What "A Fighter" Means...

A reader of Andrew Sullivan writes about Hillary Clinton's strategies and her possible presidency.

One thing that both Hillary Clinton and her supporters say is indisputably true: she is a fighter. Clinton and her supporters believe that she will fight her opponents to accomplish her goals. But what does that mean?

Right now, her opponent is a man with whom she agrees on nearly every issue; a man she says she respects and is honored to campaign against. Despite the undisputed stature and dignity of her opponent, Clinton "fights" him with the most divisive and negative methods she can find. Instead of simply convincing the American people that she is the better candidate, she feels compelled to throw every possible negative charge against him and see what sticks.

Now, imagine this "fighter" in the White House, attempting to actually achieve the goals she says she'll fight for: universal health care, bringing troops home from Iraq, etc. If these are the methods she uses to "fight" an honorable opponent with whom she generally agrees, can you imagine what she'll do as president to opponents with whom she disagrees?

If this is the level of negativity we see when she fights a supporter of universal health care who wants us out of Iraq, just try to envision what she'll throw at anyone from any party who actually disagrees with her goal, or her method of accomplishing her goal. If this is how she treats someone with whom she is "honored" to campaign, imagine how she'll behave with someone she thinks is wrong, or evil?

The divisive politics would continue and Main Street Americans would have a government that does not function.