The curse of a Clinton landslide

Be careful what you wish for, Hillary

How would a Hillary Clinton administration handle the White House?
(Image credit: The Associated Press)

Hillary Clinton should be careful what she wishes for. Donald Trump's profound weakness as a general election candidate might make Clinton president — but a landslide victory might also destroy her presidency.

Since a big win usually translates into a large mandate, this might sound counterintuitive. Just look at Reagan's 49-state landslide in 1984. But sometimes a landslide can lead directly into a crisis of legitimacy.

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Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is the founder and editor of The Slurve, a newsletter about baseball. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Slate and The American Conservative.