Month: February 2016

South Carolina and Nevada Part 1

Segments:

Democratic Nevada caucus and GOP South Carolina primary results

Chat with a Kasich SuperPac worker

Kasich canvases Jonah

Greg reveals the secret to why he loathes John Kasich

Dems in South Carolina and Repubs in Nevada

D.J. explains why a nominee Trump can’t carry the GOP vote

How Trump can circumvent campaign finance laws

Kevin explains why using superdelegates makes sense

Predictions – serious and silly

I Love Millennials…But…

I love millennials. I even own one. Well, as much as a father can ever own an 18-year-old man. So when I read how energized and excited millennials are to vote this year, I am heartened by their newfound political activism. But am I impressed by their overwhelming choice to support Bernie Sanders? Not really.

Let’s remember, any 18-year-olds planning to cast their first vote for Sanders were only 10 when Barack Obama was elected. They were only 11-12 when Americans were torn apart by the Obamacare town hall debates that blew up across the country—far too young to have understood the deep divides that swirled around a new president’s efforts to radically change our healthcare system. And their 26-year-old millennial “elders” were only 18 or 19 back then. All their adult memories of presidential elections are of the good-guy Democrat winning, with no historical knowledge of how liberal candidates can get slaughtered in a national campaign. How can young people who have barely learned to drive understand the Mt. Everest-size speed bump that stands between a Sanders nomination and a Sanders administration?

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Shadow of Scalia Falls over South Carolina

Segments:

GOP Debate

Democratic Debate

The Open SCOTUS Seat

Nevada, South Carolina and beyond

 

Sanders’ Electoral Math

Let’s talk electoral college math for a moment. Here’s why I’m so concerned about a Bernie Sanders candidacy. This is the electoral map as I see it. And I gave Bernie the benefit of the doubt in several states that I think might be tough for him (NJ, CA, WI). But looking at that map, I don’t see him getting to 270 from here, for these reasons:

IOWA – Sure, he had a great caucus showing. But let’s not forget that in a record turnout year, GOP turnout was still 15,415 higher than Dem turnout. And that’s with all the independents who crossed over to caucus for him, and with record under-30 turnout. So his “I’ll increased Democratic turnout” argument is already baked into the numbers. Plus in a general election, Bernie would bleed some moderate Iowa Dems who find him too liberal.

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Episode 21: Onward, New Hampshire

Segments:

A look back at Iowa

On to New Hampshire

Reviewing the debates

The national mood, and why it sucks

Predictions going forward

 

Sanders Supporters’ Short-term Memory

Did you see all those “young people” caucusing for Bernie Sanders in Iowa yesterday? Most looked to be around 18-23, right? Very enthusiastic. Trying to convert other voters to come with the Sanders group, talking about how Bernie wants to give everyone free healthcare and free college. Inspiring, huh?

But you know what? They have no memory of the last eight years.

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Episode 20: Twenty-four Hours to Iowa

SEGMENTS:

Interview with an Iowa voter

T-minus 24 hours and counting

Final polls – what they tell us and what they don’t

Last GOP debate – sans Trump

Clinton’s “Top Secret” Emails

Where we think things will go from here