Hillary Clinton ‘get over yourself’ comment threatens to backfire on Biden

President Biden has one less thing to worry about in his bid for a second term after No Labels announced Thursday that it will not field a candidate in this year’s election.

But Hillary Clinton, in particular, may have caused new trouble by telling disgruntled voters to “get back on their feet” during a talk show appearance earlier this week.

No Labels has drawn the ire of many Democrats, and a potential challenge from the group could be a net benefit to former President Trump, perhaps paving the way for his return to the White House. He claimed to be deaf.

In the end, the group, which calls itself centrist, was unable to get anyone with real political positions to run under its banner. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-Va.), former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) were among those who excluded themselves.

The group said in a statement Thursday that Americans long for “unity in our national leadership.” But he also noted that No Labels had previously said it would only offer voting spots to candidates with “a credible path to winning the White House.”

“No such candidate emerged, so the responsible thing to do is for us to resign,” the group concluded.

The disappearance of the no-label threat provided Biden with a ray of light in an otherwise fairly bleak situation.

A new Wall Street Journal poll released earlier this week found Trump leading the incumbent president in six of the seven swing states expected to determine the outcome of the election.

There is also growing dissatisfaction with Biden’s support for Israel in the attack on Gaza, which killed about 33,000 people, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

On the other hand, No Labels’ decision does not neutralize the threat Biden faces from other candidates.

The most prominent of these options, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has about 8 percent support nationally, according to an average of polls maintained by The Hill and Decision Desk Headquarters (DDHQ). .

Kennedy’s unorthodox platform has some appeal not only to Democrats but also to disaffected Republicans. But most polls show his presence in the race slightly increases Trump’s advantage over Biden.

Green Party member Jill Stein and prominent academic and campaigner Cornel West are also running to Biden’s left, but it is highly doubtful that West will be able to get on the ballot in many states. There are no strong candidates to Trump’s right.

Democrats are concerned about the impact of these candidacies, given the headwinds Biden already faces.

That’s where Hillary Clinton’s intervention comes in.

Appearing on NBC’s “Tonight Show” on Monday, Clinton was asked by host Jimmy Fallon what she would say to voters who are “upset” by the fact that the election is between Biden and Trump. I was asked if I wanted to.

“Cheer up,” the former New York state senator and first lady responded. “Those are your two choices.”

She claimed that Biden is “old and capable and compassionate and has a heart and truly cares about people,” while Trump is “old and has been charged with 91 felonies.” , further developed his argument.

Most Democrats certainly recognize that there are major differences between Biden and Trump. But they are skeptical that disaffected voters, many of whom already feel alienated and patronized, will buy into the message that they should “get over it.”

Democratic strategist Mark Longabaugh said such comments were evidence of Clinton’s tendency to be “out of tune.”

“I don’t know if that’s the most effective way to win disaffected Democrats and young voters back to Joe Biden. It really isn’t,” Longabaugh said.

“Young people want inspiration, but they don’t want to be preached to,” he added. “The way to win them back is not to wag the finger at them, but to talk about Biden’s great work on climate change and his work to protect women’s right to choose.”

Several independent experts agree, including Grant Reher, a political science professor at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

Reher said one of the dangers of Clinton’s comment, and the mini-controversy it sparked, is how much it blends with existing negative perceptions of establishment Democrats.

“The Democratic Party in general, and Hillary Clinton in particular, has ‘street representatives’ to lecture and preach to voters. This is completely unhelpful,” Reher said. “It’s like a ‘basket of deplorables.’ It fits the reputation you have, but it doesn’t help voters.”

Clinton, who ran against President Trump in 2016, said at a fundraising event that “half of Trump’s supporters” could be classified as “some of what I would call deplorables.” The attack backfired and was adopted as an unintended badge of honor by President Trump’s most ardent supporters.

But some Democrats defended Clinton’s recent “get over yourself” comments.

Basil Smickle Jr., a New York-based Democratic strategist, suggested the phrase was “tough talk in tough times.”

Mr Smickle said such aggressive language was important to dispel the sense among voters that November’s election was a narrow choice between “the lesser of two evils”. did.

“The idea of ​​’the lesser of two evils’ is not going to help mobilize voters,” Smickle said. Clinton’s preferred language “will help voters understand that it’s a choice, not a preference,” he added. And it’s a choice between his two fundamentally different agendas for this country. ”

The White House is hoping voters will think this way in November.

However, that is not guaranteed.

The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage.