When Bill Clinton was in office he liked to go over to the Republican sandbox, steal some of their favorite toys, and bring them back to share with his fellow Democrats but first he polished them up so they were more appealing. Welfare, for example, was repackaged as Workfare as Clinton declared  he would “end welfare as we know it!” His improvements to Republican core issues did indeed make them better but the reason he was able to win bipartisan support from Republicans was because these were . . core Republican issues (!) repackaged in such a way that his Democratic base could tolerate them.

 Hillary’s approach seems the same. She is happy to play in the Republican sandbox.

Flag burning amendment? Yup, she liked that one.

Iranian Guard declared terrorist organization?  Yup, she liked that one.

Macho military stance?  Check.

Vote to give the president unlimited war powers? Great!

 “See”, she says, “I know how to play with these guys! I even like to call myself Commander in Chief instead of President ‘cause these boys love military titles. That’s why I always point out what a fighter I am because these boys love to play war games in their sandbox.”

And Obama?

As a community organizer facing entrenched economic powers in the city of Chicago and then as a senator facing entrenched Republicans in the Illinois legislature, Barack learned a different approach. He would stroll over to his opponents sandbox and take a good look at how they played their games and what toys they preferred. Then he would invite them to his sandbox to play.

“Bring along that toy over there,” he would suggest as he pointed to one of their good ideas. “I think my friends would like it.”

And so Barack and his wary new acquaintances would walk over to his side of the playground and Barack would introduce them to his friends.

“Show my friends what you have. Tell them how it works.”

Pretty soon Barack’s new friends found themselves sitting down in his sandbox on the Democratic side of the playground enthusiastically showing how their idea could worked well with Barack’s.

We have played in the Republican sandbox for too long. We have reworked their ideas over and over again instead of pushing core Democratic principles. In 2009 we need to tell them to bring their ideas over and start playing on our side of the playground.

Whose sandbox will Hillary play in? 

I know whose sandbox Obama will chose.