Let’s be honest about Bill Clinton. Politically he was pretty moderate on a lot of stuff. Some NE Republicans are far more liberal. I am not defending the guy. I do not like him but I hope he cuts Obama’s b**ls off after Obama loses. The point is many people found Clinton accpetable going into his second term mainly because the stock market was so strong (manipulation again). I hated him but Dole was lackluster and Clinton hammered him from the start.
Obama is not Clinton in 1996. Like you said - Bill was slick but not totally frightening and Newt was watching Bill.
Moderate Dems and Repubs will fight wild dogs and bears to vote against Obama this year.
I expect ACORN may try some intimidation at some polls.
Clinton was only ‘moderate’ because he had a GOP Congress which was very conservative. Clinton was also completely slavishly driven by polls so he might WANT to do stuff but he knew that he would be punished politically and suffer in the polls. And popularity was more important to Clinton than virtually anything else in life other than available women.