This story from the AP was just too funny to pass up…
In final Iowa blitz, an outraged Hillary Clinton is channeling rival Bernie Sanders' economic anger
AMES, Iowa (AP) — Seeking victory in Iowa, Hillary Clinton has begun channeling the economic indignation of her rival Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, whose unapologetically liberal campaign has tightened the race ahead of Monday's caucuses and given him a lead in the New Hampshire contest that follows.
Making her closing argument to Iowa caucus-goers, Clinton now cloaks her detailed policy plans in Sanders' outraged rhetoric. Pharmaceutical pricing "burns" her up. Companies that take advantage of the tax loopholes get her "pretty riled up." And she promises to "rail away" at any industry that flouts the law.
"I'm going after all of them" she declared in Davenport, her tone escalating to a shout. "When I talk about going after those companies, those businesses, those special interests, I have a much broader target list than my opponents."
Oh, god, my sides are sore from laughing…
Just days removed from doing a big ticket fundraiser in Philadelphia with an investment firm facing regulatory scrutiny for its questionable "alternative investment” sales practices directed at small investors, Clinton has morphed into a raging populist.
What a campaign this has been for her…
From, “I’m a moderate, guilty as charged,” to claiming to be a progressive and a liberal, to, now, being the shouting populist who is committed to taking on special interests — well, she certainly has run the gamut.
The candidate-as-chameleon is an old political cliché, but Clinton is making a run at covering all the bases in the space of just a few short weeks.
The former secretary of state's fiery new tone underscores a strategic decision to co-opt some of the political style from the insurgent candidate who has galvanized the Democratic party and put her long-held lead in jeopardy.
…
Clinton’s fresh outrage comes after months of casting herself as more practical — and electable — alternative to Sanders, a strategy her campaign believed would undercut the grassroots Democratic enthusiasm for his candidacy.
For better or worse, Bernie Sanders has been giving the same speech for 35 years. When he says he’ll go after the entrenched corporate interests, you can be damn sure he means what he says.
Hillary Clinton’s Achilles heel is trustworthiness. People don’t always believe what she is saying.
I can’t imagine why.
Sanders should open every speech with a video montage of Clinton’s statements from this campaign season:
- Her calls for incrementalism.
- Her defense of taking $680,000 from Goldman Sachs for three speeches.
- Her dismissive “magic wand” comments about Sanders’ plans for Medicare-for-all and free college tuition.
- Her “never, ever” to health care for all.
- Her “moderate, guilty as charged” comment.
- And then the photo of her sneaking in the side door of that Philadelphia fundraiser that, for some strange reason, was never placed on her public schedule. Sanders should inform his audience about the company’s activities that have garnered regulatory scrutiny.
Finally, he should run short clips of the new, fiery, faux populist Hillary claiming she’ll rein in the bad actors and take on the special interests.
Then, only after his audience has stopped laughing, should he begin his speech.
UPDATE
I should have included the last paragraph from the AP story in the original diary. A number of folks have made note of it in the comments section. Hilarious. And telling...
"I love you guys too," she told several hundred people in Dubuque on Friday. "Everything I'm talking about I really believe in."