Clinton and McCain Are Born Again as Populist Candidates
In the alice-in-wonderland world that has become presidential politics lately, it has come to this: Hillary Clinton, who has resided in a chauffeur-driven bubble for the past 20 years, is portraying herself as a man of the people. Barack Obama, raised by a single mother and who paid off his college loans just a few years ago, is the elite snob. And John McCain, married to a beer heiress, charges that Obama is "insensitive to the hopes and dreams and ambitions" of millions of Americans.
Forget Iraq, at least for now. The campaign zeitgeist these days is all about oozing empathy for the little guy. It's enough to make Clinton down shots of Crown Royal or gas up a car while Obama goes bowling and fondly recalls the Jell-O molds of his youth. And why not display a little compassion? Voters are worried about losing their homes and their jobs while paying more for fuel and food. So the politicians, ever the lagging indicators, are full of proposals geared to soothe the weary and placate the anxious. They have been born again—as populists.
Not that there's anything wrong with helping Americans in troubled times. Kudos to President Bush and Congress, for instance, for quickly passing an economic stimulus plan. And Team McCain gets an A in creative populist pander for its summer-gas-tax-holiday proposal. But whatever happened to straight talk about its cost ($10 billion from the already strapped federal highway fund) and what it would really save ($40 per car)? Not to be outdone, Clinton pounced on the plan, one-upping McCain by saying she would pay for it all with a tax on the bad guys—the oil companies. Such perfect populist symmetry. Only Obama and the president resisted the gimmick, Bush by refusing to comment (and thereby not kick McCain) and Obama by stating the obvious: While it all sounds good, it will save little and do nothing about the bigger problems of oil consumption and imports. "This isn't an idea designed to get you through the summer," Obama argued. "It's designed to get them through an election." Shocking.
It may be that when we look back at the arc of this campaign, we will see these past few weeks as the tipping point, the time when this very different election became very ordinary, replete with the usual posturing. After all, as Democratic pollster Mark Mellman points out, one of the better predictors of how people will vote is how they answer this question: Who cares the most about people like me? "Everybody is struggling to win that vote," he says. In that fight, we end up with what former Bill Clinton policy adviser William Galston calls "our lowest-common-denominator democracy," which foments phony populism—especially when about 80 percent of the voters think the country is headed in the wrong direction. Bush told the nation last week that "if there was a magic wand to wave, I'd be waving it." You bet he would—if he were running again.
The way things were. In this world of economic anxiety, there is one thing a politician cannot be, and that's out of touch. It is why Bush the Elder was skewered in 1988 for not knowing the price of a gallon of milk. And it is why Obama's remarks about small-town bitterness came as a gift to his opponents. They provided fodder for an easy and damaging story line about his elite tastes and appeal, which helped fuel his loss to Clinton among important lower-income white voters in Pennsylvania. As economic fears mount, Obama's simple message of change suddenly seems more complex, even threatening. Yes, voters want to change Washington. But at the same time, some folks (especially older ones) want to go back to the way things were. Most of all, says one Democratic strategist, "change may now seem too vague and irrelevant to people suffering economically. They want action."
Enter Hillary Clinton, working gal. Forget the message about experience, about those years close to power in the White House. Now the graduate of Wellesley and Yale Law is a 9-to-5-er who feels your pain at the pump and at work. She's mad as hell and not going to take it anymore, and she's fighting for you. "She only found her message when it became clear she needed it," says an unaffiliated Democratic strategist. Hey, answering the red phone at 3 a.m. is also working the night shift, right?
So as Obama wrestles with his narcissistic pastor and the larger demons of race, Clinton poses at the pump and McCain tries to give you a tax break. Just another day at work.
Reader Comments
Gloria Borger
Gloria Borger
OBAMA SHOULD STEP DOWN
I am a 58 year old white woman and want a Democrat to win the White House. Please support Senator Clinton. I will explain the problems and issues that are surrounding Obama that make him unelectable.
