Does the rise of brash speaking candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders suggest a new, more potent level of anger among the American electorate? An anger that has reached a tipping point and threatens to truly upend the system. Or are we seeing echoes of previously angry electorates that produced (ultimately unsuccessful) candidates like Howard Dean, Ross Perot and Pat Buchanan? One GOP pollster I spoke with this week describes the electorate as more resigned than riled up. While there's little doubt that voters dislike the status quo, they aren't interested in burning the place down either. They may be frustrated, she says, but she doesn't think the GOP primary electorate is going to head to the polls with their "irresponsible pants on" and give Trump their votes. Moreover, there's been far too much attention given to who these Trump 'voters' are, without questioning their commitment to his candidacy. GOP primary voters that I talk to in the early states of Iowa and New Hampshire are happy to be dating the field and flitting between two, three or four
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