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.)

***********

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

With former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore becoming the 17^th declared candidate for the Republican presidential contest, some might say the Party suffers from an embarrassment of riches. Then there are those who might say today’s Republican Party is just an embarrassment … period.

That a sideshow carnival barker is the leading Republican candidate in national polling, is an embarrassment; that the field of candidates includes so many political lightweights (Ted Cruz, really?), is an embarrassment; that Fox News will choose which 10 candidates will make it to the debate stage, is an embarrassment; that the party of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower is today the party of crazy, is an embarrassment.

Are there any adults left in the Party? Where is that wise, respected statesman the party so desperately needs?

The sad truth is that even if such a transcendent figure exists in today’s Republican Party, he, or she, would be unelectable. By having been forced, for sheer survival, to cater to a base of religious fanatics, bigots, racists, and misogynists, the Party sold its soul long ago.

The Party has created a Frankenstein who feeds on hate, ignorance and division.

No, I do not believe even the party of crazy is capable to making Donald Trump their presidential nominee, but who knows? The fact that we are even speculating on such an absurd possibility is, well, an embarrassment.

Image courtesy of bandrat at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Ask potential voters what they like most about Donald Trump and you will get the same answer, “He’s real; he’s authentic.” Ask what potential voters hate most about Hillary Clinton and you are likely to hear, “She’s too calculating; not genuine.”

According to a recent CNN/ORC poll, just 46 percent said they view the Democratic presidential front-runner favorably, compared to 50 percent who said they have an unfavorable view. And even more telling, just 42 percent say they think the former secretary of state is “honest and trustworthy,” compared with a whopping 57 percent who say they do not.

Of course, being authentic and “telling it like it is” doesn’t make one a good president just as being cautious and calculating doesn’t make someone bad presidential material. Being “unfiltered” is a bad way to brew a good cup of coffee let alone elect a Commander in Chief.

What people who admire Trump fail to comprehend is that, while having a seemingly straight-talking politician may feel like a breath of fresh air, if everything coming out of that person’s mouth is batshit, no thank you! It’s like saying someone is a great leader because he makes quick decisions and acts decisively, but all the decisions are wrong. Does any past president come to mind?

I guess what this all shows is that most voters are sick of lying politicians and will gravitate towards anyone that seems authentic to them, no matter how delusional the candidate. This “genuineness” factor is a main reason why so many Democrats have flocked to Bernie Sanders. But Bernie is no Trump. What comes out of Sanders’ mouth reeks of common sense!

Yes, Hillary is a flawed candidate. But against an “authentic” imbecile like Trump or any one of the other lying dirtbags in the Republican stable, Hillary it is.

Is Hillary Clinton too old to be president?

While you will never hear any Republican politician directly bring up Hillary Clinton’s age for fear of being accused of sexism, that hasn’t stopped some from indirectly attacking her “advanced years.” Rand Paul, Republican presidential nominee, was quoted as saying, “It’s a very taxing undertaking to go through. It’s a rigorous physical ordeal, I think, to be able to campaign for the presidency.” Sen. Mitch McConnell compared her to a cast member from “The Golden Girls.”

You can see why Republican presidential nominees have tread lightly on the subject of Hillary’s age (she is currently 67 and would turn 69 in 2016.) Ronald Reagan was 69 when he first took office and 73 on his second inauguration. John McCain would have been 72, and Robert Dole 73, if elected president.

While the issue of age has been raised, somewhat, by the candidacy of Bernie Sanders, (he would be the oldest president at 75) no one has been discussing the age of the current Republican frontrunner for president, Donald Trump, who will turn 71 in 2016.

Aside from their concern of being seen as sexist, Republicans have a better reason not to play the “age card.” A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed little evidence that voters are concerned about having another president in their 70s. The poll revealed that Clinton’s age would not influence how 67 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of independents voted in November 2016.

Additionally, in a recent Pew survey, young people don’t even perceive Clinton as particularly old; 69% of 18-29 year olds think Clinton is either in her 50s or younger. Just 27% accurately place her age as between 60 and 69, while only 2% say she’s older than 70.

As for the candidate herself, rather than downplay her age, Clinton in recent campaign stops in Iowa and New Hampshire has embraced her role as grandmother, striking sympathetic notes with other older women in the audience about the joys, and responsibility, of raising a grandchild.

Perhaps if the topic of age should come up in a presidential debate with a young Republican opponent, such as a Rubio or Walker, she can channel Reagan’s classic quip used against a younger Walter Mondale, “I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”