Senator Obama should really step down and start supporting Senator Clinton before the Democrats loose this Presidential election to McCain. I do not wish to smear Senator Obama, that is not my intent. Democrats need to address these issues head on and stop dancing around them. They are real problems and need to be evaluated carefully.
Here is a portion of a list of the many issues that McCain will most certainly attack:
1.} Reverend Wright: Obama's connection with this man and the church Trinity United Church of Christ. The Church represents: Black Liberation Theology. The church has supported Louis Farrakhan, an African American radical anti Semitic leader, Louis Farrkhan. Fox news has recently revealed that Senator Obama and Farrakhan have both been on the cover of the Church Trumpet magazine together. They both attended the “Million Man March” in Washington DC in 1995.
2.) Anton Rezko:
Syrian Criminal that is supporting Obama. He is on trial in Chicago. During a debate, Obama said he barely knew of him. According to ABC news and Chicago Tribune they were much more involved. This is a red flag for the Republicans
3.)Elitist Remarks:
Obama has acted too "out of touch" to many men in America. His speech in San Francisco which made condescending remarks about Pennsylvania blue collar workers represented his elitist attitude. He appears “cocky" to many blue collar Americans. They love their religion and don't blame the government for wanting to attend church and have guns for sport. Lastly, to imply that these Americans are bitter to the point that they dislike immigrants or people who don’t look like them was another remark that indeed showed Obama’s own bitterness.
4.) William Ayers-Weather Underground Terrorist Group
Recently there has been too many questions about Obama’s relationship with William Ayers. Senator Obama has received a small donation from Mr. Ayers for his campaign and was working in the Woods Foundation with him for years. Obama ignored these connections when asked in the ABC debate. To date Obama has not explained his relationship with this terrorist. Obama did work with Mr. Ayers for years on the “Woods Foundation”. Many Americans would not attend any meeting with anyone that bombed government buildings. McCain will not let this issue slide.
5.) Not seating Michigan and Florida: Obama is not working along with Senator Clinton to solve this delema because of his own political gains. The math would be much different. Florida and Michigan would seat over 400 delegates. That is the reason why Senator Obama is fighting not to have them seated Senator Obama would then lack the leverage with the superdelegates that he has the popular vote and the more delegates. Obama will not allow them to be seated nor will he allow them to revote. This is a “Presidential Election”. They have had rules changed before, I am sure, according to Donna Brazille one major seat on the committee. Florida and Michigan would never come out to vote if they knew it would not count. Obama campaigned in Florida. That has to be counted. Just because Obama took his name off the ballot in Michigan, is not anyone’s fault but his own. This is strictly political and extremely unfair for the voters.
6.) Change of heart over the months. Many people in my community would have voted differently, if they knew what they knew now about Senator Obama. It’s only been a few months that Obama is being vetted
The Revered Wright issue, Senator Obama’s Church’s values and his elitist condescending attitude were not discussed at when the first 10 or 20 states voted. Aren’t the Democrats risking a lot by not adding this factor into their decision making process of determining who could win the general election?
7.) Obama can’t win the big states or “close the deal”: California, NJ, NY, Ohio, Pennsylvania , Florida, Michigan, Texas, West Virginal, Ohio and Kentucky. He can’t get the support he needs to win from the Latinos, women, older voters, white men and white women. He has out spent Senator Clinton up to four times more on advertising than Clinton in Pa and still couldn’t close the deal.
8.) Race has to be an issue. We all want the world to be of one race and not have any prejudice, but that is not the case. The reality is that a lot of white older Americans will not vote for Obama. Most people when asked said they would. But how many you could face another and admit what you’re really feel about race.
9.) Where are the Latino’s? This is not about black and white. I believe that this has much to do about Latino’s also. If Obama can’t reach out to the older Latino’s that will be a mistake. Senator Clinton has had a rapport with Latino’s for many years and they strongly support her.
