Andrew Harnik/AP Photo
Voters today in Manchester, New Hampshire
“’Tis the final conflict,” the chorus to the global socialist anthem “The International” begins. Socialism versus capitalism, socialism overturning capitalism, the mother of all systemic conflicts, the ultimate heavyweight brawl. And in no capitalist country has the complete diametric opposition between these two ways of life been driven home more than here in the Good Old USA. As in Harlan County, so in America at large: There are no neutrals here.
And then came yesterday’s Quinnipiac poll.
The headlined news was that Bernie Sanders had taken the lead for the first time in a nationwide poll of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. He was the preferred candidate of 25 percent, while Joe Biden had dropped to 17 percent, Mike Bloomberg had risen to 15 percent, Elizabeth Warren stood at 14 percent, Pete Buttigieg was at 10 percent, and Amy Klobuchar at 4 percent. All subject to change, of course, after today’s New Hampshire primary.
But the poll also measured the responses of voters of all parties and none when it pitted each of those Democratic candidates against President Trump. Here are the results for the two Democrats who came out best:
Capitalist Bloomberg beat Trump by 51 percent to 42 percent.
Socialist Sanders beat Trump by 51 percent to 43 percent.
OK, so maybe we have this final conflict business wrong, at least for this year. Socialist? Capitalist? Prohibitionist? WTF! BFD! So long as they beat Trump!