Verbal shots fired between Hillary Clinton and Tulsi Gabbard over suggestions of Russian influence pose a challenge for mainstream Democrats who do not want to alienate factions of the party that still greatly respect the 2016 Democratic presidential nominee.
Clinton suggested in a podcast last week that Gabbard, a Hawaii congresswoman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, is “a favorite of the Russians” and is being groomed to be a third-party spoiler candidate. Gabbard responded in a series of fiery tweets on Friday, calling Clinton “the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long.”
Some candidates declined to directly agree with Clinton and appeared to hint that they were skeptical of her claims when attempting to avoid questions about the controversy.
“I don’t know what the basis is for that,” South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg said Sunday when asked whether he agrees that Gabbard is a Russian asset. “I consider her to be a competitor,” he added. “Our focus right now needs to be on the things that are actually undermining America.”
“An agile pivot,” CNN host Jake Tapper observed during the interview.
Kamala Harris chuckled when asked about Clinton’s comments. “Everyone is entitled to their opinion,” the California senator said. “There’s nothing else to say.”
“I don’t think that Democrats are fearful of disagreeing with Hillary,” said Democratic strategist Steve Murphy, who noted that Clinton did not provide evidence for her claim. “For the most part, it was a bad choice of words.”
Criticizing claims from Clinton, who was a force in Democratic politics for decades, could have little benefit to mainstream Democratic presidential candidates hoping to take her place in 2020.
“Despite everything, Clinton still has a following among Democratic primary voters,” said Brad Bannon, another Democratic strategist.
Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has declined to answer questions about the controversy. Former Housing Secretary Julián Castro said he has “a lot of respect for Secretary Clinton” and “would just leave it at that.”
Part of the explanation behind the candidates’ answers is that “they don’t want to take on Hillary Clinton” and, by extension, her husband, former President Bill Clinton, Bannon said.
Candidates who have defended Gabbard are largely those running outsider campaigns.
Tech entrepreneur Andrew Yang tweeted that Gabbard “deserves much more respect and thanks than this.” Spiritual author Marianne Williamson asserted that “character assassination of women who don’t toe the party line will backfire,” adding that Gabbard has her respect.
Beto O’Rourke, a former Texas congressman who shot to stardom during his failed 2018 Senate bid, also gave a forceful defense of Gabbard.
“Tulsi is not being groomed by anyone,” O’Rourke said Saturday. “She’s her own person, obviously has served this country, and continues to serve this country in uniform, in Congress, as a candidate for the presidency. And so, I think those facts speak for themselves.”
O’Rourke’s poll numbers and fundraising have drastically declined since his presidential campaign launch, and he has also recently taken swipes at Buttigieg on gun policy.
“As far as O’Rourke goes, I mean, he’s the man in desperate search of a constituency,” Murphy said.
Many candidates may feel no need to defend Gabbard, even if they disagree with Clinton’s suggestion, because they do not see the Hawaii congresswoman as a serious challenge to winning the Democratic presidential primary.
“This may come as a shock to Tulsi Gabbard, but she’s not a serious candidate for the nomination,” Murphy said. Gabbard missed the September Democratic primary debate before making the October round and has not yet qualified for the November debate.
Some candidates could be frustrated that Clinton waded into the primary race in this way and gave more attention to low-polling Gabbard.
“If you want to play a role in this race, keep your criticism focused on the president,” said Bannon.
