October
24, 2000
Bring Out the Big Cigar
By Tom Bevan
Rev up the bus and break out the Fleetwood Mac albums, because
the Big Cigar is coming to town. Bill Clinton is chomping at the
bit to campaign on behalf of Al Gore. And despite polls that show
40% of Americans would be "less likely" to vote for
Gore based on Clinton's active support, the Vice President would
be a fool not to unleash Clinton on the campaign trail.
Bill Clinton is almost universally acknowledged as the best retail
politician of our generation. No one in either party could have
as much impact on the presidential race in two weeks as Clinton
could have for Gore. In the cities and states that count, Clinton
could energize the Democratic base and revive a Gore campaign
that has become hopelessly mired in policy wonk populism.
In Philadelphia, Detroit, Chicago and St. Louis, imagine Clinton
waxing rhapsodic to crowds of women, African-Americans and union
members, biting his lip, feeling their pain, and slinging daggers
at George W. Bush with effortless charm. Who better to take the
Democratic base on a trip down memory lane through the past eight
years and convince them prosperity will suffer unless Al Gore
is elected president?
A quick trip to Arkansas would help solidify six more electoral
votes for the Vice President. Then onto California, Clinton's
second home, for one last celebrity love-fest to help shore up
Gore's flagging support in the Golden State. Finally Washington,
Oregon and Wisconsin. Who better to persuade, massage, and finesse
Nader voters into the Vice President's column?
For their part, Republicans welcome the challenge of facing their
old nemesis in open battle. In many respects, they consider this
election a referendum on Clinton's scandal-plagued tenure in the
Oval Office. To have one last shot at humiliating the "Comeback
Kid" is looked upon with relish in conservative circles.
But Republicans would again be faced with the tricky task of separating
Clinton's moral failures from his policy successes. In eight years
they have failed to do this effectively.
More than any other reason, Gore should turn to Clinton because
he has nothing left to lose. With 14 days until the election,
his campaign has exhausted every avenue of attack against Governor
Bush - except one. Backlash or not, Gore will not find a better
option than William Jefferson Clinton to improve his dwindling
chances this late in the game.
So, Mr. Vice President, let the Big Cigar have his last fifteen
minutes of presidential fame. Let Clinton roam free, doing what
he does best, and pray that voters still like him enough to listen
to him. And whatever your personal feelings, don't run from the
big guy, embrace him. Climb up on stage with the man who made
you, dance to the rythms of the music and give him a big, fat
Tipper-style smooch. In other words, turn back the clock, make
it 1992 again and let the chips fall where they may.
Tom Bevan writes for RealClearPolitics
