“I’m not running for my husband's third term, I’m not running for Obama's third term, I’m running for my first term,” Hillary Clinton, frontrunner in the race for Democratic presidential nomination had said in October.
On Wednesday, she released an essay on her website, titled “What President Obama’s legacy means to me,” recounting the achievements of the incumbent, particularly in the sphere of economy and healthcare, and promising to build on that.
In the intervening months, self-proclaimed “democratic socialist” Bernie Sanders, who was written off by many pundits as inconsequential when he entered the race last year with three percent national approval rating, has been closing in.
Sanders comes into reckoning
In the latest poll released on Tuesday, by Monmouth University, he gets 37 per cent support, up from 26 per cent a month ago. Ms. Clinton still leads with 52 per cent, but the 15 per cent margin is the lowest since polls began.
Ms. Clinton had earlier tried to pitch her campaign as a first than as a third term for Democrats, as winning a third consecutive term is unusual for a party in U.S history. The fact that she could also be the first woman president of the U.S helped her in this approach. Ms. Clinton directly or obliquely accused the Republicans and Mr. Sanders of anti-women biases.
Past catching up with her
Ms. Clinton may have wanted to keep a distance from her legacies, but the past has been furiously catching up with her – her husband Bill Clinton’s relationships with women and the Wall Street; her own track record as Secretary of State and her links with corporate giants who paid her millions of dollars as speaking fees.
“She made it her personal mission to disseminate information and destroy the women with whom he dallied,” Linda Tripp, former White House staffer instrumental in exposing Mr. Clinton’s affair with Monica Lewinsky, said in a radio interview early this week.
Sanders more scathing on Clinton
Mr. Sanders has described Mr. Clinton’s affairs “disgraceful,” but has also stated “Hillary Clinton is not Bill Clinton.” His attack on Ms Clinton has mostly focused on her dalliance with the corporate America. All said, Ms. Clinton’s popularity among the progressives, and women, is on a downslide.
Her lead over Mr. Sanders among women dropped from 45 percentage points a month ago to 19 per cent this week.
Established Democrats who considered Ms. Clinton as the only option until recently may also be rethinking.
Sanders getting backing of billionaire
Environmental activist and billionaire Democratic funder Tom Steyer said this week that he may not support Ms. Clinton and would be open to endorsing Mr. Sanders.
While President Obama has not spoken his mind on Democratic nomination, his confidant and Vice- President Joe Biden said things that might make the Clintons nervous. The Clintons and Mr. Obama have had a warm relationship, though Ms. Clinton began to distance from his foreign policy approaches in the second term.
Don’t undo Obama legacy: Biden
Mr. Biden said in October: “This party, our nation, will be making a tragic mistake if we walk away or attempt to undo the Obama legacy.” Last week, Mr. Biden said of Mr. Sander’s campaign against inequality: “I think that Bernie is speaking to a yearning that is deep and real, and he has credibility on it.”
It is against this backdrop that Ms. Clinton went the whole hog in embracing the Obama legacy in the Democratic debate recently, followed up with her essay. “We’ve imposed the toughest regulations on Wall Street since the 1930s,” she said placing herself part of the Obama legacy. “As president, I will carry forward the Democratic record of achievement. I’ll defend President Obama’s accomplishments and build upon them.”
