You could say that only if you believe that the political process creates power independently, instead of merely reflecting the power residing in the organization of economy and its corresponding class structure.
Let's face it - the Dems or Labour transformed not because of the vil nature of people running for offices, but because the social class structure changed quite dramatically during the past 40 or so years. As the Old Man correctly observed, the organization of production perfected under capitalism created the working class in a shape that made its mass mobilization possible. That is why we had a series of revolutions and social movements that seriously shook the bourgeois self-confidencea nd formed the power basis of the Old Left.
Alas, during the past 40 or so years the organization of production and its corresponding class structure changed quite dramatically. Politicians saw the writing onthe wall and and started positioning themselves to take advantage of these changes. At the end of the day, the power base of what used to be left disintegrated into a myriad of social identity groupings, catching the lefties wet-dreaming of a revolution while sleeping with their hand in a potty.
I am almost certain that the presidential candidates say what focus groups showed the public wants to hear, but what they will actually do will ultimately depend of the power of different lobby groups.
The bottom line is that today's politics is but a shadow of the organization of economy and society; to make a real change one need to tap into the political potential created by that organization instead chasing the shadow or cursing it.
wojtek