The oldest rule in electoral politics has always been this one: When faced with more than one opponent, take out the stronger one first.
The second-oldest rule in electoral politics is: Whenever possible, use your weaker opponent to hurt your stronger one.
That’s why the Republicans have been spending all their firepower going after Hillary Clinton. They fear her so much that they had Karl Rove, who the Sanders team seems to have made their mascot lately, start attacking her with brand-new baseless smears in May of 2014 — almost a full year before she officially kicked off her campaign in April of 2015.
That’s also why the Republicans, when they’ve noticed him at all, have mostly kisses and hugs by comparison for Bernie Sanders. John McCain gave Bernie a smoochy-smooch in October, and now prominent GOP water carrier Rupert Murdoch has apparently taken time out from wooing Mick Jagger’s ex to order his flunkies to publish a really strange editorial mash note to Bernie called “Honest and Dishonest Socialism”.
See, per the editorial, Bernie’s an “honest socialist” whereas Hillary’s a “dishonest socialist” who at heart is just like Bernie, only more devious and therefore more dangerous to capitalism. That’s why the editorial contains rather, ahem, interesting passages like this one:
...Mr. Sanders has been candid about the need to raise taxes, even if he calls the hikes “public insurance premiums” that would eliminate private premiums. But you don’t have to be Chief Justice John Roberts to understand he’s talking about taxes. The difference between Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Clinton is political character. He’s a sincere socialist who follows his principles, however unrealistic or calamitous, to their logical conclusions.
Ohhhhkay then.
Though of course if you’re not a Republican, this part of the editorial might sound more appealing than intended:
As President, Mrs. Clinton would head in Bernie’s direction only more slowly. If ObamaCare continues to underperform, she’d also expand government control, dragging the U.S. ever closer to single payer. She might not go full Bernie, but she’d likely expand Medicare to people over age 55 and push Medicaid deeper into the middle class.
But hey, who am I to argue with the course of true love? Though I’m sure Jerry Hall’s not too happy.
We’ll let New Order and Depeche Mode sing us out.