Shadow of Scalia Falls over South Carolina
Segments:
GOP Debate
Democratic Debate
The Open SCOTUS Seat
Nevada, South Carolina and beyond
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.
Segments:
A look back at Iowa
On to New Hampshire
Reviewing the debates
The national mood, and why it sucks
Predictions going forward
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.
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
Regardless of what party you’re in or which candidate you support, it seems to me the presidential election comes down to one question: Which Democratic candidate can best withstand the GOP attack machine?
Regardless of whether Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, or John Kasich win the GOP nod, demographics and electoral college math suggest that Democrats are positioned to win in 2016 if their nominee can withstand the harshly negative general election campaign to come. There are two competing and somewhat equally plausible theories about that. In choosing a nominee, Democrats should envision each theory’s worst-case scenario and carefully game it out.
So let’s look at the two very precarious “nightmare” scenarios out there – be it Hillary Clinton’s negatives overwhelming her or Bernie Sanders being caricatured by the opposition.
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Segments:
Michael Bloomberg considers a possible run
Ted Cruz’s college roommate takes to Twitter
The Des Moines Register endorses Rubio and Clinton
Sarah Palin enters the fray
The O’Malley factor in Iowa
It’s amazing that in a nation of around 247 million adults, there’s 400 million opinions on the Clinton-Sanders campaign. (Maybe the extras are just fake Facebook profiles.)
So let me make it 400,000,001.
Since October, Hillary Clinton has been slipping. That doesn’t mean a death knell for her candidacy; far from it. But what Clinton has to do is look at what is working for other candidates this year and try to duplicate a little of that magic recipe. Here’s a few thoughts on how to update her playbook:
Segments:
The Democratic Debate
Bernie’s single payer plan
Who’s the weaker national candidate?
The GOP Debate
Bernie’s black endorsements add “street cred”
What a Trump presidency might look like