The more you get to know her

The less you want to do with her.

An increasing number of Democratic fundraisers -- alienated by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's strong-arm tactics against prospective donors -- are raising money for presidential rivals of the former first lady, Democratic campaign strategists say.

The strategists said the exodus is growing as Mrs. Clinton's campaign applies pressure to uncommitted party donors to join her fundraising team or pledge to sit out the party's nominating process.

"The Clinton camp has been very tough on contributors. I've heard that 'if you don't contribute to us, don't contribute to another campaign.' I've heard that," said Democratic strategist Joe Trippi, who just joined the campaign of former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and managed Howard Dean's ill-fated 2004 presidential bid.

Several members of the Democratic fundraising community, which is largely party veterans and business professionals, told The Washington Times of Mrs. Clinton's fundraising fallout provided they were given anonymity to prevent retribution.

One of the most frequent complaints among longtime party contributors is that no matter how hard they work or how much they raise for Mrs. Clinton's candidacy, they will never be given special access to her campaign's high command.

"If you are not part of that original Clinton family, you are never going to be part of her inner circle. What this translates into is: Why invest in her campaign when whatever you do, you will never be part of it?" said a former senior Democratic Party campaign official who is uncommitted in the race.

"I'm hearing this echoed all over the place by Democrats, especially outside of Washington."

She can't help it. A dog is a dog, a cat is a cat, a bird is a bird and Hillary Clinton is Hillary Clinton.

The woman whose health care reform package included jail time for anyone who saw a doctor who wasn't assigned to them by government bureaucrats can only deal with people one of three ways. She can dispense favors to trusted sycophants. She can receive the obedience of supporters who are outside of her inner circle and she can attempt to utterly destroy anyone she perceives as an enemy.

Since the inner circle is small and can't grow any larger you are stuck either being her unpaid servant or her punching bag.

As more Democrats in prominent positions realize this they will combine to keep her away from power. After all the only source of her power is the fear (it used to be the hope, now it is the fear) that she will one day be president. This is her only realistic shot. If she doen't grab it now she will never have it.

A powerful Mafia godfather was reported to have said "now Bobby Kennedy is just another g-d damned lawyer" upon hearing of JFK's death. If Hillary fails to gain the Democrat nomination or if she loses the general election a lot of Democrats are going to be saying "now she's just another g-d damned junior Senator".