Bernie Sanders Just Changed the Democratic Party

[Uncle Joe]

At eleven forty-five, Sanders addressed his supporters, who were cheering even more wildly than those Clinton’s crowd had been. “Iowa, thank you,” he began, his voice hoarse. “Nine months ago, we came to this beautiful state. We had no political organization, we had no money, we had no name recognition, and we were taking on the most powerful political organization in the United States of America. And tonight, while the results are still not known, it looks like we are in a virtual tie.”

That history explains why Sanders emerged as the big winner of the night on the Democratic side. Not only has he pulled off a rags-to-riches story, he has done it on the basis of a message that is more radical than anything Presidential politics has seen in decades—a message that he repeats with such regularity and relentlessness that his stump speech has become familiar to many Americans.

(snip)

No doubt, the going for Sanders will get a lot tougher once the race moves to states with much larger numbers of non-white voters. On the basis of her last name, her organizational ties, and her personal appeal, Clinton’s advantage over Sanders among minority voters appears to be substantial. A few months ago, however, her lead in Iowa also seemed quite substantial. As time progressed, Sanders was able to eat into it and, eventually, to eliminate it.

(snip)

Speaking on CNN as it got late, David Axelrod, President Obama’s former campaign manager, made an acute point. One of Hillary’s problems is that her campaign is largely about herself—her experience, her electability, and her toughness. “I will keep doing what I have done my entire life,” she said in her non-victory speech. “I will keep standing up for you. I will keep fighting for you.” Sanders, on the other hand, rarely mentions himself in his speeches. His campaign is all about his message of taking American back from the billionaires. And as Axelrod pointed out, it is often easier to inspire people, particularly young people, with an uplifting theme than with a résumé.

This, of course, was also the problem that Clinton faced in 2008, when Obama ran on a message of hope and the slogan “Yes, we can.” In recent weeks, the Clinton campaign’s response to the Sanders and his promises of ambitious policy actions has sometimes seemed to be “No, we can’t.” In Iowa, at least, that didn’t prove to be a winning message.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/john-cassidy/bernie-sanders-just-changed-the-democratic-party

[reformist2]

1. But, but, but... Hillary "won"!!! lol

[ViseGrip]

2. Hillary showed very poor sportsmanship last night, and it's another reason

with larger affairs, I really don't want her back in the White House. I've read the books over the years, telling us what it was like working with her, or having her in the White House after serving others. She was not known to be nice at all. I...am done with her. Forever.