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

[All Along The Watchtower]

It's kind of remarkable how much influence the Clintons have over the Democratic Party given that they've been terrible party builders (in the sense that Democrats have basically been shut out of significant sections of the country - at most if not all levels of government, which has only accelerated in the Obama years - in the same era in which Clinton-style "Third Way" politics has ascended and been institutionalized within the party).

While correlation is not causation, there is a disturbingly close overlap in the time periods here. I'll leave you all to draw your own conclusions.

[All Along The Watchtower]

I don't think that it's fair to hold the Clintons accountable for the poor state of the Democratic Party as of 2016-2017. That is a more recent failing. The Democratic Party did not have the kind of wide-ranging organizational problems that now appear uniquely severe until within the past decade, and when the Clintons were in elected office they were extremely diligent about supporting Democrats at the state and county level in whatever ways they could, from personal appearances, to organizational support, to fundraising.

True, true.

Speaking of this topic:

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http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/01/opinions/hillary-clinton-has-a-point-louis/index.html