Not because Obama is a sooper-genius whose every word on things political is chiseled in stone on Sinai, but because I think the Clinton campaign failed for much the reason the Gore campaign failed: too much distancing from the successful president preceding, too little willingness to take advice from someone who had learned the hard way how to win.New: @BarackObama is quietly advising the 2020 Dem field, coaching them on how to run for president and urging them to compete aggressively in Trump country— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) February 18, 2019
My story this morning >>https://t.co/cV4Ch83HVx
Competing aggressively in Trump country, for example, is exactly what Hillary didn't do. I think she might have done as well, if not better, than Beto in Texas, had she tried. Which would have shaken the political narrative two years early, if nothing else, and maybe led to even more victories last November.
I can dream, can't I?
James Buchanan is the last Democratic candidate to succeed a Democrat in office, except by the death of the president. I believe this is still true.
ReplyDeleteThe guys who ran Clinton's campaign should never be hired to run another campaign. Writing off states that could be won is ridiculous.
Truman and LBJ both won re-election after taking over as VP on the death of a President. But incumbency has its privileges, so I take your point.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, Hillary's campaign was a disaster. She took money out of Texas but didn't try to campaign here. Obama is right: you don't win by writing off people the way Trump has. (He thinks only his base matters; it will be his political doom.)