In 2004, Bill Clinton loyalists, distraught over Democrat John Kerry’s defeat, hunkered down and planned for the next presidential election.
They fortified themselves with a few thoughts: Hillary would be the nominee in 2008, and Barack Obama’s 2004 convention speech proved the party had a bright centrist future because both Hillary and Obama were pragmatists.
They didn’t plan on Howard Dean supporters (including the “Netroots” and ideological progressives) believing that Kerry lost because he wasn’t liberal enough.
They also didn’t plan on this faction starting a revolution in the party.
