REPUBLICANS’ BILL
CLINTON
“A generation
ago, Democrats lost five of
six Presidential elections; in
1992, Bill Clinton, calling himself a New Democrat, ended the streak.
Clinton didn't repudiate the whole Democratic platform – government
1992, Bill Clinton, calling himself a New Democrat, ended the streak.
Clinton didn't repudiate the whole Democratic platform – government
activism on behalf of ordinary Americans remained
the Party's core idea – but he
adopted positions on issues like crime and welfare that were more in tune with the
adopted positions on issues like crime and welfare that were more in tune with the
views of the majorirv, including some rank-and-file Democrats. The message,
[Peter] Wehner said, was as much symbolic as substantive: "‘'We're not a radical party;
we've sanded off our rougher edges, and you can trust me.' " He went on, ‘The hope
for some of us was that our candidate in 2016 would be the Republican version of
Clinton’- a conservative reformer who, having learned from past defeats, championed
economic policies that placed Republicans on the side of the hard-pressed, including
non-white Americans, the soon-to-be majority.”
[Peter] Wehner said, was as much symbolic as substantive: "‘'We're not a radical party;
we've sanded off our rougher edges, and you can trust me.' " He went on, ‘The hope
for some of us was that our candidate in 2016 would be the Republican version of
Clinton’- a conservative reformer who, having learned from past defeats, championed
economic policies that placed Republicans on the side of the hard-pressed, including
non-white Americans, the soon-to-be majority.”
Packer, George, “The Republican Class War,” pp: 26-34 (26), The
New Yorker, November 9, 2015.
