Its always hard to win as the heir of a popular president. Clinton is in very good company.
By Donald Zinman November 30 at 6:00 AM
It’s never easy to be second. Hillary Clinton has met the same fate as many men who ran as heirs apparent to an outgoing administration, and failed to be elected.
Al Gore, Hubert Humphrey and Richard Nixon (in his first presidential candidacy) were the vice presidents and apparently the heirs to outgoing presidents of their own party. They were closely tied to their respective predecessors, proudly advocated their administration’s record of achievement, and promised continuity. All three men boasted impressive résumés, with experience and party loyalty.
At the same time, each of the three were tainted with all the problems that had built up over a two-term administration. In addition, they lacked the winning characteristics of their predecessors: Nixon lacked Eisenhower’s heroic reputation, while Humphrey and Gore lacked the campaign skills of Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton, respectively. For his own part, Al Gore in 2000 awkwardly tried to distance himself from Clinton personally while politically promising to continue his policies.
Hillary Clinton faced many of the same challenges.
Despite a long résumé, many achievements and an opponent with many flaws, Clinton could not translate her predecessor’s surging popularity into an electoral victory.
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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/30/its-always-hard-to-win-as-the-heir-of-a-popular-president-clinton-is-in-very-good-company/?utm_term=.8d9e63b0781c&wpisrc=nl_politics&wpmm=1
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