Who can stop Hillary? Condi… McCain…How About a Governor from Virgnia?

My brother and I had a long conversation about Hillary Clinton’s Presidential aspirations. As someone who voted (and contributed) to John Kerry, I was interested in his perspective on whom he thought would be able to challenge the Hillary Juggernaut (if anyone). He tossed out some names, John Edwards (the former Senator not the guy who talks to dead people), Howard Dean (the DNC Chairman not the pork sausage… wait, that’s Jimmy Dean), and even General Wesley Clark (apparently the only reputable paid contributor to FOX News according to liberals).

I tossed out the names of Senator Russ Feingold and Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. But neither of us seemed sure that the media backed Hillary train could be derailed by any of these players (but the thought of John Kerry’s further humiliation, this time at the hands of Ms. Rodham-Clinton did make me giddy). I know, I didn’t feel excited about any of the would-be Hillary spoilers. I also know that she is to cold and calculating that she won’t make a "Dean Scream" mistake. Even if a former female roommate from Wesley came forward with “stories,” the Clinton’s are nothing if not masters of dealing with Bimbo Eruptions.

Given the attention given to the story about the two Carolina Panthers cheerleaders, the media might find the story titillating (pun intended) for awhile, but the media wouldn’t allow it to derail the anointed candidacy of Ms. Rodham-Clinton.

Warner (without the Brothers)
Then I ran across an article from noted Democratic Strategist George Will. In it staunch Conservative Will, makes a compelling case for Mark Warner, the soon-to-be former Governor of Virginia.

First of all, look at the guy. Lerch or Herman Munster this guy is not. His wife doesn’t look like a cast-off from the remake of “Tootsie” (ala Teresa) and she appears to be involved in those “First Lady-ish” things like being on the Board of Numerous charities.

So in the superficial world which historians uniformly tell us would today would today not elect Abraham Lincoln (to ugly) or FDR (today a commander can’t be commanding from a wheelchair), Warner has the looks part nailed.

Second, he has something (with only Richardson and one-termer Edwards as the exception) which sets him apart from Hillary and the rest of the field; he has already won a statewide election “Red State.”

Warner breaks from his Democratic brethren by supporting the Laci Peterson law (killing a pregnant woman is two killings) and "reasonable restrictions on late-term abortions." Parental notification of a minor child seeking an abortion? Warners says, "I'm for it."

George Will points out that due to term limits in Virginia, “in 2006 Warner will be unemployed. That is a good condition for a presidential aspirant: Nixon was out of public office in 1968, as was Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Ronald Reagan in 1980.”

Democrats will be trying to erase the Republicans' 2004 popular vote winning margin of 2.9 percentage points. The question Democrats need to ask is who is Kerry plus 2.9. If you do the math, and Warner wins every Kerry state and adds Virginia (a stretch given the fact that if Gore couldn't carry Tennessee), he wins. Unlike Gore, he has recently been elected in Virginia, and by all accounts is still well liked in his home state (unlike John Edwards who didn't carry North Carolina for Kerry).

I only hope that Mark Warner (or a player to be named later) can stand in the way of a close friend of the Clintons, Linda Bloodworth-Thomason prediction, which say that “when they die each of the Clintons is going to be buried next to a president of the United States.”

I like to think Geena Davis’ contribution to the 2008 campaign won’t be paving the way for Hillary via “Commander in Chief,” but her classic line from “The Fly” as it applies to a President Hillary Clinton.

“Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid”

Jump on the bandwagon early, get Warner 2008 merchandise now.

Additional Resources:
Washington Post Article