Hillary Clinton: Soft-pedaling Immigration
Hillary Clinton could be among the Democratic Party's most likely candidates to win the 2008 elections. With a number of opinion polls released giving her top ratings—better in fact, than some of the other more senior, experienced candidates in the race—America may be on its way to having the first lady president sworn in, in her history.
Her supporters say Hillary Clinton has what it takes to win: she is smart, exercises discipline, and, as even her detractors agree, she is tough. These credentials are sure to endear her to voters, especially women, who comprise over 54 percent of the electorate, and help them put behind the unsavory memories of Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky, and Travelgate.
What may run against Clinton is her own inability to be sure of what she wants. For instance, earlier in 2003, Clinton had made her strong stance against illegal immigrants public, saying, "I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigrants". She had even suggested issuing national ID cards for citizens to counter the growing presence of illegal immigrants.
But since early 2006, it was a completely different story as Clinton pressed for citizenship for illegal immigrants in the country. She criticized the tough stand on immigration taken by certain Republicans, and their "one-sided solutions that simply sound tough". Instead, she advocated, the government needed to create a path to help hard working immigrants earn citizenship. The problem is, that a candidate who is so unsure of her own mind, is not likely to instill much faith in the electorate.
Her supporters say Hillary Clinton has what it takes to win: she is smart, exercises discipline, and, as even her detractors agree, she is tough. These credentials are sure to endear her to voters, especially women, who comprise over 54 percent of the electorate, and help them put behind the unsavory memories of Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky, and Travelgate.
What may run against Clinton is her own inability to be sure of what she wants. For instance, earlier in 2003, Clinton had made her strong stance against illegal immigrants public, saying, "I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigrants". She had even suggested issuing national ID cards for citizens to counter the growing presence of illegal immigrants.
But since early 2006, it was a completely different story as Clinton pressed for citizenship for illegal immigrants in the country. She criticized the tough stand on immigration taken by certain Republicans, and their "one-sided solutions that simply sound tough". Instead, she advocated, the government needed to create a path to help hard working immigrants earn citizenship. The problem is, that a candidate who is so unsure of her own mind, is not likely to instill much faith in the electorate.
