Daily Beast's Shrum: 'Big Dawg' Bill Clinton Can Save Democrats

Former President Bill Clinton is being hailed as the potential savior of embattled Democrats as they face heavy defeats in the House and the Senate in the November elections.

The Daily Beast columnist Robert Shrum has called on the "Big Dawg" to become the face of the Democratic midterm campaign and get the party’s message across from coast to coast.

Shrum says that Clinton should be the "driving force" to take on powerful GOP strategists such as Karl Rove and conservative mega-donors like gambling mogul Sheldon Adelson and billionaire industrialists Charles and David Koch.

"They would prove no match in messaging for Bill Clinton — and he’s the best chance to come close to matching them financially by attracting money beyond the Obama true believers among the big givers and the grass roots," Shrum wrote.

He praised the 42nd president for urging Democrats to "embrace" and support Obamacare instead of running away and hiding from it, as they have been doing in droves.

"Clinton understands that the last refuge of Democratic fear and trembling is to pretend you’re not really a Democrat, or not that much of a Democrat," said Shrum, noting that will only end badly for vulnerable Democrats in the midterms.

The Beast writer claimed that "the explainer in chief" Clinton would be able to point out the GOP "obsession" with Obamacare while also "eloquently" explaining the advantages of the healthcare reform law to millions of Americans.

Clinton, says Shrum, would paint a picture in contrast to the "horror" stories about Obamacare from conservative propagandists such as the "misnamed" Americans for Prosperity, founded by the Koch bothers.

Shrum said a super PAC led by Clinton would be able to show that Wisconsin Republican Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget would turn Medicare into a voucher program and also effectively cut off college aid for low- and moderate-income students.

"Seniors don’t have to vote Republican and won’t — and younger voters will turn out — if someone tells them what’s at stake. And who is better than Bill Clinton?" Shrum said.
"Clinton, the right fundraiser, the right messenger with the right instinct, also has close relationships with Democrats in Congress and virtually every state. He knows how to target and modulate the case to fit particular places."

Shrum added that Clinton may be reluctant to take on such a "decisive role" because he’ll want the focus of attention to be on his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, after she likely announces her candidacy next year for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.

But Shrum said, "For the sake of his wife’s run, he may want to husband his fundraising prowess and the force field of his presence for contributors."

With Obamacare in danger of being minimized if the GOP captures the Senate in November, Shrum says  Clinton should heed his own advice and "turn into the controversy" by taking a leading role for the Democrats in the midterm elections.

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