2016 Postmortem

portlander23

(2,078 posts) Sat Oct 10, 2015, 10:13 AM Oct 2015

The Hill: Hillary Clinton and the Sanders effect

We are witnessing a change in the mood of the Democratic base. The socially liberal but fiscally conservative neoliberalism of the 1990’s is going out of style as the party shifts increasingly to the left. This presents a problem for Hillary, as the name of Clinton is virtually synonymous with neoliberal policy. Former President Bill Clinton presided over a booming economy, and his presidency is generally looked upon favorably by Democrats. It’s quite surprising to see Clinton having to distance herself from her husband’s policies in order to match the more progressive values of today’s Democrats.

Hillary Clinton’s supporters point out that her long-term liberal record predates the corporate-friendly democratic principles she has espoused in recent years. They claim that as Clinton edges ever closer to the left, she reclaims her true political ideals, not having been able to act on them during the previous political climate. This is not far from the truth. Clinton has a documented progressive record on many issues, however, her more recent positions have quite a few Democrats viewing her as too close to the center for comfort.

Whether or not Sanders can win the nomination is up for debate, but there is no doubt that his popularity has shifted the political discourse to the left. If Clinton is to win the Democratic nomination, she needs to distinguish herself from the Wall Street-friendly image of her husband, in favor of the Main Street-friendly image exemplified by Sanders. In other words, she needs to capitalize on the Sanders effect.

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The Hill: Hillary Clinton and the Sanders effect (Original Post) portlander23 Oct 2015 OP

So she needs to put on a Bernie mask to win. Is that it? pangaia Oct 2015 #1

Can't say I blame Hillary from tryin to do her best Bernie interpretation. No question that's what the internal polling is telling her... InAbLuEsTaTe Oct 2015 #2

I 'met' Hillary Clinton once in Rochester, NY. pangaia Oct 2015 #4

"We are witnessing a change in the mood of the Democratic base." RiverLover Oct 2015 #3

a lot of people would say that the base shifted by 2006: the Zells and Liebermans MisterP Oct 2015 #6

If she does win Rosa Luxemburg Oct 2015 #5

pangaia

(24,324 posts)

1. So she needs to put on a Bernie mask to win. Is that it?

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 10:21 AM

Oct 2015

I once wore a gorilla costume for Halloween. I didn't really fool anybody of course, because they all knew that under the costume was.... somebody, although they didn't know who.

And after Halloween I took it off.
Sort of like the Nairobi Trio.

InAbLuEsTaTe

(24,121 posts)

2. Can't say I blame Hillary from tryin to do her best Bernie interpretation. No question that's what the internal polling is telling her...

Reply to pangaia (Reply #1)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 10:42 AM

Oct 2015

Doubt it will work though. Voters can sense when a politician is being inauthentic. Hillary is a really bad actress, as shown by her recent flip-flop on TPP.

Hillary would've been smarter to affirm her past 50 statements supporting the agreement - she's not fooling anyone, cept maybe herself.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

pangaia

(24,324 posts)

4. I 'met' Hillary Clinton once in Rochester, NY.

Reply to InAbLuEsTaTe (Reply #2)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 10:56 AM

Oct 2015

This must have been when she was running for president. 2007...it was a swanky affair-- a fund raiser? maybe-- also present were then NY Governor Eliot Spitzer and then Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy.

My strongest memory of the event, cocktails kinda thing, was shaking hands with all three of them not in a line but individually, during the 'party.' Duffy and Spitzer looked me in the eye, held my gaze, brief exchange. I felt like I was a human being meeting two other human beings Clinton looked me in the eye, smiled, shook hands but--- nobody home.... eyes were not there, hand was not there... nothing...

I know-- she had to do this how many tens of thousands of times. nevertheless.... that was my experience.

RiverLover

(7,830 posts)

3. "We are witnessing a change in the mood of the Democratic base."

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 10:42 AM

Oct 2015

Yes We Are!!!

And not a moment too soon.

MisterP

(23,730 posts)

6. a lot of people would say that the base shifted by 2006: the Zells and Liebermans

Reply to RiverLover (Reply #3)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 01:09 PM

Oct 2015

were firmly out of favor and we wanted an end to war and vampire capitalism

too bad the options the party gave us refused to do so, and built newer and newer structures to prevent any change: they even threw elections instead of letting someone who'd refuse to play the Game win

Rosa Luxemburg

(28,627 posts)

5. If she does win

Reply to portlander23 (Original post)

Sat Oct 10, 2015, 11:18 AM

Oct 2015

then she will go back into her centrist shell. Sometimes organisms get eaten if they come out of their shell too long.

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