Some Democrats are bracing for an onslaught of tough questions from Sen. Chuck Grassley in the fall about Hillary Clinton’s emails, which they say will give Vice President Joe Biden an even wider opening to mount a primary challenge.
It was Grassley, R-Iowa, who urged the State Department Inspector General to open a new investigation into Clinton’s use of a private email account and server. Grassley has also followed up by pressing Clinton’s inner circle about their involvement in the chain of email custody and handling of classified material.
One veteran Democratic strategist acknowledged that the issue isn’t going away with Grassley and his experienced investigative staff hot on the trail, and said Grassley’s effort is likely to be far more dangerous to Clinton that what he viewed as the more partisan House GOP probe led by Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C.
“Plenty of [Democrats] are concerned — the smart ones now that this email issue isn’t going away — and the idea that Sen. Grassley and the Judiciary Committee is ramping up is a bit troublesome,” the strategist said. “Congressman Gowdy’s investigation is a clown show — not sure this one will be.”
Dan Gerstein agrees. A New York-based strategist who spent years working for former Sen. Joe Lieberman on Capitol Hill and served as his chief spokesman in the Gore-Lieberman presidential campaign, Gerstein says the Grassley investigation is likely to have more gravitas and inflict lasting damage.
“The House is usually more radical, more partisan, and therefore their investigations tend to have less credibility,” he said. “Also, Grassley is smarter and tougher. If he’s going to sink his teeth into it, that guarantees that it’s going to percolate in the slow-grade fever state.”
Gerstein and several other Democratic strategists interviewed for this article said the continued drip, drip, drip of the Clinton email scandal gives Biden a wide-open door into the race and his decision to jump in.
But they also said the addition of Biden might actually help Clinton improve as a candidate. Instead of running against the press and losing that battle over and over again, Clinton would have a legitimate opponent to target, Gerstein argued.
“Biden’s entry into the race could potentially be a godsend to the Clinton campaign for a couple of reasons,” Gerstein said. “Her opponent right now is the press and it’s killing her — she is losing that race badly.”
“She can beat Joe Biden much easier than she can beat the press,” he said.
If Clinton had a real, serious challenger, it creates a much different dynamic in the race. She can engage one-on-one with Biden and his campaign, he said, and the vice-president’s loose-lipped tendency with the press could play to Clinton’s more organized, disciplined approach.
“Rather than just the press pouncing on things she says — because that’s the only game in town right now — she can pounce on things he says and make that the story,” Gerstein said.
Other Democratic campaign operatives also are rooting for a real contest that tests the Democratic field and makes Clinton and her opponents better prepared for the general election.
They recall how then-Sen. Barack Obama grew more battle-tested as a presidential candidate through the primary process with Clinton as a formidable opponent. This time, they argue, Clinton could benefit from the same type of refining experience against a serious Democratic challenger.
“Hillary has shown throughout her career that she rises to the occasion when she faces a serious challenger,” one experienced Democratic campaign adviser told the Examiner. “All the energy seems to be on the Republican side with Donald Trump shaking things up … but the Democratic side needs an injection of energy right now too.”
“Ultimately, the party is stronger when there is a battle of ideas — having a coronation for Hillary has always been a recipe for trouble. I don’t think it serves her well,” the strategist added.
