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The 'We're Sorry' Democrats

April 3, 2019

The candidates in the enormous (and growing) 2020 Democratic field have one thing in common: flip-flops, apologies, and a general effort to distance themselves from their past.

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D., NY) has been dogged by her past conservative stances on issues ranging from gun control to immigration.

Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) has faced scrutiny for her vocal opposition to same-sex marriage in the early 2000s. She has also acknowledged evolving views on health care and an assault weapons ban.

Former Texas congressman Robert Francis O'Rourke has had to apologize for comment about his marriage and his penchant for dropping F-bombs.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.) has dealt with controversy over female staffers claiming there was sexual misconduct on his 2016 campaign.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass.) wants voters to know she is definitely not a member of a Native American tribes, despite her past claims of Native heritage.

And finally, the man described as "tactile" by the New York Times, former President Joe Biden, has distanced himself from his previous views on criminal justice reform and insists he will respect personal space.