Why Bernie Sanders Still Doesn’t Pose a Critical Threat to Hillary Clinton

[SecularMotion]

When Sen. Bernie Sanders entered the fray, few thought he would make a sustained and serious challenge to Hillary Clinton. But in the months since he launched his campaign he has exceeded expectations, winning liberal Democrats and charging toward victory in New Hampshire, and approaching it in Iowa.

Now facing a truly competitive race, Team Clinton has reached for the sword, swinging against Sanders on everything from health care and gun control to his age and his electability, warning Democrats that his “democratic socialism” could cost them the election. On guns, they’ve landed blows, and they hope to do the same on his ability to win. On health care, by contrast, they’ve missed, frustrating liberal commentators and bringing new donations to Sanders’ campaign.

But the rapid rise of Sanders—and the pointed attacks from Clinton—obscure the extent to which the overall state of the race hasn’t changed. Clinton is still the favorite for the nomination, even as her path gets a little rockier and a little more difficult. And the reason isn’t hard to understand.

Take the recent Monmouth University poll of the Democratic race. Between December and January, Clinton lost her lead with white Democrats. Indeed, it vanished, dropping 23 points. Now, she’s tied with Sanders, 43 percent to 43 percent. But she’s grown her lead with black and Latino Democrats, winning 71 percent to 21 percent for the Vermont senator, up from 61 percent in January.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2016/01/hillary_clinton_s_ties_to_black_democrats_will_save_her_campaign_from_bernie.html

[William769]

1. Hillary & Sanders will split the delegates in Iowa & N.H.

After that though is when the crying is going to be massive for the Sanders campaign and his supporters. Hillary is going to have a landslide win in delegates.

[mikehiggins]

3. Again, no votes have been cast yet

Sanders' people and Clinton people should know that none of this is a sure thing or a slam-dunk.

Sanders' people point to Clinton v Obama and say she is vulnerable in 2016.

Clinton people say she has a prohibitive lead among minorities and is by far the most qualified candidate.

Sanders has much less baggage than Clinton and the "issues" the other camp creates don't seem to have any particular sticking power but HRC has shown, time and again, that she is the Everyready rabbit of politicians, better even than the "comeback kid".

We'll start to see how this works out in less than two weeks.

Are you not entertained?

[William769]

4. Reading GDP has been very entertaining.

And Come Super Tuesday it will be more so.

[morningfog]

8. Bernie is set to win the first two states.

Hillary will take some delegates, of course, but fewer than Bernie. That will keep the momentum narrative going.

Hillary is desperately spending her money in Iowa to blunt the effect there. The race is closing nationally and Bernie, unlike Hillary, has operations in each of the Super Tuesday states. It won't be over the , not by a long shot.

[uponit7771]

10. Hillary is being smart like Obama, Sanders CAN win the first two states but loose big in post

... IA and NH because he's decided to make his relationship a non priority

[morningfog]

13. She is not being smart like Obama.

Obama was meticulous in acquiring every possible delegate. He was in every state and took nothing for granted. Hillary has already taken so much for granted that she is scrambling, even before a single vote has been cast. She doesn't even have people on the ground in each of the Super Tuesday states.

[Orsino]

9. Good lord.

Is the goal now "crying"?

Or is seeing your enemy crushed and driven before you not enough?

[KingCharlemagne]

11. Sanders has paid field staff in each of the 11 Super Tuesday states, Hillary none! Unless you

are willing to dismiss GOTV efforts entirely, you cannot say that HARCwill enjoy a landslide on Super Tuesday

[William769]

12. Yes I can.

[elias49]

16. What a pity. Status quo? Not for me thanks.

[Alfresco]

18. You are correct. :-)

[cali]

19. I won't cry. I've always expected to see her nominated

And I've said here repeatedly, long before Bernie announced, I don't think she can win a general election. I'll certainly be voting for her, but yeah, don't think she'll win.

[workinclasszero]

20. Yup

And you can count on it being labeled a BIG CONSPIRACY!!11!!1

Cause everybody they know loves Bernie!!!!

[stonecutter357]

2. K&R!

[draa]

5. That would be fine if our primary ONLY allowed Democrats to vote.

Too bad for her that Independents, which IS the dominate voting block in America, go for Sanders by a Yuge margin. She won't over come that. Not when they're allowed to vote in our primary.

And let's say she does win the nomination. Do you, or her, really think people she's now calling Communist will EVER vote for her in the general. After all the lies about their candidate. And especially after they've defended her over Benghazi? They protected her against Republican lies and she the lies about their candidate. Get real.

They'd rather have a Republican burn the motherfucker down than give it to Hillary. That's the problem with "scorched earth" tactics that she's playing. No one will be there when you need them after you lie and demonize the people you need most.

So, the next time you folks want to repeat provable lies, and call us names like communist, you should remember that you'll soon be all alone in a sea of Republican insanity with no one to help. Thanks.

[restorefreedom]

14. right on, draa.

she will never see the inside of the wh again, except as a guest.

[TM99]

17. It continues to astound me

that Clinton supporters tout this numbers when less than 30% of registered voters are even Democrats.

[draa]

21. It really makes no sense to me either.

Do they think the 6% of Democrats that left the party have disappeared into thin air as well.

There's another group they've ignored as well. The lost moderate Republicans. The GOP has gone nuts and there's a lot of Republicans who hate their party and want a choice but they won't ever vote for Clinton just because.

[TM99]

22. it is magical math.

Yet they ignore these other numbers day after day.

[Vinca]

6. I hope Bernie is a critical threat. The White House depends on it.

Anyone who thinks the GOP won't make hay over the latest email revelation is naïve. I think they'll wait until she's locked up the nomination and then demand an indictment. That will play over and over and over and over and eventually more than half the population will believe it and . . . kaboom . . . President Trump. This is the scariest election I've ever experienced and I've been following them since JFK.

[draa]

7. They don't think far enough ahead to be concerned.

All they see is Clinton, that's all. The federal investigation, or any of the other (pending) issues, doesn't register with her supporters even a little.

[99Forever]

15. Give Up Hope Prols v2345.8

FUCK THAT.

[Number23]

23. An interesting article on the critical role that minorities play in Democratic politics

In 2008, black voters waited for white folks to come to Obama. I think many of us were convinced that there was no way it was going to happen and when it did, it was earth shattering especially considering how much support Hillary had in black communities.

This year, (some) white voters are waiting for minorities to come to Sanders and so far, that's not even close to happening.