Biding Her Time.
After Hillary's political backers fueled speculation she would enter the 2004 Democratic presidential race by posting on her official Web site gushing e-mails from supporters urging her to run, Hillary tried to end the ceaseless questions by stating unequivocally (for her) that "I am absolutely ruling it out." She said. "We need to defeat the incumbent, and I think he is beatable. I don't want to see four years with no accountability for this administration and no competitive election at the end. I think that would be terrible for New York and terrible for America. So I'm going to do everything I can to elect a Democrat." Her spokesman, Phillip Reines, also took the occasion to tell reporters that "Sen. Clinton has repeatedly said that she will serve out her full, six-year term." Nevertheless, the questions and speculation persist, especially after a Rasmussen poll showed once again that Hillary matches up best of any Democrat against President Bush, trailing only by seven points, 48% to 41%. Hillary still has time to decide her final plans, as Nov. 21, 2003, is the deadline for Democrats to file if they want to be on the ballot for New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary next January 27. (For Terry Jeffrey's thoughts on Hillary's maneuvering see page 4.)
Hill Gets The Godfather's Blessing.
Former New York Gov. Mario Cuomo says that he will vigorously support Hillary for President if she decides to seek the Democratic presidential nomination. "I would support her in a flash if she came into the race, absolutely," he told The New York Post. "I believe she would have an excellent chance to defeat President Bush and, yes, I believe she would win." Cuomo, who was himself the object of intense presidential speculation in 1992, said he had not talked to Sen. Clinton about running for President and claimed that he was taking her at her word when she said she wouldn't enter the race. "She has said she was not going to run...So be it," said Cuomo. The former governor apparently does not hold it against Hillary that her husband called him a Mafioso in 1992 and that his son, former HUD Secretary Andrew Cuomo, was forced to abandon his own bid to become New York governor when Bill and Hillary announced they were backing New York State Comptroller Carl McCall in the race.
Destructive Criticism.
Hillary recently appeared before the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, where she used the occasion to blast the Bush Administration's policy in Iraq. Criticizing the President as "arrogant" for supposedly refusing to share power in Iraq with the United Nations, she told her audience that the White House is "obsessed about maintaining control and not internationalizing it because they don't want to share any kind of command." According to Sen. Clinton, "This is a prime example of an administration that...will not hear competing points of view. They will not listen," She said, arguing that "we need to be cautious and be careful," and claimed that Middle East experts with "a lot more experience and a whole lot more humility" think powersharing with our friends in Europe is the proper course of action.
Despite her constant criticism of the war in Iraq, Hillary still was heard telling constituents at the New York State Fair that she is working hard to ensure that New York companies benefit by producing weaponry and other military equipment as long as our intervention continues.
West Indian Pride.
Hillary marched at the annual West Indian American Day Parade in Brooklyn as an honorary Grand Marshal and received a rousing welcome. Paradegoers shouted, "Run for President, Hillary!" and held handwritten signs along the parade route that urged, "Draft Hillary Clinton!".
As the parade began, Mayor Bloomberg, who customarily marches in front of the parade, was upstaged when Hillary began walking in front of him as she was besieged by reporters demanding to know if she plans a presidential run. The mayor's aides were upset as they tried to figure out what to do. "That was totally wrong," said one aide. But when Sen. Clinton stopped along the route to sign a copy of her book, Bloomberg marched past her. End of problem. The parade wasn't all hosannas for Hillary, though, as a man was fatally shot while trying to climb aboard a float and a second person was stabbed just over an hour later on the same block.
