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Hillary’s survival guide?

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Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who may well seek the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, currently is dogged by controversy over her means of communication while the nation’s top diplomat. Over the past week, Republicans and even some Democrats have pounced on Mrs. Clinton in the wake of the revelation that she used a private email account instead of a government one.

Among those weighing in on “Emailgate” is Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University history professor and CNN contributor. Professor Zelizer, whose work I long have admired, laid out some strategies Mrs. Clinton may employ to weather the controversy. He noted voters are likely to see the putative Democratic front-runner attack the integrity of her critics and “the investigative process”; patiently wait for the news media to move on; and rally the Democratic base. Professor Zelizer asserted that Mrs. Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, successfully used these tactics in beating back past controversies. “She has proven to be an extraordinarily tough fighter who turns … challenges into opportunities to become stronger,” he wrote.

Read this fascinating piece, written for CNN, right here.

At this point, I’m not prepared to declare Mrs. Clinton guilty of violating laws and/or ethics rules. The facts of the matter still are emerging and from where I’m sitting, one can’t yet come to an intelligent conclusion. I do, however, believe that the email story has the potential to do tremendous damage to Mrs. Clinton’s political prospects. Regardless of the propriety of her actions, “Emailgate” certainly evokes memories of past Clinton controversies, and that certainly will do the former first lady no favors. Presidential candidates inevitably have to convince voters they represent hope for the future, and echoes of past national dramas stand to hamstring Mrs. Clinton on that front. The point is especially relevant because, as I have noted in recent months, Mrs. Clinton already has a number of formidable hurdles to clear.

Needless to say, Mrs. Clinton had better pray that she and her brain trust come up with effective damage-control strategies. Ah, things never are boring when Hillary and Bill Clinton are involved.


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