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I'll say that I don't really trust Ms. Clinton, but many people that I respect do, and that must be worth something.
First, as to the pandering, I agree that Clinton acts much like a panderer, but I think the real questions we have to ask here is: to whom is she pandering? The subtext of all of the liberal and lefty complaints that she is a panderer is that she is not pandering to them, and indeed she doesn't seem to be. If she were, she would have long since caved in to the voices on the left calling for a clear apology for the VOTE. Instead, she refuses to, insisting that she did the right thing, which starts to look a lot more like hubris, or blind adherence to the decisions made in one's past.
Second, I think it would behoove the Dems to be mindful of just why the Republicans are paying so much attention to Ms. Clinton. It may be because they view her as a significant threat, but I'll tell you, having spent 12 years in a solidly red southern state, I think it's just as likely that they know that nothing will unify the right and galvanize it in support of a Republican candidate faster than Hillary R. Clinton being the opponent. THIS, is why she is unelectable. Not because she won't have enough support on the left, but because nationally, no one could have more opposition from the right.
In the end, in being a pragmatist (thanks Shapiro!) one has to ask himself or herself, do I want to support a candidate that panders to the other side and is likely to be the strongest uniter of the opponents? I don't.
