Bill's Critics Wrong About His Legacy

Hillary lures poorer voters because of his progressive policies
By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 13, 2008 8:06 PM CST
Bill's Critics Wrong About His Legacy
   (Getty Images)

Hillary Clinton’s hold on poorer Democratic voters can be attributed to “unquestionable” leftward progress on the economy during her husband’s presidency, David Greenberg writes in Slate. Her campaign may downplay the first Clinton years, but that era produced a progressive budget that included “the most significant anti-poverty measure” since LBJ. That's contrary to revisionist spin, especially from Obama supporters, that calls Clintonism “a betrayal of liberalism."

While Bill was criticized for caving to the middle, he actually produced a “bravura feat of improvised legislative strategy." But, the New Republic’s Michael Crowley writes, Hillary’s lock may be weakening, as low-income voters may also be low-information voters—and are just catching up to what other Dems already know: Barack Obama is electable, and you’re allowed to vote for him. (More Hillary Clinton stories.)

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