Pumped after her big April 19 win in the New York Democratic primary, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told ABC’s “Good Morning America” she hoped Bernie would go to bat for her now that’s it’s clear she’ll win the nomination. Talking about what happened when she ended her 2008 campaign against President Barack Obama, Hillary said she rallied her supporters to back Obama. “When I withdrew in June of 2008, polls were showing that at least 40% of my supporters weren’t going to support President Barack Obama,” said Hillary. What she doesn’t say is that things are different this time around. Obama hadn’t positioned himself, like Sanders, as the insurgent candidate, going to great lengths to prove to voters his presidency would mirror mainstream voters. Obama went overboard in 2008 selling himself as a post-partisan president.
Things changed once Obama put his left hand on the bible, sworn in Jan. 20, 2009. It didn’t take long for the “post-partisan” candidate to allow House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to push for the Affordable Care Act. When the Senate passed the ACA Dec. 24, 2009 without one GOP vote, it was quite the Christmas gift for the Democratic Party. Obama bounced from post-partisan candidate to ultra-partisan Democratic president, slamming the door on Republicans in the House and Senate. Hillary’s supporters gladly jumped on the Obama bandwagon in 2008, not because they loved Obama but because they loved Hillary less. Expecting the same results with Bernie this time around isn’t realistic. Driven by idealism, Bernie’s youthful backers aren’t likely to jump ship to Hillary, regardless if he drops out.
Hillary talks about campaigning for Obama in 2008, “from group to group, even as late as the convention,” hoping Bernie would follow suit. If Hillary really wants Bernie’s loyal following, she’d offer him a place on the ticket. When you consider all the red states won by Bernie, you’d think it’s a no-brainer to keep him on the ticket, if he agrees. Yet the Clinton camp shows no signs of offering Bernie anything, let along VP. “I’m hoping the same things will happen this time,” said Hillary, referring to Bernie backing her campaign. Some Democratic strategists believe Bernie is too far to left when Hillary pivots toward the general election, showing, like her husband Bill, she can “triangulate” with middle-of-the-road and conservative-leaning voters, hoping to capture crossover Republicans. Bernie’s appeal in more red state lends undeniable value to Hillary’s Democratic constituency.
Hillary’s campaign emphasized that Bernie does poorly with minority voters, especially African Americans. While there’s plenty of young minority voters on Bernie’s bandwagon, Hillary captures an aging Democratic demographic, requiring her to pivot toward Bernie’s constituency. Crunching the numbers, Hillary does poorly where Bernie excels and vice versa. Yet there’s no talk whatsoever about Hillary considering Bernie for the ticket. Despite the elder of campaign 2016, Bernie attracts more young voters than any other candidate. Focusing on increasing the minimum wage, universal health care and free college tuition at public colleges, Bernie’s message resonates with young voters. Taking a victory lap on “Good Morning America,” you’d think someone would ask Hillary why she’s not considering Bernie for VP. If Hillary wants Bernie’s voters, making him VP would do the trick.
Whether admitting it or not, Hillary’s hinted that Bernie should throw in the towel, despite raising millions on the Internet much like Obama in 2008 from an extensive Internet donor-base. You’d think that, apart from getting Bernie’s voters,” she’d also want to capitalize on his donor-base, keeping his campaign flush with cash. As long as Bernie has the money, he’ll press on toward the convention, at least for now. If after next Tuesday’s I-95 corridor primaries, including Connecticut, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Maryland, Hillary runs-the-table, Bernie might consider calling it quits. Hillary’s big win in New York looks like a telltale of what’s to come next week, not good for Bernie’s campaign. If Hillary really wants Bernie’s youth followers and prodigious fund-raising apparatus, she’d make a place for Vermont’s independent senator on the ticket.
Looking ahead to November, Hillary’s got a lot of ground to make up with independent voters if she hopes to capture the White House. With 69-year-old real estate tycoon Donald Trump looking more like the GOP nominee, Hillary can talk all she wants about locking up the minority vote but it’s not enough to get to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Trump’s become a magnate for independent voters, tired of Washington’s endless partisan bickering and gridlock. Whatever his deficit in experience, Trump’s an outsider promising to shake things up in Washington. Hillary’s a known political commodity, promising more of the same, leaving Washington at loggerheads. Without Bernie’s 100% backing, Hillary faces headwinds in the general election. With Bernie at her side, Hillary has a better chance of selling independent voters that she’d also get something done.
