There were many good things about the Clintons in the Whitehouse. But helping other democrats get elected was not one of them. In fact, the Clintons were bad for other democrats: they were consumed by their own ambition.
This explains why so many democratic leaders of that time- Senator Daschle for example- are now for Obama. Actually, being a friend of the Clintons was often a very precarious position. They got caught up in the myriad feuds, investigations and scandals and got no help in return. Ask Lani Guinere, who was nominated and then `dis-appointed' to be Attorney General. Or Howard Ickes, who is back on the inside now.
But the worst insult to Democratic colleagues was the way Bil Clinton ran his re-election campaign in 1996. He hired the slimy Dick Morris, who came up with the triangulation strategy of sacrificing Congressional Democrats. So what is wrong with that? Isn't it just politics as usual?
That is the first thing that was wrong with it: it was politics as usual. But the larger issue is that because of that strategy, Bill Clinton never had a working Congressional majority to support his policies. That is why he never left a permanent mark on American politics. For all his tactical brilliance, the only thing Clinton can claim are Republican ideas that he improved and helped pass: NAFTA, balanced budget, welfare reform.
Triangulation is why we don't have National Health Insurance. With the Clintons back in the White House, there will be no Universal Health Insurance for another generation. The economy might do well during their term- there are many good democrats from Wall Street who will fulfill Rubin's role- but there will be no permanent repeal of the Bush tax cuts. They just will never have the Congressional support for it.
For Hillary it is a personal crusade to become President. Where is her fourteen point plan to elect a Democratic Majority in Congress? Even in New York, where is her record of helping the State Senate go Democratic? It is Gov. Spitzer who is doing all the heavy lifting.
Hillary Clinton might win the White House if nominated. But she will not help win over any Congressional Districts currently held by Republicans: for the Republican rank and file despises her. She has no reach beyond the Democratic faithful.
Obama just proved the length of his coat-tails by helping take Il-14 for the Democrats. Hillary will be a disaster for Democratic elected officials, the same way Bill Clinton was in the nineties. Mark Penn is the
new Dick Morris. How long before he becomes a Fox News contributor too?
Many of the super-delegates are elected officials. They remember. That is why Obama has a chance.