In Iowa, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton still leads, but by a smaller margin than previously in the state, according to a poll released Sunday.
Clinton received support from 38 percent of potential Democratic caucusgoers, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) received 27 percent and Vice President Joe Biden received 20 percent.
In Iowa, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump got 29 percent of potential GOP caucusgoers and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson received 22 percent.
The poll was conducted from August 26 to Sept. 2 among 998 registered voters (margin of error +/- 3.1 percentage points), 390 potential GOP caucusgoers (+/- 5.0) and 345 potential Democratic caucusgoers (+/- 5.3).
So who would those Biden supporters vote for, if he chooses not to run? His 20% is more than the difference between Clinton’s 38% and Sanders’ 27%. In any event with all the money and Democratic party insiders pushing Clinton, she should be doing a lot better. Her minions have intimidated all others except Sanders into not running, at least not hard enough to be a threat to the chosen one.
There is a newish article on Politico on how the Clinton campaign is encouraging surrogates - other Democratic politicos and even some big donors - to question Sanders’ voting record and disparage his electability (all the while denying to do so). Meanwhile candidate Clinton won’t even acknowledge candidate by name. On the other hand, candidate Sanders has maintained his pledge to focus on issues and not say anything negative about other Democratic candidates.
In recent polls taken without Biden, Clinton still leads. It’s fantasy to think that Biden supporters are really Sander’s supporters merely pining for Biden because he is an even more progressive voice than Sanders (he isn’t).
Biden occupies the same space on the political spectrum of the Democratic party that Clinton does (possibly, just slightly, to her right even). Biden supporters going to Sanders will not be doing so because they love Bernie…they will be doing so because they hate Hillary.
As for her doing better, consider that every mention of Hillary for the past several months on the MSM has been negative, its rather remarkable that she has a double digit lead.
And really, intimidated? I think that’s a bit over the top in describing why people aren’t running against her. Its not like she is having bricks tossed through windows, or breaking kneecaps of people. She is playing to win, and has been for the better part of year. Wouldn’t you want your candidate of choice to do the same?
I agree, mostly.
But: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal-a/2015_09/hillary_clinton_sets_up_anothe057460.php
I agree with the argument of that article, that she goes into a defensive posture far too often as a campaigner, but, it is still a strategy aimed at locking up the nomination.
The problem is she is still haunted by the ghosts of the 2008 campaign. Probably because she knows she isn’t anywhere near the campaigner that her husband is. Bill relished the campaign battles; Hillary would just as soon neutralize them so they never occur.
I mean, think about it. Should she ignore the bigger delegate states because Bernie is doing well in his neighboring NH, where he was always assumed to do well? How is THAT a good strategy?