DBWI: Bill Clinton is a Democrat

[glenn67]

Next month, the William Jefferson Clinton Presidential Library will open its doors in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

As you are well aware, Clinton was President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. Prior to that, Clinton was Governor of Florida (1991-1999) and Attorney General of Florida (1987-1991). A moderate, Clinton was credited with reviving the Republican Party's fortunes with his election as President in 2000 (his political heroes were Nelson Rockefeller and George Romney).

As President, Clinton balanced the budget, cut taxes and unemployment fell to 4.9 percent at the end of his Presidency. He is credited with bringing the Republicans to the political center and discrediting the [un-electable] right wing of the party. His appeal to blue-collar voters resulted in the Clinton Democrats (or Clintoncrats). His economic program of targeted tax cuts and free trade has been nicknamed "Clintonomics".

But suppose Clinton remained a Democrat like his parents and never joined the Republicans. What could have influenced Clinton to stay a Democrat? Would Clinton have had any political success as a Democrat in Florida? Or would he stay in his native Arkansas? And could Clinton have been elected President as a Democrat?

Discuss among yourselves.

 

[Swedswar]

Very unlikely for him to get to the national level on the democratic side, given his emphasis on family values. Plus he despised the modern democratic poster boy, Ronald Reagan.

 

[Pangur]

voters resulted in the Clinton Democrats I think you may have made a mistake is Clinton was a Republican

 

[Fubart Solman]

I think that the best way to get Bill to be a Democrat would be to have Romney lose the 1968 nomination to Richard Nixon. I don't think that Nixon would have been moderate enough to beat both Humphrey and Wallace.

 

[Kaiser K]

Very unlikely for him to get to the national level on the democratic side, given his emphasis on family values. Plus he despised the modern democratic poster boy, Ronald Reagan.

What if Reagan became a Democratic? I know unlikely, but I heard he almost married a noted conservative Actress named Nancy Davis in 1952, maybe she influences him and he eventually becomes a Republican?

 

[Emperor Julian]

voters resulted in the Clinton Democrats I think you may have made a mistake is Clinton was a Republican

Yeah, the Clinton Democrats were moderate Democrats who crossed the aisle to back his agenda.

What if Reagan became a Democratic? I know unlikely, but I heard he almost married a noted conservative Actress named Nancy Davis in 1952, maybe she influences him and he eventually becomes a Republican?

Reagan was already campaigning for the Democrats before that time. Maybe she makes him move more conservative, but he would probably be a moderate Democrat instead of the really Progressive Democrat we got OTL.

 

[Kaiser K]

Yeah, the Clinton Democrats were moderate Democrats who crossed the aisle to back his agenda.

Reagan was already campaigning for the Democrats before that time. Maybe she makes him move more conservative, but he would probably be a moderate Democrat instead of the really Progressive Democrat we got OTL.

Yeah, through he was supposedly heavily influenced by his OTL wife, Marilyn Reagan, which supposedly influenced his Progressive and Left Wing Ideas, so maybe Nancy would have done the same to him to more Conservative ideals?? you're probably right through, at worst we probably would see a more moderate/conservative Reagan, then a complete ship jump to the Republicans,