Hillary claims the "moderate" label. Interesting.

[DanTex]

Particularly interesting since she's running on a very progressive platform. I see a few possibilities.

1) She's making an early play for the center in the GE. Probably a good move. Distinguish herself from Sanders on the left and appeal to independents.
2) She's looking to consolidate moderate Dem voters for the primary, and also implicitly making the electability argument.

Probably a bit of both, and either way, given that this is Hillary, there's surely some polling behind this strategy.

The good thing here is that, with Sanders on her left, she can credibly claim to be a moderate while at the same time running a progressive platform. If it works out it could pave the way for a general shift to the left in the American political spectrum, which is long overdue.

One great thing Sanders has done is bring things like single payer, $15 minimum wage, free college, etc. into the mainstream, and shown that they can get significant support. That stuff won't get through congress, but just having it as part of the discussion changes the conversation.

[el_bryanto]

1. Why is she running on a progressive platform? Because she has to

Will she stick with a progressive program if elected, or will she govern as a moderate? I guess everybody has to make that call themselves.

Bryant

[DanTex]

4. She's running on a progressive platform because she is a progressive.

But having Bernie in the race gives her the opportunity to claim the moderate position as well. I don't see any reason to doubt that is she's elected, she'll continue in a progressive direction building on Obama's accomplishments.

[marmar]

6. "because she is a progressive"

In what alternate universe?

[Hortensis]

37. A working definition of progressivism is the method of using government to

address large social problems with the purpose of advancing society. Goals are inherently liberal/moderate, or it isn't "progressive." I.e., the conservative prohibition movement is not considered progressive, even though it used government to "advance" society. Nor was Germany's National Socialists' attempt to "improve" society through government-run mass murder. Social Security and the federal unemployment insurance program are.

Who's a progressive?
Liberals can be progressives, and often are - or not.
Moderates can be progressives, and often are - or not.
Conservatives can be progressives, and some have been - or not.

Hard-core conservatives can also be progressive on some issues, although if you tell your very conservative neighbor she is at least progressive in her support for the national school lunch program, you may make her angry.

During the era that preceded the "Reagan Revolution" beginning roughly 1975, Congress had many moderate/moderately conservative progressives. They have since mostly been purged from office, and right-wing mind-twisters have attempted to redefine progressive as synonymous with liberal (and therefore bad).

But it is not.

[Bonobo]

14. Wait! Mr. "Bernie calls himself a socialist" guy is now ignoring self-definitions? Oh man...

Irony alert! You have been going on and on how Bernie IS a socialist because he has said he is (despite the fact that he is clearly a Capitalist and a Democratic Socialist), but NOW when Hillary says she is a "moderate", you are telling us she is actually a "Progressive".

My head is spinning. Time for bed on this side of the world, but I look forward to your reply!

[DanTex]

15. What "moderate" means depends on the spectrum. What she's doing is using Bernie's candidacy further

to the left to claim the moderate territory while campaigning on a progressive platform. It's smart.

[arcane1]

21. Consistency and honesty have never been part of any Clinton campaign.

This one is no different.

[arcane1]

20. She lied about being a moderate?

[hootinholler]

27. So then she's not being truthful about being a moderate?

I'm in awe of your logic.

[Spirochete]

41. She'll run as Norma Rae

but once she's elected, she'll revert back to Cersei Lanister.

[DanTex]

5. She's actually a progressive, but having Bernie in the race makes her look like more moderate.

Which is great.

[Ed Suspicious]

3. There is nothing particularly immoderate about Senator Sanders.

[Skwmom]

7. She claims it b/c she is losing the progressive/liberal vote to Sanders.

Labels are so misleading. She is a corporate Democrat but I guess that wouldn't sell to well to the Democratic base.

[DanTex]

8. There's some of that, and also trying to out-socialist the socialist wouldn't put her in a good

position for the GE. Instead, having Bernie in the race is allowing her to run on a progressive platform while at the same time credibly playing the role of moderate, between the socialist and the GOP.

