Hillary Clinton: defenders push back against Karl Rove on her health
It鈥檚 political light years until we know who the major party candidates will be in the 2016 presidential election.
But we know who they are today: Karl Rove vs. Hillary Clinton.
Clinton beats all comers 鈥� Republican or Democrat 鈥� in every mock election. Rove today is the major GOP surrogate for the Republican Party attack on the politically formidable former first lady, US Senator, and Secretary of State.
It鈥檚 crazy, of course.
Clinton may well decide not to run. She鈥檚 known the pain of losing, as she did to Barack Obama in 2008 鈥� not just the end result, but the way-too-long and bruising gantlet of party primaries and caucuses. As a certified senior citizen, she may be perfectly content to dote on grandchildren 鈥� one is on the way 鈥� and continue writing books like the memoir 鈥淗ard Choices鈥� out next month.
But like her husband, Clinton seems unlikely to retire from the political advocacy and action she鈥檚 known since her student days at Wellesley and Yale.
So with Mr. Rove in the lead, Republicans are doing everything they can to discredit her professionally while raising personal questions regarding her competency and fitness.
This past week, Rove implied that Clinton had suffered 鈥渢raumatic brain injury鈥� when she fainted and fell last year due to dehydration. He later back-pedaled (somewhat), saying any presidential candidate鈥檚 health needs to be considered.
There was plenty of pushback, including from some Republicans. Newt Gingrich said he was 鈥渄eeply offended鈥� by Rove鈥檚 remarks as he was when Democrats questioned Ronald Reagan鈥檚 health in 1980.
But the story was kept very much alive on the Sunday news shows.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus said Clinton鈥檚 health and age are 鈥渇air game鈥� for political opponents.
"It was fair game for Ronald Reagan. It was fair game for John McCain,"聽he said on NBC鈥檚 鈥淢eet the Press.鈥�
Back at it on 鈥淔ox News Sunday,鈥� Rove insisted that he鈥檚 鈥渘ot questioning her health,鈥� but then went on to speak of her 鈥渟erious health issue,鈥� 鈥渃oncussion,鈥� and 鈥渢raumatic brain injury.鈥� (TBI is one of the injuries many soldiers have experienced in Iraq and Afghanistan due to the roadside bombs known as IEDs.)
Some Democrats suggest the GOP is afraid to face Clinton, a tough and experienced politician and fund-raising marvel. Mr. Priebus takes the opposite view, tweeting Sunday: 鈥淍HillaryClinton is a known product. She has a long history of making poor choices, and no significant accomplishments to point to.鈥�
Appearing alongside Priebus on 鈥淢eet the Press,鈥� Sen. Claire McCaskill, (D) of Missouri, fired back at that characterization.
"This is a strong, smart leader who is going to be a terrific president. And I don't care what Reince Priebus says, [Republicans] do not want Hillary Clinton," Sen. McCaskill said. "Because they know she is going to ignite a spark and enthusiasm across this country and she has got the strongest resume for president of anyone who's run in a very long time."
As for Rove鈥檚 innuendos, she said, 鈥淲e don鈥檛 not know for certain that Hillary Clinton is going to run, but there鈥檚 one thing I know for certain: Karl Rove engaging in cheap shots is not going to back off Hillary Clinton.鈥�
In some ways, Rove鈥檚 controversial comments about Clinton work to Democrats鈥� advantage.
They help rouse Democratic troops 鈥� including major party donors 鈥� against a known powerhouse on the right.
And for a while, at least, they change the subject from the terrorist attack on the US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya 鈥� which happened on Clinton鈥檚 watch at the State Department, and which resulted in the death of Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other American personnel.
It may be that Hillary Clinton鈥檚 main challenge two and a half years before the next presidential election is that she 鈥� and the voters 鈥� suffer front-runner fatigue, which can be debilitating if not politically fatal.
"She's the overwhelming favorite. I can't see any opposition, not even potential opposition,鈥� California Governor Jerry Brown said on ABC鈥檚 鈥淭his Week鈥� Sunday.聽
鈥淲hether it's a good thing or not, it does carry with it risks," Gov. Brown said.聽 "Being a frontrunner is being on a perch that everyone else is going to try to knock you off of."
