I hope he's not, but my favorite candidate is Not Trump and I will enthusiastically work for and vote for whoever that is.

Any of the other candidates had a better chance at beating trump than Sanders.

all of this talk of the 'Bernie Bros' walking away if their candidate didn't get the nomination and it turns out, it's the 'Biden Boomers' that are ready to take their ball and go home...

Or that she would walk away. Or take her ball and go home.

FFS you guys are so sensitive and defensive that you just project time and time again.

Apparently you didn't see the picture of Warren below my post. I'm not just going by the comments on this site. I was talking to my son about this before the first primary. I told him that there would be a wide spread backlash among Biden supporters if Bernie OR Elizabeth pulled ahead. I saw the video from the panel last night that had Chris Mathews and James Carville melting down over Bernie's win in Nevada. I can't speak to anyone else's intentions but my takeaway from that conversation was that they would rather see a continuation of the Fascist Trump Regime than support a candidate that is essentially attempting to reanimate the aspirations of FDR and the New Deal!

I'll ignore the 'FFS you guys are so sensitive and defensive that you just project time and time again.' comment because there's a LOT to unpack there.

This time...

“This time.”

Although that poster above didn't specifically make that assertion, this is not a rare thing to see on DU right now.

Squinch can't see or sense any evidence of that.

consisting of foreign (mostly Russian) trolls, meddlers and bots. At least that's what I've gotten from media reports about the intelligence briefing to Sanders campaign.

ps -- Correct me if I'm wrong on this. We're so far down Alice's rabbit hole it's impossible to know which is up and which is down.

We'll wait.

There is a major aspect to this horse race many of the politically involved, informed and vested members of DU miss: Most of the electorate does so on very scant research. Many walk into the booth with "search your feelings, feel the force". Dismissing all the heavy pros-and-cons rhetoric here every day I ask myself does Biden inspire me?

Does Kamala, Liz or Bernie?

I've been afraid to mention the notion of the "Biden Boomers", that demographic includes both of my brothers, both a full decade my senior. Both attended major universities, started their career lives when that educational attainment was far more affordable. Tail-end boomers, Gen-X and on experienced a very different leveraged, expensive, and often out of reach climb to that goal. For younger generations, double down on that.
Lukewarm candidates... don't even stimulate a nerve with us.
I observed the Biden supporters go strangely silent as their candidate didn't score as expected. A few days in, the pouting "didn't get my unicorn" but I'll hold my nose and maybe... maybe... support Sanders--- from them has been deafening.

not a way to gain friends and influence people.

Sorry,no. There are some would not beat Trump.

<a href="https://ibb.co/NxHGcN6"><img src="" alt="doing-it" border="0"></a>

the nominee ( I think he loses massively) he owes us an apology for not supporting Hillary in the 2016 general sufficiently and for losing what was a winnable election in 2020.

be the nominee...and I maintain it is early days...and we have to consider operation chaos numbers too...Sanders has my vote in a general...but I will do all in my power to field a nominee who can win a general.

Why are you even a Democrat then? Who is closer to FDR and the policies of the New Deal, Bloomburg or Sanders? The supporters of fascism at the time labeled (and libeled) FDR as a Socialist too. And he was! He was a Democratic Socialist. That's in the history books.

Socialism is a scareword they have hurled at every advance the people have made in the last 20 years.

Socialism is what they called public power.
Socialism is what they called social security.
Socialism is what they called farm price supports.
Socialism is what they called bank deposit insurance.
Socialism is what they called the growth of free and independent labor organizations.

Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.

—Harry S. Truman, speech, Oct. 10 1952

It's being hinted at all over this and other sites today. Chris Mathews, one of the biggest voices for Joe Biden, is speculating that maybe it would be better for Trump to win another four years to get back to a 'Moderate' Democratic field. How does one interpret that? Maybe Chris won't be around in another four years and maybe I won't either. But my kids will and by then it will be too late. This little experiment in Democracy will be over.

