There is a common wisdom swirling about, the “wisdom” that Bernie has more enthusiasm, more passion, among his supporters than Hillary. That “wisdom” is being seriously tested and seemingly put on its head, proven to be completely false, in Iowa right now.
Bernie himself suggested this meme in a very ill advised, rather arrogant, statement to the Washington Post the other day:
Sanders: Clinton is running a ‘desperate’ campaign that lacks excitement
“What this campaign is about, and I’m seeing it every day, is an excitement and energy that does not exist and will not exist in the Clinton campaign,”
Way to dismiss the countless supporters, volunteers, canvassers, phone bankers, who are out there in the freezing cold, working their hearts out for Hillary.
Hillary volunteers in Iowa are taking Bernie’s undeserved slam and dismissal personally:
At Hillary Clinton’s Iowa campaign offices, Bernie Sanders’s ‘excitement’ dig is a rallying cry
DRM/SELZER IOWA GOLD STANDARD POLL DISPUTES BERNIE’S WORDS ABOUT ENTHUSIASM
Ann Selzer just released her final poll before the Iowa caucuses, and the findings are astonishing, downright confounding, at least if you previously bought into the notion that Bernie supporters have hogged all the enthusiasm.
While it is a tight race, it is exactly on commitment and enthusiasm where Hillary supporters outshine Bernie supporters in Iowa, according to this poll.
In Iowa Hillary has edge on commitment and enthusiasm
Clinton leads Sanders among Democrats who say they will definitely hit caucus sites, while Sanders leads among Democrats who say they will probably caucus.
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Selzer said the data suggest Clinton's support is more solid than Sanders'.
The poll shows 83 percent of Clinton’s caucus supporters have made up their minds going into Monday’s vote, up from 69 percent earlier this month.
“That’s huge,” Selzer said. “That’s a number any candidate would like to see.”
Sixty-nine percent of Sanders’ supporters are firmly behind him coming into the caucuses, about the same as earlier this month.
83% of Hillary supporters are FIRMLY COMMITTED to her going into the caucus. Only 69% of Bernie supporters are. A full 31% of current Bernie supporters are expressing thoughts that they might not even vote for him come Monday. That 14% “committed” gap between Hillary and Bernie is huge.
As for enthusiasm? In Iowa Hillary beats Bernie on both overall enthusiasm as well as rabid enthusiasm.
Overall enthusiasm has Hillary supporters with 73% to Bernie’s 69%. Hillary also beats Bernie when it comes to “very enthusiastic” supporters, with 53% to Bernie’s 49%.
Let’s see what Iowa Hillary supporters have been up to this week, rallying, canvassing, organizing, volunteering.
#HillYes we're excited for @HillaryClinton tonight! RT if you are too. #iacaucus #IDPJJ #Hillary2016
Hillary stand with union ironworkers, and we stand with her! #ironworkersforhillary #hardhatsforhillary #unionstrong
Cathy Glasson, RN and Pres of SEIU Iowa rallying members to canvass for @HillaryClinton -- let's fight for families!
100+ strong @SEIU canvass in Cedar Rapids today:Fired up&ready to go. This is what #enthusiasm looks like #ImWithHer
Heart to heart in Newton, IA.
Nora Walsh-DeVries @NoraWD 12h12 hours agoWaterloo, IA
We knocked so many doors today in Iowa because of these amazing and enthusiastic volunteers from MN #ImWithHer
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Some of @HillaryClinton's youngest supporters here to see her in Cedar Falls!
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With my daughter Eleanor Roosevelt Mason & my Mom in Dubuque, IA to encourage voters to caucus for @HillaryClinton
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.@HillaryClinton checked all of Lily's boxes in Ames today. #ImWithHer
Experience, strength, leadership! I want the person with the MOST experience!That's why #ImWithHer @HillaryClinton
1,223 retweets3,859 likes
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Room full of fired up @HillaryforIA Canvassers out for the first shift in Benton County! #GOTC
Happy #GOTC! Wouldn't have made it this far w/o this team. Doin it for them, for HRC, & for Iowa. #enthusiasm
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Headlamp game strong for #GOTCafterDark Anything for @HillaryClinton #ImWithHer
Bernie: “What this campaign is about, and I’m seeing it every day, is an excitement and energy that does not exist and will not exist in the Clinton campaign.”
Them are arrogant fighting words to the many super enthusiastic and committed Hillary supporters in Iowa.
The truth behind Bernie’s words will be severely tested in Iowa. With a tied race it is ALL about enthusiasm anymore. If Hillary wins Iowa tomorrow, as tight as the race is currently in polls, the idea that Bernie’s campaign has the more enthusiastic and committed supporters has to be thrown out the window as nothing but hot air, mere rhetoric, because the proof will be right before our eyes.
I strongly believe Hillary excitement trumps Bernie excitement, and that will make the difference in Iowa tomorrow night.
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