America Is Feeling The Bern: Bernie Sanders Draws Overflow Crowds — And Surges In The Polls - Salon

[WillyT]

America is feeling the Bern: Bernie Sanders draws overflow crowds — and surges in the polls
Once written off as a fringe candidate, the Vermont senator's performance is taking many pundits by surprise
Sophia Tesfaye - Salon
Tuesday, Jun 16, 2015 06:24 AM PDT


Bernie Sanders (Credit: AP/Evan Vucci)

<snip>

Some voters in the early voting states seem to be “feeling the Bern,” an enthusiastic reference to the candidacy of 73-year-old Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.

Sanders appeared before a standing-room only crowd of more than 700 supporters at a Friday night rally in Iowa, which the Wall Street Journal notes is “the same number who went to a Hillary Clinton event on Sunday that featured a buffet table and a live band.”

In Wisconsin, Sanders took a surprising 41 percent in the Democratic Party straw poll at the state convention, losing to Clinton by just eight points.

And Sanders is surging in New Hampshire, a crucial early primary state. According to a recent Morning Consult New Hampshire poll, Sanders holds an impressive 32% to Clinton’s 44%, and at a recent event in Keene, New Hampshire, the more than 1,000 people who showed up to see the democratic socialist couldn’t all fit into the room.

“I am surprised by the size of the crowds. In Keene, New Hampshire, on Saturday, we had close to a thousand people,” Sanders told reporters.

Sanders told NPR’s Tamra Keith that he was “stunned” by people’s reactions on the trail and the large crowds he draws. ”If you were to ask me a couple of months ago whether we would have larger crowds than any other candidate out there, I would not have told you that that would be the case,” he said.

More than 3,000 supporters showed up to a fiery Sanders rally on in Minneapolis recently. The longest-serving independent in congressional history said the crowds left him ”stunned. Stunned. I mean I had to fight my way to get into the room. Standing room only. Minneapolis was literally beyond belief.”

The crowds have translated to some cash for Sanders. His campaign said it expects to have about $10 million on hand by the end of the month from more than 200,000 contibutors and plans to raise about $50 million total. But that figure is about half of what the Clinton campaign is reportedly expected to raise.

<snip>

More: http://www.salon.com/2015/06/16/america_is_feeling_the_bern_bernie_sanders_draws_overflow_crowds_and_surges_in_the_polls/

[WillyT]

1. Kick !!!

[spanone]

2. good news!!!

[Cali_Democrat]

3. Hillary 65%, 9% for Bernie Sanders, 5% for Martin O'Malley

Nationally.

PPP was the most acucrate polling outfit in the 2012 election cycle.

Bernie seems do by doing well among white liberal voters. That's why he's doing well in places like Vermont and New Hampshire.

Good analysis here:

Clinton continues to be dominant nationally with every segment of the Democratic electorate- she's over 60% with liberals, moderates, women, men, Hispanics, whites, and voters in every age group and she's polling at 83% with African Americans. The lack of racial diversity in New Hampshire is one reason Sanders is coming closer to her there given her dominance with black voters nationally.

http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2015/06/walker-bush-rubio-lead-gop-field-clinton-still-dominant.html

If Bernie wants to win, he's going to have to do a better job of reaching minority voters.

[AtomicKitten]

5. Way too early for that admonition, but we appreciate your effort.

Candidate Obama did not top national polls until 2008.

[Cali_Democrat]

7. So it's OK to flog a poll showing Bernie doing well in New Hampshire

But it's not OK to dig into Bernie's polling numbers nationally and point out that Bernie's support is coming largely from white liberals and not minorities.

Got it.

[AtomicKitten]

10. Oh dear. Feeling put upon?

You are flogging an apples and hand grenades comparative argument.

National polling doesn't catch up to state-by-state polling until much later in the race, just as we saw in the 2007/08 campaign when one candidate's standing was largely name recognition and others not well known nationally.

But go ahead and insist it does if it assuages those icky feelings you must have about an opponent picking up steam.

[Cali_Democrat]

17. Bernie is not my opponent.

Not sure where you got that idea from.

A single poll in New Hampshire will not measure Bernie's minority support because there aren't very many minorities in New Hampshire.

The recent poll from PPP does show that Bernie continues to struggle attracting minorities.

If you want to win the presidency as a Dem, you will need minorities. It's not enough to only attract liberal whites.

[AtomicKitten]

20. Keep flogging the race-baiting, I dare you.

Her race-baiting campaign worked out nicely for her before, didn't it?

[uponit7771]

34. Showing poll facts nationally is race baiting? tia

[jwirr]

18. He knows he does not have name recognition. That will come. We are months out from the first

election yet. Just give us time. He has chosen to work on the first two elections and there are groups in many places in our country who are working on this. As Bernie says "don't count us out yet."

