Perhaps the greatest compliment paid to me recently was from a Boston Globe columnist who remarked that I must really be Andy Kaufman. It's a compliment, first because Kaufman was a genius, and also because his genius rested in the absurd; almost like voting for a presidential candidate being investigated by the FBI. In 2016, the most qualified candidate according to smart Democratic strategists holds negative favorability ratings in every single national poll. In 8 out of 10 national polls, Hillary Clinton's favorability ratings are negative by 15 points or more. According to recent CBS and NBS/WSJ polls, Clinton holds negative favorability ratings by 23 and 24 point margins, respectively. A progressive said to "get things done" won't be able to win the White House with such negative national ratings.
In contrast, Bernie Sanders is the only leading candidate with positive favorability ratings, and this has nothing to do with Clinton being more "vetted." Bernie doesn't need private servers and speaks to millions of people in open forums; Clinton is the antithesis of Vermont's Senator. It's not that people don't know about Bernie's controversies, it's that he simply doesn't have a penchant for controversy like his competitor. Unlike Clinton, Bernie Sanders can type an email without the FBI interviewing him or his associates.
Furthermore, I explain in my latest CNN International appearance that Sanders is the best chance to defeat Trump, especially since Clinton could face DOJ indictment. I also discuss on CNN New Day that Clinton's white privilege allows her to circumvent almost any scandal, even issues that Bernie Sanders couldn't survive politically.
In terms of stark contrasts between Clinton and Sanders, you couldn't find a greater example of two candidates who epitomize opposing value systems. While Bernie Sanders has electrified millions of voters by simply focusing on progressive ideals, Hillary Clinton can't even disclose a speech transcript, or hold a fundraising event without static noise machines.
I explain why Clinton can't disclose Wall Street speech transcripts in the following YouTube segment. In addition, I urge all my critics within the Democratic establishment to subscribe to my YouTube channel for comedy relief, because the fun it just beginning. Imagine the laughter after the FBI formally interviews Clinton and her top aides, and finally discloses the evidence found during a year-long investigation.
It's an honor to be viewed as Andy Kaufman by people who think Clinton is qualified to become president, in this bizarre world where glaring weaknesses are seen as strengths, and overt lies are viewed as simply smart politics. No doubt, when Clinton's national favorability rating soars from its current 56% to perhaps 70%, after the FBI formally discloses its findings (with or without indictments, the media firestorm will hurt favorability numbers), my thoughts might be viewed as less amusing by devout Hillary supporters.
The smartest people in the room, the same pragmatists who've completely forgotten about the horrors of Iraq and Afghanistan, are also saying Hillary Clinton is not only qualified to run this country, but also that the FBI isn't serious in their year-long investigation. The great Charles Pierce of Esquire calls it a "nothingburger," and although he's a wonderful writer, I doubt he'd be as nonchalant if he were the subject of a year-long FBI investigation. I just hope that the illustrious TBOGG from Raw Story, a person who relished in bending the truth regarding my writing (especially my supposed "love" for a certain Republican, something that isn't at all true), will write a piece correlating FBI investigations and presidential qualifications.
All these savvy and astute political pundits apparently know the meaning of pragmatism, yet they'd never vote for a Republican with Clinton's record on foreign policy, Wall Street ties, and inability to perform a speech or type an email without scandal. Of course, when you're more interested in money generated for "down-ticket Democrats" than being correct on Iraq, or opposing the TPP and Keystone XL, then allegiance to a political party overshadows principle.
When you hear pundits critiquing Bernie Sanders for not helping "down-ticket Democrats," simply watch my YouTube segment presenting the case for writing-in Bernie, if Clinton is the nominee. After two major wars, bailouts for banks that wrecked the economy, and racist campaign tactics (Clinton's 3 a. m. ad, for example), voters have far greater concerns than loyalty to a political party. Democrats owe allegiance to voters, not the other way around, and Bernie Sanders has single-handedly altered this dynamic.
Nevertheless, Clinton and her top aides are scheduled to be interviewed soon, according to The Los Angeles Times in a piece titled Clinton email probe enters new phase as FBI interviews loom:
Feral prosecutors investigating the possible mishandling of classified materials on Hillary Clinton's private email server have begun the process of setting up formal interviews with some of her longtime and closest aides, according to two people familiar with the probe, an indication that the inquiry is moving into its final phases...
No dates have been set for questioning the advisors, but a federal prosecutor in recent weeks has called their lawyers to alert them that he would soon be doing so, the sources said. Prosecutors also are expected to seek an interview with Clinton herself, though the timing remains unclear...
The meetings also are an indication that much of the investigators' background work - recovering deleted emails, understanding how the server operated and determining whether it was breached - is nearing completion.
"The interviews are critical to understand the volume of information they have accumulated," said James McJunkin, former head of the FBI's Washington field office.
If any other politician in American history were interviewed by the FBI, before an election, would you vote for this person?
This FBI email investigation is serious, it's not a joke, and I explain in this YouTube segment why the FBI's reputation is at stake, and in this YouTube segment how Clinton views the FBI. It will likely derail Hillary Clinton's campaign, and ensure that humble pie and other less appetizing fare be served alongside the "nothingburger" establishment Democrats have consumed thus far.
Bernie Sanders currently defeats Republican challengers by a wider margin than Hillary Clinton. New York and the remaining primaries will help usher Bernie into the White House, but Clinton's FBI email investigation will force the DNC to rally behind Sanders. The establishment will concede, since Bernie Sanders is the only hope for Democrats after the FBI either recommends indictment, or highlights Clinton's "carelessness."
As a testament to the new definitions of "qualification" and "pragmatism," President Obama is quoted by CBS News addressing Clinton's "carelessness":
But, he added, "what I've also said is that -- and she has acknowledged -- that there's a carelessness, in terms of managing e-mails, that she has owned, and she recognizes."
The use of a private email server by the former secretary of state is currently under investigation by the FBI.
Earlier this year, the State Department said it had found 22 emails on Clinton's homebrewed server that had to be upgraded to "Top Secret," the highest level of classification. Those top secret documents were withheld from being publicly released along with the rest of her emails.
With 22 Top Secret emails on a private server, in the basement of a private residence, "carelessness" is perhaps the best word to describe this fiasco.
Hillary Clinton is now only 1.4 points ahead of Bernie Sanders according to Real Clear Politics national Democratic Primary polls, and I predicted this in a polling trajectory article last September. With 1,045 delegates won, I also foreshadowed in numerous articles that Bernie would be battling this far into the primary. Nobody gave Sanders a chance, and while H. A. Goodman might have been overzealous in some predictions, be sure to read those articles. They contain information on why such predictions were made, and I've been right on more things than most other observers.
Last year, Clinton stated "I opted for convenience to use my personal email account, which was allowed by the State Department, because I thought it would be easier to carry just one device for my work and for my personal emails instead of two." If you think the FBI will believe this excuse, then thing again. Ultimately, the FBI's year-long investigation into Clinton's emails will hand Bernie Sanders the Democratic nomination and White House, and I'm one of the few progressives today stating this glaring reality.