If No One Challenges Hillary Clinton From The Left, One Progressive Group Will

[Tom Rinaldo]

8. I both support this effort and oppose those who might demonize Hillary in the process

We should put pressure on Hillary from the left. Definitely. And if a candidate from the left catches fire with the public and actually defeats her in the primaries, glory be. At the same time I hope few if any of us fall into some of the ugliest attacks against Hillary that were routinely thrown about during the 2008 primaries. Hillary is mildly center left, far to the right of where I want the Democratic Party to be. But come 2016 if she has the Democratic Party nomination I would enthusiastically, not hesitantly, support her against anyone who the Republicans may nominate. Not because I am enthusiastic about her specific politics, but because Democrats have to retain the presidency after 2016 for a truck load of reasons; real reasons, tangible reasons that make a difference in the lives of millions of people.

We are moving the Democratic Party to the left through the election of people like Sherod Brown and Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders and New York City's new mayor. If it turns out that we are not yet at a point where a strong liberal/progressive can once again head our national ticket we can make someone like Hillary Clinton more responsive to our positions if we keep electing more people to Congress like Brown, Sanders and Warren. Meanwhile all of that "Hillary was a Goldwater gal" trash talk from the 2008 primaries should be permanently retired. We are better than that nonsense.