By A. Shaw

Depending on which poll you look at, the apparent standings in the upper tier of  Democratic (DP) field look, more or less, something like this:
Clinton ………………….48%
Biden …………………….15%
Warren……………………..7%
Sanders……………………..5%
Neither Biden nor Warren is a candidate nor likely to become a candidate.
Biden isn’t likely to become a candidate because he isn’t running right now.
Warren isn’t likely to become a candidate because she says again and again she doesn’t want the DP nomination right now.
So, the elimination of Biden and Warren leaves Clinton and Sanders, apparently with 48% and 5% respectively.
Clinton has name recognition, character recognition, but she’s fuzzy on issue recognition.
Right now, Bernie has nothing, neither name, character, nor issue recognition.
This situation accounts in large part for Clinton’s 43 point lead over Sanders in the poll.
But Sanders, as the real No. 2 in the DP field , is spendidly situated to grab tons of name, character, and issue recognition.
The bottom tier of the DP field has it’s work cut out for it.
O’Malley ………………………………1%
Webb……………………………………1%
Cuomo………………………………….0
Although observers and participants in political struggle must follow primary polling, they shouldn’t forget that primary polling is more questionable than other polling. One reason for this leeriness is voters sometimes have a high opinion of a candidate’s character [ for example, Clinton 2008] but a low opinion of the candidate’s position on issues [for example, Clinton’s 2008 support of the “surge” in Iraq].
Thus, excellent primary polling results may not be a good gauge for issue recognition.
Today, many voters admire Clinton and primary polling reflects this feeling. But these voters worry whether Clinton will allow GOPs and Zionists to shove her into war against Iran if negotiations don’t result in a mutually agreeable deal within a deadline set by rabid GOPs and Zionists.
Sanders is Jewish and a Zionist, but he can’t be pushed around by anybody. He has already warned the White House and Congress about US policy on Iran while Clinton, a former secretary of state, remains mum.
So, candidates far ahead in primary polling should moderate their optimism and candidates far behind should moderate pessimism.