The Two Clintons: De Facto Republicans

Have you ever wondered why some conservative U.S. newspapers, such as The Arizona Republic, came out for Hillary Clinton? They usually reflexively endorse the Republican Party’s presidential candidate.

Perhaps Trump is simply too extreme. One possible alternative explanation: She is the “classic” moderate Republican candidate in this race. And indeed, Hillary Clinton is very much a member of the so-called East Coast establishment.

Rockefeller Republicans in exile

The tribe that stands for an enlightened Republican policy approach, much like Bush Sr. did, was deemed to have died out. The truth is that it didn’t die out, it just migrated to the Clinton wing of the Democratic Party.

At a minimum, the two Clintons are guilty as charged when it comes to political label fraud. They advertised themselves as Democrats (and “moderate” ones at that). At least, though, Bill Clinton was honest in 1992 – unlike Hillary, the self-styled “progressive” in the 2016 race. Either way, they really are Republicans.

The two Clintons are good Republicans indeed. They surely made the rich richer – and made sure they used politics to become rich themselves.

This is also why it should come as no surprise that so many insider Republican alumni of the George H.W. Bush Administration (and unofficially the former president himself) – though notably no elected prominent Republicans, who face different pressures – have felt so comfortable endorsing her.

Some of the past three GOP administration’s officials for Clinton include Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Armitage, John Negroponte, James Clad, Eliot Cohen, Meghan O’Sullivan, Lezlee Westine, Frank Lavin, Michael Morell and others.

The coming warfare

There is also plenty of speculation in the foreign policy realm that she may staff that part of her administration with Republican administration alumni.

This campaign trail bipartisanship sounds good in theory to many loyal liberal Democrats – a sign of her bipartisan pragmatism that “gets things done.”

Hillary Clinton is likely to be disappointed, however, when many of her newfound high-profile Republican allies promptly abandon her for the next passable Republican war hawk presidential prospect as soon as this specific election ends. She may be hawkish for a Democrat, but she is unlikely to give them the kind of war they are looking for.