Republicans hated her and had spent decades nurturing and perfecting that hatred. None of them were ever going to vote for her, and her presence energized them in favor of any opponent, regardless of who that might be.
So naturally, her campaign did their best to promote Trump as her opponent, falsely believing that he would be easier to beat than the bowl of lukewarm unflavored oatmeal from an unpopular political dynasty that was Jeb Bush.
Add to that, we were at the end of the Obama administration, which for progressives was a pretty big disappointment. And we were expected to vote for the person who ran to his right in 2008, and who fought bitterly for a healthcare policy that was essentially the disappointment we got. No public option and an individual mandate was what she ran on, what we voted against in 2008, and exactly what we got stuck with anyway. Add to that, there was still a lot of resentment because of all the flag pin/“as far as I know” bullshit she pulled during the '08 primaries.
And then there was all the fuckery her and her pets at the DNC pulled against Sanders and all the resentment that followed that.
And then she picked someone to her right for VP as a huge slap in the face to progressives. There was no reason to pick Kaine. No Republican was going to be swayed by that pick. It was exclusively a “fuck you” to everyone to her left.
And then she didn’t bother to campaign in swing states she needed to win.
And THEN the email investigation broke.
2016 was absolute proof that voter enthusiasm beats “Shut up, I’m the boss. You’re voting like I order you to or you’re getting this guy I selected to use as a threat against you.” Clinton was a uniquely garbage candidate with terrible political instincts.
Exactly this. My mom’s convinced that Harris won’t win because “if America couldn’t elect a woman in 2016…” Like no, America couldn’t elect a presidential candidate who was an arrogant asshole and took their victory for granted. And I hope that holds true this round, Harris 2024!
Clinton lost because of a number of factors:
Republicans hated her and had spent decades nurturing and perfecting that hatred. None of them were ever going to vote for her, and her presence energized them in favor of any opponent, regardless of who that might be.
So naturally, her campaign did their best to promote Trump as her opponent, falsely believing that he would be easier to beat than the bowl of lukewarm unflavored oatmeal from an unpopular political dynasty that was Jeb Bush.
Add to that, we were at the end of the Obama administration, which for progressives was a pretty big disappointment. And we were expected to vote for the person who ran to his right in 2008, and who fought bitterly for a healthcare policy that was essentially the disappointment we got. No public option and an individual mandate was what she ran on, what we voted against in 2008, and exactly what we got stuck with anyway. Add to that, there was still a lot of resentment because of all the flag pin/“as far as I know” bullshit she pulled during the '08 primaries.
And then there was all the fuckery her and her pets at the DNC pulled against Sanders and all the resentment that followed that.
And then she picked someone to her right for VP as a huge slap in the face to progressives. There was no reason to pick Kaine. No Republican was going to be swayed by that pick. It was exclusively a “fuck you” to everyone to her left.
And then she didn’t bother to campaign in swing states she needed to win.
And THEN the email investigation broke.
2016 was absolute proof that voter enthusiasm beats “Shut up, I’m the boss. You’re voting like I order you to or you’re getting this guy I selected to use as a threat against you.” Clinton was a uniquely garbage candidate with terrible political instincts.
Exactly this. My mom’s convinced that Harris won’t win because “if America couldn’t elect a woman in 2016…” Like no, America couldn’t elect a presidential candidate who was an arrogant asshole and took their victory for granted. And I hope that holds true this round, Harris 2024!
thank you for not letting me succumb to simplistic explanations 😊
Saving this comment, thanks