An open letter
An open letter
By Liberal Librarian
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Well, we now have two declared candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination. (If we’re being charitable, three, but who’s counting Lincoln Chafee?)
Hillary Clinton is on her “listening tour” (didn’t she do that in 2008?), and seems to be listening somewhat. She gave a speech calling for the end of mass incarceration; a mass incarceration she called for back when her husband was president. But, people change, that was 20 years ago, and being the good rationalist I am I will keep an open mind. I’m certainly not going to dismiss her out of hand if she wins the nomination, because the thought of someone more conservative and unhinged than Antonin Scalia taking his seat on the Supreme Court should give even the most side-eyed Democratic Clinton-hater a bucket-full of pauses.
And then we have Bernie Sanders. I really don’t know why he’s running. He might have made an impact as an independent; but, props to him, he didn’t want to split the left vote, so he’s giving it the old college try. But an old guy with unkempt hair who looks like he should be feeding the pigeons probably won’t have the financial wherewithal to take on the Koch/Adelson money machine (something Hillary will have no problem doing should she win). Bernie running is part vanity, and part to get his issues out beyond his acolytes. (This is assuming that the media give him any attention, even if he is running as a Democrat. The media is good at ignoring those who are inconvenient.)
Some are rooting for Deval Patrick to enter. Many are pinning their hopes on Martin O’Malley. And, of course, there’s always Jim Webb. (I jest.)
Of course, I have questions.
Which Democratic candidate will run on the Obama legacy, rather than running to reset to Year Zero, before the Black Guy came and shook up American politics like no president before him? Which candidate will embrace the Obama program, promising to build on it, improve it, take it forward, keep perfecting it? That’s what the Obama coalition wants to hear; not, “We need new ideas for a new time”, but, “We’re going to take what’s been working for 8 years and make it even better.”
Hillary has been on a waffling mission, at times embracing President Obama’s legacy, at others striking out in a most clanging fashion. Bernie, of course, thinks Pres. Obama is another corporatist stooge, so don’t expect much praise from him. (TPP!!!)
Which Democratic candidate can keep the Obama coalition together? It’s the coalition which has won 2 elections in a row. And not only that, but which candidate can continue the work of getting that coalition to turn out to vote in midterms?
Hillary, to her credit, has announced that she’s going to set up a 50-state grassroots campaign. In that she is following the Obama playbook. But will that bring in the Obama voters, or is she trying to completely sideline that coalition? And if so, will she be able to build a strong enough coalition to not only win the presidency, but affect down-ticket races? Bernie? Well… TPP!!!
Which Democratic candidate can unite all the Big Tent factions? Who can speak to Obama voters, Conservadems, the minority interests, labor? Who can unite the party?
I have no doubt that Hillary will try her hardest to unite all the Democratic factions. But, as readers of this essay are aware, there is already a huge backlash against her among Obama loyalists, who see her at best as a fair-weather ally. I don’t think Obama voters will go PUMA on her, but I don’t think they’ll rally around her with enthusiasm. Bernie, meanwhile, will appeal to a very small slice of the Democratic electorate, the one which thinks Democrats need to be even more to the left. It’s a needed voice, but speaks for not even a plurality of Democratic votes, much less general election voters.
Of course, there is one person who ticks off all these boxes.
He can’t run away from the Obama success (not that he would want to) because he’s been intimately involved in it.
He’s viewed by the Obama coalition as the heir apparent, a loyal soldier ready to take over the leadership from Pres. Obama.
He can speak to all the Democratic factions, because he’s worked with them throughout his long and honored career.
That man, of course, is Joe Biden.
No other Democrat has the standing Joe does.
As Pres. Obama’s loyal lieutenant, he has furthered Administration goals, arguing passionately for them.
He has given counsel. It hasn’t always been accepted (as with the Osama bin Laden raid), but has never been given in a self-serving manner.
He has defended the Administration and his president with the tenacity of a bulldog, gleefully highlighting the hypocrisy of our opponents.
And he has a good will among Democrats which no other Democrat has. He’s affable. He’s charming. He’s down-to-earth. He has no pretense.
I don’t know if he’ll run. I don’t think he knows if he’ll run. He’s run twice already, and lost both times. But neither of the previous two times that he’s run has he done so possessing the well of good-feeling which he has now. He wouldn’t be running as one of one hundred senators; he’d be running as the one man who would guarantee the continuation of the Obama program.
I will respect his decision if, after a career of service, he decides he wants to spend more time with Dr. Jill. But, I hope he has one more fight left in him. We all hope he does.
http://theobamadiary.com/2015/04/30/an-open-letter-2/#more-201970
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