Clinton barely survived Iowa. Top Democrats say she must learn from it.

[cali]

Hillary Clinton appears to have eked out an incredibly tight victory in Iowa last night, leading Bernie Sanders by 49.9 to 49.5 with 99.9 percent of precincts counted. For purposes of the delegate count, her victory is not meaningful — as Sanders rightly put it, this was a “virtual tie.” The three main takeaways from the outcome:

1) Hillary Clinton is probably still the heavy favorite to win the nomination, given the demographics in upcoming states. That is to say, Sanders’s near-win probably does not shift the broader dynamics of the overall nominating contest in a very significant way.

2) Sanders’s showing is a genuine and significant achievement. Sanders has definitely tapped into something very real that Clinton — and Democrats — have a lot to learn from, not just for the primary contests to come, but for the general election as well, presuming Clinton ends up as the nominee. Sanders’s massive victory among young voters raises real questions about her ability to excite and engage them that will have to be seriously addressed.

3) Sanders’s stiff challenge to Clinton — and this will be true even if it drags on for a long time, which looks very possible — could have some positive effects, both for her and for the party overall. It’s immeasurably improved the quality of the Dem debate; forced Clinton out of her comfort zone and gotten her to embrace more ambitious economic proposals than her instincts might otherwise have dictated; may be engaging more young voters in the process; and could even ultimately impact the convention in a positive way for Democrats.

Top Democrats tell me that the closeness of the contest contains several lessons. One is that Sanders appears to be connecting more effectively than Clinton with how certain voter groups feel about the economy and the country’s future, whereas Clinton has been focused more on offering solutions rather than giving voice to their concerns.

<snip>
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/02/02/hillary-clinton-barely-survived-iowa-top-democrats-say-she-must-learn-from-it/

[Bread and Circus]

1. This article says a lot of important things.

Hopefully a lot of the sneering triumphalist bullshit from Clinton supporters I read around here will go away.

[morningfog]

6. Are you kidding? From Hillary people? lol.

[KingCharlemagne]

27. They remind me of General William Westmoreland iin November 1967, saying

they see a 'light at the end of the tunnel,' not realizing that the light they're seeing is that of a locomotive train bearing down upon them with full force and fury.

[jeff47]

8. Hi! Welcome to DU.

As you spend more time here, you'll become more familiar with the people behind the various accounts.

( )

[antigop]

2. no, I doubt her or the party will learn anything. They'll just keep moving to the right and

will be happy knowing that enough people will still vote for their agenda.

[dixiegrrrrl]

37. The article presupposes there is a *willingness* to learn anything

beyond whatever is needed to win.
I do not expect the political/social/financial landscape to change for the better if Hillary wins.

The problem is, HER kind of thinking got us here, and we simply cannot afford it anymore.
We can't, the planet can't, our grandkids surely can't

[antigop]

39. and I doubt there will be a "willingness" to learn.

I agree we cannot afford their kind of thinking anymore.

Sadly, there are still too many people in our party that haven't figured this out yet.

Just look at the number of people in Iowa who supported HRC.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

3. Hillary NEVER learns... why Bernie will no doubt go on to victory.

Bernie & Elizabeth 2016!!!

[Mike__M]

31. Allow me to correct you

insert ...NEVER, EVER...

Thanks.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

36. lol... I stand corrected.

[BeyondGeography]

4. Sanders' focus is an absolute godsend for her

If she looks at it as a nuisance to be discarded so she can pivot to the center she will lose badly in Nov.

[islandmkl]

5. "forced Clinton out of her comfort zone

and gotten her to embrace more ambitious economic proposals;"...

the WaPo left something off the end of this part of the comment:

"at least temporarily and as long as they are politically expedient for the primaries, possibly the general election, but not necessarily beyond;"

[dixiegrrrrl]

38. Yep. n/t

[KoKo]

7. David Axelrod's comments further down in the article are Priceless!

From the article:

“Bernie may be able to go on to the convention with a lot of leverage,” Axelrod says. “That’s a good thing for the party. He’s speaking to something that is very real. He’s already influenced the debate and the discussion. There’s no debate within the Democratic Party over whether the playing field has been skewed against large numbers of Americans.”

A protracted Sanders challenge, Axelrod concludes, “is going to require that the party address in very direct terms the problems that we face as a country right now.”

[H2O Man]

10. Very interesting.

Thanks!

[cali]

11. Yeah, very interesting

He is now the most prominent Senator in the democratic senate caucus.

[Robbins]

15. Conversation means squat

if clinton wins bernie and his supporters will be ignored.Your crazy if you think you can change clinton.

