W Post: In aggressive bid to get noticed, O’Malley hits Clinton from the left

[Omaha Steve]

In friendlier times: Then-Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley endorsed then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's first presidential bid in 2007. (Kathleen Lange/AP)


http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-aggressive-bid-to-get-noticed-omalley-hits-clinton-from-the-left/2015/04/24/1532160a-e93c-11e4-9a6a-c1ab95a0600b_story.html

By Anne Gearan and John Wagner April 24

At the dawn of her presidential campaign, Hillary Rodham Clinton finds herself outflanked on the left by a former Maryland governor with little national reputation but many of the populist political talents she lacks.

Martin O’Malley is using Clinton’s closely watched and long-anticipated 2016 launch to raise his profile ahead of his own likely entry into the race next month. He has seized on specific economic and social policy issues, including same-sex marriage and an international trade deal, in a bid to raise questions about Clinton’s liberal bona fides.

The attacks — some more thinly veiled than others — have forced Clinton to explain herself on a number of difficult topics, which was not part of her plan for a gradual roll-out with an emphasis on middle-class economic issues.

It is a remarkable feat for an undeclared candidate who still lingers at the bottom of polls in a thin Democratic field.

FULL story at link.

[merrily]

1. Again with the "middle class" economic issues. We have poor people, too, folks.

Hillary is trying to run as a populist. O'Malley is trying to run as a populist. This could get really interesting.

[Scootaloo]

4. Most Americans think of themselves as "middle class"

Even the very poor and the fairly well-off (the wealthy seem to understand that htey are wealthy, interestingly.) The reason for this is because "middle class" is not actually seen as an economic stnding, but rather a moral and cultural one - middle class is seen as 'mainstream" and "whomesome" and most importantly, "not fringe." so people even on the fringes of society, living on the skin of their teeth, will call themselves 'middle calss" in an effort to maintain their place in "normal society."

Meanwhil when pur politicians talk about hte "middle class" they invariably mean the lower tiers of the wealthy - and these people, who are catered to and pampered by the politicians, are thus convinced that htye are the middle class as well (and this also carries the feel-good cultural properties I mentioned.)

Meanwhile, as an economic grouping, the 'middle class' issteadily shrinking, with its numbers mostly going into the poor classes.

[merrily]

5. We're on the same page again. I want politicians to acknowledge and address the poor.

Some of the people I see walking the streets of Boston carrying everything they own in one or more trash bags might admit they are not middle class.

[Comrade Grumpy]

15. To hear them talk, there aren't any poor people here. Just the middle class.

[merrily]

18. For a while, they were not mentioing the poor or the rich and for very good reasons.

Since Occupy revived "the 99% " expression, there's been much more acknowledgement that, yes, there are rich people and yes, they're getting richer while others get poorer.

Next step is to make them start mentioning the poor.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. O'Malley is getting a little bit interesting.

But Migod is it early!

[BrotherIvan]

6. I have been thinking the same thing

A year and a half out people are announcing? Is this all part of the massive fundraising/constant campaign culture? It would seem to be a strange political move. But I most certainly don't know all the reasons.

[Thespian2]

9. American election day

seems to be the beginning of the next election cycle...constant pounding on the drums...I suppose that is one way for pols to earn extra money...

[BrotherIvan]

14. I know that some are complaining that fundraising is constant

and takes away from those who do want to do their jobs (I'm sure that's a rarity). But I wonder how this open campaigning for so long will lead to voter fatigue. I could be wrong and this is normal; it just seems so early to me.

[Thespian2]

17. I think voter fatigue is correct.

I am sure that many people, maybe the majority, haven't thought about the coming election at all...most of the people around here (vacationing in FL), especially the under-thirty folks, don't know and don't seem to care...

[NYC_SKP]

3. It's very exciting to watch some real Democrats step up to the plate.

And I think with the ice breaking, we can expect to see more.

Thanks, Omaha Steve!

[rhett o rick]

7. Is there any possible Democratic challengers that would be "hitting her" from the right? nm

[Jim Lane]

19. Webb is considered to be to her right, at least on some issues.

Webb's problem is that, in both major parties, the energy to defeat the establishment choice comes from the party faction away from the center -- the Democratic left and the Republican right.

Jeb Bush is probably worrying about more liberal Republican opponents about as much as Hillary Clinton is worrying about more conservative Democratic opponents: not one bit.

[elleng]

8. Good to see this, from WaPo.

O’Malley — a telegenic former Baltimore mayor who endorsed Clinton in her last presidential run — paints Clinton as slow to adopt progressive positions, overly cautious and poll-driven. He tells interviewers and voters in Iowa and elsewhere that he has held truly progressive views for years — and acted on them while in office.

Their latest confrontation came this week after Clinton hedged on whether she would back a massive Asia-Pacific free-trade deal that she previously supported. O’Malley quickly fired off a Twitter message and video asking viewers to “join me in opposing” the deal, which is deeply unpopular among unions and many progressives.

“Americans deserve to know where leaders stand,” O’Malley said in a clear dig at the former secretary of state. . .

So when Clinton’s campaign said that she now supports a constitutional amendment guaranteeing a right to same-sex marriage — which would supersede state laws — O’Malley’s team pounced. His PAC released a short video that included a clip from a recent speech in which he said that “history celebrates profiles in courage, not profiles in convenience.” . . .

O’Malley has also highlighted his support for providing driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants, an issue on which Clinton equivocated during her 2008 campaign. . .

After she announced her support for such licenses last week, O’Malley told reporters that he was “glad Secretary Clinton’s come around to the right positions” on same-sex marriage and driver’s licenses for immigrants.

“I believe that we are best as a party when we lead with our principles and not according to the polls,” O’Malley said. “Leadership is about making the right decision and the best decision before sometimes it becomes entirely popular.”

President Obama’s Asia-Pacific trade deal represents one of the biggest political threats for Clinton. She had enthusiastically supported the deal when she was secretary of state, allowing O’Malley to attack her from the left as inconsistent while Republicans hammer from the right.

On Wednesday, O’Malley sent an e-mail to supporters with the subject line, “Hard choice?” — a clear reference to Clinton’s memoir “Hard Choices.”

“American workers whose jobs could be on the line right now are owed more than lip service,” O’Malley wrote, adding on Twitter that the pact was “a race to the bottom, a chasing of lower wages abroad, which does nothing to help our economy here at home.”

[cantbeserious]

10. I'm Ready For Oligarchy - Are You? - Vote HRC - The 1% Never Have Enough Money

[cui bono]

11. Definitely going to look further into this guy.

[DebJ]

12. Oh good! Let's get the REAL talk going early! I'm ready! n/t

[Enthusiast]

13. Check out O'Malley!

[elleng]

16. Thanks for this, Enthusiast.