GOP's Clinton-Lauding Strategy May Backfire
By Mark Murray
Its strange to think Republicans would be eager to applaud the political achievements and strengths of Bill and Hillary Clinton.
But in their efforts to ding President Barack Obama over the last few years, theyve done just that. The idea: put the Clintons on a pedestal to show that the current administration doesnt live up to their legacy.
With Hillary Clinton posed to make her own bid for the White House in 2016, all those recent compliments could come back to haunt Republicans even as they pivot to revive their attacks from the 1990s.
She might have been easier for some of us who are critics of the president to work with. I have the sense that she's one of the more competent members of the current administration.
Take former Vice President Dick Cheney, who not too long ago praised the competency of the former secretary of state. "She might have been easier for some of us who are critics of the president to work with, he told Fox News in 2011, adding, I have the sense that she's one of the more competent members of the current administration.
And the plaudits continued for both Clintons:
But as the next presidential election inches closer, some of these same Republicans who praised the Clintons have changed their tune:
It marks a decided shift in strategy as Republicans home in on potential 2016 contenders and put Obama in the rearview.
First published February 19 2014, 1:17 PM
See the original post: