The Republicans are turning out to be a feisty bunch. Over the past few days, thousands of activists gathered just outside Washington for the annual meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference.
There, delegates heard from Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, Rand Paul, Jeb Bush, Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker, Carly Fiorina and Ben Carson — to name just some of those hoping to carry the Republican standard into the 2016 election.
From taxes to education, from health care to energy, and from entitlements to foreign policy, they laid out their differences not only with President Obama but with one another.
Those who followed CPAC saw a truly vigorous debate. Whoever eventually emerges with the Republican nomination will be stronger for having gone through these repeated engagements with a cross-section of the party’s best and brightest.
Where’s the equivalent for Hillary and the Democrats?
At a time when events overseas are demanding American attention, you would think Mrs. Clinton would be out defending her record. And that she would have to do so not just against just Republicans but against other Democrats.
After all, from Russia’s growing aggression and the rise of the Islamic State to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, as a former secretary of state, Mrs. Clinton bears much responsibility for having shaped the world we now face. But among Democrats, beyond former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb, there’s barely anything going on.
So while Republicans fiercely debate our future, the only debate going on within the Democratic Party seems to be how to once again rebrand Hillary Clinton.