Got it.

Next thing you know, folks will be saying, "Tuck in your shirt!", "Put on a tie!", "Unroll that skirt!", or
"Change your socks!"

Oh, people like their nicknames and such.

is coming from Russian trolls/meddlers according to intelligence briefings.

the country on "socialism." What you posted is a good start. I mean, seriously BLAST the airwaves making Americans understand how they are benefiting from "socialist" programs. Maybe uber-capitalist Bloomberg's ad team would be available.

At that point, it's too fucking late and the election would be lost.

a brokered convention selects her? Even then?

... I'm sure that some folks on the Titanic were busy bailing water with chamber-pots. Do what you feel like you need to do. I'm just telling you that at this late hour, if you're still explaining and defining... you're losing.

Our country will never elect a Socialist. It's as simple as that. There's a REASON why Russia and Trump are eager to take on Socialist Bernie Sanders. Think about it.

Warren isn't a Socialist.

I have thought about it. Every frigging Democrat is labeled socialist every time we run for office against a Republican and have been for most of my life.

If Warren's not a socialist, neither is Sanders. They support the same goals. Sanders has actually said similar things as Warren about being a capitalist so long as capitalism is regulated to ensure an even playing field.

I expect fear mongering from the Rs, not here at DU.

We let Rethuglicans -- Sarah 'Death Panels' Palin in particular -- control the message. SCREW THAT. Democrats needs to take fucking control of the message, whether it be Joe and Hunter Biden or Bernie Sanders. Right-wing media is fucking killing us -- the Democratic Party needs to working on its fucking messaging. This isn't a new concept -- messaging, George Lakoff, etc. were discussed to death on this site during the Dubya years.

Get out there and fucking sell our nominee or step aside, is what I'm telling people.

Socialism is a non-starter. If Bernie ends up being our party's nominee... we'll have four more years of Trump.

If we're being asked to "sell it" then it's too late. Don't blame me for Bernie's failings. He's the one who self-identifies as a Socialist. He couldn't even BOTHER to make an EFFORT (even a superficial one) to declare himself a Democrat who just happens to be very very very very right to the edge leftist. No, listen to his very own words. He hates the Democratic party and he's a Socialist. He says so himself. Over and over. This is his own doing.

especially regarding the costs of health care and impacts of those costs. No one opposes a balanced budget per se. A lot of us oppose balancing it by reducing and eliminating programs that directly provide for the welfare of people. Two different things.

choice which does lead me to your question.

Bloomberg would cement into place the normalcy of aristocrats/plutocrats occupying our EH. It’s no better than tRump a second term over the long run.

and with a great deal of money has a chance. The scareword Socialism applied to Sanders will work. I am a Democrat because I believe in the party, the platform and not ever electing Republicans...and I find it ridiculous that you insist all Democrats agree with you...Part of the reason we lose is we need a big tent to win.We always have...Dean was successful with a 50 state strategy and we have not been successful since until we did the same thing on a smaller scale and beat McSalley in Arizona and won the house elections with moderate candidates in 18. As for FDR...I believe he saved this nation as did Obama after he was elected from economic ruin. However, we need modern solutions for our nation and our party...FDR was nearly 100 years ago. We do live in a center left country at best and maybe center right since Trump, and I believe Sanders will lose many states we have carried for years...certainly he will not regain the blue wall states.

I'll vote Bernie here in FL if Biden looks unviable at that point, we have to keep Bloomberg out. I'll take Bernie (who actually marched in the civil rights movement) over Mr. Stop & Frisk any day of the week.

It’s hard to be impressed.

that's the sad part

wasn't a half century ago...I am voting for Bloomberg as our last shot to beat Trump...because I don't think Sanders will lose...I hope Biden pulls ahead as I adore him. But we must stop Trump.

care to give us a link?

much to wade through with Bloomberg on google. I just don't have time...I did see it though. The story also said the murder rate dropped 50% (not sure this is the correct number think so...probably stats somewhere). I don't think Bloomberg is a racist despite stop and frisk...and on guns and immigration, he is better than Sanders IMHO. However, that is not what motivates me...if Biden can't take on Sanders who will lose a general than I will vote for Bloomberg in Ohio...he would be our only shot.

women shockingly...He has a chance...what did Sanders ever do after he marched with MLK? Not basing my vote on something he did 50 years ago. If I thought Sanders could win, I would vote for him in the primary but I don't think he will. Thus I prefer Biden but will vote for Bloomberg in Ohio if I must.

millions of young Black and Hispanic men for years, so Sanders does have that going for him over Bloomberg.

Trump and has a shot at winning a general. Sanders does not in my view. Also, it should be noted Bloomberg lowered the death rate of young AA men by 45% and has invested millions of dollars in AA causes. What has Sanders done of late? He certainly has not been for social justice as far as I am concerned...but I throw that aside...if it comes to Sanders and Bloomberg...Bloomberg can win...and I don't believe Sander can...bottom line for me.

He didn’t even run in November.

Isn’t that what Truman said?

...

He quietly and slowly got sort of on board about FOUR WEEKS after Hillary clinched the nomination. I also will vote for Bloomberg over Sanders. If Sanders does win the nomination, of course I'll vote for him, and campaign for him. I'll try to pretend my heart's in it, but I may have to take acting lessons.

and that means a different nominee than Sanders...we have only had three primaries, and we know the GOP are in operation chaos mode...we have to fight for any candidate including Bloomberg if it comes to that. It is all about winning for me.

He campaigned all across the country for her.

he hired Stein supporters in the campaign

<3 ! We're in this together. Zero criticism for backing the candidate you wanted in the primary.

Eventually, regardless of who wins the nomination, the party will need to come together to take on the final tyrant in the boss level. Yes, much has been said by all against each other and EVERYONE will need to calm down a bit and put the bitterness behind. Some people feel theres only one side to the story but I suspect, as always, there is two.

Are they Bernie Bros fantasizing about student loan forgiveness? I think so.
But perhaps we can reach a compromise where we help.
Was Bernie wrong with the "establishment" nonsense? Absolutely.
But put yourself in the shoes of an outsider (e.g. AOC etc).

Same goes for Bernie Bro's who will need to tone down the language a little and start to take it easy on the older folks.

Eventually, thats how we coalesce and win, regardless of who the candidate is.

And I will work like hell to defeat Medicare For All once he’s elected.

to defeat Medicare For All, it would pretty much be DOA. People would be much more accepting of a good public option and even that might take a lot of work to get it through congress. I remember how hard it was to pass the ACA and it was not that controversial. The next step is an affordable public option, which would have happened during the Obama years, if the votes had been there for it. A handful of moderate Democrats opposed it.

It isn't just republicans who will fight universal healthcare, there are some Democrats as well.

Medicare for All scares the shit out of everyone except the far left.

forcing them to make any major changes in their personal lives. I'm no fan of private insurance, but apparently a lot of people have great insurance that they love. If private companies can compete with a good government run public option, then good for them. If not, private insurance will gradually become extinct, which is probably what will happen. The government won't pay huge CEO salaries and cater to share holders.

You know, I remember how bent out of shape everyone became at the prospect of the ACA mandate! It helped republicans take back the house and the senate. Obama's popularity suffered so badly, that Democrats running for reelection didn't even want him to campaign for them. Just imagine what Medicare for All would do to Democrats.

Why does something that removes a parasitic industry that contributes nothing to healthcare and exists purely to make a profit for its executives and shareholders "scare the shit out of everyone except the far left"?

This is an industry that ACTUALLY has "death panels" built into its business model as demonstrated by this first hand account.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2020/2/22/1921133/-Aetna-to-84-year-Old-Go-Home-and-Die

This is what scares the shit out of me, not a program that provides single payer healthcare.

