Some polls show that Democrats have begun to move up in popularity, something which has given leftists a reason to be more hopeful about this year’s midterm elections.
Yet during a recent interview with CNN host Fareed Zakaria, former President Bill Clinton warned his party not to underestimate the threat that Republicans pose.
Clinton: “Republicans always close well”
Bill Clinton to Fareed Zakaria on the midterms: “The Republicans always close well. Why? Because they find some new way to scare the living daylights out of swing voters about something. That’s what they did in 2021 when they made critical race theory sound worse than smallpox.” pic.twitter.com/VxFw7yFq9c
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 18, 2022
Clinton told Zakaria that Democrats “have to note the Republicans always close well. “Why? Because they find some new way to scare the living daylights out of swing voters about something.”
“That’s what they did in 2021 — where they made critical race theory sound worse than smallpox. And it wasn’t being taught in any public schools in America. But they didn’t care. They just scare people.”
In fact, Fox News has documented the presence of racially divisive material in schools, including the 2018 book titled, “Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness.”
SCOOP: At least 25 public school districts in 12 states are now teaching “Not My Idea,” a book that claims “whiteness” is the devil, luring children with the promise of “stolen land [and] stolen riches.”
Critical race theory is driving public education—and must be stopped. pic.twitter.com/FRzpxywwbj
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) July 8, 2021
Clinton went on to argue that “the break point in American politics is not much different” than it was during his time in office as winning over independents is still essential for victory.
“It’s just that there’s so many fewer, because as the parties have gone more ideological and clear, and somehow psychically intolerant, they pull more and more people toward the extremes,” he continued.
Clinton saw Republican wave in 1994
“But there’s still some people hanging on there who are really trying to think, and trying to understand what’s going on.”
Clinton knows firsthand about the ability of Republicans to “close well,” as in 1994 he saw the GOP take over Congress for the first time in four decades.
In a 2007 piece, Politico recalled how Republicans “united under the ‘Contract with America,’ a 10-point legislative plan to cut federal taxes, balance the budget and dismantle a host of welfare programs enacted and expanded during the decades of Democratic rule.”