In the comments on Booman’s recent post Sanders and Trump Crush, a discussion started about the meaning of the substantially higher turnout of RatPub voters than DemRats in NH. I added my two cents to the discussion, and then on further consideration thought that it might make a good standalone post.
So…here it is:
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Republican turnout was higher because the media has had a hot property in the RatPub debates and Trump in general whereas the Dem debates have been duller than rainwater. Hype brings out the people. This problem will continue for the Dems right on through the election unless they manage to get Elizabeth Warren involved in the political process, because Trump will continue to be a hot ticket unless he is somehow stopped by a real scandal or massive slipup of some kind. Warren appears to me to be the only Dem who produces real, populist-style heat on the media. HRC comes off as either hectoring or totally false, and Sanders? I am glad that he is doing well but he is beginning to look very…tired…to me. I watched him come off the stage after his post-win speech last night, and as he came down the stairs and into the crowd, he visibly wilted. He diminished immediately, looking like he wanted to be anywhere other than surrounded by a crowd of well-wishers after a long, hard day in a long, hard campaign. The speech was moderately low-energy too, but that’s true of all of his public appearances. He is all information and ideas, no popular fire. Not enough, anyway. The anti-Trump.
I also watched Trump’s appearance last night. I watched him get more and more excited, watch the color run up his neck and into his face as he Trumpeted his infallibility. He’s a big, mean dick, surrounded by women who all look like blonde Kardashians. He is king of the American media-created celebrity culture now, and he is hot, hot, hot!!! Only Warren among the Dems has that kind of fire…a cooler, more controlled, more intellectual fire, but fire nonetheless…and fire is going to be needed to stop Trump.
“Fight fire with fire” say the forest rangers.
Here too, only neither of the two current Dem candidates has much fire. Neither does Bill Clinton, who looks suddenly old.
Once again:
Please!!!
AG
