New Hampshire and Iowa leave Democrats in disarray

Commentary

What now?

The results are in from New Hampshire and Iowa. (Actually, not sure if the results are really in from Iowa. Does anyone know where Steve Kornacki is? Oh, never mind.)

The small number of voters in those two states have spoken and from this perch it appears that Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg are building momentum, Amy Klobuchar is strengthening a bit, and Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden are seriously fading.

For his part, Biden is pooh-poohing his miserable showings in Iowa and New Hampshire because “they’re not representative of the country.” “Iowa is ‘lilly white’ and New Hampshire is ‘marshmallow white.’ Or is it the other way around?”

Whatever! What Biden is not taking into account is that white people vote. And, as of now, they’re still the majority of the country. And if those white people aren’t voting for him in New Hampshire and Iowa, why will they vote for him anywhere else? Bottom line…he’s out. (Or, as his nemesis would have said, “You’re fired!”)

So where does that leave us?

Bernie and Mayor Pete. With maybe a little Amy thrown in.

Well, isn’t that special!

A 78-year old Socialist who just had a heart attack and whose appeal to younger voters is that he’s going to make everything FREE for them! FREE, like magic! FREE like no college tuition or debt! FREE like no-cost medical care! FREE like whatever else he comes up with that doesn’t have a chance of happening! Beyond the FREE stuff, I can’t figure out any other reason why young people support him. I mean, he’s like their crazy Grandpa screaming at them all the time. (Wait, maybe it’s all that money coming in from Larry “Bernie” David.)

And, if not Bernie, then Pete? First let me dispense with the good news. He’s fresh, charismatic, smart as a whip and a great speaker and debater.

But…he’s 38 years old. His only elected position has been the mayor of a city with a population of about 100,000. And he’s gay. And he’s in a same-sex marriage! (Or, as Jerry Seinfeld would say, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”)

And if not Bernie or Pete, Amy? Experience, charisma, a feisty debater, no doubt. But does she have what it takes to demolish Trump? I actually endorsed her in an Around the Block a while back, (click here to read that post) with Cory Booker as her running mate. But frankly, the jury’s still out.

So, really…is this how we’re going to dispose of Trump? An angry Jewish grandfather from Brooklyn, who, by the way, is still being dissed by Hillary Clinton (Is she still around? Why? Didn’t she screw up enough in 2016?)? Or an untested, married gay mayor of a small mid-western city? Or an experienced Senator from Minnesota who may not have the right stuff?

As Peggy Lee sang:

Is that all there is, is that all there is 
If that’s all there is my friends, then let’s keep dancing 
Let’s break out the booze and have a ball 
If that’s all there is…

Not sure about you but I’m ready to break out the booze. But with whom (what a grammarian, I) should we keep on dancing?

Well, looky there, that’s Michael Bloomberg. Stand up Mike. Oh, you are standing. Fuggedaboutit! (You were the Mayor of New York after all.)

Is he the Democratic Messiah? “Stop and Frisk” Mike? “Redlining”* Mike? “Vilified by the African American community” (the key to the Democratic coalition), Mike? “The man who can outspend Trump” Mike?

*Redlining: The systematic denial of various services to residents of specific, often racially associated, neighborhoods or communities, either directly or through the selective raising of prices.

Whoa, outspend Trump?

If Mike’s billions trumps vilification; If Mike’s billions can get out the vote and trump Black antipathy; If Mike’s billions can trump Trump; Mike may be the guy. And, if he’s the guy, his gal (sorry), his running mate, should be either Kamala Harris or Stacey Abrams.

For me, the rubber hits the road on March 17, the day of the Florida primary. So, I still have a little time to see how things play out. But really, should it be this hard to beat a reprobate like Donald Trump (I)?

What say you?