Dick Morris on Ryan vs. Biden: Paul Ryan Will Cut Him to Pieces in a Debate

[Drunken Irishman]

11. I'd wager the triangulation actually hurt him...

In the end, his overall share of the vote was less than 50% ... he became the first president since Wilson, I believe, to not win at least a majority of the vote in either of his elections. Much of this is because the left didn't vote. He got the moderates and most Democrats, but Democratic turnout was also less in '96 than in '92 (39% in '96 and 43% in '92 - while Republican turnout was the exact same).

That's not to say there wasn't reasoning behind it. When he brought on Morris, I believe they were struggling to find a message in '95 after the Republican take over and most polls showed the Republicans beating him ... some comfortably. So, they probably didn't anticipate the type of surge, or the overreach of Newt, that got 'em some impressive approval numbers throughout '96.

In hindsight, though, it did no one any good and Clinton's centrist campaign made '96 the most boring election with zero ideas and little differences in modern American history. So, it's no wonder turnout in '96 was the lowest in American history (only 49%)