Is It Bernie’s Party Now?

Michael Kruse: “Nearly half a century has passed since Sanders started running for office, bumming money from friends to put gas in his beat-up blue VW bug, and now here he is, the often dour, oddly charismatic, undeniably indefatigable, 79-in-September Vermont senator and self-described democratic socialist—heading into Tuesday’s first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire as at least the co-favorite to win. He won the most votes in Iowa a week ago, a result that seems clear in spite of the botched and still unresolved caucuses.”

“He’s leading in more and more polls, at times trailing only Joe Biden, whose campaign seems to be wheezing. And he has become nothing short of a grassroots fundraising colossus, the possessor of a reservoir of resources that could let him run forever. In this panicky, high-stakes race to take on an emboldened Donald Trump in November, Sanders is positioned as well as, if not better than, any of his many competitors to be the Democratic nominee.”