Budowsky: The campaign from hell

Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager, Robby Mook, recently told The New York Times that those concerned about the direction of her White House campaign are “bedwetters” and “Washington insiders.” His comment was an insult to Democrats who wish Clinton well and believe her campaign should do some things differently, and an insult to swing voters who could support the former secretary of State but view her with distrust.

The bedwetter insult was previously dished by sources close to President Obama against Democrats who once warned that the party could lose control of the House and Senate in midterm elections — something that ultimately happened.

{mosads}The missing ingredient in American politics today is respect. In the last week, all three remaining major party candidates for president have provided breathtaking examples of disrespect to voters, who in large numbers feel intense disapproval for Clinton, Donald Trump and the Congress.

Trump, who mocked American POWs because they were captured and then falsely bragged that his support increased 7 percent because of his condescension toward prisoners of war, told a crowd at the Washington rally of Rolling Thunder — which views support for POWs as a patriotic mission — that he is their guy.

Clinton, who has been dogged for many months by her private email controversy, responded to a report of the State Department inspector general with a tepid acceptance of responsibility coupled with continuing justifications and excuses that made her resemble a law student defending a client in a moot court contest.

Bernie Sanders, who has built a reputation for authenticity but whose chances of being nominated are virtually zero, spent the week spinning yarns about his powerful march to the presidency, all while he continued attacking Clinton and Democrats — increasing the chances that Republicans will control the presidency, Congress and the Supreme Court.

Count me in as a bedwetter in need of a bathing suit. 

Like many Americans, I am appalled and disgusted by this campaign and fear for my country if our next president assumes office as disliked and distrusted as Clinton and Trump appear destined to be.

In my long experience in national politics I have never witnessed a campaign where so many top Democrats and Republicans tell voters something other than the truth when it comes to what they believe about the respective nominees.

Many leading Republicans who support “the nominee” feel a private terror that Trump could destroy the GOP or do grave damage to the republic if elected.

Many leading Democrats who support Clinton privately dread her inability to offer an inspiring vision or build public trust for the prospect of her presidency.

Many nationally important progressives are privately but increasingly concerned that the Sanders candidacy could become a vanity play for a candidate who cannot let go of the limelight and who conducts himself in ways that could do grievous damage to the progressive cause.

It is time for straight talk.

Sanders should drop out of the campaign after the California primary, regardless of the results. He must not become a Democratic wrecking ball and blessing to Republicans. Along with Elizabeth Warren, he should electrify the summer convention with his progressive passion and mobilize the movement behind an all-out campaign to elect a Democratic president, achieve a progressive Supreme Court and bring more progressives to the House and Senate.

Clinton must understand why Sanders outperforms her so dramatically in match-up polls against Trump, why an alternate nominee such as Secretary of State John Kerry would probably win a landslide against Trump and why she must do some things very differently, very soon.

Clinton should unequivocally take responsibility for her email controversy, without any more excuses, evasions, rationales or law school defenses that remind voters why they distrust her.

Hillary Clinton must understand that, as a candidate with low trust ratings, she needs to offer a powerful and compelling vision for the future of America — not merely a daily cacophony of consultant-generated attacks against her opponent or a condescending staff that insults her allies and swing voters.

Budowsky was an aide to former Sens. Lloyd Bentsen and Bill Alexander, then chief deputy majority whip of the House. He holds an LL.M. in international financial law from the London School of Economics. He can be read on The Hill’s Contributors blog and reached at brentbbi@webtv.net.