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Hillary 'hated by the core'
06/07/2007 11:35 - (SA)
Washington - Forget Bill. Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Democratic presidential frontrunner, has become the Republican presidential candidates' favourite punching bag.
Mitt Romney argues she would turn the United States into a "big government, big taxation, welfare state." John McCain calls the New York senator an irresponsible guardian of taxpayer dollars. Rudy Giuliani claims she would put the country "on defence against terrorism", and all three lambaste her on Iraq.
At every turn, the leading Republican contenders for the 2008 election are criticising Clinton even as they are entangled in their own turbulent race for the Republican nomination.
"They see her not only as the clear Democratic front-runner but also as the most formidable potential opponent," said Joseph Marbach, a Seton Hall University political science professor.
Thus, Marbach and others say, each is trying to prove he is the strongest Republican to challenge Clinton in November 2008 - and damage her in the process.
The two-term senator leads the Democratic field but faces fierce challenges from Senator Barack Obama and ex-Senator John Edwards. Republican candidates have harped on them, too, but to a lesser extent.
Increasingly targeted
It is standard campaign fare for Republicans to castigate Clinton's husband and his administration - and they still do. They also have assailed her sporadically since 1992. Now, she is a White House candidate in her own right, and as such, is increasingly in the Republican candidates' crosshairs.
For good reason, analysts say.
"This gives them a way for their supporters to measure whether they're tough enough to take her on in a general election," said Ed Rollins, a Republican who was a White House political director under President Ronald Reagan. Plus, Clinton-bashing is a surefire way for Romney, McCain and Giuliani to energise the dispirited Republican base that votes in primaries, he said.
"She is hated by the core," Rollins said.
Polls show Clinton is incredibly popular with Democrats but extraordinarily unpopular with Republicans. Half the country views her favourably and half unfavourably.
Beating up on Clinton now also could pay dividends for Republicans come next fall by driving up her already high negatives, hampering her effort to win the primary and leaving her wounded for the general election in November 2008 - or perhaps deprive her of the nomination altogether.
"They are trying to weaken her at the outset knowing she's the one to beat," said Donna Brazile, a Democrat who ran the 2000 presidential campaign for Al Gore, who was Bill Clinton's vice president.
"She doubted Republicans would succeed, adding that Clinton has proven time and again "she can stand up to the right-wing slime machine".
- SAPA
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