Kathryn Jean Lopez said on National Review’s The Corner Tuesday night after the A.F.L.-C.I.O. sponsored Dem debate:

In response to more than a few answers tonight — on Iraq, on China — I’ve said, “she sounds reasonable.” If I were a normal America, I think I’d really think that.

Kevin Drum expands on Lopez’s confession:

Now, I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that I’m going to unleash some snark about Lopez not being normal. And sure, that’s tempting. But not tonight.

Instead, I want to make a serious point: she’s right. The audience for presidential debates is still small, but obviously it’s growing as we get closer to the primaries. And a lot of people who have vague, media-fueled recollections of Hillary as a conniving, ball-busting uber liberal, are starting to watch these debates and realize that…..she seems pretty reasonable. Pretty normal. Not at all the Hitlery of wingnut fame. What was all that nonsense about, anyway?

Anyway, I’ve mentioned this before. Just thought I’d repeat myself. An awful lot of people are effectively seeing Hillary for the first time ever following a very long hiatus, and they’re not likely to see any resemblance to the fever swamp creation of Rush Limbaugh ravings from the 90s. Her negatives are never going to be as low as, say, Obama’s, but I betcha they go down five or ten points by the time this is all over.

Jim Henley adds on Unqualified Offerings:

I think Kevin Drum is right…

[...]

That’s why I think Andrew Sullivan’s argument that the Dems are sunk if they nominate Hillary because of her high negatives doesn’t stand up. I think that Clinton’s negatives are “soft” with enough of the country that she can easily overcome them because she’s actually an engaging public performer. Hell, I was as anti-Clinton as anybody in the 90s and I like her when I see her. Plus, outside the 26%er-sphere, the country would love to have the Clinton years back. I think this is why polls don’t show much “dynasty fatigue” counting against her. The “Clinton” name and Bill connection help her politically.

The reason to hope the Dems don’t nominate Hillary is the real risk that she would provide all too much continuity with the Bush years. But I don’t think it’s going to matter.

Taylor Marsh notes:

Let’s face it, if the NRO has taken to announcing Clinton “sounds reasonable,” she’s on track, especially for the general.

It’s not sewn up yet, but the N.Y. Times reported that “Democratic presidential candidates tangled over foreign policy Tuesday night, criticizing Senator Barack Obama for proposing an attack against Al Qaeda in Pakistan.” Even Chris Dodd jumped into the mix deriding “as “irresponsible” Mr. Obama’s plan to send the military into Pakistan to pursue terrorists if the Pakistani government failed to act on its own.”

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York later echoed the criticism.

“I think it is a very big mistake to telegraph that,” Mrs. Clinton said, adding, “You can think big, but remember you shouldn’t always say everything you think if you’re running for president, because it has consequences across the world.”

Reasonable indeed. A good candidate won’t stick foot in mouth. IMHO, Hillary was right in pointing that out.

Hillary also “pleased the audience by saying that the Bush administration had been “totally missing in action” in enforcing trade agreements and that she had voted against a free-trade accord with several Central American nations.”

Finally USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, “New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has significantly widened her lead over Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination in the wake of a dispute over handling foreign policy.” We”re still a long way from primary season but “If the nomination comes down between the two, Clinton was preferred over Obama 59%-36%.”

The heat is on… But the result looks clearer, as much as that may pain many who still decry Hillary as “the fever swamp creation of Rush Limbaugh ravings from the 90s.”

Objectivity is key at this point. let go of the past and look to the future. I’m not sold on any of the candidates, but Hillary is gaining serious traction that may not wane.

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