Samuel Studer
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As the caucuses approach, the few closest to Hillary Clinton believe she underestimated Sen. Bernie Sanders in the race for president. Clinton early on was not able to destroy his arch-liberal message. Sanders has appealed to young voters; something Clinton has not done. He has also been able to appeal to voters in a more personal manner about American economics. Meanwhile, Clinton has focused on the costs of Sanders’ ideas.
This puts Sanders in a good place to beat Clinton in Iowa and New Hampshire; if he continues the trend that he is on, he could beat Clinton in both places and establish momentum to carry throughout the primaries.
Clinton’s problems just don’t stop there; there are many who question her trustworthiness and if she truly cares about certain issues. Some still have hope for Clinton, according to the New York Times. Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin said, “She quietly pulls people together and gets things done. Even though that’s not in vogue right now, I think that’s what voters will want in the end.”
This close race is not surprising. Clinton has failed to reach out to a large number of voters. She has a strong base with many wealthy and powerful donors but does not market herself as the change America needs to see. Clinton has shone in the debates; they show her skills and knowledge in the political realm. Her campaign had to have been aware of the strength of Sanders. This should not have been a surprise and has been a long time coming, yet Clinton’s attacks on Sanders have been sudden and unprepared.
If better-known politicians had run, it could have meant a whole different campaign. She would have been more focused on building a stronger public consensus. The Clinton people think that she can still win the nomination. Even if she loses the Iowa caucuses, they believe the strength of her organization and support will help her win in other states. It is still early in the campaign, and a lot can change in a few months.
Her base will need to be more energetic and willing to show support. If Clinton cannot shake the strength of Sanders, he will gain momentum. What she does in the next couple of months will determine the Democratic race, and she must start working harder. She must develop a face that the public wants to see and understand the strength of her opponents. She has to understand that Sanders has the fundraising and the will to fight that could beat her. It will be interesting to see if Clinton can get the Democratic nomination. She may have entered as the favorite, but it will not stay that way with her current tactics. Will she stumble and hurt her chances? The Iowa caucuses are fewer than 10 days away; we’ll soon find out.