Bill Clinton “repeatedly ate the right’s lunch at election time” — in which alternative universe did this occur, James? In the universe where I was living:
- Clinton won the 1992 election with 43% of the popular vote against George Bush, who most definitely was not “the right.”
- The backlash against Clintonian misrule fueled the historic 1994 GOP congressional sweep.
- Clinton was re-elected in 1996 with 49% of the popular vote against Bob Dole, who was only slightly more “right” than Bush had been.
- The sole claim to a Clintonian victory was the 1998 midterm backlash against the impeachment, which still was not enough, however, to regain Democratic control of the Congress.
Where I come from, that doesn’t count as eating the right’s lunch. Clinton was arguably the worst thing that happened to the Democratic Party since LBJ.
