MORNING MESSAGE
Panic
now grips the Clinton campaign. Polls show Bernie Sanders surging to a dramatic
lead in New Hampshire and closing in Iowa. The Washington Post reports that
Hillary’s national numbers are dropping faster now than they did in 2008. The
Clinton campaign has started throwing everything and the kitchen sink at
Sanders, with the gutter award captured, thus far, by Senator Claire McCaskill
who smeared him with the “hammer and sickle,” transparently attributing the
red-baiting to future Republican attacks of her own imagination. But the
question isn’t what’s wrong with Bernie — he’s soaring beyond all expectations.
The question is what’s wrong with Hillary?
Sanders Touts Polls
Sanders
makes the case for electability. The Hill: “Speaking to supporters in
Wolfeboro, N.H., on Thursday evening, Sanders cited a CNN/WMUR New Hampshire
poll that showed that Sanders would fare better than Clinton against various
Republican candidates, including front-runner Donald Trump, in theoretical
match-ups … The Vermont senator also said his chances would be helped if there’s
a large voter turnout, saying Republicans fare well when voters are too
demoralized to vote.”
Clinton
campaign backs off single-payer swipe. Politico: “As her allies acknowledged
that her forceful attacks on Bernie Sanders have backfired, Hillary Clinton on
Thursday softened the edges on her criticism of her main primary opponent,
arguing that his heart is in the right place even if his proposals are wrong.
Her new tone marked a contrast from last week, when her forceful dismissal of
his universal health care system appeared to boomerang.”
Sanders
campaign accuses Clinton ally of low blows. W. Post: “Following Bernie
Sanders’s debut of new 60-second television ad on Thursday, David Brock, a top
ally of Hillary Clinton, offered a stinging criticism, saying the spot featured
a bizarrely high percentage of white faces … Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs
shot back at Brock, calling him a ‘mudslinger’ and a liar and saying Clinton
‘should be ashamed of her association’ with Brock.”
NYT’s
Paul Krugman chides Sanders for being unrealistic: “…the question Sanders
supporters should ask is, When has their theory of change ever worked? … I’m not
saying that someone like Mr. Sanders is unelectable … But even if he was to
become president, he would end up facing the same harsh realities that
constrained Mr. Obama.”
Trump-Cruz Battle Intensifies
Trump
accuses Cruz of supporting “amnesty” in new ad. NYT: “As a ‘pro-immigration’
and ‘pro amnesty’ chyron rolls onto the screen, the ad — the first time a Trump
ad has gone negative — splices an interview that Mr. Cruz gave to Fox News in
December with statements he made on the floor of the Senate during the
immigration battle in 2013, trying to create a sense of confusion over where Mr.
Cruz stands on immigration.”
National
Review dedicates issue to excommunicating Trump from conservatism: “Some
conservatives have made it their business to make excuses for Trump and duly get
pats on the head from him. Count us out. Donald Trump is a menace to American
conservatism who would take the work of generations and trample it underfoot in
behalf of a populism as heedless and crude as the Donald himself.”
Progressive
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