Tag Archive: New York primary

Bernie Sanders vs. Hillary Clinton: time to de-escalate

Hillary Clinton speaking in Durham, NC

Hillary Clinton speaking in Durham, NC

Last night’s New York Democratic Party primary was a defining moment in the sometimes nasty presidential nomination contest between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Clinton won a decisive victory, with a margin as of this writing of some 16 percent and a net gain of about 33 pledged delegates. [Note: these results are subject to updates]. Coming at a time when Sanders needs to win virtually every state left by a landslide, his loss to Clinton in New York turns his nomination chances from “nearly impossible” to “pretty much unimaginable.” Perhaps knowing this, Sanders spent yesterday in Pennsylvania instead of New York, supposedly to campaign for next Tuesday’s primaries, but then reportedly left his press corps in Pennsylvania last night and exited back home to Vermont. So the question becomes, what happens now?

Bernie’s big mistake

Bernie Sanders campaigning in Franklin, NH

Bernie Sanders campaigning in Franklin, NH

Bernie Sanders is having a tough week. Instead of trying to capitalize on his Wisconsin primary win on Tuesday, Sanders has had to contend with the fallout from a New York Daily News editorial board interview last Friday that has been described as “pretty close to a disaster,” in which Sanders appeared not to know the substance or process of numerous issues, including his own pet issue, free college. Then, yesterday, Sanders added to his image as a candidate who may have lost his bearings when he said of Hillary Clinton, “I don’t believe that she is qualified” to be president of the United States. Sanders latest remarks were actually three mistakes in one: