Even one month ago, a 51/49 vote in Illinois would have been viewed as a disaster for Hillary.

[reformist2]

The fact that Bernie is pulling these kinds of numbers now, and people are actually saying it's somehow a poor showing(!), really says how much things have changed. It's as if people *expect* Bernie to win everywhere now.

He's not there yet, but he soon will be. Check back in, in another month. In politics, one month is a lifetime.

[Skid Rogue]

1. Math... nt

[Tiggeroshii]

17. Large numbers are added up from lots of small numbers

Math.

[hobbit709]

4. Hillshills got to gloat.

[RobertEarl]

14. You talking to me Second Stone?

I've been doing politics probably since you were in diapers, and now because I want to make progress, still, you calling me a whiner and desire that I leave politics so you can have: what?

Your attacks on good democrats on this board are mere self serving and not conducive to good party unity or politics.

You remind me of a PUMA.

[renate]

3. yep. I know that there really is something significant about 50% plus one

so I won't pretend that a loss won't be depressing, but in absolute terms, he is WAY outpacing expectations.

As I've read elsewhere here tonight, Hillary has been essentially running (laying the ground game, raising money, making connections that weren't already made from Bill's presidency) since 2007. Bernie has such a powerful message that he has (except for the superdelegates) come very close to matching her performance with voters in a year. It's hella impressive.

[Skwmom]

5. They are playing mind games. All of this pessism though isn't surprising since there are plenty of

phony Bernie supporters on this board.

[senz]

15. Yes, they do play mind games.

And yes, the phony Bernie supporters are coming into view.

Both types suck mightily.

[kath]

6. Exactly. Even a week ago, no one would have thought it would have been this close.(and Nate Silver

didn't even think so today!!)

[Skwmom]

7. It is a disaster for Clinton. They are just spinning, and spinning, and spinning.

[brooklynite]

8. In every interview, Sanders talks about how he started at 3%...

...that was a long time ago; he's a serious candidate now, and he needs to perform like one.

[Recursion]

9. Maybe, but it's not one month ago (nt)

[Nye Bevan]

10. It was a very respectable second-place finish.

Bernie has run an honorable campaign and has nothing to be ashamed of.

[Hydra]

12. It's actually a huge loss of ground

Sanders was considered a non-player until MI. Now he is expected to carry huge victories, or it is a loss...that's a huge message shift. It is a sideways acknowledgement that he can win the GE.

Team Hill may not have meant it that way, but it is a hat tip to us and our candidate, and undermines the message that we need to move to the GE footing.

Game is still on.

[MrBillIllinois]

13. Bernie will win at least 10 of 21 delegates in Illinois...where is the landslide???

Though an outright victory would have been nice. But the reality is that Bernie went to Clintons' home state, beat her in her home county and walked way with nearly 1/2 the take. Polls failed once again. Victory for Sanders!

[AzDar]

16. Truth. Now Let's Kick Some ASS!

[AZ Progressive]

18. The expectations game...

Michigan put up hopes only to be dashed, but truth is that noone was expecting it to be this close more than a week ago.

[Betty Karlson]

19. Good point: the expectations are now much higher for Sanders

Clinton may well have had her last victories this night.

[AZ Progressive]

20. Lets hope the media doesn't succeed in discouraging Bernie supporters from voting

in upcoming states...

[Waiting For Everyman]

21. Yep. His numbers were better than expected tonight.

I think this is a good time to lull the other side into a false sense of security -- that's when Hillary is likely to screw up again and next time it might be the campaign-ender. She might have already done it, but we might not have heard about it yet.

I heard on tv that she has already dropped her trade talking points. Too bad, Rust Belt, you won't count in a Hilly administration. Not that I believe she would keep any of her "progressive" agenda.