On Dynastic Politics

Hillary today in Iowa:

There seems to be a pattern here.  It takes a Clinton to clean up after a Bush.

This is smart on several levels, dare we say brilliant.  It came in the middle of a speech largely focused on the economy where Hillary was asserting, once again, that she was the most experienced candidate and best suited to tackle the difficult challenges the next president will inherit. But of course asserting her experience in the White House also reminds voters that we'd be repeating a pattern of Bushs and Clintons.  So this is a clever way of making light of the charge that America would be embarking on some kind of coronation.  Yet highlighting one of Bill Clinton's biggest successes - his stewardship of the economy - has obvious political benefits at a time of heightened economic anxiety.  In fact, it's hard not to think the line was suggested by the former President himself.  He'll be in Iowa a lot these next few weeks so it seems appropriate to remind voters what they liked about his administration.