Former Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer Auditions as Hillary Clinton's Populist Challenger
ANACONDA, Mont.—In a pine-paneled bar at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Brian Schweitzer, the former Democratic governor of Montana, bites into a Tex-Mex salad and just about everything Hillary Clinton stands for. He slams Mrs. Clinton for her ties to Wall Street, her courting of corporate campaign cash and her vote for the Iraq war as senator, a jab he delivered during a trip through Iowa in December.
Such outspoken criticism of Mrs. Clinton, rare among Democrats, inspires some leaders in the party's left wing, who are disillusioned with President Barack Obama and soured by prospects of an unchallenged Clinton candidacy in 2016. Montana has more cattle than people, making Mr. Schweitzer a long shot for the Democratic presidential nomination, should he even try. Complicating things further, the former two-term governor has little name recognition, little money and a big appetite for oil and gas exploration.
But some Democrats say Mr. Schweitzer has a chance at an important role: the maverick who speaks for disillusioned liberals, calls out Mrs. Clinton's vulnerabilities and, perhaps, prods a more liberal champion into the race. The perceived anointment of Mrs. Clinton has frustrated some Democrats seeking "a vigorous primary debate on bread-and-butter economic issues and who's going to take on Wall Street," said Ilya Sheyman, executive director of MoveOn, a liberal political-action group with eight million members. "Any candidate, including Hillary Clinton, is going to have to answer a whole lot of questions on where they stand."
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"We would be eager to provide him a platform to make his pitch," said Roger Hickey, who leads the Campaign for America's Future, the liberal group that helped launch Mr. Obama's presidential campaign. "There's a large number of progressive activists and even middle-of-the-road Democrats who would like to see a real debate and a lot of enthusiasm."
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Mr. Schweitzer, a part-time cattle rancher and the chairman of a mining company, employed a hotheaded style on the stump and in office, once using a branding iron to veto what he called "bat-crap crazy" GOP bills. He started a network of free, government-run clinics for state employees, and supports clemency for National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden... Like the other potential candidates, including Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Schweitzer hasn't tossed his Stetson into the ring. "But," he said, "it isn't firmly on my head, either."
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http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304178104579534112388261686
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Hillary Clinton is a Populist-Leaning Liberal.
http://www.ontheissues.org/hillary_clinton.htm
Now Brian Swietzer...
Brian Schweitzer is a Moderate Liberal Populist.
http://www.ontheissues.org/Brian_Schweitzer.htm
I'll take Hillary thank you very much.....Hillary is no Bill Clinton...
Bill Clinton is a Moderate Liberal.
http://www.ontheissues.org/bill_clinton.htm
