Speaking strictly tactically, I think the right's bashing of Hillary Clinton is a brilliant tactic.  The Clintons are right wing Democrats who are socially liberal.  (Right wing means support of those with power.  The terms "right" and "left" referring to political affiliations come from "righthanded" and "lefthanded," the former being a far higher percentage of the human population, and thus having much more power.)

The Clintons are very pro-corporate, so they don't threaten the power elite.  Hillary is even pro-Iraq war.  By portraying Hillary Clinton as some raging commie or whatever, the right makes a right wing Democrat seem as if she's way off the radar by being too far to the left.  This has the effect of portraying actual liberal Democrats or more progressive types like Greens as extreme radicals who aren't even worth listening to.

Jeff Hoffman