Hooray For Super Tuesday
Finally, we can knock out a huge chunk of this whole delegates thing and focus on what really matters: How the Democratic National Committee is going to try to stop people from Feeling The Bern (without the use of antibiotics, as the Trump Administration will be seizing all of those to help fight the coronavirus).
We saw a massive push on Monday, with Amy Klobuchar dropping out and endorsing Joe Biden, followed quickly by Pete Buttigieg (who had already dropped out), and Beto O’Rourke (who is still a thing we as Americans must suffer through). Susan Rice joined in the fun as well, which makes me think that despite his public silence, Obama is making a lot of calls this week.
And, frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised by that. Obama has been very deeply concerned with the legacy he leaves behind, and Bernie Sanders threatens that. He wants to undo it all and build up something new and socialist-er. That will ruin Obama’s key achievement, the Affordable Care Act, and make it seem like he wasn’t good enough. For someone like Obama, that simply cannot stand.
So he has to get involved, and right now it’s his people doing so behind the scenes and getting people out to endorse his former Vice President, the guy who has promised to continue that legacy by building on it, rather than tearing it down and starting over. Eventually, you’ll see Obama himself come out - just how quickly he endorses Biden will depend on how successful Sanders is today.
Could Bernie Underperform Today?
It’s possible. Biden’s big sweeping win in South Carolina could be enough to change minds, and the polls in the previous two races (Nevada and South Carolina) were not accurate beyond who they predicted would win. Biden absolutely blew everyone out of the water in the latter state, while Sanders won bigger than predicted in the former. If Sanders’ support is overstated in the polls, then there is a legitimate chance to say “The majority of Democrats DON’T want Sanders.”
That’s got to be the argument Biden makes going forward if Sanders doesn’t come away with a clear majority. A plurality of delegates is a weak mandate for Democratic Socialism, and Biden will have the advisers behind him now to make sure he capitalizes on it (with as few gaffes and brain farts as possible).
There is the possibility, though, that it’s Biden who underperforms and it will strengthen the case that the Democratic base is ready for full-on socialism. That would devastate the Democratic establishment, who (I think correctly) believes that the best way forward is by being outwardly moderate and advance the ball slowly.
Recipe Of The Week: Cauliflower Soup
Despite the key ingredient, I guarantee this is still not as white as the Democratic Primary, though part of that comes from the use of the seasonings here. The trick is to roast the cauliflower first, adding an extra level of flavor and really deepening the experience.
1 large cauliflower (about 2 lbs.), divided into florets
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. sea or kosher salt
2 tsp. ground peppercorn
2 cups heavy cream or milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
crispy bacon, crumbled
chopped green onion
Put the cauliflower florets on a baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle salt and peppercorn over the florets. Bake at 350 until lightly browned.
Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven, then cook the yellow onion until tender.
Add the garlic and cook until the onion is browning.
Add the dairy (milk or heavy cream depending on how thick you want the soup to be - I tend to use heavy cream), then the broth, and then add the cauliflower. Let it simmer for 30-40 minutes (until the cauliflower is very tender).
Using an immersion blender, blend the ingredients together until it reaches your desired texture.
Add the cheese and stir until melted it. Then add the bacon and mix.
Finally, add the green onion and serve.