Well, yes--it's true. What inspires me here is this rather indignant essay from an author for The New Republic, arguing hotly that Hillary Clinton's campaign should not be termed "Nixonian."
(Well, hey, he's right--she hasn't yet [as far as we know] wiretapped her opponents or authorized goons to bust into others' campaign headquarters).
But our liberal friends miss a big point here.
No, it's true, Hillary Clinton isn't like Richard Nixon. And that should count against her.
Look, the only way Senator Clinton can win the Democratic Party's presidential nomination is by dividing the party, by splitting it wide open. It's highly unlikely she'll win the popular vote. She won't come out on top in the race for delegates. So she's hoping for a coup--for her to be able to peel off enough superdelegates to put her over the top and gain her the nomination. There's no question this would anger Obama supporters in a big way and rent the party asunder.
Guess what: going after a nomination, come hell, high water, or a split party, is something Richard Nixon never did. When he went after the GOP nomination in 1960, he was the favorite going in. He also became a surprising favorite in 1968, and led the race much of the way (as he did in '60). Now 1964 was different. Nixon never officially entered that race, leaving the field to candidates such as Barry Goldwater, Nelson Rockefeller, and William Scranton. But by the summer, with Goldwater in the lead for the nomination but with many nervous GOPers fearing that his victory would lead to defeat in November, there were a number of people who urged Nixon to make a last-minute run. And he could have run, and would have had a shot at the nomination (though the odds were against him).
But Nixon declined. He knew how divisive such a run would be (and there were undoubtedly other, more selfish considerations too). But no one denies that the fear of dividing the party played a role.
Senator Clinton has to know that her game now will, if it succeeds (and even if it fails) divide her party. But she doesn't care. She should be more Nixonian.