[upaloopa]

28. You can't speak for progressive liberals

You speak for you not me and I am as progressive liberal as you!
You need to stop claiming you are the good guys and we are not.
We are not different we just support different people!

[leftofcool]

9. This is a good strategy.

Pull in the independents which are mostly moderate. She will keep all the Obama voters. Keep most of the AA and Latino vote and of course have 99% of the female vote.

[AgingAmerican]

32. There are left leaning and right leaning independents

There is no middle in a two party system. Independents do not go with the status quo. Sanders will clean up with Independents.

[PowerToThePeople]

38. I agree

The middle of the road independent does not exist in large numbers. They are typically at the outer edges of the left-right spectrum. Since the Democratic party of today is, by it's works, holding the same location on the left-right spectrum that the Reagan administration did, it appears to me that the majority of independents would occupy the left side of the spectrum.

[jfern]

39. The idea that elections are won by some centrist swing voter

who votes for the candidate most similar to them on the issues is such a ridiculous myth.

[PowerToThePeople]

40. But it does work

If your goal is a rightward march towards totalitarian militaristic fascism and generational oligarchy.

How come it appears that the Democratic party is the only one that tries to sell this idea to it's constituency? I never see the other party do this. They just push further right.

[Attorney in Texas]

10. Does this mean she's going to get an avalanche of messages calling her out because she's a liberal?

That's what seems to happen to my inbox when I suggest that Clinton is a "centrist" or a "moderate"?

[DanTex]

11. Well, the GOP is going to call her a liberal/socialist/whatever like they always do.

But the presence of Sanders makes it much more difficult to paint her as some kind of way out of touch Trotskyite, which is what the GOP tries to do every time around.

[catnhatnh]

12. So she will claim she is a moderate...

...who holds basically every Sanders policy position. And this will make more people like and believe her??????????????????

[DanTex]

13. She doesn't quite hold every Sanders position. Sanders is too her left, which gives the moderate

claim credibility. The thing is, Hillary is far enough left that the policies that Sanders advocates to her left won't get through congress anyway. But she's not for Single Payer, for example, she's not for free college tuition, etc.

[morningfog]

23. Yeah, but she takes a back seat to no one, NO ONE, when it comes to progressive

policies.

[arcane1]

22. "Don't believe her, she's lying" is now being spun as a good thing.

And so early in the campaign! I expected this spin a few more months down the road.

[bigdarryl]

16. Most African Americans who vote democrat are moderates.So whats the big deal

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

17. At least she didn't have to evolve into "moderate".

Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice. Thomas Paine

[upaloopa]

29. We are not talking about principles.

Last edited Fri Sep 11, 2015, 04:44 PM - Edit history (1)

You can hang on to your 8% of the voters but to win you need more than that.
20% of Dems when Dems are 40% of voters is 8% of voters

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

30. I don't vote for poll numbers or "electability".

[upaloopa]

31. Well the rest of us have to so you don't live

under a right wing regime!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

35. Thanks! Will you mow my lawn too?

[Romulox]

18. "Moderate" means center/right in this context. nt

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

19. So the progressives things she is saying now are lies and she is only Saying it to obtain liberal

And progressive votes when she really a moderate?

It is nothing new to have a politician lie just not this blaently, at least for a democrat

Her choice, my vote, guess we will see how it goes in a few months and if she is what the party wants

[Juicy_Bellows]

24. Buckle up, I think we are going to Burger King.

Home of the Whopper.

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

33. I got my waders on already

[Juicy_Bellows]

34. Haha, indeed. We may need a scuba suit before too long!

It's getting deep quick!

[AgingAmerican]

25. There is no center in American politics

So she will be running to the right. She will not get the Independent vote. She will get no votes from disgruntled Republicans and Libertarians. She won't get the left vote. She is painting herself in a corner with this one.

[YabaDabaNoDinoNo]

36. But she does have the 'Southern ' Accent she can command at will so she has that going for her!

The must be good for a vote or two.

[bigwillq]

26. Seems about right.

I consider Hillary to be a moderate. As is Obama, imo.