Maria Cardona worked in the Clinton administration as a high-level spokesperson and served as Communications Director of the DNC from 2001-2003. In 2008 she was a senior adviser to Hillary Clinton on Hispanic outreach, and appeared on English and Spanish cable news as an Obama surrogate in 2012. On "This Week" she responds to questions about how her candidate can be losing to "a 73 year old self-described socialist from Vermont."







JONATHAN KARL: I don't think we've seen more enthusiasm for any candidate, Democrat or Republican than we have seen for Bernie Sanders. Maria, what is going on? Hillary Clinton is supposed to have a coronation here. She now finds all the energy in the Democratic primary here is with a 73 year old self-described socialist from Vermont.



MARIA CARDONA, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: The media thought this was going to be a coronation, The Clinton campaign never thought this was going to be a coronation. That is why she is fighting for every single vote.

Look, Bernie is from a neighboring state.



We shouldn't be surprised that there is so much enthusiasm for him. And in fact, we shouldn't be surprised if he does very well -- and perhaps even win.



I think this is good for the Democratic Party because Democrats also did not want a coronation.

Next, Cardona begins to lower expectations, saying she "wouldn't be surprised" if Bernie Sanders won early states like Iowa and New Hampshire.