From a reader:
Please let me be the 10 millionth person to point out the obvious to you: you can’t call Hillary ‘divisive’ and yet do the negative campaigning that will be necessary to defeat her. Good morning. Now drink something with caffeine in it and clear your head.
Me: Well, I’ve had some caffeine and I’m sticking to my guns. I don’t think the reader is right. Clinton did this sort of thing constantly, largely with the aid of Carville, Begala and other subordinates who did the dirty work. They demonized Gingrich, Ken Starr and others while Clinton stayed above the fray. In 2004, Bush ran one way while the Swift Boats ran another. I said in my earlier post that “Republicans” could campaign on Hillary’s divisiveness. I don’t think the nominee himself would have to. Anyway, if you go to the homepage you can click on the episode of What’s Your Problem (that failed to materialize yesterday) where Beinart and I discuss this very point. (Or you can click on the second installment where we talk about the failed Armenian genocide resolution.)