Is Hillary Going to be Kerry 2.0?

Danger. Danger. Hillary is walking into the Kerry Trap.

A long, long time ago -- the Democrats swaggered into 2004 supremely confident they were going to throw the bums out.

The Primary process was a series of compromises and shrugged shoulders. Ok, so maybe John Kerry wasn't the candidate they'd hoped he'd be. Maybe he was a flip-flopper. Maybe the Democrats couldn't figure out what they stood for.

But it was all good.

Kerry would win because he was a Democrat, and after 4 years of George Bush the polls said that his unpopularity and the quagmire of the war in Iraq would sweep him out of office.

Democrats were enthusiastic about winning -- but lukewarm in their support of John Kerry.

And it wasn't just average folks.

I spent the better part of 2004 directing a documentary about the Kerry campaign that you haven't seen.

We had two camera crews on the airplane, on the press buses, and living inside what political insiders call 'The Bubble.'

What we saw, and videotaped, was deeply troubling.

And since then, I've kept most of that footage in a desk drawer. I was afraid that releasing it would somehow be unfair. Like kicking a guy when he's down. After all, 2004 was a close race. But then, I began to think about 2000, and 2008 - and it began to eat at me.

Now I've decided its unwise to keep what we saw and we we heard concealed.

Secretly, late at night - in hotel rooms and in campaign vans - the opratives at the highest level of the campaign didn't much like the candidate or the platform.

Mike McCurry - brought in as a seasoned pro to fix the deeply broken Kerry press operation - ruminated about how he'd signed up because "when the candidate asks you to serve, you don't say no." But then - with the resignation of a political war horse who can see the future in a crystal ball - he said: In the end, we can introduce him to America, but "in the end you have to connect with people, and thats one of the things thats harder for John Kerry to do."

Ouch. McCurry knew it was unlikely that Kerry would be able to seal the deal.

He wasn't alone. Other Clinton loyalists who'd signed on to the Kerry campaign for the election cycle were equally bleak in their assessment. Jim Loftus, the chief press operative under Stephanie Cutter couldn't answer the simple question "what do you like about John Kerry." He didn't duck the question - it stumped him.

He was however, willing to express the feeling among the campaign that "the New York Times is out to f*ck us". See for yourself.

And David Morehouse, - who'd worked with both Bill Clinton and Al Gore's Campaigns, was unable to explain even the basic platform planks that made up the Kerry agenda.

Why? Because the Democrats had decided to run by being the anti-George Bush... and count on the anger and frustration of the electorate to solidify a majority. Any position or point of view risked alienating someone, and so it was to be avoided.

So deep was the denial about the Democratic party's fatal compromise - that my film "Inside The Bubble" was deemed shocking and unwatchable by those few Democrats that saw one of the few closes screenings we held before I put the project in my desk drawer.

But in the past few weeks - something happened.

My phone started ringing. And not just from friends and neighbors. Some of my friends rather high up in the Democratic party, and even a few of the well known faces from the Kerry campaign.

They were scared. They had a desperate feeling that it was groundhog day. That increasing the Clinton campaign had shifted from a candidacy of ideas to a platform of platitudes. It came home to roost when Hilary did what is fast becoming her 'double flip flop' - at first supporting drivers licenses for illegal immigrants, then didn't, and then wasn't sure.

My friends each said that the Democrat's 2004 amnesia had to be cured. Call after call - asking me to pop the bubble, remind Democrats that 2004 wasn't that long ago. Heck - think back to the 2000 election if you want to get reminded that the Democrats have been guilty of not getting engaged enough in the issues and ideas that can wake the electorate.

So - i'm going to do it.

I've taken the film - with all its painful memories and jaw dropping campaign faux pas' - and decided it's time to pick the scab. Open the wound. Face the pain.

It's time to show the film.

Now - here comes the hard part. The campaigns that are most likely revel in the ineptitude and hi jinx that is captured in the film are the ones that are already building a head of steam as they preach to the faithful and look to create the ultra-potent exlixer of religion, patriotism, and fear. Watching Rudy Guliani exploit 9/11 and turn fear-mongering into a high art should be enough to scare the Republicans and Democrats alike. But somehow, fear sells.

So - "Inside The Bubble" is up for grabs. CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Sundance, IFC, A&E, CBS, ABC, NBC. Heck, for that matter iTunes or YouTube or MySpace could well be the film's home.

And frankly - it doesn't matter what network decides to show it. One will. Why, because there's a hunger in this country for an honest look inside politics, and painful as that may be - people aren't going to sit back and watch the ultra-polished debate pablum without demanding more.

People are desperate for a look inside the broken political process, and that outweighs the instinct to bury our head in the sand.

Then - hopefully - Hillary will become a real candidate. And the Republicans will put up a candidate who isn't a complete contradiction.

And voters will get to choose between campaigns with clear points of view and passionate perspectives, not pole driven fictions that aim to look presidential and say little.

We've had one of those elections before - and we know how that turns out.

CLIPS:

More clips:

LINK: Inside The Bubble clips

Follow Steve Rosenbaum on Twitter: www.twitter.com/magnify

Comments

[birdandcat]

It is still too early to annoint Hillary. I have stated before and will repeat till you are all bored to tears, front runners in the Dem Prez sweepstakes seldom( Mondale the only exception after 1956)get the nomination. Boy, I hope I am right, as Hillary is quite reminiscent of the charismatically challenged, Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Gore and Kerry. For heaven's sake, if you are going to run a candidate who is going to talk out of both sides of its mouth at least get one who is good at it, It's past Hallow'een and I'm still scared.

