. . . especially the way it sidesteps any consideration of what the candidates believe, what they might promise, what experience they have, what their policy priorities are, how ethical they are, and whether anyone out there is expressing any clear desire to see them run.

If this is what democracy inevitably becomes, maybe we should just vote Republican and see what 21st-century dictatorship has to offer.

I do not--nor do I think I ever will--understand this seemingly media-created view that Hillary Clinton's assumption of the Democratic nomination for 2008 is basically assured.

I understand that Hillary has powerful name recognition, has wonderful connection, and is married to a wizard fund-raiser. Yes, that's true. And I think Walter Shapiro makes any number of other good points in his essay. But still, I'm baffled.

First of all, I've got to think that the Republicans are licking their chops, thinking about running against Hillary. Talk about about a big target.

Second, Ms. Rodham-Clinton has been a weak-kneed leftist at best. It's hard for me to believe that the base can get excited about someone who didn't even have the courage to vote for Feingold's censure resolution. I mean, if you can take a firm stand when the President is heading towards the less-than-30% popularity barrier, when can you?

The list goes on and on, frankly: she's a wooden speaker; she doesn't seem to enjoy campaigning, and certainly doesn't love people in the same way that (say) Bill obviously does; she comes across as cold and calculating; she can be accused of flip-flopping just as easliy as Kerry ("I was for the war before I was against it") was. Anyone who takes the time can add their own items.

Last time, Democrats seemed to vote with their heads ("Kerry was a war hero! How can we lose?"), and got their rears handed to them. With all the outrage, anger, and frustration loose, I have a hard time imagining that Hillary is going to invoke enough passion--well, positive passion, anyway--to win over the base come primary time. Money is all very well, but at some point you have to win hearts and minds, too. I just don't see it happening with Hillary.

One of these days I'd like to meet some of these mythical citizens (of a country where they're not required to vote and where ardent ideologues sway primaries) who turn out to support a candidate without once considering what that candidate believes and says about key issues.

I guess the monied elites want the Republicans to 'win' in 2008 also by repeatedly throwing Hillary in our faces.

Hilary cannot win unless she runs opposite Cheney. But I think most average Americans understand this already.

The most likely stumbling block for Hillary in the early primaries would simply be high expectations. If she's got all these enormous advantages, and if she's widely expected (at least among the "chattering classes") to win, even an underwhelming victory could be fatal to her. Lyndon Johnson won the New Hampshire primary in '68 and immediately pulled out of the race, because the prohibitive favorite has to do more than win -- s/he has to blow everyone else out of the water.

First off, I want to say that I am biased, I like Hillary. She and Bill took on Health care day one on 1992. They were crushed in their naivete by big medicine, but by god they tried. I thought then, and still do that Health care is the single greatest issue we have in USA. I respect HRC and WJC for trying, and hope to see them try again. Someone mentioned Kerry the war hero versus george the AWOL. It did look like a slam dunk, but Kerry's team did not have the rabid attack/defend dogs that Clinton brought to bear in 91/92. A swift boat issue against the Clinton machine would be sunk in a day. Kerry, let it flop around long enough to resonate. What an idiot. As to the Republicans chomping at the bit to have Hillary to run against, let's flip that around and look at a Democratic candidate and her husband having the incompetant, larcenous, lying, GWB backing Repubs to run against. Let's replay those videos of McCain supporting the GWB. Hell, this could be fun for a change. Bring it on. PS. I am a man and would love a woman in the White House as President.

Bill

...Hillary Clinton is the most hated woman in America. Half of the Democratic voters hate her for her politics and all of the Republican ones hate her for her pedigree.

She offers the Democrats nothing more than a right-wing version of the warmed over policies of her husband -- himself no Democrat at all but an Eisenhower Republican -- but without the charm. And through a mixture of arrogance, secretiveness and rank incompetence, she failed catastrophically at the only big thing she ever attempted at a national level.

For the Republicans, she offers the biggest single way to motivate their base without even lifting a finger.

She'll be our next President, if she desires. The current crop of Democratic hopeful-wannabee are losers. Even more so, against the likes of John McCain. Furthermore, Hillary has stayed wishy-washy enough that she can appease many Republican women into voting for her.

As to Bush, every Republican has got to hope that he gets everyone out of Iraq before the Spring of '08. I can easily imagine the videos of his 8 years of lies, mis-representation, lack of engagement played against all Republican candidates.

I believe the tell-tale will be Nov '06 when the public has the opportunity to pass a referendum on the Bush Regime. A major Democratic recovery of House and Senate seats sets the stage for Democratic victory 2 years late. But who knows, very few will ever admit: 1. they had prior knowledge of 9/11 and 2. predict the overwhelming response generated from both parties.

Hillary has had my vote since 1992 and will in 2008.

The last sentence of your article gives exactly the reason the Dems will lose yet again with Hillary. She will try to be the one with the biggest balls, outrepublican the republicans and therefore will lose -- big. The base for Dems are progresives like myself who are tired to death of "business as usual". We are longing for someone with true moxie to stand up and tell the hard truths we need to hear to begin digging out of the debacle the last 6 years have been.

We'd better start talking about Peak Oil & global warming. Flag burning & gay marriage & religion oin the schools just ain't gonna get it. When the apocalypse comes knocking at our door (and it's just up the block), we'd better have more going for us than sound bites & talking points.