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 That strategy could pose problems for Clinton in the long run as
Republicans look for fodder to portray her as representing Obama's
third term should she win the Democratic nomination.
As she faces an unexpected challenge from Sanders in the early
voting states, Clinton's move to portray herself as an heir to
Obama's policies is aimed at courting young voters and progressives
who are part of the president's political base.
But she could be setting herself up for difficulties with a general
electorate weary of the status quo.
Over and over again during a tense Democratic presidential debate on
Sunday, Clinton, who served as Obama's secretary of state for four
years, played up her ties to the president and accused Sanders of
undermining him.
Gone were her mentions of differences with the president over Syria,
trade, and immigration.
Instead, Clinton praised the Affordable Care Act, Obama's signature
healthcare law. She highlighted her connection to the
administration's Iran nuclear deal and lauded the White House for
sending staff to Silicon Valley to discuss cybersecurity.
 Clinton, who ran against Obama for the 2008 Democratic nomination
and then joined his administration, said she could accept Sanders'
criticism of her campaign donations - one of the Vermont senator's
favorite critiques - but wouldn't tolerate similar criticism
targeted at her former boss.
"The comments that Senator Sanders has made ... don't just affect
me, I can take that, but he's criticized President Obama for taking
donations from Wall Street. And President Obama has led our country
out of the Great Recession," she said.
"I'm going to defend President Obama for taking on Wall Street,
taking on the financial industry, and getting results."
Clinton played up her service as his top diplomat, emphasized her
hours advising him in the Situation Room, and accused Sanders of
wanting to throw out Obamacare, all while debating in South
Carolina, a state in which Obama is well liked.
Republicans welcomed the opening Clinton provided for them to cast
her White House run as a bid for a third Obama term.
"When you have a president who is so unpopular as President Barack
Obama ... and his chief diplomat is embracing those policies and
running as his third term, it's going to be next to impossible,"
said Ric Grenell, a former U.S. spokesman at the United Nations
under Republican President George W. Bush.
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Dissatisfaction with Obama and the agenda in Washington have helped
propel two candidates outside the Republican establishment -
businessman Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas - to the top
of the party's crowded presidential field.
REPUBLICANS POUNCE
Perhaps foreshadowing future ads, the Republican National Committee
noted that Democrats at Sunday's debate had backed the current
occupant of the White House.
"Not content with Barack Obama’s legacy of a toxic Iran deal and the
rise of ISIS in the Middle East, Democrats doubled down on the
extreme and failed policies of the current administration," the RNC
said in a statement.
Democrats said Clinton was embracing Obama because he is popular
with the party's base, including in Iowa, which holds the first
nominating contest, called a caucus, on Feb. 1.
"It just makes sense to highlight where you agree with a president
who is popular among caucus goers, and Secretary Clinton found ways
to get that done," said Brent Colburn, a former Obama administration
official who served as communications director for his 2012
campaign.
Democratic strategist Richard Socarides, a Clinton supporter, said
Republicans were bound to portray her potential presidency as a
third Obama term anyway.
"She deserves a lot of credit for putting the country first and
going to work for him," Socarides said. "After Iowa and New
Hampshire especially, that will matter to a lot of Democratic
primary voters. And she is right to point out that Bernie has not
always been there. She has."
(Additional reporting by Alana Wise; Editing by Caren Bohan and Mary
Milliken)
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