8.) The deception of this candidate is also one that is questionable. Obama is not being honest. He has lied about his relationship with his pastor. First he was like an “old uncle” to him, and then he didn’t know that he was like that. He has said that his mother was white from Kansas and never brings up he has a black father that was a Muslim. He avoids telling the entire story. He keeps tooting the fact that he voted against the war, yet out of 85 votes for the war, he only voted one time against it.
9.) Policies not clear and not for the welfare of the average American family;
No Universal Health Care-15 million will not be insured.
No Gas Tax relief for the poorest of people that Senator Clinton wants to help by taking from Oil companies to pay for the tax holiday
No Mortgage freeze
I ask that you support Senator Clinton. She will fight for all Americans. President Clinton is also a bonus. He has been painted so wrong by the media. This President is loved by over 65 percent of this country to this day. President Clinton has expertise in the economy above all. Our country had no debt, the country was at peace and jobs were plentiful when President Clinton was in office.
Younger voters should be aware of this. President Clinton accomplishments with the economy and his involvement with the civil rights of African Americans should not be overlooked. President Clinton chose to have his office is in Harlem. He was called the “first black president” For anyone to even think for a minute that President Clinton is a racist couldn't be further from the truth.
President Clinton and Senator Clinton are Democrats. That is the only change we need in Washington. The Democratic Party will change everything. But Democrats have to win the White House. McCain will destroy Obama. The Clintons will destroy McCain.
Many Clinton supporters will not support Obama. Over 38 percent will support McCain. That is a big problem. Only 17 percent of Obama supporters will not support Clinton. We will all have some hurt over the outcome of this race, but we really need a Democrat to win.
Stop listening to the pundits coverage about the Clintons. They are super stars. Instead throw your weight behind them. They are loved everywhere in the US and throughout the WORLD We still have questions about Senator Obama’s ability to close the deal, other dark secrets that may be found out in his closet and his true values are in question by many.
I am writing for the Americans in my community, not to smear Senator Obama but to explain the concerns of many. Seventeen “million” people are supporting Senator Clinton. There is a reason for that type of turn out. They really love her and believe in her abilities.
Democrats will be only be successful in November if they select a candidate who mirrors the successful tickets that won the 2006 midterm elections -- candidates who connected with average Americans.
If the candidate who emerges from this primary season echoes the liberal elitism of McGovern, Dukakis, Gore and Kerry, then the Democrats should start bracing for a losing year, one they should have easily won.
This is a different world today and the youth are so vulnerable. I am frightened that the youth are being misled and just doing the “in” thing to support Obama
I ask that you really pay attention to seasoned voters and support the winner, Senator Clinton.
List of Additional Web sites:
You Tube: Reverend Wright, Farrakhan, Rezko, William Ayers, Reverend Otis Moss
Politico.com: Reverend Wright, 60’s Radical William Ayers, Louis Farrakhan
Fox News.com: William Ayers, Reverend Wright, Million Man March, Marxism, Black Power, Louis Farrakhan, “the weatherman” underground
Lou Dobbs: Louis Farrakhan, Black Liberation Theology, Unfair Political Coverage
Huffington Post: Elitist statements, Rezko trial
Trinity United Church of Christ: 10 point Black Value System, Louis Farrakhan “Saviors Day” Trumpet Magazine: Louis Farrakhan is on the cover with Obama
Chicago Tribune: Farrakhan speech to 20,000 Nation of Islam members to support Senator Obama
ABC News.com: Debate – Obama and Clinton April 2008
Chicago Sun Times.com: Louis Farrakhan, Rezko etc.
List of Additional Newspapers:
Chicago Tribune: Farrakhan’s rally for Obama, Reverend Wright, Rezko, Reverend Wright
Chicago Sun Times: Rezko’s Trial, William Ayers, Reverend Wright, Farrakhan, Wright
ABC News: Tony Rezko, William Ayers, Reverend Wright, The weather underground
New York Times: Reverend Wright, William Ayers, Muslim Father
Washington Times: Black Liberation Theology
Hmm...
I Think Gloria may be a sickly Jew.
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