[JDPriestly]

24. It is still early. Minorities are understandably wary.

But Sanders will also appeal to them as they get to know him better.

Sanders was one of the first if not the first to come out in support of African-Americans in Ferguson.

Minorities just don't know Sanders well yet. They will soon discover that he has supported equal rights since he was very young.

The minority support numbers will change when minorities realize as I have that Sanders is saying how he will fund programs he wants to institute. Hillary is so far not saying much about that. Where will she find the money for automatic voter registration for example.

[upaloopa]

30. No not way too early. You can't just pick up a

voting block you never had in the past. I am just wondering how long the "too early" thing is good for. A month, 6 months, a year?

[JaneyVee]

6. Some white people on Twitter are not helping his cause:

https://mobile.twitter.com/allanbrauer/status/610861533405573124

Personally I think this is a scummy tactic which is why I don't follow that clown but comments are telling.

[NewSystemNeeded]

12. The most frightening thing about "The People's View" is that it's not satire.

[cali]

15. it's more than scummy. It's lying slime and I don't see the posts from

white people that you say are "telling". Granted I only scrolled part way down. the comments I read responding to his garbage were reasonable. But even if they're are a couple of shit replies, he's the instigator and shit stirrer with his lies. I'm guessing he's a Clinton supporter, but whether he or not, that tweet is repugnant and he is the one who should be condemned. Can't say I cared for the comments that got him in hot water either.

[madokie]

11. I think all Bernie has to do is keep on being Bernie

People are starting to connect with his message. Its a long time before the voting starts so I'm not too concerned with any of that at this point.

[Marr]

8. The 1% bought the leadership of both parties to make sure messages like Sanders'

were never on the table; to make sure that our choices were between trickle down economics with a donkey painted on it, and trickle down economics with an elephant painted on it.

Funny how popular an actual left wing economic message is when it manages to slip by that big money filter.

[WillyT]

13. + 1,000,000,000 What You Said !!!

[brooklynite]

22. I recall that Howard Dean's message was popular as well...

...the problem is turning crowds and polls into actual voters.

[peacebird]

26. Duly noted.

[Avalux]

9. Feel the Bern!! K&R!!

[zentrum]

14. I'm Bernin'!

[Jefferson23]

16. I ask you, how cool is that? Thanks, WillyT. n/t

[WillyT]

19. Anytime Jefferson23 ... Anytime...

[JDPriestly]

21. Good news!

And I will mention again that when Sanders proposes a policy or a program, he can tell you how he would like to fund it, where the money would come from if he has his way.

Bernie is not just spouting off nice rhetoric. He is talking about the reality of budgets.

Bernie is the ranking member of the Senate budget committee. He is a realist when it comes to money.

Hillary does not have that kind of slice and dice and pour experience when it comes to the finances of government.

I'm not saying she can't do it. I'm saying she hasn't done as much of it as Bernie has.

I'm waiting to hear precisely how Hillary proposes to fund the programs she is suggesting.

In all this, I realize that Congress will have the final say. But Bernie's intention as he clearly states it is to organize citizens to badger Congress into doing the right thing.

Hillary said in her speech in so many words: Volunteer for my campaign. Elect me. I will talk to Congress and make deals.

Sanders says: Volunteer for my campaign. Elect me. And I will rely on you to talk to Congress with me and we will make the deals together.

That's our choice for 2016 right there.

Which candidate do you REALLY want?

I want Bernie.

[peacebird]

27. Me too! He actually tells people what he would do & HOW he would pay for it! He takes questions

And actually answers them!

[KoKo]

23. ....!

[sadoldgirl]

25. It is far better for him to climb

the mountain slowly but surely than to rush up and fall.

His message is working in spite of all the obstacles that
media as well as NDC put in his way. There is not only
a lot of sharing about his proposals on social media,
many people hear it by word of mouth from someone
they trust.

I do think he will get a lot of youngsters interested. If
they are serious and vote in primary/caucus he will have
a large audience and a lot of help.

[peacebird]

28. College kids are already flocking to him, and he has a big following on Reddit

[KoKo]

35. Great Post....

Hillary has huge name recognition...but that isn't everything. As you say:

It is far better for him to climb the mountain slowly but surely than to rush up and fall.

[WillyT]

29. LOL !!! - Scarborough Is Such A Putz...

And...



From: http://www.ijreview.com/2015/06/346061-unlikely-candidate-suddenly-surged-within-striking-distance-hillary/

[Kalidurga]

31. Just wait til Colorado

I predict about 7000 people are going to show up. How's that for optics I say it's worth at least 3 bouncies.

[Thinkingabout]

32. I am just looking forward to the overflowing crowds voting for Hillary in the primaries and general

election.

[me b zola]

33. K&R

[WillyT]

36. Evening Kick !!!

[WillyT]

37. A Last Kick From Me...