Upside/ Downside for Hillary Clinton

[Mister Mets]

If Hillary Clinton were interested in running for President again, what is the upside and downside?

The most obvious reason to run is that she might win. It would be a more crowded field in the primary, but she would have significant name recognition. It would be possible for her to win the General Election as well, turning her 2016 defeat into a footnote rather than a capstone.

The most obvious reason not to run is that she could lose. Her last political act might be losing a presidential primary, or she might go down in history as the person who lost to Trump twice. Democrats who were keeping quiet about their thoughts on her might go more negative during the primary, further damaging her reputation.

[GoTfan]

Nope. The downside is tyat she lost to Donald freakin' Trump, the most beatable candidate ever. Sorry, strike one, you're out on that one.

[Rookie Yinzer]

The only voting bloc that will back her in the 2020 primaries is old black women in the South. And that's IF Biden or Booker don't run. She lost to a reality television star who sexually assaults women. I am not sure why anyone would seriously be checking for her.

[Liberalrocks]

I don't think she is currently interested in running again, that could change down the road. I think depending on the results of the Russia collusion and Trump finance investigation, which if indictments start flying might cause many to question some of the validity of Trumps win and take some of the heat off the reason why she lost, rather then it just being about "she lost to Trump" when anyone else could have won in the face of foreign sabotage.

As stated getting through the primary would be much more difficult, as others will want to run. If she did make it through as a primary candidate it would likely be with a divided field splitting of the primary vote. Another scenario involving her not running but being selected as the nominee in a DNC brokered convention scenario where delegates select her in the event they cant find consensus.

[Higgins]

Hillary Clinton should be kept as far away from the Democratic Party as possible. Let her quietly fundraise in the background and give unofficial guidance if it's asked of her but keep her face away from Democratic events. Basically treat her the way the GOP treated Nixon from 1974-1994.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

I don't think she is currently interested in running again, that could change down the road. I think depending on the results of the Russia collusion and Trump finance investigation, which if indictments start flying might cause many to question some of the validity of Trumps win and take some of the heat off the reason why she lost, rather then it just being about "she lost to Trump" when anyone else could have won in the face of foreign sabotage.

As stated getting through the primary would be much more difficult, as others will want to run. If she did make it through as a primary candidate it would likely be with a divided field splitting of the primary vote. Another scenario involving her not running but being selected as the nominee in a DNC brokered convention scenario where delegates select her in the event they cant find consensus.

I love how it's a "finance investigation" now. I knew it never had anything to do with Russia and instead was a search for crimes because you refuse to believe you lost.

[Pericles]

I voted for her last year in the primaries. She had her chance.

[Mr. Smith]

If she were 10 years younger maybe, after all Gore was a laughing stock initially for losing to Bush...but that ill will was mostly gone by '04, so I don't really buy the whole "oooh she lost to a clown" argument.

But she's too old. It's not a good idea to run for that office for the first time past 70.

The office warps age as is, and I dunno about you, but I'd like my candidate to not risk being really really frail in office.

[Rookie Yinzer]

If she were 10 years younger maybe, after all Gore was a laughing stock initially for losing to Bush...but that ill will was mostly gone by '04, so I don't really buy the whole "oooh she lost to a clown" argument.

1. Gore is a man.

2. Hillary lost in an age where people can pick and choose what news outlets they get their information from. Her image is irreparably damaged to at least 30-40 percent of the electorate and she couldn't even enthuse the other portion who should have supported her full stop against a candidate who has shown himself to be a morally bankrupt, unintelligent sleaze.

3. George Bush was not a reality star who was caught on tape bragging about sexual assault, mocking disabled people, mocking the service of POWs, smearing a Gold Star family, among a host of other things. A third attempt at the office after losing to such an unqualified, incompetent prick would be a joke.

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

If she were 10 years younger maybe, after all Gore was a laughing stock initially for losing to Bush...but that ill will was mostly gone by '04, so I don't really buy the whole "oooh she lost to a clown" argument.

1. Gore is a man.

2. Hillary lost in an age where people can pick and choose what news outlets they get their information from. Her image is irreparably damaged to at least 30-40 percent of the electorate and she couldn't even enthuse the other portion who should have supported her full stop against a candidate who has shown himself to be a morally bankrupt, unintelligent sleaze.

3. George Bush was not a reality star who was caught on tape bragging about sexual assault, mocking disabled people, mocking the service of POWs, smearing a Gold Star family, among a host of other things. A third attempt at the office after losing to such an unqualified, incompetent prick would be a joke.

