Have the media stopped feeling “the Bern”? Or has the Democratic Party, which should probably be renamed the Clintoncratic National Committee, extinguished the fire?
It’s both.
Sen. Bernie Sanders deserves far more attention than he’s getting. The 74-year-old frowzy-haired Democratic Socialist from Brooklyn by way of Vermont raised $33 million in the fourth quarter of 2015. That’s just $4 million less than Hillary Clinton.
People vote with dollars, as any tearful hater of money in politics will tell you. When it comes to Sanders, lots of folks throw in small amounts of cash. So when he raises $33 million in three months, it means a lot of people care.
Beyond the fundraising, poll numbers in early primary states justify a much brighter spotlight on Sanders than the media shine.
According to the Real Clear Politics poll average, Clinton is beating Sanders by 50 percent to 37 percent in Iowa. But he’s investing huge resources there, and in caucuses, it’s passion that brings people out. Clinton inspires passion among more Republicans than supporters.