May 22, 2015
EXCEPT THAT THEY RACE TO THE MIDDLE AS SOON AS THEY GET NOMINATED:
The disenfranchisement of America's center (David Ignatius, May 21, 2015, Washington Post)
Hillary Clinton's move to the left on trade and other issues is a reminder of the growing power of activists in the wings in presidential nominating politics -- and a corresponding diminution of the power of the center."Social and demographic shifts mean that no left-leaning position Clinton takes now would be likely to hurt her" in next year's general election, The Post's Anne Gearan writes in a recent assessment of Clinton's strategy. Meanwhile, GOP candidates are doubling down in the other direction, as they move toward their party's right wing.
No one genuinely believes that Hillary would oppose trade, or business generally, as president, anymore than anyone believed Mitt would oppose amnesty. The only modern politician silly enough to try to stay on the wing that the primaries had pushed him to was Al Gore and it cost him an unlosable election.
Posted by Orrin Judd at May 22, 2015 4:12 PM
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