What is clear is that many HRC supporters on DU actually themselves are likely closer to Bernie or O'Malley on the issues of war and peace, regulation of financial organizations, and economic policy. That is why -- even as they post Bernie can't win because he is to extreme -- they argue that in reality Bernie is just the same as Clinton.
Now, I don't have a strong commitment to any of those running. I have defended Bernie and Burlington from smears. One thing I know from past years is that the hardest thing to be really honest about is when the position taken by the candidate you support differs from yours. Then only in safe spaces (for me the JK group) is it comfortable to disagree - knowing the others reading it would know the overall respect for the politician, both as a person and as a politician, with whom I almost always agree.
In addition, you and I both know what the overall DU reaction would be to most important things that could be said on major issues. I always knew when something JK said or did was going to set DU on fire against him. I also knew which things he would be praised for, though in his case, any praise is always accompanied by posts of grievances going back decades. I also saw that sometimes the things that resonated best here - were things that to some degree made many in the mainstream unhappy.
On the economic issues -- Clinton has moved to a position far from the Bill Clinton positions. This could reflect that these are different times. Different times require different prescriptions. It is weird that TPP, that was the centerpiece of what her book seemed to say was one of main accomplishments - the pivot to Asia, is something she is now against - even as the changes have been to make it less bad. This is why she has long had the reputation of just going the way the wind is blowing.
However, on ISIS/Syria, she is NOT going the way the primary voters lean. Every poll shows that the majority of Americans do not want significant combat troops there. I suspect that she feels that this is less a "voting issue" than the economy -- and that she can win the nomination even with this position. That and her allies have also positioned her plan as "like Obama's", but accelerated and stronger. In fact, it is nowhere near the same thing. Consider just the idea of a no fly zone -- Obama rejected it 100% and explained that it was not against ISIS which doesn't use planes. Clinton wants to us it and from her words, it is clear it is against Assad and ignores that Russia is there as well.
I suspect what she is doing is positioning herself. In the best case for the world and Obama, where there is a ceasefire, a new Constitution and elections in Syria resulting in the end to the civil war and more stable governance there, HRC will say that was where things would be had she been President -- except better. In the worst case, where this is still a proxy war, bloody mess - she can point to having thoroughly disagreed with Obama.
Now as to DU, I am stunned by the Clinton people SHOCKED that a very antiwar site (DU) would reject badly to her speech. Remember how they reacted to Obama and Kerry speaking of a very limited, target attack to move Assad from continuing to use chemical weapons? Now, both Obama and Kerry are less militant than Clinton, but the outrage was nearly immeasurable. In fact, the reaction to Clinton's speech is far more muted -- and there are many who would be livid if Obama announced this as what he intended to do who have ignored the speech or even defended it.
That is not racism (or sexism), but the difference between lining up behind someone in the political game -- and reacting to a sitting President with the ability to actually do these things -- now. I do thing that many people posting what are essentially very condescending remarks that anyone on DU questioning Obama's former Secretary of State's position is doing so to support Bernie Sanders - implying that there could be no underlying reason for doing so. It is pretty insulting and not likely to lead to any intelligent discussions.
= new reply since forum marked as read
