What now for Hillary Clinton? The rumour in Washington last week was that, given her weak position in New Hampshire and the never-ending saga of her emails, if she lost in Iowa, Vice-President Joe Biden would enter the race and spare the blushes of the Democratic establishment.
Well, Hillary didn’t lose. But she didn’t win either. She effectively drew with Bernie Sanders in last night’s caucuses in Iowa. Which leaves her candidacy in limbo. Does she still have the confidence of the Democratic machine?
Now that Hillary’s hopes are in the balance, will Biden at last take the
plunge and declare his candidacy? It is understood that, if he entered the race, Biden would have the support of his friend and ally Barack Obama. An endorsement from the President is not the golden ticket some British Obama fans imagine it to be, but it still has sway among the Democratic elite as well as its grassroots, and black Americans. Biden, with his folksy charms, could be better placed to take on Sanders, and Hillary would find herself with no room to manoeuvre. Then again, if anyone can make Clinton seem like a good candidate, it is Joe Biden, the gaffe machine from Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The funny thing is that Sanders, an old white Jewish guy, has emerged the
Obama-type in 2016; the hopey-changey candidate. His Facebook following is mammoth and growing, and he has young people in raptures. His message, or his brand, is positive, which people like. His latest campaign ad, for instance, is a video of him defending Hillary Clinton. But since Hillary is struggling against a self-described socialist who sticks up for her, can she really expect to reach the White House?
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