Source: NBC/WSJ national poll
The trend in the WSJ/NBC
poll seems to indicate the exact opposite of the conventional 'to know him is to love him' wisdom.
In March of this year, Sanders was unknown by 54% of the primary electorate. That number is now at 7%.
He's down 31 points.
Furthermore, the number of people who know who he is and would not support him is more than double that of Clinton, 28% to 13%.
Its no longer early. People know Bernie. And yet, there he is, down 31 points.
So Sanders has now moved on from his big rallies, no polling, outsider revolution. Apparently that's no longer working. Now its time for the traditional politician work of going negative, tv ads, and pollsters. Tad Devine has even talked Sanders into the luxuries of private jet travel! And then there is this:
Tad Devine
His team is planning more television appearances, but not only on news shows. Instead he wants to replicate his experience on programs like "The Ellen Degeneres Show" and "The View" to reach voters who see him largely as a gruff underdog. And he will deliver a series of policy speeches on issues like foreign affairs and economics over the next 10 weeks.
These steps come as his staffers, led by chief strategist Tad Devine, spend hours recording a series of get-to-know-Sanders ads that will run in Iowa and New Hampshire media markets — and only weeks after Sanders finally relented and let his aides hire a national pollster. (Sanders' camp released its first ad, a 60-second spot to run as part of a $2 million buy, on Sunday.)
For a campaign that bills itself as revolutionary, these are notably traditional maneuvers for the pre-primary stage, conceded Sanders’ national strategists and lead aides in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Iowa. But, they think, this plan may be his best and only shot at catching up to Clinton.
“We still have a whole set of goals, and one of those is introducing Bernie to constituencies like the Hispanic community and the African-American community, who just don’t know him because he’s not been a national figure,” explained one top Sanders aide.
Perhaps a selfie with a Kardashian is on the menu? Katy Perry? :-D
Oh by the way, that 7% who don't know him... Tad Devine says that's all blacks and hispanics. That's the campaign strategist! Why can't Sanders take a lead anywhere outside his own backyard? Is the strategy flawed? Perhaps the advisers not too smart? Candidate not compelling? Nah. Must be the ignorance of the voters.
The mind boggles.