HILLARY'S TROUBLES – AT 9:52 A.M. ET:  We continue our discussion about the erupting political problems facing Hillary Clinton.  Suddenly, while still well ahead in all polls, her nomination does not seem quite as inevitable as it once did.   Because the Dems went through this once before with Hillary, some are becoming wary.  Others just don't like her because she's not left-wing enough.  From The Politico: 

Everyone knows about the “Ready for Hillary” Democrats — the rapidly proliferating parade of elected officials and activists getting behind Hillary Clinton’s increasingly likely 2016 presidential campaign.

But there’s also a smaller but increasingly vocal group making its presence felt lately — call these Democrats the “Wary of Hillary” Democrats. They’re not outwardly opposing a Clinton candidacy. But they are anxious about the spectacle of a Clinton juggernaut, after seeing what happened when she ran a campaign of inevitability last time.

Some feel a competitive primary, regardless of the outcome, is good for the party. Others say Clinton, who’s been out of electoral politics for five years, needs to be tested. And some Democrats are merely concerned that the party won’t have an open airing of views on economic policy.

The reservations, expressed mostly in private company, have been given voice in recent days by some of the party’s most prominent governors.

“She is an enormously capable candidate and leader, but I do worry about the inevitability, because I think it’s off-putting to the average voter,” Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick, a longtime Obama ally, told CNN earlier this month. “And I think that was an element of her campaign the last time. As an enthusiastic Democrat, I just hope that the people around her pay attention to that this time around.”

It is inconceivable that Patrick would have made that comment without Obama's approval, or at least Obama's wink.  It may also be a bid for Patrick to be put on any Hillary ticket, to satisfy the African-American community, without which no Democrat can win a national election.

The public commentary about the risks of Clinton as fait accompli seems less a harbinger of a messy primary fight than an effort to nudge Clinton to the left. There’s no apparent candidate with President Barack Obama’s political skill to catch Clinton by surprise this time. But the Democratic base doesn’t want Clinton to get a free pass, lest she give short shrift to the progressive agenda and tack to the center before the primary campaign is even fully underway.

COMMENT:  The left can destroy Hillary.  Their darling is Elizabeth Warren, who is more ideologically pure. 

As I've noted before, our side should be cautious about wishing Hillary ill during this period.  We might get someone far worse, and that someone could, in the presence of another inept Republican presidential campaign, get elected.  The left wing of the Democratic Party has done enormous harm.  I don't want to see it strengthened further.

May 27, 2014