Obama mocked disabled people and it didn't seem to affect him.

[TML]

Upside: She has the experience, having served in many different capacities in different levels of government.

Downside: I think she is too wounded from her political baggage and her defeat from last year to be a viable candidate in the future.

[progressive85]

Upside: The biggest political comeback in history

Downside: Nobody seems to really like her that much.

[Liberalrocks]

I don't think she is currently interested in running again, that could change down the road. I think depending on the results of the Russia collusion and Trump finance investigation, which if indictments start flying might cause many to question some of the validity of Trumps win and take some of the heat off the reason why she lost, rather then it just being about "she lost to Trump" when anyone else could have won in the face of foreign sabotage.

As stated getting through the primary would be much more difficult, as others will want to run. If she did make it through as a primary candidate it would likely be with a divided field splitting of the primary vote. Another scenario involving her not running but being selected as the nominee in a DNC brokered convention scenario where delegates select her in the event they cant find consensus.

I love how it's a "finance investigation" now. I knew it never had anything to do with Russia and instead was a search for crimes because you refuse to believe you lost.

They are both connected to each other and under the same umbrella.

[publicunofficial]

Reasons against: Was possibly the only person who could've lost to Trump in the first place, would probably cause the left wing of the party to just say f**k it and leave if handed the nomination again, countless other reasons.

Reasons for: IT'S. STILL. HER. T U R N

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Upside: she can reinvent herself and do what Gore did and stardom will rise

Downside: How can you be a Dem that lost WI, Pa and MI, embarrassing

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

I don't think she is currently interested in running again, that could change down the road. I think depending on the results of the Russia collusion and Trump finance investigation, which if indictments start flying might cause many to question some of the validity of Trumps win and take some of the heat off the reason why she lost, rather then it just being about "she lost to Trump" when anyone else could have won in the face of foreign sabotage.

As stated getting through the primary would be much more difficult, as others will want to run. If she did make it through as a primary candidate it would likely be with a divided field splitting of the primary vote. Another scenario involving her not running but being selected as the nominee in a DNC brokered convention scenario where delegates select her in the event they cant find consensus.

I love how it's a "finance investigation" now. I knew it never had anything to do with Russia and instead was a search for crimes because you refuse to believe you lost.

They are both connected to each other and under the same umbrella.

No they are not. Not even remotely. How?

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

Obama mocked disabled people and it didn't seem to affect him.

Why would it affect Obama much to attack Trump?

Mocking disabled people isn't a disqualifer on the left or right. Obama did it and no one cared, Trump did it and didn't affect his numbers.

[Lord Admirale]

Upside: Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh............................
Downside: Everything?

[Mister Mets]

My question on upside and downside was mainly from her perspective. It gets a little more complicated for the rest of the party.

Upside...
She remains more experienced than most of the alternatives.
If she loses, it would be a referendum on her rather than on female candidates (If Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Kristen Gilibrand or Amy Klobuchar loses a General Election, there may be questions about the electability of women.)
She is better when she runs as an underdog.
Some of the stuff that has come out has exonerated  her from the right's craziest claims.

Downside...
High negatives.
Experience isn't electorally valuable.
She has run several deeply flawed campaigns.
Proven character flaws.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Again, she lost MI, Pa and WI, crucial states, and failed to win FL. I don't think Dems want her back.

[Kamala]

Downside: Most things

Upside: Use of this meme

[Statilius the Epicurean]

I don't think she is currently interested in running again, that could change down the road. I think depending on the results of the Russia collusion and Trump finance investigation, which if indictments start flying might cause many to question some of the validity of Trumps win and take some of the heat off the reason why she lost, rather then it just being about "she lost to Trump" when anyone else could have won in the face of foreign sabotage.

Jesus christ

[60+ GOP Seats After 2018 GUARANTEED]

That's exactly what I mean though. And it's not just Obama, a lot of people made fun and still make fun of Trump and that never disqualified anyone.

What do you mean make fun of Trump? What does that have to do with anything?

Obama mocked Special Olympians on the Tonight Show and the media never mentioned it (for obvious reasons).

[Mister Mets]

That's exactly what I mean though. And it's not just Obama, a lot of people made fun and still make fun of Trump and that never disqualified anyone.

What do you mean make fun of Trump? What does that have to do with anything?

Obama mocked Special Olympians on the Tonight Show and the media never mentioned it (for obvious reasons).

One of the first google results is ABC's coverage of his apology.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=7129997