Webb: The real threat to a GOP win in 2016

Remember these words: “the party of old white men.” 

This was the typical attack line used by Democrats against Republicans for decades. To be fair, at times they were right. But the changing demographics in America have apparently caught up to the demographics of the political field for the GOP. We have in our presidential field a woman, a black man, an American of Indian descent, two Latinos and youths and baby boomers. 

{mosads}The dirty little secret that Democrats don’t want to admit to is that they no longer own minorities in this country — freedom of choice in America means freedom to choose political party. 

Now, let’s examine the contenders on the Democrats’ side of the aisle to run for the highest office of the United States. 

The chosen one, according to many, is former Secretary of State and former first lady Hillary Clinton, who has revived the “vast right-wing conspiracy” of the 1990s in the face of her multiple scandals, from Benghazi, the Clinton Foundation and her emails. 

The surprise contender — though not really, because America will not elect an open socialist — is Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders  (I). What more needs to be said to the American voter considering that we all can see what has happened with European socialism and Venezuelan socialism? 

There are other candidates, but they have little or no chance of claiming the nod; worthy at best of a mention are former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and former Secretary of the Navy and former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb. 

And of course, with an announcement that could come as late as the morning of the first Democratic debate, there is current vice president and former Delaware Sen. Joe Biden.

To my Republican colleagues, and with the understanding that I too want Clinton investigated fully and prosecuted if it rises to that level, let’s not be too anxious to remove the Democratic front-runner from contention — I would rather the GOP nominee run against Clinton than against Biden. 

Like him or not, Joe Biden is amenable, and many independents — not just Democrats — are not averse to him as a presidential candidate. Independents will decide the general election. For the Democratic base, old-school or Blue Dog Democrats will see the former senator as a part of their past and will be more likely to support him. 

Also consider who Barack Obama might prefer to follow his presidency and preserve his legacy. If the next president is a woman from either party, she will in many ways eclipse the historic nature of his own election. Ask yourself if Obama would prefer to have his legacy preserved by his vice president or overshadowed by the nation’s first female president. 

In short, Joe Biden is a more dangerous opponent than Clinton. 

If the vice president gets into the 2016 race, and if he chooses someone like Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as a running mate, the GOP will be in for a fight. 

To the Republican messengers, let me simplify three segments of the population. The poor — and there will always be poor — are for the most part taken care of in our society. There are multiple entitlement programs like welfare and private-based charities to help them. The rich will lose in a tough economy — that is also not good, but by and large they will survive. The middle class, however, is a different story. 

The issue for the middle class is that it’s not well taken care of but is taxed to help take care of others. Unlike the rich, those in the middle class cannot survive as comfortably or — this is key — replenish easily what they lose. 

Republicans must not only say they are champions of the middle class but work to prove themselves as such. This is not rocket science — unfortunately, it appears that much of the consultant class on the Republican side has vested itself in repetitive cookie-cutter campaigning rather than truly becoming the champions of the middle class.

The changing demographics of the country have expanded the big tent of the GOP to the chagrin of many aging Democrats and the delight of true Reagan Republicans like myself. We are not the “party of old white men.” The Republican Party would do well to highlight the diversity of the field of contenders for the nomination to run against the Democrats’ nominee. 

Pay attention consultants, candidates and voters. This election cycle really is for the Republicans to lose, and they have been known to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. 

Webb is host of “The David Webb Show” on SiriusXM Patriot 125, a Fox News contributor and has appeared frequently on television as a commentator. Webb co-founded TeaParty365 in New York City and is a spokesman for the National Tea Party Federation. His column appears twice a month in The Hill.

This post has been updated from an earlier version.