According to the new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Hillary Clinton (62%) has a two-to-one lead over Bernie Sanders (31%) for the first time in four months.
The explanation for her recent climb has little to do with Bernie Sanders' failures, and much to do with Hillary Clinton's accomplishments.
1. Most importantly, Clinton survived the 11-hour Benghazi hearing, and in doing so, put to rest much of the controversy and criticism surrounding her candidacy.
Prior to that hearing, 84% of swing voters were unsatisfied with how Hillary Clinton had handled questions about Benghazi. After Clinton's testimony, however, only 40% remained unsatisfied.
2. Hillary Clinton also performed exceptionally well in the first Democratic debate. Known for her scrupulous preparation, Clinton did her homework, and drew stark contrast between herself and Senator Sanders.
In one of the more memorable moments of the debate, Clinton declared, "I'm a progressive, but I'm a progressive who likes to get things done."
She also received a clutch assist from Sanders, who said, "The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails." While Sanders benefited from this statement himself, it also helped Clinton overcome a major obstacle.
Donald Trump would go on to argue that this exchange killed Sanders' chances: "When the email problem came up, Bernie Sanders lost his whole campaign. I mean, what he did was so stupid from his standpoint."
In response, Bernie Sanders swung back: "If I'm finished, I don't know what it says about Trump's situation when I'm nine points ahead of him in the new NBC poll."