My guess is I'm not the only progressive who is going to have a hard time with any daylight between these 2 statements:
1. Absent any seismic shifts, I'm probably around 90% on the Hillary Clinton train. My primary vote is hers to lose.
2. I can't see myself supporting any candidate in the Dem primaries who doesn't share my views on the 4th Amendment, warrantless spying of American citizens, etc.
In the 2008 primary season, the Iraq War Resolution was the main issue that separated the establishment wing and grassroots progressives. What hot button issues separate those two factions now? We all seem to be on the same page on Immigration Reform, Marriage Equality. and Voting Rights...as surprising as unity would have seemed 10 years ago on some of those issues.
Even on economic issues, the most corporatist Dems seem to talk a progressive and/or populist game come election time.
The most apparent stumbling block for Democratic primary contenders could be trying to justify or cheerlead infringements on our 4th Amendment liberties in the protection of our national security. Or worse yet, defending any personal involvement in such actions, should they come to light.
It's possible that a candidate on the "pro-security" side of this issue could emerge out the Democratic field. But they would surely be fighting an uphill battle, and potentially come out of it bruised.
I'll admit I'm predisposed to supporting Hillary, because she's our strongest candidate. Emotionally, any bitterness from the 2008 season is dissipated. She was an admirable representative of not only Democrats, but of all Americans, over the past 5 years.
But when debate season rolls around and there's one candidate defending the NSA and PRISM, and another one reminding us about the 4th Amendment and Benjamin Franklin...that's going to quickly become the only relevant factor.
I'm not implying that Hillary is on a specific side of this. I legitimately want to know. My worry is she has positioned herself as the establishment candidate once before. And given the rhetorical performance of the establishment (especially MSM) on the surveillance issue over the past few weeks, a Dem candidate would not be doing themselves any favors being associated with the establishment position.
Too much hand-wringing given that it's only 2013?