That’s what Terry McAuliffe seems to be saying about the “Clinton Baggage” that he is supposedly carrying around in his quest to obtain the Democratic nomination.
Clinton will be coming to Virginia next Monday to make appearances for McAuliffe in both Richmond and Roanoke.
McAuliffe is making a calculated gamble.
Here’s how I think the calculus is operating.
First, the McAuliffe campaign must believe that Clinton remains relatively popular among Democrats, even after his protracted dust-up with Obama supporters during the party’s presidential nominating battle last year.
The Clintons campaigned vigorously for Obama in the fall and Hilary’s susbequent selection as Secretary of State was a signal that Obama and the Clintons have become teammates and not rivals. McAuliffe obviously thinks that whatever lingering resentments that remain from the nomination battle are insignificant compared to the boost he’ll receive from Clinton’s presence.
Second, I suspect that the McAuliffe canpaign believes that the star power of a Clinton endorsement trumps the dozens of local officials and General Assembly members who have endorsed Moran and Deeds.
This may be especially true of a voter group that the McAuliffe campaign is targeting- Democrats who are more likely to vote in federal primaries than in state primaries.
Not all Democrats to whom I have spoken share these assumptions.
Sone believe that the damage Clinton’s reputation suffered during the 2008 primary contest won’t be easily repaired.
Others think that Virginians don’t like any outsiders telling them who to support in a state primary and that, in the final tally, all politics is local.
But in a race where many of the Virginia heavyweights- Kaine, Warner, Webb, Wiler and Scott- have not endorsed a candidate, McAuliffe obviously feels that Clinton’s presence is not a millstone, but an asset.
Maybe they’ll be singing the lyrics from that old Hollies song at the rallies next week.
“He’s not heavy. He’s my brother.”
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