/ 2 August 2005

Hillary for president!

Hillary Clinton isn’t running for president, but her campaign has already started in New Hampshire, traditionally a key United States state for launching a possible bid for the presidency.

A group of supporters known as Hillary Now!, has paid to run TV ads this week in several New Hampshire towns, pushing the New York senator for president in 2008. The group has no official ties to Clinton’s office, but its president, Bob Kunst, of Miami Beach, Florida, says he is laying the foundation for her possible candidacy.

”Hillary is the strongest Democrat. She’s the most popular woman in the country,” said Kunst, who believes the polarising senator will attract votes from Republicans who are unhappy with President George Bush’s administration.

”Nobody gets attacked like her, but on the other hand nobody has the support like her,” Kunst said.

Only night owls will see the animated ad, which airs on Tuesday until Thursday on cable news from 1am to 5am local time. The commercial casts Clinton as Bush’s trash collector, emptying trash cans labeled ”Iraq,” ”War on Terror,” ”Health Care,” and ”Budget” into a garbage truck for ”Bush’s Mess,” while a giggling Bush hides on the White House lawn.

State Republican chairperson Warren Henderson declared the advertisement ”vintage Democrat … It’s all about complaining and not one specific solution,” he said.

Press secretary Phillipe Reines said Clinton is flattered by Kunst’s efforts, but is concentrating on getting re-elected to the Senate next year. Clinton has not openly declared ambitions for the presidency, though she is perennially mentioned as a contender.

Kunst may a Clinton cheerleader, but he isn’t shy about critiquing her. Lately, he is upset with her for speaking out against sexually explicit video games, instead of taking strong stands against terrorist bombings in London and Egypt.

”If she’s attempting to appeal to the right wing, it’s a losing proposition. They’re not going to vote for her anyway,” said Kunst, who would like to see Clinton leverage her star status by coming out in favour of popular issues, like legalising marijuana.

”Hillary’s got star quality and star power and she’s just something different,” he said.

”She needs to deal with the controversies and come up with legitimate answers and approaches.” – Sapa-AP