Watching Drumph’s press conference last night I was in turns repelled, fascinated and frightened. The themes he was outlining for the general election (and that is what he was doing) were all about going after HRC on how trade deals and bank cronyism has fucked over the working class. This will be a much more powerful theme for Drumph to run on than simple racial resentment, dog whistles, and conservative “principles” like fiscal rectitude and judicial restraint.
Clinton is going to have to respond to Drumph and to fend him off. The themes she sounded in her speech last night made a stab at that, but in a pusillanimous mealy mouthed way. She didn’t attack trade deals and she criticized corporations only because they weren’t doing the right thing. They weren’t voluntarily treating their workers and communities the way they should. No threats; nothing but moral suasion. Clinton clearly avoided saying anything that would alarm or upset her hedge fund donor class.
If Clinton is the nominee, it will not be difficult for Drumph to make her look mealy mouthed and slimy on trade deals everybody but the donor class hates. Especially given her husband’s (and Obama’s) ramming these deals down the throats of the Democratic Party. Deals Clinton allies like James Clyburn and Debbie Wasserman Schultz have lined up to vote for.
In which case the democratic wing of the Democratic Party — as represented this cycle by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren — will be in a position either to help Clinton. Or to toss her an anvil.
If Clinton tries to throw the progressive wing of the Party under the bus, we can echo Drumph’s critique of her as a neo-liberal rent girl who sells out the working class so she can make nice with all her peers in the Davos crowd. Which is basically true and a valid progressive criticism of her.
The best approach to this would be a few fairly subtle post-convention shots across her bow, letting her know that our cooperation in her election comes with a price and she can choose between her Davos friends or the working class.
In a close election, simply speaking truth about her record can really threaten her candidacy given the issues and given that the courtier media will have a field day with that kind of critique if it from Democrats in an election year.
Use it or lose it, I say.