2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumAccording Clinton, in 2008 Obama wasn't electable either...
Clinton's campaign operatives were more blatant than the ex-President, shooting out emails comparing Obama and Jackson, noting that in 1988, Jackson won the South Carolina primary with 54% of the vote (to 19% for Al Gore and only 18% for Michael Dukakis, the eventual Democratic nominee).
The Clinton campaign message was transparent: although Obama can win enough black votes to win a few primaries, but he can't prevail in states where whites comprise a huge majority of voters, and certainly isn't as "electable" as Hillary in the November election.
As you can see the "electable" argument is something Clinton has used before. The Democratic Primary in 2008 clearly showed who the "unelectable" candidate was. And, much like this year, it was Hillary Clinton.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/peter-dreier/white-voters-deserve-more_b_83604.html
Eric J in MN
(35,619 posts)It wasn't about who was more electable in the general election.
draa
(975 posts)Nobody's talking about being "electable" in a primary. That would just be silly.
Warren DeMontague
(80,708 posts)I suspect that he ran a hell of a lot better than she would have, actually, in the general that year.
Ino
(3,366 posts)ABC News reported that Hillary Clinton lobbied (Bill) Richardson hard, claiming Obama would lose in the general election. "He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win," she reportedly said.
draa
(975 posts)Sounds like she was more worried than confident.
Great find by the way. Thanks.
Ino
(3,366 posts)"He can't win," as in "He'll lose the GE." In which case, she was wrong.
OR
"He can't win," as in "It's inconceivable that I'll lose. It's imperative that I win!" In which case, it's the I'm Inevitable Queen-Bee panicking.
And she was wrong
Green Forest
(232 posts)When people get to know Hillary's unlikeable, untrustworthy, lying Rovian self in a tough race, as they did in 2008, she loses. Fast forward to 2016....
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