Excited by the thought of Hillary Clinton running for president in 2016? Well, good news: She's just a couple months from kicking off her campaign, according to a new report from the king of political-insider journalists, Mike Allen.
Published on Politico on Monday, his piece lays out everything we know: Hillz is running (yay!); she'll announce it officially by April; and she has a fleshed-out plan for how she’s going to manage her campaign. It's the most detailed look at a coming Clinton campaign we've seen yet. (Though, it’s sourced entirely from anonymous advisers.) Still, those details are pretty tantalizing for Clinton-watchers out there eager to see the former Secretary of State make a run.
According to the article, Clinton made the decision to run 100% official after Christmas — and she's shown how serious she is by making a few key hires and signing off on a budget. There are still plenty of rumors floating around, and here they all are in one place:
She’s unlikely to face serious Democratic competition.
Nobody wants to run against Hillary, and it’s been said for at least a year that the Democratic field is pretty thin if Hillary’s in. The only real Democratic “threat” floated for Hillary would be Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the leftier of the two women. But, Warren has flat-out said she isn’t running. That’s kind of mixed news for Hillary, according to more of those secret sources. Because Clinton won’t really have anyone to debate with or run against in the primary, she might be a little rusty when it comes time to take on the Republican contender in the lead-up to November. Then again, that might just give her more time to hone her Hillz Skillz™. Advisers are already throwing out names for a running mate.
We’ve got a little time before the primaries roll around next year but, you guys, we’re getting excited. There are even a couple of running mates being considered by Hillary’s camp. The two top contenders, according to Politico: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. If the ticket needs more diversity (yes, please), floated are Julián Castro and Tom Perez, current members of Obama’s cabinet; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; and Kamala Harris, the California Attorney General. She’s going in with a lot more prep than she had last time.
Understandably, Clinton isn’t looking for 2008: The Redux. (Remember? Everyone had her down as the favorite and then she lost to some guy named Barack?) Her campaign will likely be much more carefully planned and involve her more closely this time around. Richard Socarides, a former White House aide, told The New York Times in December that the campaign will be more centralized and managed in 2016. “She will be very careful to make sure there are clear lines of authority and that the people in charge are not in charge because they are old cronies, but because they’re the smartest people to run the campaign,” he told the paper. She’s worried about Jeb Bush.
Sigh. We may be seeing another Clinton-Bush standoff in 2016. An adviser told Politico that New Jersey Gov. and much-hyped potential candidate Chris Christie is a “sideshow” and not a real threat. A candidacy from Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida (and W's little bro), on the other hand, is definitely worrisome for Clinton, and Jeb has all but officially said he'll run. Here's one thing HRC fans should keep in mind: The last time a Clinton ran against a Bush, the Clinton won.
Nobody wants to run against Hillary, and it’s been said for at least a year that the Democratic field is pretty thin if Hillary’s in. The only real Democratic “threat” floated for Hillary would be Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, the leftier of the two women. But, Warren has flat-out said she isn’t running. That’s kind of mixed news for Hillary, according to more of those secret sources. Because Clinton won’t really have anyone to debate with or run against in the primary, she might be a little rusty when it comes time to take on the Republican contender in the lead-up to November. Then again, that might just give her more time to hone her Hillz Skillz™. Advisers are already throwing out names for a running mate.
We’ve got a little time before the primaries roll around next year but, you guys, we’re getting excited. There are even a couple of running mates being considered by Hillary’s camp. The two top contenders, according to Politico: Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet and Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. If the ticket needs more diversity (yes, please), floated are Julián Castro and Tom Perez, current members of Obama’s cabinet; New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker; and Kamala Harris, the California Attorney General. She’s going in with a lot more prep than she had last time.
Understandably, Clinton isn’t looking for 2008: The Redux. (Remember? Everyone had her down as the favorite and then she lost to some guy named Barack?) Her campaign will likely be much more carefully planned and involve her more closely this time around. Richard Socarides, a former White House aide, told The New York Times in December that the campaign will be more centralized and managed in 2016. “She will be very careful to make sure there are clear lines of authority and that the people in charge are not in charge because they are old cronies, but because they’re the smartest people to run the campaign,” he told the paper. She’s worried about Jeb Bush.
Sigh. We may be seeing another Clinton-Bush standoff in 2016. An adviser told Politico that New Jersey Gov. and much-hyped potential candidate Chris Christie is a “sideshow” and not a real threat. A candidacy from Jeb Bush, the former Governor of Florida (and W's little bro), on the other hand, is definitely worrisome for Clinton, and Jeb has all but officially said he'll run. Here's one thing HRC fans should keep in mind: The last time a Clinton ran against a Bush, the Clinton won.
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