What went wrong for Hillary Clinton?

[Chris_]

This is a duplicate of this poll: http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=2559

It will be interesting to see how we track vs. the open poll referenced.

I know many of you will say some combination, but it will is even more interesting to see what people think was the MAJOR reason for her failure.

[Happy Fun Ball]

1, 3, and 4 all played a big role. Out of those, 3 would be my choice, since even despite 1 and 4, she still almost won (and even now, there's still a chance she could pull it off, since the superdelelates haven't actually voted yet and can change their minds anytime before then). This is the classic Tortoise/Hare situation. She thought it was going to be a coronation, and she didn't think that she needed to make plans after February. Had she campaigned in some of the earlier states and won those, she would at the very least be behind by only a couple dozen delegates. By the time she figured out that she had to do some actual campaining, it was too late.

[Lacarnut]

#3 is my main choice. Her sense of entitlement and overconfidence leaked over to her advisers and campaign strategists causing her to get so far behind she could not catch up.

[paladin0]

Hillary came in with large negatives, and there wasn't much policy difference between her and Obama, so Obama got a great start. He didn't start to stumble until it was too late, and when Barakstar fell she couldn't catch up. If Wright and his clinging comments came earlier in the process, she would have won.

Paladin0

[formerlurker]

Other.   Poor choice of campaign staff coupled with her great misstep equating anything she did as first lady to a leadership role.    Obama came into this race with no experience, but a clear message of "hope" (no substance, which will be his utimate downfall).   Hillary came into the race on the defensive from the start because she put herself there.   

Obama is a better speaker than she is also.  He is very charismatic.  The DNC really should have groomed him a while longer though before allowing him to run in this role.   He has very little knowledge and experience on the world stage which clearly needed further development.    McCain will own him in the debate category. 

[Chris_]

You forgot E: Everyone already knew what a three faced bitch Hillary is, and thus, voted against her.

[bijou]

You forgot E: Everyone already knew what a three faced bitch Hillary is, and thus, voted against her.

I'm no expert in US politics but I'd say that's a good explanation.  Bill Clinton was good at campaigning and projecting a likeable personality, however now his legacy is somewhat tarnished and Hillary found it difficult to benefit from that.  I never had the impression that Hillary was much more than tolerated, she comes across as  the sort of person you'd take pains to avoid at a social event. If you turn people off before you start they aren't going to hang around to hear your message.

[Wretched Excess]

overconfidence, which led to ignorance, which led to defeat.

I think her big wins in late states proves that she can beat him, but where she lost the nomination
was on super tuesday when she won all the big states, exactly according to her strategy, be lost
everything else.

she fired her campaign manager the next week, and finally started acting like she was in an actual
election.  from that point on, she was the better candidate, and got the better results.  now, that
could possibly be because of the way the states were scheduled, I suppose;  "all the racist states
were last" , but if I was a hillary supporter, I would be suicidal over what could and should have
been.