[OckhamsElectricRazor]

If Bush had run unopposed, he would have lost! The Dems LOST two campaigns that should have been landslides. Kerry wanted us to elect him to engage with Mideast Mullahs but was unable to engage with Southern Baptist Preachers. Gore elected himself to the aristocracy and engaging with the people on their terms was beneath him.

[RedRooster]

Like them or not, the 2000 and 2004 Bush teams ran successful campaigns. They stayed on message and on the attack. They had one single goal of occupying the White House which they ruthlessly pursued.

Democrats can accept that and rise to the challenge or they can bury their heads in the sands and hope that simply because George W Bush isn't running this time, their typical lackadaisical approach will result in a victory for the Democratic nominee.

I don't really know if Hillary is Kerry 2.0, or even if it is a valid point, because there is no Bush 3.0 - however, I do know that the GOP has been driven into a corner and it will come out fighting.

Mr. Rosenbaum, I look forward to seeing "Inside the Bubble". Thanks for sounding an early alarm.

Wake Up America!

[sonofloud]

Unlike Kerry, Hillary is willing to fight back so no she is not the 2.o version.

[Nonamnesiac]

Hillary is going to be Kerry 2. The "adults" are going to slime her the nomination based on her "electability" and she will prove as "electabe" as Kerry -- the last "electable" choice of the "adults" over a progressive -- proved to be. Although the Clinton machine will bogard over the anti-war wishes of the people, she is pro-war in an anti-war country and substantial anti-war forces will not vote for her.

It's all obvious to anyone watching this -- Hillary wins the primary and lose the election. Clinton machine people think giving the finger to the progressive wing of the party carries no adverse consequences for Hillary, especially when she double talks.

Progressives are furious and will give Hillary the finger right back in the General Election.

[Countess]

Hillary Clinton is the worst possible candidate because many progressive democrats will not vote for someone who has consistently backed Bush. Clinton is the most pro-war democrat and is no change at all.

[longislandlol]

If the media does it's job-- they can help influence who the democrats' candidate will be-- all journalists have to come together in one voice, step up to the plate on this one- to avoid putting in the: "FLIP-FLOP CANDIDATE"

[daydreamer]

Hillary Clinton is Dick Cheney in drag. Wake up folks. Look at her voting record, listen to her speak.

[Maxiesid]

The thing I can't understand at all is that no matter how much the DLC people keep demanding it many of us have already stated that we will not, under any circumstances, be voting for Hillary this time. And calling us naderites, demeaning our reasons, telling us we need to start 'voting with your head and not your heart' doesn't change this. The DLC manages to keep up the massive denial.. they really think that when it gets down to the Republican du jour vs Hillary, that those of us thoroughly disgusted by the last eight years of disaster will go to the polls and vote for Hillary since she is our only choice. Well it isn't working this time... and in a big way. Anyone paying attention knows Hillary's voting record, and what she offers in the way of leadership, so if you vote with your head it means that you wont be voting for Hillary. Your head will tell you that someone with her voting record, and her stand on every issue is NOT what this country needs right now. This isn't the republicans vs the democrats in a big superbowl matchup.. this is the people vs the neocons, and if the people lose again we will lose everything that is left that made this country great. So, if you want to play the blame game, if the democrats lose it will be completely due to the fact that they are insisting on having someone be the candidate that so many democrats oppose.

[sparkandy]

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now maybe the Dems will realize why they lost the last election and not make the same mistake again. My daughter lives in NJ and said all her friends were shocked that Bush beat Kerry, because they didn't vote for Bush. She tried to explain that the whole country isn't made up of Northeastern Liberals, but they totally didn't understand. Now you come along with this wonderful piece and if the Dems pay attention we will finally get someone in the WH who won't run this country into the ground.
PLEASE Dems! John Edwards! He'll walk away with it!

[Freedoms Friend]

How do people come up with the idea that Hillary flip flopped on drivers licenses for illegal immigrant in New York, it seemed clear, at least to me, that she started out by saying she was not fully aware of the details of the program but that at least they were trying to do something how can one give a definitive answer to any question if you lead off that way she just continued to extrapolate on her first answer.
At no point did she say that she agreed with the program and then say she disagreed , that is a flip flop, it was all hypothetical to my ear.

[Lisette]

Clinton/Bush Fatigue

Hillary Clinton should not be allowed to run.

We need to extend the 2 term law to include relitives.

Then we can be sure there will be no more Clintons or Bushes.

[darker]

Democrats must unite and stop their own media waterboarding of H. Clinton if they want to win the Presidential Election.

Otherwise? They will lose, AGAIN.
It's gotten to be A BAD HABIT!

[jmundstuk]

I don't know where you sat in 2004, but out here in N. California, I don't know anybody who thought that the Democrats would sweep into office. There was considerable hand wringing and soul searching about Dean vs. Edwards vs. Kerry. I think many of us felt that maybe we could win in spite of Kerry, but it was going to be tough.

[Fast Eddie]

One thing the Hillary hating Dems don't seem to understand is the next prez will nominate a Supreme Court justice. If you like Scalia,Thomas Roberts and Alito just sit this one out and you'll love the next set of Supremes