Four reasons Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic debate

During their two-hour debate in Miami last night, Hillary Clinton attacked Bernie Sanders for siding with both the Castro brothers and the Koch brothers.

The Democratic front-runner attacked her rival for being insufficiently critical of George W. Bush and excessively ideological. She also suggested that the Vermont senator was supportive of vigilantes policing the Southern border and auto workers losing their jobs.

So much for pivoting toward Donald Trump and the general election. Clinton’s surprise loss in Michigan seems to have prompted another change-up in her strategy. Her over-reaction during the eighth Democratic debate, which was sponsored by Univision and The Washington Post, is one of four reasons that she lost.

1. By throwing the kitchen sink at Bernie, Hillary sounded nervous and even somewhat desperate – certainly more so than she needs to be.

The former Secretary of State had some very good moments, connecting with an immigrant who wants to be re-united with her husband and opening up about not being naturally good at politics. But the night will likely be remembered for a stream of over-the-top attacks on her insurgent challenger that undermined the credibility of more effective – and legitimate – hits.

“Senator Sanders … stood with the Minutemen vigilantes in their ridiculous, absurd efforts to, quote, ‘hunt down immigrants,’” Clinton said at one point. “No, I do not support vigilantes, and that is a horrific statement and unfair statement to make,” Sanders replied.