New Hurdles for Hillary Clinton in 2016

There's talk that former Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will enter the Democrat primaries against Hillary Clinton. It's a good thing too. It's going to be pretty strange if Clinton runs unchallenged next year. She'd essentially be running for the nomination like an incumbent president, although it remains to be seen if she'll be able to generate a commensurate level of enthusiasm.

In any case, more on the story at the Los Angeles Times, "Hillary Clinton will be a commanding front-runner facing high expectations":

Hillary Rodham Clinton will enter the 2016 Democratic presidential race — finally, officially — as the most commanding front-runner in generations. Yet her path to the White House will not be easy, much less assured.

For every advantage she carries an offsetting burden, along with the weight of exceedingly high expectations.

Clinton is beloved and widely admired. She is also loathed and widely criticized.

She boasts an unprecedented resume — former first lady, New York senator, secretary of State — and enjoys universal name recognition after more than two decades of near-constant presence on the national stage. That familiarity, however, will make it exceedingly difficult for Clinton to present herself as someone fresh and different — qualities voters often crave, especially at the tail end of a two-term presidency.

After more than a year of speculation and anticipation, Clinton is expected to formally launch her campaign Sunday with a video announcement, followed by a trip to Iowa, which is set to begin the presidential balloting next winter.

She's loathed alright.

At the New York Post, for example. And be sure to click through for the brutal excoriation from Michael Goodwin.

Hillary Clinton’s presidential plan is growing stale http://t.co/K70Om6cWVi pic.twitter.com/3KP1g8jJOF

— New York Post (@nypost) April 12, 2015