When Barack Obama launched his White House bid 12 years ago, he already had a library of well-crafted policies. Some were bold. Others were small-bore. Behind each position was a bench of experts. The same went for John McCain, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mitt Romney and other 2008 contenders. Now we could be living in a different century. With the exception of Elizabeth Warren, whose campaign has yet to catch fire, today’s Democratic aspirants are content with a brassy slogan. Policy wonks might as well join the Mississippi gopher frog on the endangered species list.
12年前，当巴拉克•奥巴马(Barack Obama)向白宫发起冲击时，他早已准备好了一屋子精心设计的政策。其中有些颇为大胆，有些则无足轻重。每个职位都有一长凳的专家供备选。约翰•麦凯恩(John McCain)、希拉里•克林顿(Hillary Clinton)、约翰•爱德华兹(John Edwards)、米特•罗姆尼(Mitt Romney)等2008年总统大选的角逐者都是这样准备的。而眼下我们仿佛活在另一个不同的世纪。除了竞选活动尚未全面启动的伊丽莎白•沃伦(Elizabeth Warren)，有志问鼎白宫的民主党人如今普遍满足于浮夸的口号。“政策老学究”甚至可能像密西西比穴蛙一样登上了濒危物种名单。