So this is usually code for dropping out.
Santorum pretty much done, but we knew that.
That brings last nights casualties to three.
-Huckabee
-Santorum
-O'Malley
You'll notice the Republican drop outs are the religious wackos in the low pool.
Iowa has a pretty good base for them (Santorum won it last time after all …though that only got reported real late), so to do shitty there really shows the futility.
With that in mind...New Hampshire is the moment of truth for the Republicans who identify as more moderate and/or more urban based. Basically if Christie and Kasich do badly there too, I imagine they will drop out afterwards. Rand Paul is likely to hold on until Kentucky, but considering New Hampshire is libertarian at least in their imagination...he should consider quitting after that too if he does crap. Fiorina I don't really know what she thinks of herself as? But she should just quit. lol Gilmore.
Carson is (against all sense and odds) polling at healthy fourth in many places and didn't really do so bad last night....for some reason. I guess he'll get as much book and snake oil pyamid schemey spokesman publicity as he can out of the whole thing and drop late.
Which leaves Jeb. Who on some level still seems in disbelief at his denied throne, like he still thinks he can do it even though we all know he can't.
It's a three man race, it's just pretending otherwise.
FOR THE DEMS.
Bernie will likely hold until late, depending who you ask last night was either a disaster or a blessing for him I guess.
The disaster people are pointing to the fact that overwhelmingly white, rural, and decently liberal states like Iowa should be his strongholds. That to essentially tie is a bad sign. That when more urban, more diverse states come up that Hillary will start crushing him.
But the optimists are wondering if the close finish actually really makes him seem that much more serious a candidate. And that maybe it could start powering a surge of sorts.
I think the first group is probably more accurate. But as I've been saying I hope he at least keeps the pressure on her until the last minute.
My advice for Bernie diehards is to consider the following game plan: If he loses, which he probably will… you're going to vote for Hillary in the general. Yes you are. Not just because you will (just like the Hillary people voted for Obama eventually in 2008), but because it makes sense and you know this. But what I'm saying isn't "SUCK IT UP AND VOTE CLINTON DWEEB". I'm saying actually don't let go of your distrust and distaste for her either. She's unquestionably the choice in a general no matter who the right fields, but yeah, I think (most of) your skepticism is healthy and good. Start thinking of a future of mini-Bernies, think local races, use that energy to support such people and maybe try and create as much leftward pressure on the woman when she's in office as possible. This will be hard, especially with the way the right constantly makes moderate Democrat policy seem extreme to begin with. But it's what you should do. And it's the best way to use that frustrated energy that I know you have. Bernie isn't doing a thing in vain here. He's testing waters, breaking taboos, and nudging that Overton window.
How hard is it to pull one person in off the street?
