Hillary 2020? I'd Rather Not

Earlier this week, it was reported by two of Hillary Clinton's former campaign advisors that a 2020 run would be likely. While there has been no official statement from Clinton, she has not denied the possibility of a presidential run in 2020. Today I would like to objectively discuss why this could be disastrous for the democratic party. To be clear, I am not saying that Hillary Clinton will definitely run in 2020, but that if she does, it could be the worst choice for a candidate the Democratic Party could make. In short, Hillary 2020 is a bad idea because first off, she lost to Donald Trump in 2016. It should have been an easy path to the presidency, but it absolutely was not. This is because her brand of politics just is not what the people are looking for anymore on either side of the aisle. Hillary Clinton represents what many people despise about American politics. For many, she is the lack of real change that has persisted for so many years. Finally, by running in 2020, she would be stepping on the toes of the Democratic party and holding it back for at least four years.

My first point as to why Hillary Clinton is a terrible choice for 2020 is that she lost to Donald Trump. Now, her losing in a presidential election (twice) does not necessarily disqualify her by itself, but it is what her loss represents. In many people's minds, they wanted a change and they didn't care if that change was "politically correct" or not. Donald Trump rallied voters and got people to care about politics in a way that no Republican in recent years had. He got people who were angry and disenfranchised from the system to get out and vote. Hillary Clinton just could not do that. Voter participation from both minorities and young voters were down in 2016 compared to when Obama ran for re-election. No matter who runs for President in 2020, they must stir up enough excitement to match that of Trump. They must be seen as something new and someone who will bring about change in the Democratic party and in America as a whole. The era of Clinton's brand of diplomacy politics is over. The American people have spoken both in the 2016 elections and the 2018 midterms. Times are changing and so must the democratic party. As a concept, nothing has changed with Hillary Clinton. There is no reason that she can beat Trump the second time around. His supporters are just as devout, and many voters are just as spiteful of her.

There is a deep disdain that much of America has for Hillary Clinton. She has been around for a long time and that gives people a lot of history to hate her for. According to Gallup, in the last poll conducted, her approval rating was at 36 percent. Obviously, this is very low and does not give much hope for winning against Donald Trump. Currently, the 45th has an approval rating of 45 percent. Just take a moment to realize now that Donald Trump has a higher approval rating than Hillary Clinton. This only proves my point further. For many, Hillary Clinton is just another politician in the swamp. They don't want any part of her or her family. She carries with her the weight of her husband's scandal, the burden of Benghazi, and the unfortunate fact that she has been at this for a very long time and the people are ready for something new. As the chants "lock her up" reverberate throughout my mind, I just don't see Hillary Clinton as the person to bring America together and move forward. It is time to let someone else have their shot at greatness.

Lastly, for Hillary to run in 2020 would be to step on the toes of the Democratic party. She is of the past, and it is time to look towards the future, not only for democrats, but for the nation as a whole. There are many other prime candidates that would be able to take on Donald Trump and are likely to do so. These include, but are not limited to Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Eric Holder, Bernie Sanders, and Chris Murphy. It is still too early to tell how many of these listed will actually run, but a good number of them have already breathed life into the Democratic party in the past. For Hillary Clinton to run would only be holding them back.

In conclusion, a Hillary Clinton 2020 run would be a disaster for the nation as a whole, especially the Democratic party as a whole. The time of the Clintons is long passed. It is time to move onward and upward. A wise man once said that it is the time for "moving America forward" and that time has come. Unfortunately for her, that time should leave Hillary Clinton in the past.