Gunning for Democratic front-runner former U.S. Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Republican National Committee has had it in for the former First Lady shortly after she retired from the State Department Feb. 1, 2013. Fueling much speculation at the time, the GOP decided that Hillary would be their future 2016 target, believing she’d eventually become the odds on favorite as the Democratic nominee. Lining up his right wing ducks, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus has the GOP’s media machine, in print, radio and TV, taking shots at the former First Lady. Fox News routinely publishes reports of Hillary’s campaign in chaos, trying their best to chip away at her credibility. Now Fox News touts Hillary’s biggest threat coming from 72-year-old Vice President Joe Biden, who’s been sitting on the fence but largely leaning against any presidential run.
Biden’s reluctance as a sitting VP to run stems largely from the belief that he’s too gaffe-prone to survive a serious presidential campaign, not to mention his advanced age. Nipping at Hillary’s heels, according to Fox News, is socialist independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), whose politics are so far to the left that even Hillary cringes at his proposals. Sander’s talking points about Medicare-for-all and free public college tuition sounds like a broken record, making promises the government can’t keep without threatening the U.S. economy. To Sanders, it’s all about getting from the rich to underwrite the nation’s great social welfare programs. Sanders doesn’t consider the nation’s $18.4 trillion national debt, with interest payments to the Federal Reserve Board close to breaking the U.S. treasury. Sanders answer always involves taxing the rich and driving the debt through the roof.
Fox News wants voters to believe that a GOP match-up with Hillary would be easy for the GOP. Hammering the email brouhaha, the GOP hopes to discredit Hillary between now and the election. Congressional Committees, like the House Select Committee on Benghazi, led by Rep. Trey Goudy (R-S.C.), hopes to raise enough doubt about Hillary to give the GOP a leg up in a general election. Recent polls showing Hillary’s trustworthy rating dropping are all designed to chip away at her clear frontrunner status not only against Republicans but Democrats. Recent talk about Biden throwing his hat in the ring because Hillary’s campaign is sinking quickly plays out an RNC narrative but doesn’t match reality. Hillary remains the odds on favorite to win the Democratic nomination and 2016 race because she’s the most qualified and articulate candidate running for president.
Trumps surge in the GOP polls before the first nationally televised debate Aug. 6 in Cleveland mirrors the abysmal field of at last count 17 candidates, all deeply flawed in their own right. Trump especially shows vulnerability because of his lack of government service but, more importantly, his inability to grasp major domestic and foreign policy issues. Trump’s P.T. Barnum salesmanship skills won’t last much beyond the first debate, when voters see his inability to articulate key campaign issues, especially around the economy and foreign policy. Showing how desperate Fox News has become for telling stories, they’ve circulated rumors about 2004 Democratic nominee Secretary of State John Kerry, and, even more outrageous, 62-year-old Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz. “I think there’s a little panic in the Clinton camp,” said 76-year-old GOP political operative John Sununu.
Speculation about Biden jumping into the race won’t change Hillary’s campaign strategy heading into Iowa and New Hampshire. Even if Biden were to run, he’s unlikely to upend Hillary as front-runner, since few Democrats see him going beyond the VP role. RNC and Fox News would like to see other more competitive Democratic candidates hold the GOP’s efforts in discrediting Hillary. None of the potential Democratic field, including Biden, former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chaffee have any shot of beating Hillary or competitive GOP ticket. Despite the GOP-driven medial onslaught against Hillary, she has the best shot of succeeding Obama of any announced or unannounced Democratic candidates. Biden’s chances of making it to the Oval Office are far less than real estate mogul Donald Trump.
Watching the GOP media slur campaign against Hillary morph into unverified rumors about Biden or others running against Hillary, explains why Hillary has watched certain polls question her integrity. When a recent Quinnipac University poll showed that voters viewed Hillary as untrustworthy 57% to 37%, it gave a twisted impression of her chances for the White House. When compared directly, with all her GOP-media manufactured baggage, to GOP candidates in head-to-head 2016 elections battles, Hillary comes out on top. She comes out on top primarily because she’s talking about issues cared about by the vast majority of mainstream U.S. voters, including Medicare, Social Security, education, jobs and opportunity. Conducting polls about Hillary’s email problems or her trustworthiness doesn’t address how she matches up against any GOP opponent on the big issues.
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