Dems: Would you prefer it if Obama and Clinton had swapped nomination years?

[Nichlemn]

It seems as though it would have been better for Clinton had she won the nomination in 2008. She wouldn't have issues like her emails, and she would have been younger and presumably in better health.

Although Obama has handled the role of the Presidency, if he were guaranteed the 2016 nomination, more experience probably couldn't hurt.

Of course, the political situation would be quite different in this counterfactual. It's quite probable that Trump might never have run or be nominated without an Obama presidency, for instance.

[Southern Delegate matthew27]

Romney would of wiped the floor with her. Period.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Oh absolutely. Hard to imagine anything good from 2008-16 not happening, while it's entirely possible that things would be better.

[LLR]

Nah, there's a chance she wouldn't've been re-elected, and President Romney wouldn't've been fun at all. (Voted Other because I was 5 in 2008)

[Figueira]

Yes.

I guess I was kind of an Obama supporter back then even if I was a little young.

[ag]

No. Imagine the wave of racism that Trump would have been raising. It would be even uglier than it is now. People would have been lynched in the streets.

[Xing]

No, 2008 was definitely Obama's year to shine, and Hillary is more prepared now than she was in 2008, certain issues aside.

[Erich Maria Remarque]

It's quite probable that Trump might never have run or be nominated without an Obama presidency, for instance.

The irony...

(Voted Other because I was 5 in 2008)

                       

[President of the great nation of 🏳️‍⚧️]

Nah, there's a chance she wouldn't've been re-elected, and President Romney wouldn't've been fun at all. (Voted Other because I was 7 in 2008)

[angus]

No. 

I voted for Obama in 2008 and I'm sure I would not have voted for Clinton.  Nor would I have voted for McCain.  Although Obama was a major disappointment and I did not vote to re-elect him in 2012, I was enthusiastic about supporting him in 2008.  I don't like to vote for third-party candidates.  I'll do it, of course, if no acceptable Democrat or Republican is nominated.  I have twice before voted for third-party candidates and I'll do it again this year because the two name-brand parties have nominated narcissistic, sleazy, sensationalistic, self-serving candidates, but like most people I'd rather vote for one of the two main candidates. 

It's like driving through a small town in the middle of nowhere and you can't find a Burger King or a McDonalds.  You end up eating at Jenny's Diner.  The food is better at Jenny's Diner, and not particularly expensive, but you are a coddled American and none of that matters to you.  All that matters to you is familiarity and fast service, so you look for Burger King or McDonald's and have trouble taking seriously any restaurant name that isn't familiar.  This election will be like driving through some small town in the upper peninsula of Michigan, or through the swamps of southern Louisiana, or through the four corners region of the American Southwest.  I'm glad that 2008 featured at least one major name brand candidate, and at the time I totally bought into Obama's rhetoric about a new, post-partisan America because he would "change the tone" in Washington.

I'm hungry, though.  Right now I'm driving through the swamps and I'm looking for food.  Jenny's Diner is looking pretty good so I'm becoming comfortable with the fact that neither Burger King nor McDonalds are very near.  I'll probably not regret eating there either, because I know that Jenny's burgers leave me satisfied, but to be sure you'll have to ask me after November 7. 

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Absolutely. I think about this all the time.

[Hammy]

No, 2008 was definitely Obama's year to shine, and Hillary is more prepared now than she was in 2008, certain issues aside.

2008 me was a Republican so I was hoping for Clinton in that primary because I knew Obama had a better shot of winning--post-2008 me is glad it wasn't swapped from what actually happened.

[Erc]

Yes (Other: McCain supporter in 2008).  I think we'd be a lot better off foreign-policy wise, and the national discourse would much improved (i.e. we wouldn't have Trump on the national stage).

Though I'm not sure if Obama could pull off a victory in 2016 in this alternate timeline.

[Adam Griffin]

Yes: option 1. I take comfort in the fact that in an alternate universe, voters got it right.

[jamestroll]

Yes: option 1. I take comfort in the fact that in an alternate universe, voters got it right.

I remember you posted something on AAD once that this year should have been Obama's year to be nominated for President and that 2008 was Hillary Clinton's turn. I was 100% in agreement with you on that post. Very rare thing.

[Trapsy]

Yes. Obama is one of a kind politician. I love the guy.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Kind of hard to say.  I don't regret supporting Obama, but part of me feels like more would have gotten through Congress in the first two years with a more experienced Democrat at the helm who was used to relentless and unfair political attacks from Republicans.  For all my criticisms of her, I don't think Hillary would have bent over backwards for the GOP for two years in the same way Obama did.

Voted no because I'm still generally pleased with what the Obama years gave us.

[RosettaStoned]

  Not a Democrat, but I don't think that Obama would have run this year if Clinton had won the nomination in 2008.   I think Sanders would be the nomine in 2016 if Obama had lost back in 08.  

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Yes, if CLINTON won in 2008 she would have definitely pushed for immigration reform, with Pelosi as Speaker😁

But, Obama wouldn't need to have to run this yr.

[Santander]

Obama is clearly a gifted politician, but Clinton would have made the better president if elected in 2008. The problem this year is that we've had 8 disastrous years of Obama, and we cannot continue on this same course.

[President Johnson]

No, I was for Obama back then. However, I wish he could either run again or Joe would do so.

[Antonio the Sixth]

No (sane). She wouldn't have accomplished a tenth of what Obama did in his first two years.

[Santander]

No (sane). She wouldn't have accomplished a tenth of what Obama did in his first two years.

That could actually be a good thing depending on your perspective.

[Antonio the Sixth]

No (sane). She wouldn't have accomplished a tenth of what Obama did in his first two years.

That could actually be a good thing depending on your perspective.

Sure, but the progressivea who voted yes are silly.

[Buffalo Bill]

The elders in the party portrayed Obama as the better choice because it maintained a longer hold on the white house whereas Clinton would've hurt their image after 8 years.  Plus no one would remember Obama by then anyhow.