood later this year when the economy is in or near a recession.
pedestrian on January 3, 2008 at 11:39 PM
But, see, it really isn’t spending. The government is providing it.
BacaDog on January 3, 2008 at 11:43 PM
It would be great to get Hillary out of the way, but, after watching Obama’s speech… and looking at the carping and hateful disunity verging on fratricide, not to mention depression, constantly showing up among so many conservatives, we all better get our acts together fast, and, even, if we do, it may be too late.
CK MacLeod on January 3, 2008 at 11:45 PM
I’ve always wondered what people in Iowa looked like.
harrison on January 3, 2008 at 11:53 PM
It will be entertaining now. The clintons will start releasing all the juicy tidbits from Barry’s past. We’ll get to see if he ever sold any of that coke and whether he ever had a little boyfreind somewhere.
peacenprosperity on January 3, 2008 at 11:56 PM
I agree. She is gravely wounded.
bnelson44 on January 3, 2008 at 11:57 PM
Nice post AP.
You’re right Bryan, no bodies found with suicide notes and no one’s turned up dead yet.
Griz on January 3, 2008 at 11:57 PM
Umm… That’s not remotely close to what I posted. Not sure how to respond other than to say re-read the original post.
highhopes on January 4, 2008 at 12:03 AM
there is something i would want to do on her political grave and dancing is not it.
Mojack420 on January 4, 2008 at 12:04 AM
This is a total disaster. If Obama becomes president we’re ****ed far worse than with Hillary, who at least tries to be moderate (and fails, but that’s another story).
Darth Executor on January 4, 2008 at 12:09 AM
Here’s the final:
Senator Barack Obama : 37.58%
Senator John Edwards : 29.75%
Senator Hillary Clinton : 29.47%
Governor Bill Richardson : 2.11%
Senator Joe Biden : 0.93%
Uncommitted : 0.14%
Senator Chris Dodd : 0.02%
Precincts Reporting: 1781 of 1781
(Percentages are State Delegate Equivalents.)
bnelson44 on January 4, 2008 at 12:12 AM
A little disconcerted by your serious tone in response to my (intended) frivolousness, but, Yes Ma’am!
RushBaby on January 4, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Yep – get ready for 4 years at least of “being listened to,” and then ignored in favor of a mandate to turn millions of illegals into lifelong Democrats, to throw away years of hard won military progress, and to federalize ever greater portions of the economy, creating yet another lifelong client constituency.
CK MacLeod on January 4, 2008 at 12:20 AM
most interesting stat of the night.
Obama takes 57%+ of Dem voters under 30.
Mrs. Clinton only 11%.
There may be hope for America’s youth yet. Kids don’t dig Billy Jeff’s enabler.
DrW on January 4, 2008 at 12:21 AM
I just think they voted for the younger looking person
bnelson44 on January 4, 2008 at 12:23 AM
Most Humiliated Candidate; Chris Dodd.
Moves his family to Iowa months ago. Spends countless hours campaigning; blows millions.
Loses to “uncommitted”.
Know how many voters .02% of 250,000 is?
Try 50.
DrW on January 4, 2008 at 12:24 AM
Sorry. :-)
baldilocks on January 4, 2008 at 12:25 AM
It’s an anagram for AWAY THOU OINK.
Dr. Charles G. Waugh on January 4, 2008 at 12:29 AM
TexasDan: “I was thinking more whats-her-face in Fatal Attraction.”
ROTFLMAO!
JM Hanes on January 4, 2008 at 12:32 AM
I said she wasn’t gonna win, didn’t I? She will lose in NH too. The folks here are pretty smart. I don’t think Huckabee will play well here either.
Romney will do well, and I think Fred will do well also.
dogsoldier on January 4, 2008 at 12:55 AM
I think the Clinton response will be that this loss was a humbling experience for her-it shows she’s human; this loss will possibly lower expectations for the next few states, showing once again how she is willing to fight on…sorry, I almost dropped off to sleep. Bedtime for Bonzo.
Doug on January 4, 2008 at 1:02 AM
I’m wondering if there were some people that came out to vote who normally don’t just to try and derail Hillary. There were a lot more voters this year than normal, and I heard there were a lot of Republicans that changed to Democrats to vote in their caucus. You can register and change parties at the caucus itself, so its possible.
Gianni on January 4, 2008 at 1:24 AM
I expect McCain will do better than Fred in NH.
Twoconservative on January 4, 2008 at 1:49 AM
I’m with others in this thread in total DISAGREEMENT with this statement.
