TPM Reader BC has seen this challenge to authenticity before:
I also find the Clinton “Obama’s no better than me” argument baffling. â¦
It doesn’t make any logical sense, but on the other hand, it seems to be a pretty effective political strategy — it’s been a central part of Republican campaign arguments forever.
“Limousine liberals” disprove the notion that Democrats are uniformly the party of the working class, which means that the Democratic Party’s economic policies must be “inauthentic,” which means (somehow) that Republicans should be given carte blanche to support the rich.
Even the Republican “flip-flopper” attacks against Kerry in 04 were essentially attacks on his authenticity. What did Republicans care that Kerry hadn’t been clear or consistent in his opposition to the war? If anything, this should have reassured them that he wouldn’t “cut and run.” But the real goal was to suggest to voters in the middle that Kerry wasn’t authentic enough about his views to deserve their votes, and they should support the consistent warmonger instead.
