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What makes Jim Webb a better presidential candidate than Hillary Clinton? I really dont have an answer for you on that, the former Virginia senator told NPR late last month. Where does Martin OMalley differ from Clinton as a leader? My mind is not even in the compare-contrast mode, OMalley told the New York Times. How does the bombastic Bernie Sanders feel about the candidate hes planning to challenge for the Democratic nomination? This is a woman I respect, clearly a very intelligent person, Sanders said Monday.

With enemies like these, who needs friends?

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Time and time again, when invited to criticize Clinton, her potential Democratic primary rivals have ducked, deflected and dodged. Theyre trying to present themselves as viable alternatives to the daunting frontrunner without addressing the obvious question of how they stack up against her.

At the end of [interviews], somebody has to ask me a question about Hillary, and I try not to attack her. Usually, no matter what I say, it becomes Hillary Clinton, said Sanders, raising his arms in a sweeping gesture as if to indicate that Clintons name becomes the banner headline. What Im running on are the issues Her name recognition is about 10 times greater than mine, so if I run, it would take a lot of work getting around the country introducing myself to people.

With Elizabeth Warren continuing to resist entreaties to enter the race, liberals are still waiting for a serious challenger to Clinton to emerge if only to ensure the partys progressive wing gets the attention and respect it believes its views deserve. At this point in 2007, President Barack Obama was declaring his candidacy and drawing a contrast with Clinton on issues like the Iraq War and the politics of triangulation, pioneered by Clintons husband in the 1990s.

This time around, would-be Clinton spoilers are not so far along.

The outspoken Sanders deflected a question about Clinton posed by POLITICO late last month. All I know is if I run, Im not running against Hillary Clinton, protested the Vermont senator, who if he runs, almost certainly would be running against Clinton. Over the weekend, he did engage the prospective match-up more directly, telling MSNBC that it would be a real clash of ideas on issues like trade, climate change and infrastructure investment.

But at an event at the Brookings Institution this week, Sanders made it clear he had little interest in going after the former secretary of state.

It is not my style to trash people, he said.

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Hillary Clinton's best frenemies