Nutroots® Vs. The Center: The Struggle Continues
Good piece today at Real Clear Politics to start out your Friday with. Tom Bevan takes a look at the battle between the progressive and mainstream Democrats and the newfound fire in the belly of the center. Bevan looks at the Jonathan Chait brouhaha, a hawkish statement by 2008 hopeful Evan Bayh, and this gem from Marshall Wittmann, former Communications Director for John McCain, Kerry supporter in 2004 and now a senior wonk at the Progressive Policy Institute:
“Mr. Moulitsas is complaining about Hillary Clinton’s centrism and that she isn’t leading with big ideas. Well, here’s a big idea that Hillary is taking the lead on that deeply rankles Mr. Moulitsas and his blogosphere buddies – she’s tough on national security. That is the same reason that they are trying to run Joe Lieberman out of the party. Hillary has demonstrated courage in the face of the left wing fever swamp by refusing to reverse her position on Iraq and standing firm against Iran obtaining nukes.”
Oooh, them’s fighting words – and they resonate nicely. Well said.
Read the whole thing, it’s a good one…
Perhaps there’s still hope for those of us who lean in the direction of the Scoop Jackson wing of the Dems. But I seriously wonder is Hillary! is not just borrowing his husband’s infamous “triangulation” strategy here. You know the routine: tack to the right – center during the campaign, then furiously tack back to the left after winning the election.
I don’t wonder at all.
Maybe Hil is triangulifying. So what? She lacks principle? Um, okay. Frankly, any swinging Richard who goes full time into politics can be credibly so maligned. I don’t doubt that in her heart of hearts she is a Gramscian socialist, dedicated to her March Through the Institutions, but I could vote for Hil, certainly over Kerry (though that of course is not the option) or Gore or really over Clinton. This is one tough, sour assed bitch and friends and foes, we may well have use of such. She follows polls? Gee, get the mink whip. I am a dedicated Pubbie, small guv, libertarian, atheist bougie crewcut but if the fate of the GWOT were to be left in the hands of any Dem, except MAYBE Joey L, best it be the unindicted co-conspirator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Perosecution of the war… REAL prosecution of the war is paramount. She will not shrink. I think.
That’s sort of my optimistic hope too, mega. I don’t agree with Hillary’s politics, and I didn’t care for having the wife of the president taking a policy role because of the untenableness of that kind of situation, but I’ve never bought into the notion that she’s some kind of hippy communist in a pantsuit. Looking at her senate career, she seems earnestly interested in the prosecution of the GWOT. If she’s the nominee, I’ll be pleased because if I don’t vote for her and she wins anyway, I think she’s unlikely to view the most important part of the GWOT as making sure more public money is shoveled toward public unions, a la Kerry.
I could be wrong, and perhaps some of her inevitable leftward tacking during the primary season will turn me off, but she inspires more confidence in me than the folks Kos and Atrios seem to like.