* Greg Sargent identifies the similarities between Trump and Sanders. Trump says, “we’re getting ripped off” and Sanders says, “the system is rigged.” But he also notes the differences between the two.
Trump says our elites are weak, stupid, and corrupt. Sanders says our elites are being corrupted.
* I would also note that Sanders and Cruz share a strategy for victory. Both of them are counting on being able to mobilize disengaged voters. Here’s how Amy Walter explains the Cruz plan:
The Cruz camp also makes the point that evangelicals have been disengaged from the last two elections. Getting them out to vote, they argue, will be the game-changer in 2016.
“The evangelical vote,” Cruz campaign’s Tyler tells me, “is the largest unfished pond of voters – it’s a frickin’ ocean.” Tyler estimates that something like 30 million evangelicals are ready and willing to support someone like Cruz but will remain on the sidelines if the more ‘establishment’ candidate gets the nomination.
And here’s what Sanders said last night in his New Hampshire victory speech:
What began last week in Iowa, what voters here in New Hampshire confirm tonight, is nothing short of the beginning of a political revolution.
It is a political revolution that will bring tens of millions of our people together. It will bring together working people who have given up on the political process.
Steve Benen looks at Iowa and New Hampshire to determine how Sanders is doing so far.
In last week’s Iowa caucuses, turnout was good in the Democratic race, but it dropped when compared to 2008, the last competitive Democratic nominating fight…
In yesterday’s New Hampshire primary, turnout was again strong, and with nearly all of the precincts reporting, it looks like about 239,000 voters participated in the Democratic primary. But again, in the party’s 2008 nominating contest, nearly 288,000 voters turned out, which means we’ve seen another drop.
* Today we not only get to say good-bye to Chris Christie’s presidential campaign. Carly Fiorina is out too. I could say more. But in the interests of propriety, I’ll leave it at that.
* Late yesterday afternoon came some news that was a huge blow to anyone who cares about the environment and climate change.
In a major setback for President Obama’s climate change agenda, the Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily blocked the administration’s effort to combat global warming by regulating emissions from coal-fired power plants.
The brief order was not the last word on the case, which is most likely to return to the Supreme Court after an appeals court considers an expedited challenge from 29 states and dozens of corporations and industry groups.
But the Supreme Court’s willingness to issue a stay while the case proceeds was an early hint that the program could face a skeptical reception from the justices.
This was another one of those 5/4 rulings from the Supreme Court. And beyond the message they might be sending with this stay, a ruling against the Obama administration on this could imperil the entire Paris Climate accord that was just agreed to last December. That makes it even more crucial for everyone to keep in mind the fact that our next president will likely make significant appointments to the Supreme Court…the health of our planet just might depend on who they chose.
* Anyone who is surprised that Ta-Nehisi Coates plans to vote for Bernie Sanders never understood the argument he was making about the candidate’s position on reparations. Coates was very aware of the fact that neither Democrat in this race supported his position on that issue. His concern was that Sanders takes “radical” positions on many issues, but embraced a more “establishment” response to the toll white supremacy has taken on African Americans. By the way, Black people have been supporting political candidates who don’t align with their position on racial justice for decades. This is nothing new.
* In an entry titled: The Triumph of the Untested, Stephen Rose tackles the question, “What’s propelling anti-establishment rage?”
* Finally, here’s another brick in Hillary Clinton’s firewall.
Congressional Black Caucus PAC voted to endorse Hillary Clinton, per Rep Butterfield, expects at least a dozen CBC members on ground in SC
— Deirdre Walsh (@deirdrewalshcnn) February 10, 2016
