Post Iowa Campaign check on this first week in February:

In 2016 the Democratic National Committee made a critical decision. The level of public exchanges in media were following the DNC’s controlling players in making it clear that the nomination was going to Hillary Clinton.

What was happening in the field told a story that those in the leadership positions of the DNC found disturbing, if not frightening. The future of the party was making it clear they wanted Bernie Sanders. Hillary was raising real supporters with campaign money, and Bernie was raising real crowds of people.

Hillary was designated by the DNC as The One destined to be, and deserving of being the first Woman President. There is no “deserving” to the office of the President of the United States. Even as the Impeachment Trial permits Trump to walk, it is clear to all that he does not “deserve” to be in the Office he holds.

The Donald just Reality TV’d himself through the 2015–16 primaries to become the Republican Party’s Presidential candidate. And he gamed the strategy of a diminished Republican Party’s numbers within the democracy that is this nation by out flanking the so-called elite operators of the political elites of the Clinton machine and grabbed the Electoral College vote from a candidate who felt she ‘deserved’ to win.

That same attitude of ‘deserving’ that Hillary held over the DNC, is precisely what turned off the rest of the nation; including the young Berniecrats who stayed home. The result being the Office of the Leader of the Free World, of the most powerful Commander in Chief ever in human record, went to the least deserving person imaginable, a truly deplorable outcome.

Now, just after the Iowa Caucus debacle and before New Hampshire, it is clear that the DNC has done all it can to seem more open this primary cycle. Yet, it is unmistakable that leadership of the party cannot betray its judgement and certainty that Bernie ‘deserves’ to be heard; but is not a winning candidate for the presidency.

With the neck and neck leading votes going to Bernie Sanders and Pete Buttigieg, two candidates with very differing points of attraction could be said to demonstrate that the Democratic populace does not know, yet, who they really want. It is noteworthy that with Sanders and Warren coming in 2nd and 3rd respectively; it is clear that the middle of the country is more interested in change than in the DNC’s preference for playing it safe.

Bernie Sander’s ground game in Iowa and New Hampshire are showing — to the chagrin of many in the established old school DNC — real strength, again.

Elizabeth holds strong in voter connection in Town Halls with her thought out programs and high energy plans for ‘structural change’. The Yang gang is starting to gain the affection of the nation as Andrew Yang and his wife become more known. Amy Klobuchar is starting to look solid and clever for holding tough on her sense that her brand of practicality and doable change will begin to seep into the decisions of voters. Tom Steyer’s significant spending capacity is being spent on the authenticity of his commitment to center his administration’s thrust unalterably on Climate and taking down the corporate-lobbying strangle hold on D.C.’s inability to ‘represent’ anything but moneyed interests over our children’s healthy future.

All are growing more tightly on our attention to offer change away from the dangers beyond imagination of 4 more years of the corrupt actions, know-nothing stridency, and corrosive atmosphere of Trumpism.

And, just now…here in California…the sound of the greater fears of Trump and Republican moneyed interests feeling increasingly strident, if unleashed on the values of the nation without check. I hear some starting in this first week of February to wonder if the Big Fear Fog of a possibility of a continuation of the Planet disastrousness of Trump just might become an eruption for Michael Bloomberg as the person who can truly take on Trump, and on behalf of a frazzled and dispirited nation, get it done.

Money. Heart. Change. Courage.

It will take all this and more in 2020. Can even the motivated, optimistic young voters of this nation be counted on to stop looking at screens, look at the damage that has been done right up to and including today’s acquittal by the disgraced Senate, and vow to save this planet and the status of democracy on this planet by taking concerted, sustained, and determined action through to November?