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2016 Postmortem

thesquanderer

(11,991 posts) Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:28 PM Apr 2016

Either Bernie is a real threat, or Hillary is being paranoid. Which do you think?

The reality is, they're running out of patience. So they're going to begin deploying a new strategy. It's going to be called "Disqualify him, defeat him." And then they can unify the party later. For the last several months, the Clinton campaign has been first ignoring Bernie Sanders, then dismissing him. Now they're going to go head-long into him.

A lot of people here think Sanders has no chance. (The math is impossible! He should drop out!) It seems that Hillary may disagree. Why pull out the guns against someone you genuinely see as no threat? What is there to be "impatient" about if you are confident in the outcome? Why not just wait, try to be statesmanlike and stay above it? What's to be gained in risking dragging the campaign into negative territory (which has a risk of backfiring), if there is no actual threat from the other side? This change of strategy would seem to make no sense unless he is actually perceived as a threat.

If she perceives him as a threat, I see two possibilities: either Bernie actually has a chance, or he doesn't and Hillary is just being paranoid. Anyone want to suggest a third possibility?

With that in mind, here's a poll:

Q: Why do you think Hillary is adjusting her campaign to more forcefully attack Bernie?

20 votes, 0 passes \| Time left: Unlimited
	Bernie is a legitimate threat to Hillary.
	19 (95%)
	Hillary is being paranoid.
	0 (0%)
	Something else. (Leave a reply with your alternative explanation.)
	1 (5%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

12 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Either Bernie is a real threat, or Hillary is being paranoid. Which do you think? (Original Post) thesquanderer Apr 2016 OP

Just because she's paranoid inchhigh Apr 2016 #1

They're not mutually exclusive. Scuba Apr 2016 #2

This message was self-deleted by its author Csainvestor Apr 2016 #3

Bernie is no threat, and Hilary is not being "paranoid". She's practically perfect in everything she reformist2 Apr 2016 #4

Both! KPN Apr 2016 #5

I think it's both. PFunk1 Apr 2016 #6

she wants to end this early so she can start working on Trump/Cruz. nt geek tragedy Apr 2016 #7

By completely blowing up what is left of her image and alienating the young. JackRiddler Apr 2016 #8

Can you add another question for "Both"? I'd vote for that one. hedda_foil Apr 2016 #9

Hillary is paranoid and Bernie is a real threat Kalidurga Apr 2016 #10

Both. mmonk Apr 2016 #11

Bernie isn't a real threat to her, so she isnt afraid of Bernie, or paranoid. Lucinda Apr 2016 #12

inchhigh

(384 posts)

1. Just because she's paranoid

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:30 PM

Apr 2016

Doesn't mean he isn't a threat.

Scuba

(53,475 posts)

2. They're not mutually exclusive.

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:31 PM

Apr 2016

Response to thesquanderer (Original post)

Csainvestor This message was self-deleted by its author.

reformist2

(9,841 posts)

4. Bernie is no threat, and Hilary is not being "paranoid". She's practically perfect in everything she

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:33 PM

Apr 2016

does!

KPN

(15,650 posts)

5. Both!

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:33 PM

Apr 2016

PFunk1

(185 posts)

6. I think it's both.

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:41 PM

Apr 2016

Sanders IS becoming a real threat to Clinton that she didn't expect. And that's making her paranoid because it looks like she's seeing another Obama happening right before her eyes.

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)

7. she wants to end this early so she can start working on Trump/Cruz. nt

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:43 PM

Apr 2016

JackRiddler

(24,979 posts)

8. By completely blowing up what is left of her image and alienating the young.

Reply to geek tragedy (Reply #7)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:48 PM

Apr 2016

Great!

hedda_foil

(16,375 posts)

9. Can you add another question for "Both"? I'd vote for that one.

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:49 PM

Apr 2016

Kalidurga

(14,177 posts)

10. Hillary is paranoid and Bernie is a real threat

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 02:57 PM

Apr 2016

Except it isn't Bernie that is the threat. The real threat is people are waking up to how terrible our system is with the richest buying congress and putting laws into place that create misery for the 99%.

mmonk

(52,589 posts)

11. Both.

Reply to thesquanderer (Original post)

Wed Apr 6, 2016, 03:34 PM

Apr 2016

Lucinda

(31,170 posts)

12. Bernie isn't a real threat to her, so she isnt afraid of Bernie, or paranoid.