Sad that there's a lot of misinformation out there, and it's going to kill any more realistic way to UHC, and ironically, keep people from getting health care longer.

No need to force people from feeding the vultures just give them an affordable option that they can chose or not chose to use.

That said I think it would be great if you went back and reread my post. What I actually asked was why people were more terrified of medicare for all than the current system that guarantees results like the one I linked to, that was my actually question and you in no way responded to my inquiry.

At least not in the next several years. So you don't need to worry.

From reading your posts, one has to assume unless you support Bernie, you oppose Universal Health Care, are a socialist fear monger, and a smearer and slanderer of progress.



But props for attacking a straw man and a false equivalence - a logical fallacy Twofer!!

The party will unite behind whoever the candidate is. Bet on it.

Lost that bet.

I will do whatever I have to, including denouncing Sanders to anyone who'll listen, in order to get my local democrats elected. That will be my TOP priority.

My state went for Bernie in '16, and probably will again this time around. Though in the primary, we voted for Warren.

Healthcare is a big deal, transcends everything else for most Americans. This is a healthcare election, and people may get tired (I do) of having people tell us why we can't expand Medicare for all. Because the ONLY reason is the opposition from big pharma, health insurance companies and HMOs.

We have a chance at the state house and need to keep Collin Allred* in the house among other races.

* Allred defeated 11-term republican incumbent Pete Sessions in 2018. Do you think Sanders is going to appeal to the voters who put Allred over the top

or how strong those suppression steps will prove in keeping young people and minorities from voting.

But if the kids and the minorities are galvanized by a populist whose platform would materially improve their quality of life across the board, all bets are off. Looks like Bernie's 'political revolution' (by which he means get engaged and go vote) may be becoming a reality. Did in NV.

We need some Republican voters to cross over to win. Sanders cannot inspire people that do not exist.

Just get the democrats to vote and you won't need republican cross-over.

In Texas it is the case we need to motivate the democrats to get out and vote.

Texas is not majority red, it is majority non-voting. Give them a reason to vote and Texas goes blue.

Which part of Texas are you in? I'm in Houston area but previously lived in the Austin area.

Long as everyone DOES vote, we should be fine!

I wonder if pictures or videos of (any of) the crowd at the P-reident's rallies would show any of the same faces at any Democratic Rally?

Could be a real bit of evidence to show someone is paying "supporters" to influence candidates!

Facial recognition would be fantastic.

Just sayin'

Fish just aren't biting, Kid.

I too had some questions about Bernie and wasn't sure he would be the best carrier of his message this year. And I really like Elizabeth. In fact it's just now I'm giving up on her. Some of the reasons I came back to Bernie are: the organization he put together, the great strides he made in appealing to Black and Latino voters, and his outreach to Fox viewers and Joe Rogan's crowd.

Really. I heard not just a few lifelong rethugs tell people that they "couldn't" vote for tRump. (Some of these folks live in Highland Park in Dallas). But guess what. They did. They for damn sure DID go out and vote for tRump. Maybe not all of them, but enough of the rethugs turned out and voted for him to make that happen. (Yes, I know he "won" electorally not the popular vote - but that popular vote was in the most heavily populated places on the east and west coasts, most of whom lean Democratic). tRump "won" electorally because enough former independents and some rethugs who actually voted for Obama twice decided tRump was their guy. They were part of a *movement* vote - an anti-institutional vote. I don't see a whole lot of difference now - except for the fact that Bernie is probably (maybe) better than tRump on many levels.

everyone is predicting who will do better - but in the end we just don't know.

FWIW, he'll win my state (lol - I'm in Vermont)

I totally get wanting to win and being concerned about outcomes. I can understand how Sanders might seem high risk. Now while I’m voting for the person I want to be president I also think that at times absolute risk aversion is not the best option- risk is never eliminated, and conventional wisdom can be misaligned.

Regardless of all that, I believe there will be great Democratic/progressive/anti-Trump unity regardless of the outcome of this primary.

