What Hillary Clinton can learn from Al Gore's mistakes — and George H.W. Bush's successes

What Hillary Clinton can learn from Al Gore&#039;s mistakes — and George H.W. Bush&#039;s successes

(Image credit: Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

published 13 April 2015

E.J. Dionne at The Washington Post has a good column today outlining how Hillary Clinton can model her 2016 campaign on George H.W. Bush's 1988 campaign, the last time an incumbent party held on to a third consecutive presidential term. It will require Clinton to perform an "intricate two-step" with President Obama — leaning on him to propel turnout from the base, while carving out room for how she can improve on his performance — and to hammer home the idea that Republicans are not prepared to govern.

Clinton will also have another model to learn from: Al Gore's 2000 campaign, which saw the vice president squander strong fundamentals (i.e. peace and prosperity) partly by keeping a scandal-tainted Bill Clinton at a distance.

For Hillary Clinton, the lesson is clear: carefully embracing a successful predecessor is a far better move than pretending he doesn't exist. Her road to the presidency will invariably go through Obama.