MSNBC’s Steve Kornacki warned that Hillary Clinton faces a “generational” problem and some Democrats in private “worry about a guy like Marco Rubio being the Republican nominee” during an appearance on “MSNBC Live” Monday.
Kornacki explained that the fears surrounding Hillary Clinton are valid because in 1992, voters chose Bill Clinton, the “fresh start” candidate instead of the candidate with “experience.” Host Kate Snow added that the precedent held true in 2008, when Barack Obama was elected.
Steve Kornacki: There’s nobody better at coming across warm and sunny and optimistic in public than Bill Clinton but the danger here for Hillary Clinton is seeing it in the poll numbers. It’s not just fallen behind Bernie Sanders. When you look in New Hampshire at the new poll, all voters, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, you ask them the basic question, “Do you have a favorable view of Hillary Clinton or an unfavorable view?” The score for unfavorable is now up to 60. She’s in the 30s on favorable. And I know there’s not a direct correlation there between how you are going to vote and you can vote for somebody you have a negative view, but it’s a lot tougher to get there as a voter. And that’s hurdle she is going to have to overcome, and that’s number worse as this campaign has gone along.
Kate Snow: And with so many outsiders seeming to gain traction, Carly Fiorina, Donald Trump, is the insider thing still hanging around her neck?
Kornacki: If you talk to people, if you talk to Democrats and give them a little truth serum or you promise them that you won’t use their names, this is the thing they tell you they worry about in the general election with Hillary Clinton. They worry about a guy like Marco Rubio being the Republican nominee for generational reasons. The generational contrast of somebody, she will tout her experience and stress her experience but voters when they are presented with that choice with a fresh start or somebody who is running on experience, how many times do they choose the fresh start? It’s how Bill Clinton got elected back in 1992.
Snow: People would argue that’s how Barack Obama got the nomination back in 2008.