In her defense, Clinton continues to use Barack Obama as a shield. Her defense on taking Wall Street money: Obama did it. On opposing the break up of the big banks: Obama hasn't. On the auto bailout: Obama wanted it as part of the Bush bailout of the banks. On support for fracking: Obama says it works.
This is a clever tactic in Democratic primaries where Obama remains popular. And Clinton will no doubt distance herself from Obama when the general election begins to paint herself as an agent of change. But at a time when voters are looking for real change, Clinton continually makes herself the candidate of continuity.
The Evolving Debate
The Flint debate offered not one question or word on foreign policy, other than the exchanges over trade and the Ex-Im Bank. Clinton has now adopted populist rhetoric and policies on multinational corporations moving jobs abroad, on CEO pay and abuses. This is both a testament to the effect of the Sanders campaign and smart politics.
Several exchanges demonstrated why Senate candidates have difficulty in presidential debates. Clinton skewers Sanders on votes by isolating specific measures within broader bills. Last night, she painted him as opposed to the auto bailout because he voted against Bush's bank bailout bill. In reality, Sanders favored the auto bailout but voted against bailing out the big banks that blew up the economy. She defends herself on her support for her husband's harsh crime bill by saying that Sanders voted for it. But in reality, Sanders warned against the harsh sentencing and death penalty provisions, while Clinton campaigned in favor of them. In reference the crime bill, Sanders sought to educate voters on this reality last night:
"There are bills in Congress that have bad stuff, there are bills in Congress that have good stuff. Good stuff and bad stuff in the same bill.
"Now, if I have voted against that [crime] bill, Secretary Clinton would be here tonight and she'd say, 'Bernie Sanders voted against the ban on assault weapons. Bernie Sanders voted against the violence against women act.' Those were provisions in the bill, as the Secretary just indicated. So, in that bill there was some good provisions, I have been a fierce fighter against domestic violence ever since I was mayor in Burlington.
"Violence Against Women Act has protected millions of women in this country, it was in that bill. The ban on assault weapons, that's what I have fought for my whole life. It was in that bill."
The exchange revealed the problem Senate candidates have, particularly against a sophisticated campaign operation like Clinton's. They are damned if they vote yes and damned if they don't. Clinton has used the tactic on the offense on the auto bailout and on the defense on the crime bill. She can get away with this because the press usually doesn't expose the gambit and voters don't know the context. Will it work against someone with such obvious integrity and commitment as Bernie Sanders? That remains to be seen.
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