It's Official -- Bernie Sanders Has Overtaken Hillary Clinton In the Hearts and Minds of Democrats

[Jesus Malverde]

According to PBS, Bernie Sanders is "gaining against Clinton in early polls." Salon's Bill Curry believes "Hillary Clinton is going lose," primarily because millions of voters longing for a truly progressive candidate will nominate Sanders. POLITICO explained recently that Early-state polls hint at a Bernie Sanders surge, a headline that was unthinkable only several months earlier. Yahoo's Meredith Shiner calls Sanders a "progressive social media star and pragmatic legislator" and states that "Sanders also has a much more substantial legislative history" than any GOP challenger. In Iowa, 1,100 people packed a gym to hear Bernie Sanders speak in May.

In contrast, Team Hillary had an intimate business roundtable discussion with five "ordinary" Iowans. The only problem was that according to The Washington Post, "All five were selected to attend her events." In fact, Clinton's "staged roundtables" were attended by a total of 13 Iowans, picked by either the campaign or the host.

Therefore, a paradigm shift has taken place. Many Iowans drove 50 miles to hear Sanders speak in Des Moines, primarily because Bernie Sanders has surpassed Clinton as the ideal choice for Democratic nominee. Regarding electability, Sanders has also surpassed Clinton as the realistic choice for Democratic nominee in the minds of many voters, because as one Salon piece illustrates, Hillary "just doesn't get it."

When it comes to everything from immigration to climate change and economic issues (most Americans side with Democrats, according to Pew research and other data) some writers believe that Democrats "can nominate a ham sandwich and win the presidency." Although once thought of as an impossibility, a closer look at the electoral map shows why Bernie Sanders could realistically defeat any GOP challenger. If voters around the country still care about middle class economics, the federal budget, trade and other hot button issues in 2016, Sanders has a legitimate chance to win. Also, since Sanders isn't tied to Obama fatigue like Hillary Clinton, it's quite possible the Vermont Senator re-energizes an America that just recently decided the Confederate flag doesn't represent its value system.

According to a POLITICO piece titled The 2016 Results We Can Already Predict, "Assuming the lean, likely, and safe Democratic states remain loyal to the party, the nominee need only win 23 of the 85 toss-up electoral votes." Therefore, there's no need to jettison cherished values for the sake of pragmatism; those days are over. Senator Bernie Sanders, known in Washington and throughout the nation as an advocate for middle class Americans, veterans, the environment, and other cherished causes can win crucial electoral votes just as easily as Hillary Clinton.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/h-a-goodman/its-official-bernie-sande_b_7660226.html

[NanceGreggs]

1. Well, this is fascinating.

Exactly how was it determined that "Bernie Sanders Has Overtaken Hillary Clinton In the Hearts and Minds of Democrats"?

How many "hearts and minds" were interviewed, and how many agreed that they'd been "overtaken" by BS?

Who made this "official"? What does "official" even mean in this context? How does one become an "official hearts and minds overtaken" specialist? Is it like being an actuary, but more romantic?

Seriously, this is ermegerd-type serious stuff.

I guess someone should alert the pollsters - because according to them, BS hasn't overtaken anything, no less the minds and hearts of all of those people who, when asked, still say they'll vote for Hillary.

Inquiring minds want to know ...

[Joe the Revelator]

13. The fact that Hillary can't pack a house and I've met ZERO people 'excited' about Hillary...

kind of proves the point. I've met plenty of people who are 'ok' with her, but nobody who is head over heels for her. I can't say the same for Bernie.

[NanceGreggs]

14. The fact that YOU ...

... have met "zero people excited about Hillary" proves exactly what point?

Is this the kind of anecdotal "evidence" that makes it "official" that Bernie Sanders Has Overtaken Hillary Clinton In the Hearts and Minds of Democrats?!?!

I guess all of the polls demonstrating HRC leading Bernie by miles are just not as "official" as the opinion of some HuffPo blogger.

[Joe the Revelator]

15. I'll take anecdotal evidence all day...

....when compared to astroturf support that doesn't seem to have any momentum behind it.

[NanceGreggs]

16. No, you're right.

All of those polls demonstrating HRC's commanding lead over Bernie are obviously completely fabricated out of whole cloth. The pollsters should be watching you instead - and determining who has the majority support of voters based on your "evidence"!

[Joe the Revelator]

17. Lets see where we are in a few weeks/months

I'd say her 'hard' support will top out where it did in 08....at not enough.

[NanceGreggs]

18. I don't see why we have to wait ...

... Bernie having OFFICIALLY overtaken Hillary Clinton In the Hearts and Minds of Democrats already.

BTW, do you have any info on exactly why those "overtaken hearts and minds" continue to support HRC over BS in every poll - especially considering that it's "official" and all?

[leftynyc]

2. Really?

I work in one of the largest Democratic cities in the country and I don't know anybody who's voting for Bernie. Exactly who determined he's captured hearts and minds in a majority of Democrats?

[madokie]

3. Bernie will be our next President

He's on the right side of all the issues that are dear to me and has been ever since being elected mayor all those years ago in '89. Hillary is the front runner right now but you have to realize she has 23 years of name recognition where Bernie's can be measured in months, a few years at best. Bernie listens, Bernie answers and the answers he gives are what I want to hear.

I'll hitch my wagon to the team that is clearly the winner every time.

[DanTex]

4. LOL. An "official" declaration by some random HuffPo blogger.

[Thor_MN]

5. Nationally, Sanders has overtaken Clinton with his 14% to her 57%...

You would never know it by the absolute confidence asserted by the people "feeling the Bern", but he trails by over 40%. Granted, it's way early, but he has a lot of ground to make up. One could argue that he would likely pick up the 17% that support Joe Biden, who at this point, isn't running. Give him that and he only needs to attract 26% more (and take 7% away from Clinton) to make it a dead heat.

I like both candidates, for different reasons, but this "It's Official -- Bernie Sanders Has Overtaken Hillary Clinton" is officially wishful thinking at this stage of the game.

[ananda]

6. My heart and mind are with Sanders, but I like Clinton and..

.. I will happily vote for her if she is the nominee.

[LWolf]

7. It's happening.

[Arkana]

8. There seems to be a lot of wishful thinking going on here.

Like it or not, Bernie lags significantly in most polls.

[appalachiablue]

9. K & R. This explains it, what a force. Take a few to learn-

It's a beautiful day today. We're at the start of the new direction. Is it exhilarating!

[taught_me_patience]

10. It's reflected by his great polling

...oh wait... I guess the author just pulled that out of his/her ass.

[Metric System]

11. There seems to be a great disconnect between reality and this article.

[uponit7771]

12. The article forgets the "... if you ignore blacks and Hispanics" part of the title