Mittens popped up on CNN to say that Hillary was the more formidable candidate in November. And we've been treated to many such pronouncements of grudging respect for Senator Clinton from the Right. I realize that Limbaugh has created the idea that any Gooper who praises Clinton is simply trying to extend the bruising primary season, but I think there's a less conspiratorial explanation: Hillary has campaigned like them.
She's not as bad, but what she has as a candidate is what most GOP operatives have: a will to win that supersedes a desire to govern. While I think Clinton would make a good president, her will to win is even more impressive. She will (as has been noted time and again) do or say anything to improve her chances at victory.
I think that has been at the root of why so many people here are sick of her. It's not just that she embraces GOP talking points, it's that those talking points necessarily come directly from the GOP mantra of "Just Win Baby". Once you cross that threshold, the tactics necessarily follow.
Which is why she has hopefully given up on winning the nomination. While I agree that she would make a poor choice as Veep (I don't think Obama trusts her and it counteracts his message of change), she could spend the next few weeks bloodying McCain in a way that Obama can't.
Given her unbelievable will to win, if she trains that on McCain, the poor old coot won't know what hit him...