[Avalux]

16. If that how it goes down, she will lose the GE.

Without acknowledging the importance of what Sanders's supporters bring to the table she won't be able to count on them to vote for her, let alone work for her.

[Robbins]

18. It will be I won now get in line if you don't want republican to win

she will start to move to right after she would win.

Iowa has exposed the truth about clintons and democratic party and it isn't pretty.

Her problem is GOP governors can do to her what she and her cronies are trying to do to Bernie and his supporters.

[JPnoodleman]

21. acknowledgement isn't enough

If she is part and parcel basically a republican why not just vote republican?

She has, along with the elite DNC members basically said NO to Social Democracy or any policy like it. What good are they? Oh, we might keep Abortion legal for another 4 years. Gosh I hope I don't starve or end up homeless in that time, Gods know there will be no surviving programs left after Hillary gives so much away in compromises.

[closeupready]

30. Oh yeah. Seen that happen with their ilk tons of times.

[jeff47]

9. Not expecting any learning.

Instead, I'm expecting more slimeballs from Brock.

[Nanjeanne]

12. Offering solutions?

Seriously. While true that Sanders connects and gives voice to people's concerns, I have yet to hear clear cut "solutions" from Clinton. I do know what we can't get. But I have no idea what we can actually get with her.

[jen63]

20. That sentence

jumped out at me also; I thought wth?!

[JudyM]

22. Yeah, I'd like to see those on paper. Nt

[Nanjeanne]

23. Well I've been all over her website and read all her pdf's etc. & basically it's just a lot of words

I know what she says she wants to do . . .

I haven't yet found out how she actually will do it.

[JudyM]

25. Thanks for saving me the trouble of doing the digging, Nanjeanne! Nt

[Nanjeanne]

26. Well I believe in research - so check it out for yourself!

[loyalsister]

35. It's like a common argument

The one where you want to talk something out and just be heard and someone offers solutions.
Bernie is listening and people appreciate it.

[Binkie The Clown]

13. I have no doubt this will cause HRC to alter her approach to the CAMPAIGN

But I can't imagine it would alter her fundamental beliefs and her approach to governance should she be elected. Like everything else HRC any campaign strategy shifts would be cosmetic, skin deep, and would evaporate post-election.

[Robbins]

14. I am going to threw cold water

If bernie fails to win nomination then he and we have lost.

I call bullcrap on Clinton offering solutions than giving voice to concerns.Clinton could care less about anyone not part of top 1%
giving her money.

If clinton is able to steal nomination like she stole the tie In Iowa we will just be ignored and it's just business as usual for top 1% and foregin policy will go to right of obama and social safety net comes under danger.

I will continue each month to donate 5 or 10 dollars and i will vote for bernie In Missouri primary but clintons have exposed themselves to be just like Bushes.and I am done with them.

I will make a promise right here.If she is able to steal it I will be leaving DU since i will leave democratic party which i have been voting for since i turned 18 back In 1992 and I become an independent who hates both partys.

It isn't republican party that is in danger of collopse it is democratic party now that they have exposed the truth.they are no
different that republicans.both in pocket of wall street,and pro-war.dems play liberals for fools just like GOP plays relgious
conservatives for fools.Neither party cares about rights to vote.Iowa was Clintons version of florida.DWS is to clintons as was Katharine Harris to the bushes.

[Bobbie Jo]

32. Do what?

[mmonk]

17. Solutions is in the eye of the beholder.

[Zorra]

19. People don't trust Clinton and there's nothing she, or anyone, can do

to change this.

Words mean little to people who base their evaluations of others on their actions and this is particularly true in politics.

[TCJ70]

24. Yeah...

...she should probably pivot left, so she can pivot right later when it's more pragmatic.

[Trajan]

28. Top Democrats ...

Last edited Tue Feb 2, 2016, 04:10 PM - Edit history (1)

The same Top Democrats who avoided any mention of income inequality and unequal application of the national tax burden for these last 20-30 years ...

Fuck'm

I'm with Bernie all the way ... If he is willing, I am also willing to continue funding his run to the bitter end ...

I am sure tens of millions of us will be more than willing to support this man and his message through the entire race ...

Enough IS enough ...

[bkkyosemite]

29. Wrong 49.8 to 49.6... .02

[John Poet]

34. Hillary is now the candidate of the .02 percent!

::::rimshot::::

[Vinca]

33. There is one thing I wish Hillary would learn . . . how to give a speech without yelling.

I was listening to her around noontime and had to turn down the sound. That tone . . . it's grating.