In case you were hoping that the random blurts about Monica Lewinsky and Hillary Clinton and 2016 from
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and
Republican National Chairman Reince Priebus represented something other than the the full-fledged return of Clinton Derangement Syndrome, I have bad news for you. CDS is back, and it's probably here to stay—unless Ted Cruz comes up with something even crazier to talk about.
Here's a perfect example: Thursday's Wall Street Journal has a long piece taking seriously the notion that the CDS fantasies of the 1990s are going to play a big role in 2016.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The three-page memo to Hillary Clinton came from a veteran Democratic operative trying to prepare her for the perils of campaigning for a New York Senate seat.
“I strongly urge that a comprehensive ‘book’ be prepared on all of the ‘personal issues,’ such as Whitewater, Vince [Foster], Rose law firm, commodities trading, Monica, etc.,” wrote Harold Ickes. “This ‘book’ should include all of the tough questions that you will be asked (and, if you decide to run, you will be asked) in this regard.”
Mr. Ickes sent the letter in April 1999, when the Monica Lewinsky scandal was still fresh and the first lady was mulling a Senate bid.
Fifteen years year later, Mr. Ickes’s advice still seems timely. Should Mrs. Clinton enter the 2016 presidential race, it’s doubtful she’ll be able to sidestep the old questions. And it’s not hard to visualize someone in the Clinton high command dusting off the “book.”
Please read below the fold for more on this story.
Yeah, you read that right. According to the WSJ, the 1990s are back. Including Vince Foster. Just perfect. The only question I have is this: Since they're preparing to go full-on nutter, why no mention of Ron Brown? And where are the state troopers? Actually, I think I know the answer: They probably think they're holding back "the good stuff" until the election gets closer.
Aside from the bizarre spectacle of grown adults convincing themselves of conspiracy theories every bit as crazy as the notion that President Obama was born in Kenya, the thing that's really strange about all this is that the CDS crowd actually seems to believe that they are the the kryptonite that will destroy Hillary's presidential ambitions. But the opposite is true: The more they share their delusions, the better it will be for Clinton.
Even Mitt Romney, who isn't exactly a genius political mind, understands this:
I think Hillary Clinton, if she becomes a nominee, will--will have plenty to--to discuss about her own record. I--I don't imagine that Bill Clinton is going to be a big part of it. That being said the--the times when he was president were by and large positive economic times for the country.
But while Mitt is right that it will be a mistake for the GOP to harp on the 1990s, that's exactly what's going to happen. And the funny thing is that at least when it comes to the economy, I'll bet 99 percent of Americans would happily trade the way things are now for the way things were then.