The "Reluctant PAC Man", Warren Buffet, who claimed just two years ago that he won't donate to super-PACs because he "doesn't want to see democracy go that way" and "You have to stand for something," has decided to show us just how mercurial his ideas on democracy really are. The now pro-PAC Man has cast his early vote with a $25,000 check to the group "Ready for Hillary," obstensibly because Buffet and Clinton... share the same stand on democracy?
In addition to predicting a 2016 win on his investment, Buffet told Fortune's "Most Powerful Women" conference that "Hillary is going to announce her run 'as late as possible.'" If we're supposed to wait for some type of spoiler alert on the already-spoiled next episode, I think I'll just go watch old re-runs of Dynasty instead.
It's not exactly clear what Buffet, who placed bets on both Obama AND Clinton in the 2008 primaries, is buying with his money. Apparently the bromance between he and Obama has changed -- much like the direction of Buffet's sunlit money and grasp of democracy -- if the Clinton camp is correct in their strategizing. According to The Hill:
Hillary Clinton allies say the prospective presidential candidate should take one lesson from the midterms: distance herself from President Obama.
Yes, voters who turned out in droves in 2008, and then again although less enthusiastically in 2012, to vote Obama into office are now revived and relieved to hear Democrats parrot the right wing: "It's Obama's fault."
“She is not President Obama. Let’s not forget, they were a team of rivals,” one staunch Clinton ally said. “Now is the time to further enunciate these differences.”
Democratic voters already recognized that when they chose Obama over Clinton in the 2008 primaries. We don't need to ask anyone to drop their pants to discover this. Clinton is not Obama. Or is she?
[Clinton allies] argue there were signs Tuesday [Nov. 4 at the midterms] of an electorate willing to embrace ideas such as raising the minimum wage, and that Hillary Clinton should further embrace the issue.
Were voters who did not stay at home for the midterms bored and dissatisfied with Obama? Or were they actually listening to a message received from the
White House?
In the 2014 State of the Union address, President Obama called on Congress to raise the national minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour, and soon after signed an Executive Order to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 for the individuals working on new federal service contracts.
The Hill's take on the "Reluctant Pac Man" goes on to say:
Clinton has faced unease on the left from some who argue that she is not outspoken enough on income inequality and too close to Wall Street.
Gee, I don't know of any Democratic voters who want equal pay and a stronger hand yoking in the banksters. That's just too far left. Democratic voters lean more toward the GOP these days, am I right?
[A] senior Republican strategist said the GOP would love to see Clinton move to the left, because the party believes that could be a fatal mistake.
“It’d be a grave mistake for Clinton to run to [Obama’s] left,” the GOP strategist said. “I don’t think she’s ever going to want to be seen with President Obama. That’d be a drag for her, but now she’s got some time to sort out how she’ll distance herself from him.”
If GOP strategists think so, by all means follow suit. I am starting to think these "Clinton allies" are Republican strategists, who think anything outside of their camp is "far left." It's not like anyone thinks Democrats are "liberal" or "progressive:"
Liberals argued Democrats lost races because they did not embrace a progressive message.
Proving once again that the Democrats haven't been paying attention to their own party's non-existent message, which would exist if they paid attention and got on board. If they actually wanted to win in the midterms, perhaps they should have stayed on point, emphasized the accomplishments and initiatives already in place, embraced the progress being made, and stuck at Obama's side. He is after all the man Democrats chose for two consecutive terms. Maybe Democratic stay-at-home voters would have come out for the midterms if their candidates had taken a clear and unwavering STAND and built on what's already there.
Spoiler alert for Clinton allies: If you don't build it, they won't come.