While it may not yet be readily apparent to some, the United States electorate is transforming. A re-alignment is taking place within the Democratic Party. What started with President Obama could come full circle if Bernie Sanders is nominated by the Democrats. The corporate establishment wing of the party, sensing the quicksand beneath their feet, have run out of solid ground to stand on. Suddenly, Clinton and O'Malley surrogates are firing a lot of shots on behalf of a couple of candidates that are supposed to be in favor of gun control. So, what gives?
Disclaimer: I haven't been a regular at Daily Kos in some time. Some might feel like this diary is from an outsider and I don't blame them for feeling that way. It's hard to say whether I left the party or the party left me, regardless I haven't called myself a Democrat in some time. That's not to say I haven't voted for Democrats before and since then. Anyway, things have changed, and quickly. With Bernie Sanders running for the nomination, I'm feeling an excitement for politics I haven't felt since my political awakening in 2000-2001. Suffice to say, I'm coming home to the party, and, like Bernie has pledged, I'll very likely support whomever the party's nominee is. Basically what I'm trying to say is, even if we fiercely do not agree with one another, let's try to be excellent to each other. On with the diary!
Update: Sorry I forgot to post a link to the nitty gritty of the poll, here it is.
So, what has made both the Clinton and the O'Malley camps fundamentally shift their messaging from not mentioning Bernie, pretending like he doesn't exist, and only attacking Republicans like we're already going into the general election, to attacking him as simultaneously "too liberal" and "not progressive enough?"
Could it be that the recent CNN/WMUR holds numbers within it that have likely kept establishment consultants and pollsters up in bed for a couple of nights now? Behold...
“Which Democratic candidate do you think best represents the values of Democrats like yourself?”
Bernie Sanders 41%
Hillary Clinton 30%
Citizen of the Granite State think an independent democratic socialist from Vermont is representing Democratic Party values better than any of the Democrats-in-name currently running for the nomination. Wow!
To boot, Bernie and HRC are now tied at +55% net favorability among Dems, and that's with 16% who don't know Bernie, compared to HRC's 2%.
Bernie Sanders' message is resonating with Democrats in New Hampshire. I imagine the response to that fact from Bernie's Democratic competitors isn't exactly what Team Bernie had in mind when they asked to be taken seriously. That being said, Bernie seems to have taken it in stride.