I’m not sure where this is coming from, Allah. I would hope it’s not just lingering Hillary hate. She’s an easy one to dislike, but as much as I can’t stomach the woman, I have to admit that an Obama presidency is more of a nightmare, because not only does he have a nauseating tendency to pander to the nutroots (to steal Edwards supporters, I know, but still), but the man comes across as a COMPLETE fool. Especially on foreign policy, which is the issue I care most about.
Vyce on January 4, 2008 at 2:42 AM
I prefer an Obama presidency to a Hillary presidency for one reason: voice. If I have to listen to a president drone on about reducing my freedom for the common good, the least I ask is that the quality of the voice not be such that it makes me want to gouge out my own eyeballs. Plus, Obama is so much sexier than the Beast. Silly superficial reasons, yes, but I’m not voting for a Democrat. Bonus: election day headline: America elects 44th white male president.
Mark Jaquith on January 4, 2008 at 3:14 AM
The good news from Iowa is that Hillary lost. The bad news is that the Holy Roller Cuckoo won. This is a little bit like being told you been spared electrocution only to discover that you will be gassed instead.
The national picture is equally ambivalent. Hillary will survive her Iowa loss but the Holy One’s victory will be pyrrhic.
MaiDee on January 4, 2008 at 3:23 AM
Because the American voter doesn’t know what the hell Federalism is?
I understand that reality just fine.
Before you start crapping on me, I have a degree in Systematic Theology. I am a Conservative Pre-Trib (Think Dillow) , Free-Grace (Think Z. Hodges), Rational Prepositionalism Christian.
Tim Burton on January 4, 2008 at 4:08 AM
Dare not my friends, Hillary is a known evil, and one we have been prepared to battle. Obamas win last night was big for him is so many ways. When you look at the exit polling data, women, who were supposed to come out big for the Hildabeast voted instead overwhelmingly for Obama. (looks like Dick Morris was wrong, big suprise) all his polliing numbers will rise now. His speach last night was a masterpiece. The money will start flowing in as well. Unless Hillary’s machine can derail him, he will be the nominee.
I don’t know if any of our guys can beat him. The MSM will be gushing over him now.
conservnut on January 4, 2008 at 7:38 AM
OK, so the religious demagogue got his 15 minutes of fame in corn country.
Here’s hoping he gets run over in states that don’t drool over corn subsidies and other nanny state policies.
BKennedy on January 4, 2008 at 7:47 AM
So far,, all the great predictions from all the so called high paid smartest among us have been proved flat wrong. It still has a way to go,, so I don’t see any reason to start listening to new predictions made by the same people that were proved flat wrong. We’ll know when we know, because,, nobody really knows.
JellyToast on January 4, 2008 at 7:59 AM
Just watch me Doc W. Huck lies 100% of the time. Huck wants us to believe he has always opposed easing the way for illegals, that he doesn’t let killers out of jail and that he knows something about running a government. He’s a backwoods snake handler as far as I’m concerned. I’ll vote for the “evil I know” if I have to.
doufree on January 4, 2008 at 8:12 AM
I’m not sharing the love about the Obama vicotory. The next president could be a Democrat and the next president could face another 9/11. I’d far rather Hilary be CinC than Obama or Edwards.
Hilary has more balls than Obama and Edwards combined.
thuja on January 4, 2008 at 8:23 AM
Don’t feel bad, Hillary… you’ll always have your loving and supportive husband by your side.
saint kansas on January 4, 2008 at 8:38 AM
Obama and Huckabee!
This poor sick country is well beyond mediocracy.
rplat on January 4, 2008 at 8:40 AM
I for one get a little vicarious thrill just thinking about how furious Hillary has been the past few weeks, culminating in her thrumping last night. No, I don’t want Obama as President, but neither do I want the Hill-Bill Duo back in the White House.
That said, Obama will at least be a new problem, not the same old one.
Qzsusy on January 4, 2008 at 9:11 AM
The only thing missing is Billery doing a Dean Yeee-Haaa.
Just glad to see her get knocked down a notch or two. 3 months ago I think she thought she was already the President.
Masscon on January 4, 2008 at 9:11 AM
Anybody But Clinton; I can’t believe some of you would rather see her and Him back than the others. I don’t support the other dems but don’t want to see them (oink and boink)returned to power.
apostle53 on January 4, 2008 at 9:27 AM
Too bad the clip stopped when the Witch reappeared, showing her complete disdain for muchkins or any minority that does not fall in line with her view points or ideaology.
Since Hitlery thinks the world revolves around her we must really show her that it is not Hitlery that make the world go around it is centrifugal force.
MSGTAS on January 4, 2008 at 9:31 AM
Comment pages: 1 2 Next »