The 2016 presidential campaign is being driven by two politicians whose names are not on any ballot: President Barack Obama and Bill Clinton. The Republican race is being shaped by conservative rage at Obama. The Democratic race by liberal wariness of Clintonism.
Seven years of Obama has driven Republicans over the edge. They despise this president and everything he stands for. Obama is the ultimate conservative nightmare — a big-government liberal who's weak on foreign policy. And black.
What's shaping the Republican race is the fury of rank-and-file Republican voters at their own party. Republicans have taken control of Congress — and for what? They still can't stop Obama. He vetoes what the Republican Congress can pass, like repeal of Obamacare. And he ignores Congress and acts on his own authority to implement what they won't pass.