Why was the Democratic establishment so united behind Clinton in the beginning?

[twenty42]

She was also a good sacrificial lamb for what looked like it would be a bad year for Dems. The party was in bad shape in 2014 and 2015, and the conventional wisdom was that the GOP would take back the White House after two terms of Obama. Making sure she was nominated in 2016 would get her out of the way and open the party up to their next generation in 2020 and beyond.

She draws a lot of comparisons to Bob Dole and John McCain. All three had lost primary bids and then got nominated eight years later, with conditions favorable to the opposite party.

[twenty42]

Back to the OP, I really don't think they wanted another outsider. Obama's win was an upset for the democrats, and he ultimately ended up being a disaster down-ballet. In his 8 years, they lost the senate, the house, the majority of governorships, and many state state legislatures. While he could do great during election years, he simply couldn't appeal to voters during midterms and at the state level, which really ruined the democrats ability to pass legislation.

I don't think Obama, or his presence, ever really resonated with voters after 2008. The Republican landslides in 2010 and 2014 speak for themselves, but it's seldom acknowledged that the popular vote in 2012 swung Republican by almost 3.5 points. Democrats had a MASSIVE advantage in the EC in 2012, which made Obama's win look more decisive than it was.