In a stunning turn of events, New Hampshire Democratic voters are “feeling the Bern.” In the latest Franklin Pierce University/Boston Herald poll, Bernie Sanders has now done what took Barack Obama longer to do eight years ago — surpass Hillary Clinton in a key primary state.

Sanders leads Clinton 44-37 percent among likely Democratic primary voters, the first time the heavily favored Clinton has trailed in the 2016 primary campaign, according to the poll of 442 New Hampshirites.

In a FPU/BH poll taken five months ago, Hillary had a 37-point lead over Sanders, 44/7. That’s a 44-point swing in just five months, putting a severe dent in Hillary’s aura of invincibility. What should be particularly troubling to the Clinton camp is that these results come after Hillary has tried to beef up her progressive bone fides by tracking further to the left.

Can the presidential nomination be snatched again from the heir apparent by a present day, geriatric Obama? Will the Bern just burn out? After all, he is 73 years old.

The dramatic news coming out of New Hampshire should give heart to the other Democratic presidential contenders, especially former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. It may even give Joe Biden the impetus (excuse) to enter the race.

As the election (I use the term loosely) of George W. Bush proved, in politics, anything is possible. Stay tuned.

Of all Republican presidential candidates relegated to last week’s pre-debate debate (otherwise known as the “kid’s table” or “happy hour”) Carly Fiorina impressed the adults in the Party the most. In a recent Suffolk University poll of Iowa Republicans, more than 82 percent of poll respondents said that of the seven second-tier debate participants, Fiorina impressed them the most; nearly 93 percent of the Iowans polled by Suffolk said that Fiorina should be invited in the future to debate at the “adult table” against top-tier Republicans.

There are two ways of looking at Fiorina’s success. One, she was working against a weak field (Jim Gilmore, Bobby Jindal, really?) Two, she really was impressive and looked presidential… at least as presidential as the underwhelming other ten candidates that made it to the prime-time debate.

I’m going with number one, with a slight twist. Most Republican voters simply don’t know much about her. They believe she was a successful female executive at a large tech company and that’s it.

As more ink is devoted to the Carly Fiorina story, more voters will come to know her the way many Californians already do; as the lousy CEO of one of Silicon Valley’s marquee corporations, Hewlett-Packard, and as the losing candidate against Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2010.

Fiorina’s calling card is her business experience. She touts her rise to the top from a lowly secretary at a small real estate company to the leadership of one of the most beloved corporations.

But after a rocket-like ascent, she was fired from HP in early 2005 amid tumult with her board of directors. All in all, under her leadership, HP’s stock price fell a whooping 54 percent, making it one of the worst performing high-tech firms during that time. She did leave with a severance package estimated at $40 million, which speaks well for her negotiating skills, or those of her lawyers!

Carly Fiorina recently spoke out against government-mandated paid maternity leave. That should ingratiate her to all those secretaries who haven’t quite yet made it to the top like her.

When you peel away the Fiorina layers, you will find just another package of conventional Republican orthodoxy, wrapped around a questionable presidential resume.

Photo | huffingtonpost.com

In an effort to minimize the damage from his confrontation with Megyn Kelly during the first Republican presidential debate, Donald Trump has agreed to an exclusive interview with the Fox News host. According to reliable sources, Trump wanted to layout his plan for stimulating the economy and creating new jobs.

While the interview was recorded and has not yet aired, a secret transcript of the interview has surfaced (see below.)

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Kelly; “Thank you for giving me this exclusive interview. I know you and many of your supporters thought I was attacking you by asking that war against women question.”

Trump: “Oh, the one where you asked whether someone who calls women ‘fat pigs, dogs, slobs and disgusting animals” has the temperament to be elected president? That one?”

Kelly: ”Yes. But everyone at Fox, including Roger, thought it was a fair question.”

Trump: “Well tell that fat slob of a boss of yours I didn’t appreciate the stupid question.”

Kelly: “OK. Do you at least want to apologize to me for saying that I had, and I quote, ‘blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever?’

Trump: “Darling, you don’t really know me, do you? I always speak the truth so I don’t apologize, I clarify. What I meant was that I thought you had a subconjunctival hemorrhage, you know, a broken blood vessel in your eye.”

Kelly: “Yeah, and what about that ‘blood coming out of her wherever’ part? You implied I was menstruating.”

Trump; “Well, were you on the rag or not? You still haven’t proved me wrong. You know what, before we continue with this important and groundbreaking exclusive, I think you should apologize to me.”

Kelly: “Apologize to you? You’ve got some nerve! Yes, I was trying to bring out the fact that you have a long history of misogyny. You have a mouth not even fit for the gutter. You’re a user and abuser of women!”

Trump: “OK, Calm down, babe. It was fun. But I’m outta here. Looks like you still have blood coming out of your wherever. Maybe another time.”

Photo | thewrap.com

Sarah Palin, in a spirited defense of her political soulmate, Donald Trump, has stated that Trump’s rise to the top of national polls for Republican presidential nominee is no fluke. In an article written for the conservative Breitbart news site, Palin called the multi-billionaire “a man of the people.”

“No one understands the average Joe like Donald. That is why he has become the hero of so many people,” observed Palin. “He speaks their language. He tells it like it is. He feels their frustration with the political wimps that have run the Republican Party for so long.”

Donald Trump is tapping into “major populist grievances,” according to Palin. His candidacy is “a shot in the arm for ordinary Americans fed up with the predictable poll-tested blather of squishy milquetoast career politicians.” Palin predicted that Trump would continue to appeal to “ordinary Americans” despite what she described as a bludgeon of attacks from Republican elites, pundits and the media.

Some political observers have suggested Palin’s defense of Trump is motivated by her desire to solidify a spot in a Trump administration. Trump has indicated that the former Republican vice presidential candidate and Tea Party favorite would be a great fit for a high level cabinet job. Insiders have revealed Palin would be on a fast track to becoming our next Secretary of State or Attorney General.

“I’ll be rooting for Donald all the way this Thursday,” an excited Palin said about the upcoming Republican presidential debate. “A word salad or two might come out of his mouth but that won’t make a difference to Joe Six-Pack. It certainly hasn’t hurt me!”

We truly live in a strange political time. That Palin could label as “a man of the people” a multi-billionaire who rides around in limos, flies in his own jet, pals around with the rich and famous, without seeing the irony, is rich.

Photo | newsbusters.org