In April of 2007, former CBS News reporter and six-time Emmy Award winner Bernard Goldberg’s book, entitled “Crazies to the Left of Me, Wimps to the Right: How One Side Lost Its Mind and the Other Lost Its Nerve,” was released. The book became an instant bestseller, and although its title was conjured up over a year ago, its premise is becoming increasingly apparent in this year’s presidential election.
On the Democratic side, in the wake of one of the longest and most vicious primary battles in recent electoral history, Goldberg’s argument has seemingly been substantiated. The contest between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was much more than a historic first in terms of a woman and an African American vying for the nomination of a major political party; rather, it signified a battle between the moderate wing of the party which generally supported Clinton, and the radical fringe of the party, which has grown in alarming numbers since 2000, and overwhelmingly supported Obama.
After her election to the Senate in 2000, Clinton was one of the most powerful Democrats in the Senate, and it was no secret that the former First Lady was preparing for her own White House run. After she declined to challenge President Bush’s successful re-election campaign in 2004, when she could have easily won the Democratic nomination, it was a foregone conclusion that she would be the party’s nominee in 2008.
In late 2007 the Republicans were gearing up for the race of the century, facing not only a staggering decline in popularity but the almost certain reality that their opponent would be the same woman that they have villianized for the past 15 years.
Earlier this year, however, it became apparent that seismic changes had occurred within the Democratic Party. Since President Bush’s election in 2000, the party has moved farther and farther to the left, as the voices of mainstream Democrats have been drowned out by the radical fringe ideologies of newly formed organizations such as MoveOn.org and popular, outspoken blogs such as DailyKos. Conventional wisdom would dictate that a former First Lady turned Senator from New York would have little to no problem defeating a candidate just three years removed from the Illinois state legislature.
However, the political landscape has changed drastically in recent years. Eight years ago Joe Lieberman was the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate. Today, he is an Independent as well as an ardent supporter of John McCain. In a 2004 Time Magazine article entitled “Obama’s Ascent,” written just after his election to the United States Senate, Amanda Ripley praised Obama and spoke highly of his rise to the Senate, adding that, “Democrats debate whether he should run for president in 2012 or 2016.” Not long ago, it seems that even those on the left would have conceded that the Illinois Senator would be grossly unqualified for the presidency in 2008. But it appears that Democrats have replaced common sense with extremism in selecting a candidate who makes Hillary Clinton seem moderate in comparison.
In contrast, and likely in the face of political reality, the Republicans seem to be going the opposite direction in this year’s election. With President Bush’s approval ratings falling toward the end of his term, the GOP has made a concerted effort to distance this year’s candidates away from the president. And while the conservative base would have preferred Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson as the Republican presidential candidate this year, the eventual winner was a politically centrist John McCain. Since he wrapped up the GOP nomination back in March, however, McCain’s campaign has been plagued by the lack of both sufficient media coverage and a message that effectively resonates with voters. Last month, on the same day Barack Obama spoke before hundreds of thousands of adoring spectators in Berlin, we saw McCain in the aisle of a grocery store in Pennsylvania. Any time images of Obama and McCain are juxtaposed on television, it isn’t difficult to determine who comes out on top. McCain seems frail and uninspired when compared to an articulate and much younger politician.
With the loss of even more seats in the House and Senate a seemingly foregone conclusion for the Republicans this year, one would think that the GOP would put forth their best effort in the presidential race. However, Republican fundraising figures are down across the board, and Obama is predicted to outspend McCain three-to-one by November.
An Obama administration coupled with a supportive Democratic Congress would result in unforeseen changes for all Americans, and the Republicans don’t seem to be putting up much of a fight. With only 11 weeks remaining until Election Day, Bernard Goldberg’s year-old theory unfortunately appears to be correct.
Joseph Goddard is a senior political science major. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].
