Nathan Newman wrote:
>True that Gore-Lieberman might have been a scarily pro-Israel combination,
>but they are actually both outliers within the Dem party
-Outliers? They were the presidential and vice presidential candidates -in 2000, Gore was VP for eight years, and Lieberman is a favorite of -the Great Mentioner as a presidential candidate in 2004. If that's -outlying, what's insiderhood?
There is this bizarre executive branch worship that always declares the President emblematic of party policy, when in many cases they are least beholden or involved in it, and often have run against "the party" to gain the Presidency in the primaries. Carter ran that way as did Clinton.
What's insiderhood? Being elected by other party leaders or activists rather than the media-primary-money system of Presidential primaries where "the party" has far less of an institutional role, especially since independents and even Republicans can cross over and vote. The Speaker of the House and/or the Majority/Minority Leader are far more representative of "the party" since they are picked solely by party members.
Gingrich, Tip O'Neill, Gephardt, Tom Delay channelling Dennis Hasert-- they are far more insider reps of their party policies than their respective executive branch leaders ever were.
-- Nathan Newman