Let's get this shit See-rulian.

I hope all Democrats can rally around the successful nominee, regardless of who that may be, to defeat the current abomination. Eyes on the prize; get rid of the orange asshole. We can do nothing to heal the damage until we accomplish that.

He did well among African-American voters there and of course, very well among young voters and those concerned about healthcare.

He may well be the one who despite being tarred with the democratic "socialist" label has the army of enthusiastic supporters needed to be sure people get out and vote.

I myself have a preference for Warren on some issues, but we can't deny Sanders has the monentum.

Let's examine the fears some have about Sanders and how those arguments might be over come in a general election:

1. Sanders went to Russia in his youth and has praised Cuba.
Trump openly invited Russia to do his bidding, has done Putin's bidding, and withheld weapons for Ukraine to fight Russian forces , all for personal gain. If you are worried about Russia, Trump is the one closely allied with them currently and undermining US security to help Russia. Cuba is no longer any serious threat to the U.S. and while there are aspects of the Cuban government that deserve criticism, their healthcare system by objective standards has some merit.

2. Sanders is a socialist.
Sanders has NOT called for a government takeover of the means of production - factories and corporations (with the possible exception of predatory energy companies like PG&E that caused wildfires that killed many people due to their dangerous equipment that they failed to maintain). He is not a communist nor a socialist. Democratic socialism is more like old-school Democratic party values espoused by FDR -- social PROGRAMS for the betterment of all.

3. Medicare for all will take away private health insurance.
Sanders can't pass Medicare for all without a majority in both houses of Congress. One is controlled by Republicans and even many Democrats oppose ending private healthcare. It will not happen in the next four years. But with a president who will speak out on the evils of greedy pharmaceutical and soaring insurance premiums, we will likely see at least some significant reforms, whether creating a compromise such as a public OPTION for those (like me) with unaffordable healthcare, or expanding subsidies under Obamcare, whatever he can get through Congress. If the GOP stonewalls completely, expect to see Sanders campaigning to defeat some of them in 2 years.

4. Sanders is too old.
Yes he's old, but so are Bloomberg and Biden, and even Warren. Trump is old, too. Assuming Sanders picks a younger VP candidate who may even draw a broader base and who is competent to takeover if needed, this is not a deal-breaker issue.

5. Sanders isn't a Democrat.
He's caucused with them and votes more like a Dem than many so-called Dems. His criticism of the establishment Dems (not the entire party) resonates with one-third of the electorate - and Sanders CAN reach working people. His latest ad says Trump betrayed working people, a message that can win even some Trump or moderate votes.

I can add a little to your great list:

1) He would cause a rift in the party

Anyone who would vote for Trump or write in someone over Bernie is just hurting themselves with 4 more years of Trump. And although he may have stayed in too long in 2016, he has committed to unity behind our nominee.

2) Socialism will be used against him

Socialism isn’t quite the boogeyman it used to be, and Sanders remains popular even in polls where socialism polls lower. Plus, the Repukes would call any Democratic nominee a socialist. Can always bring up Trump Russian ties.

3) Intel shows Russians want Bernie

I refer people to this article:

https://www.wired.com/story/bernie-sanders-russia-chaos-2020-election/

I could not agree more. Whomever is the Dem candidate will be light years better.

Trump was elected in a movement, as you point out. My own belief, for better or worse, is that Sanders can quite reasonably extract a substantial share of those populist-message-affiliating voters (not the racist/sexists, but the economic anxiety voters) as well as having a movement of energized social safety net/climate-minded folks... he’s beating trump in today’s WI, MI and PA polls, taken before yesterday’s results were in.

Thanks for your unity message, I hope it spreads around here.

He's not my favorite candidate, but apparently my views do not reflect where the party is leaning across the country. I do have great respect for younger voters and their reading of politics. I will certainly follow he lead of Bernie's voters even though I have not been with him from the start. Apparently they know something I don't and it's important.