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Americans seeking new blood for leadership

With voters craving change, the biggest roadblock between Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the White House may be her ties to the status quo. She is a living symbol of an era of polarization that Americans want behind them.
/ Source: HotSoup

With voters craving change, the biggest roadblock between Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and the White House may be her ties to the status quo. She is a living symbol of an era of polarization that Americans want behind them.

“I really do hope we get past the insiders … and the rehash of the past 16 years,” wrote a Pittsburgh, Pa., voter in discussion about 2008 at HOTSOUP.com. “I think it will take new blood to pull the country together.” The new-blood sentiment is a common ingredient in discussions between members of the issues-based community. With each new addition to the field comes a familiar refrain: Is there anybody better out there?

“What's the chance that these early announcers will peak early then decline, and the strong runners will materialize mid 2007?” wrote Badger38, a frequent HOTSOUP.com contributor. The public’s restlessness is a problem for all the better known candidates, including early Republican front-runner John McCain, and may be a reason why little-known Sen. Barak Obama has shaken up the race simply by considering a 2008 bid. It is a particular challenge for Clinton; the former first lady and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, have been polarizing figures on the national stage since 1991.

“Clinton and Bush. Clinton and Bush. I am sick of hearing both of those names and all of the vitriol that comes with both of them,” wrote a 32-year-old Madison, Wisc., housewife in one discussion Loop. “I like Hillary and support her policies, but it’s time for something different – anything different.”

But from where they sit, many voters are skeptical that things will change. In a recent HOTSOUP.com poll, more than seven in 10 participants said the political system needs fixing and they have little hope for change – even after the 2008 elections. “We need a new approach,” wrote a businessman from Florida. “We need new leaders. Not more of the same.”

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