Jonathan Chait says it's all over for the Bernie Sanders campaign. Even though I'd prefer Sanders in the White House to Clinton, I think the numbers say that ain't a'gonna happen.
Actually, not that my preferences matter any more than anyone else's, I think what I'd prefer is Sanders in the White House but Hillary heading the ticket. Seems to me she's a safer pick for the party, a person more likely to beat Trump, who after yesterday's New York primary, is looking more likely to be the G.O.P. nominee. Yes, I know there are polls out there that say Sanders would be a stronger candidate than Clinton but that's before the Republican Attack Machine (not to be confused with the Democratic Attack Machine) has bothered to train its guns on Bernie.
I am not prepared to argue with Paul Waldman's assertion that the Republicans could convince a lot of voters that a Sanders presidency would mean the death of the United States. Heck, they convinced a helluva lot of 'em that the Obama presidency would and already did.
They've taken their best shot at Hillary, lo these many years, and you still have charts like this one showing The Donald being trounced by The Hillary in a landslide. Yeah, much will happen before Election Day but I think a lot of Americans' heads are set in concrete about Clinton and/or Trump. (Though I still hope Hillary runs like she has a one-point lead. The aforementioned Democratic Attack Machine will have a lot of ammo to use with Trump and it certainly wouldn't be lacking if somehow Cruz slips in there.)
My friend Roger will write me after he reads this to argue that Hillary won't win because Hillary's going to prison and maybe getting the electric chair for how she handled her e-mail. I seem to recall Roger telling me Hillary was going to prison for Filegate and maybe Travelgate, and of course for Whitewater and having Vince Foster murdered and for a half-dozen other scandals that her enemies dreamed-up. I'm still reading sites which say she was guilty as sin in all those as proven by the fact that every shred of incontrovertible evidence that was rumored turned out to be non-existent. She not only committed every one of those crimes (and more!) but made all the proof appear to never have existed in the first place! That's devious!
I am not ruling out the possibility that some day, someone will nail her for an actual crime. I don't think anyone in Washington is that clean. I'm also not ruling out — in fact, I'm actually expecting some weird, unpredictable twists in this whole election before November, including but not limited to a fervent attempt to ditch Trump as the nominee. I just think the Democrats have a certain advantage by running a candidate who comes pre-smeared.