Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) on Monday night conceded that he and Democratic presidential rival Hillary Clinton were locked in a “virtual tie” in the Iowa caucuses—but his supporters responded as if he had already won.
“While the results are still not known, it looks like we are in a virtual tie,” Sanders said to clapping from the audience. He then let out a “woo!” and laughed.
Sanders thanked Clinton and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, who dropped out of the race earlier Monday night.
“As I think about what happened tonight, I think the people of Iowa have sent a very profound message to the political establishment, to the economic establishment, and by the way, to the media establishment,” Sanders said, crediting Iowa with a “political revolution.”
Sanders went on to talk about his plan to offer tuition-free college and obliterate a corrupt campaign finance system. As his voice got raspy, he told the crowd that he was “very proud” to note that he was the only Democratic candidate without a super PAC.
“So you guys ready for a radical idea? So is America,” Sanders said. “We are going to create an economy that works for working families, not just the billionaire class.”
Fine speeches by both the Hillary and Bernie tonight. And both camps have something to be grateful for – Hillary avoided a humiliating (if not necessarily all that consequential) loss, Bernie comes in at least close enough to avoid the “that’s it, his campaign’s over” spin – or at least I think that’s the case – and keeps his supporters, volunteers and legions of small donors all feeling hopeful and motivated.
In my view, we all win, because this race continues to look like a real race, which keeps people paying attention to the Democratic race and keeps Democratic themes and issues and the Democratic contenders squarely in the media spotlight alongside the Republican race, rather than ceding all that free attention and airtime to the GOP and their hateful message.
[Standard Disclaimer: This commenter wishes it to be known that in November he or she plans to vote for the Democratic nominee, whoever that turns out to be, and will encourage their fellow primary candidate supporters to do likewise.]
Well said! It has been a very heartening night for Democrats, except of course for those who supported O’Malley. The cherry on the sundae was donald’s trouncing by Cruz, with Rubio nipping at his heels.
Only downside to that is it increases Rubio’s chances a bit, and I agree with the many who believe he’s probably the GOP’s most formidable candidate in the general. On the other hand, in a worst-case scenario, I can imagine the country surviving a Rubio administration more or less intact (though much the worse for wear) in a way that I have a hard time imagining if either Cruz or Trump were to become President. I guess most of us would survive Cruz or Trump adminstrations as well…but we might wish we hadn’t.
Meanwhile, did Jeb get any votes at all? Last I checked, he had disappeared down into the margin of error in the last pre-caucus polls, assuming a kind of Schroedinger’s Cat existence where his 2 or 3% support might exist, or might just be a statistical fluke.
I think of Rubio as not being as intractable as donald or Rafael. If by some horrid twist of fate he becomes the next president, he’s malleable enough that he might bend to the will of the country. We can only hope. I do see either Hillary or Bernie making him look like an inexperienced wet-behind-the-ears candidate and exposing him as completely unqualified to lead this country.
All the Republican candidates have significant Achilles heels that make them unpalatable to all but their diehard supporters. Democrats now have a choice between two candidates we can stand behind, except for the purists who are never happy anyway.
Perhaps, or at least he wouldn’t be able to bend the country to his will in the way a stronger leader might be able to…he just doesn’t have much charisma as far as I can tell.
Still, presumably if he won that would also mean Republicans maintaining control of Congress, and perhaps even making substantial gains. Which would all be treated as a historic mandate for severe reactionary change. And they’ve already got the Supreme Court majority that will generally at least look the other way when needed, and, when really needed, will jump right into the political fray and put their collective thumb on the scales of Constitutional justice.