Sanders has changed the political discourse and shifted the focus onto these issues as the only candidate who repeatedly addresses them in speeches and debates.
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Reality Check for Trump and Clinton
Posted April 6th, 2016 at 2:27 pm (UTC-5)
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Republican party front-runner Donald Trump’s Twitter feed went uncharacteristically quiet in the immediate aftermath of his double-digit loss in the Wisconsin primary to Sen. Ted Cruz. Later in the night, the Trump campaign reverted back to status quo by insulting, not congratulating, the winner. “Ted Cruz is worse than a puppet— he is a Trojan horse, being used by the party bosses attempting to steal the nomination from Mr. Trump,” according to a statement from his campaign. As Trump pouted defiantly, pundits were dissecting Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders sixth straight win against Democrat Hillary Clinton, who is far ahead in the delegate count. As one newspaper editorial put it:
“For a guy who can’t win, Bernie Sanders is certainly defeating Hillary Clinton a whole lot…. ”
Next primary stop is in New York, where we may learn if Cruz and Sanders’ campaign ‘mojo’ will continue.
Odds Rise of Democratic Victory
Posted April 6th, 2016 at 1:34 pm (UTC-5)
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If Mr. Trump prevails, many Republicans are likely to stay home on Election Day, and more than a few will quietly support the Democratic nominee. If he falls short on the first ballot and is denied the nomination, he and his supporters will cry foul, and a formal party split would be likely.
Can Bernie Sanders Really Win the Nomination?
Posted March 28th, 2016 at 11:05 am (UTC-5)
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Sanders’s resurgence raises two important questions: Does he have a realistic chance of defying the punditry and snatching the nomination? And, even if he doesn’t ultimately win, how will Clinton and the Democratic Party deal with him and his supporters?
Terrorism – Not Climate Change – Dominates Campaign Trail
Posted March 25th, 2016 at 5:35 pm (UTC-5)
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For the most part, the presidential hopefuls from both parties have skirted the threat of climate change – instead, lacing their stump speeches with biting criticism of the current U.S. strategy to defeat ISIS. Despite this week’s deadly reminder of the gravity of Islamic extremism in Brussels, scientists argue strongly that the effects of global warming far outweigh terrorist attacks. Science tells us that 2015 was the warmest year on record. On the same day that 31 people died in twin attacks in the Belgian capital, retired NASA scientist James E. Hansen published a paper stating that the catastrophic consequences of greenhouse gas emissions headed our way at a much faster rate than previously predicted. Both Republican candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump disregard the growing consensus that global warming is real. Even two Republican mayors in Florida urged both men to stop denying the disaster that awaits the Earth and start coming up with policies to address the crisis. Democrat Hillary Clinton is a believer, but it has been her opponent, Bernie Sanders, who has clearly articulated the dangers of global warming while on the stump.
America, We Could Be Looking at a Trump, Clinton Contest
Posted February 22nd, 2016 at 2:20 pm (UTC-5)
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We must consider how astounding it is that Ted Cruz couldn’t win in a state like South Carolina with such a large born-again Christian voter base. And that of the entire field of GOP candidates – including Cruz and Carson, two devout Christians – that Jerry Falwell, Jr. endorsed Trump.
Trump & Sanders Win, Bewildering Political Establishment
Posted February 10th, 2016 at 1:14 am (UTC-5)
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Less than 24 hours after Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump and his Democratic counterpart, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, both landed decisive victories in the New Hampshire primary, pundits and columnists began dissecting the outcome. Is this a case of “it’s just New Hampshire, we have long race ahead of us, a lot can change before Novemeber!” ? Or, alternatively, “the American electorate has spoken; the populist movement is here!” ? Hard to say. What we do know is that the establishment machine is a bit gobsmacked. They know Trump doesn’t need or take their money, and Sanders relies heavily on individual contributions. They also know what New Hampshire’s exit polls tell us: namely, that young people really like Sanders over Clinton – and that Trump supporters are willing to show up and vote. It’s not just a reality show anymore.
It’s Only Iowa
Posted February 2nd, 2016 at 3:45 pm (UTC-5)
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The results of the Iowa caucuses matter because they are the very first votes cast in this year’s presidential race. Then again, political experts remind us over and over and over again that there is still a LONG way to go: 49 other nominating contests must take place before either party has a nominee that must then fight it out to win the White House. So, yes, Iowa is just a peculiar snapshot, but the way it all unfolded confirms the nature of this campaign: anti-establishment ideas have traction… and, yes, Donald Trump remains unpredictable: his concession speech to opponent Ted Cruz was low-key and dignified.
How 2016 Will Shape the Future of American Politics
Imagine a different, more destabilizing, and (frankly) more likely scenario — which is that we’re living through the early stages of an ideological realignment of America’s two major political parties.