Bernie Sanders Resonated Big Time

Watching the first Democratic debate last night, I decided to get in touch with my other side, my Democratic Doppleganger, my DD.

He tells me that Bernie Sanders was the big winner.

Here's what else DD told me.

Hillary Clinton had nowhere to go but down in this debate.

Make no mistake, she held her own. In fact, she looked more relaxed and poised than ever before. She was on point throughout and articulate. To most Democrats, DD says she would make a perfectly acceptable Democratic president.

Her performance tonight outstripped any previous debate performance, even some solid showings against Barack Obama in 2008.

But Bernie stole the show because he spoke with extraordinary passion about the issues that excite the party's base.

DD says Democrats are animated by passion for their issues. Obama won in 2008 because he was passionate in his opposition to the Iraq war.

Bernie is similarly resonating, this time beating the drum on the defining issue of this campaign — "income inequality."

DD dismissed me quickly as I pointed out that Democratic policies had set the stage for the current economic malaise we are living through, the economic factors creating this wealth disparity.

"Who, exactly, has been president for the past seven years?" I asked DD.

He shrugged but noted lamely that Bernie was fighting for America's forgotten underclass and middle class.

During the debate, Hillary referred to it as "this inequality thing" — like a policy wonk deconstructing the problem in the faculty lounge.

Bernie talked about it like it was his personal bête noir.

I agreed with DD that Bernie also cleared other hurdles.

Painted as a wild-eyed socialist, he came across as often quite reasonable, especially when he talked down his party comrades on absolute gun control. Instead, he talked about building consensus and getting things done.

He scored points praising Jim Webb's military service while touting his own personal courage to become a conscientious objector to the Vietnam War. The Democrats went wild.

Bernie also seemed above the fray, never once scoring cheap points against his opponents. He came across as a mensch by defending Hillary over the GOP email expose.

DD ignored me again when I pointed out that most of the leaks about Hillary’s email problems were coming from the Obama administration, not the Republicans in Congress.

Clearly DD is right. Bernie is resonating with Democrats like Ben Carson resonates with Republicans: outsider, authentic, real, passionate, idealistic, honest, committed, Main Street vs. Wall Street.

Imagine for a second, I told DD, of a general election race between Ben Carson and Bernie Sanders.

America would really have a clear picture of two divergent paths to take, represented by two great idealists.

In that case, I told DD, I would vote for Carson in a heartbeat.

But DD says my vote doesn’t matter anymore, because the have-nots outnumber the haves. They’ll vote for a Bernie Sanders, he says, and the majority rules.

"Even if Bernie’s policies are just like Obama’s, limiting economic growth and creating the type of stagnation that has led to our work force shrinking by tens of millions over the past six years, youth unemployment over 50 percent, retirees getting close to zero interest on their savings?"

Yes, DD told me, because the Democrats are giving away free candy while my Republican friends scold us about the importance of eating vegetables.