Photo: Vimio
As expected, Bernie Sanders runs away with the New Hampshire primary, but Hillary Clinton is far from finished
As the second primary comes to a close in New Hampshire, noted Larry David impersonator Sen. Bernie Sanders sends a clear message that he’s not quite ready to crown Hillary Clinton as he takes a decisive victory with 60 percent of voters “feeling the Bern”.
Those who support Sanders couldn’t be more thrilled by such a large victory which, for them, clearly gives off an anti-establishment vibe, part of the perceived breath of fresh air that comes from a candidate who wasn’t expected to do much at all, much less win a primary.
Of course, Sanders’ camp looks at the win as a grassroots effort to bring people together to shake up the status quo, even going so far as to pin his victory on voter turnout, despite the fact that turnout numbers are 12-13 percent lower than 2008.
Bernie Sanders cites huge voter turnout in New Hampshire win: https://t.co/wPEwAyHKLIhttps://t.co/NNO62GOPiJ
— Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) February 10, 2016
Despite the New Hampshire loss, Clinton is unbowed, telling audiences that it’s time to “get real”, a clear sign that she has every confidence that more wins are on the way.
Taking a step back from all the day’s events, it’s important to put into perspective the importance of winning in New Hampshire, or rather, the unimportance.
While Sanders is celebrating his impressive win, the fact is that when it comes to picking a future president, New Hampshire is actually far from being a true bellwether.
Since 1980, outside of an incumbent, no one who won the New Hampshire primary has gone on to win the White House. It’s certainly a lesson Hillary Clinton learned during her first presidential run, where she ran away with New Hampshire against Barack Obama.
So for Clinton, at least, losing the state she won eight years ago may not be the worst possible outcome this early in the race.
That said, what the loss does signify is something she spoke to in her concession speech: she’s out of touch with younger voters.
It was the younger vote that swept Obama into the White House twice, and so for Clinton, if she truly expects to win this time out, she will have to do whatever necessary to win those hearts and minds, the ones who are, ironically enough, totally willing to put a 74-year-old man in the White House, where they hope his tenure as Commander-in-Chief resembles an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
Again, it’s early, and unlike the carnival of horrors known as the Republican primary, with just Bernie and Hillary, there will be plenty of time to really know who the best nominee will be.
At least that’s the hope.
Hashim R. Hathaway (Uncle Shimbo) is the host of the Never Daunted Radio Network, and proud father to NeverDaunted.Net. You can reach him on Twitter @NeverDauntedNet