The Democratic presidential sweepstakes is in high gear and the cutthroat battle for contributions is already a major factor. Purportedly socialist Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) raked in over $6 million this week after announcing his intentions to run. That means he only needs about another $994 million to be a viable contender.
But Bernie’s bigger problem may be the age factor. Several clones have arisen to take center stage away from him, or at least distract. The 79-year-old may not have Hillary Clinton to contend with in 2020, but younger variations of his political diatribe that mostly consists of ‘free stuff,’ has been taken up by the likes of youthful Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ).
The noise level to attract the Millennials living in mom and dad’s basement, jobless and no experience in the real world, is a big part of their clueless audience and the fight to win them over is fierce. Who can present the most government programs for free child care, Medicare for all, borderless ideology, and the abolition of ICE the most convincingly?
It would seem the battle to the far-left is a crowded endeavor that may spell bankruptcy to many a political campaign shortly after the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire Primary in early 2020. That is the single biggest reason the many Democratic hopefuls filed so early: money.
Sitting in the wings waiting to see the far-left candidates eat each other alive in the next few months is the king of gaffes, former Vice President Joe Biden. He is the most ‘moderate’ of the declared and prospective candidates that have a chance in hell of capturing the Democratic nomination in the summer of 2020.
Joe is biding his time and staying on the rubber chicken circuit to stay relevant. He is carefully not over-extending his air time this early to avoid the staleness of many of the aforementioned candidates trying to outdo each other nightly in sound bites and predictable interviews. Many experts think as many as 20 Democratic contenders will file before the first votes are cast in Iowa. That means a lot of politicians will go home early as the field is narrowed to between three and five by the second primary in South Carolina.
Biden is in the cat bird seat at present. There is no ‘moderate’ to challenge him or his huge name recognition. But that doesn’t make it a home run so quick. Yes, Joe has a treasure chest of money and will be the ideal sure bet for many contributors looking for his favor early on. But there is one dark horse that lurks in the shadows that most people do not think of: Hillary Rodham Clinton.
No one has the financial resources she has. At the drop of a hat she has millions to spend against tired-out, primary-weary opponents who have beaten each other to a pulp and been overexposed in the media.
She has never gotten over her humiliating loss to Donald Trump. She may smile to the cameras when asked if she is bitter, but a tiger lurks behind the head-nodding. It is literally her last hurrah, and no one should be surprised if she fires up her political engine and challenges Biden and maybe a left-winger or two that survive to see April 2020.
Laugh now, but come the summer of 2020, remember that money speaks volumes. There may be a host of candidates that make more sense for the Democratic Party, but Hillary has the political contacts and the IOU’s to challenge smiling Joe and the ‘free stuff’ candidates.
Dwight L. Schwab, Jr. is an award-winning national political and foreign affairs columnist and published author. He has spent over 35 years in the publishing industry. His long-running articles include many years at Examiner.com and currently Newsblaze.com. Dwight is an author of two highly acclaimed books, "Redistribution of Common Sense - Selected Commentaries on the Obama Administration 2009-2014" and "The Game Changer - America's Most Stunning Election in History." He is a native of Portland, Oregon, a journalism graduate from the University of Oregon, and a resident of the SF Bay Area. To read more of his reports — Click Here Now.
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