Encourage Bernie Sanders to run for President (link)

[merrily]

https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/encourage-senator-bernie-sanders-to-run-for-president-in-2016-as-a-democrat

It's a petition to encourage the Senator to run for President as a Democrat.


There is also a facebook link.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/US-Senator-Bernie-Sanders-for-President-2016/253576231398947

From Senator Sanders' wiki:

Possible 2016 presidential run

In a March 6, 2014 interview with The Nation, Sanders stated that he is "prepared to run for President of the United States" in 2016[6] but did not officially announce a campaign. When pressed on the issue, Sanders said, "If the question is am I actively right now organizing and raising money and so forth for a campaign for president, I am not doing that. On the other hand, am I talking to people around the country? Yes, I am. Will I be doing some traveling around the country? Yes, I will be. But I think it’s premature to be talking about a campaign when we still have a 2014 congressional race in front of us."[6]

TheNutcracker started a thread today on Sanders' appearance on Meet the Press this morning.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5534033

On the thread, in addition to a lot of praise for Sen. Sanders, is a clip valerief was kind enough to post.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5534145


Regardless of how you intend to vote in a primary, if you can watch that clip and be indifferent to having Sen. Sanders in the race, even if he loses, this post is not for you.


For everyone else, please show your interest by clicking on both of the links at the beginning of this post and show Senator Sanders and everyone else that we do not appreciate oligarchy.

[Faux pas]

1. Done and Rec

[merrily]

2. Thanks for reading, doing and reccing.

His ideas belong in the race.

[Faux pas]

3. It also plays into my

Anybody but hillary ideal. But, beyond that, Bernie is my Hero.

[merrily]

4. Having his ideas in the race will be a game changer, I think.

[Faux pas]

7. His ideas are totally for

we the people. It's hard to argue with that!

[merrily]

8. I would never try to argue with his ideas. Or with him.

Among many other things, I saw how he served Toad.

[rhett o rick]

5. Done and rec. I support Sen Sanders run for the presidency. nm

[merrily]

6. Thanks and thanks. I do, too.

[SamKnause]

9. K&R

Signature #14,060.

[merrily]

14. Thank you!

[jehop61]

10. Please don't do this

If regular democratic votes are split, one of the idiot republucans will likely win. We saw it happen in 2000, and it will happen again. Another tactic might to put lots of effort into turning The Congress into a more progressive body that will do more of the things we want done. How about Bernie for Vice President? If Bernie had more mainstream support, I'd say go for it, but realistically, he couldn't win in the south or west. I like what he says, but we need a candidate who can generate broad support. Maybe someday......

[merrily]

13. Are you saying that you don't want Bernie to run for Pres. as a Democrat?

Or that you don't want to see this thread?

I don't understand your post.

[Tarheel_Dem]

18. Splitting the vote might be the desired outcome for some. Not everyone who posts here is a Democrat.

Remember, we're "Underground", and that's where Bernie's support comes from. You're exactly right, he is not NOW, nor will he ever be a mainstream candidate. Remember this idiot? His chief goal was to make sure that Democrats lost.

[merrily]

21. If he runs as a Dem, what "vote" will he split?

[Tarheel_Dem]

22. He won't run as a Dem, and if he's so foolish, he'll be quickly Kooch'd. Remember him?

Bernie couldn't beat Obama in his own backyard in a hypothetical matchup. He won't be allowed to switch his affiliation, just to get access to our infrastructure and mailing lists. And if he thinks that's gonna happen, he'll be quickly disabused of such notions. When the folks he needs to win are reminded that he suggested Obama should face a primary in 2012, he'll be toast.

[merrily]

23. How on earth do you know he won't run as a Dem?

He said this morning that he might and has not made up his mind yet.

And what does beating Obama have to do with 2016?


Jaysus.

[Tarheel_Dem]

37. He couldn't beat Obama in VT, and he won't beat Hillary. Simple as that.

[Kilgore]

81. Hillary has no soul or passion, she's the Borg candidate

Watch a video of her and Bernie side by side.

Her passion is manufactured and rehearsed. Bernie comes across with passion and power that flows from deep inside.

Will be painfully obvious in a debate and folks will notice.

Kilgore

[Tarheel_Dem]

83. No argument with "passion and power", but Bernie is just a "Dean scream" away from implosion.

That also is "painfully obvious".

[RufusTFirefly]

31. Glad to learn you're a mind reader

That's an impressive skill.

When asked whether he would run as a Democrat or an Independent, Bernie was carefully non-committal. However, he cited the difficulty of getting on the ballot in all 50 states as an Independent. Based on that statement (and this formidable obstacle), I'm guessing that Bernie will run as a Democrat.


Someone here appears to be sowing the seeds of disunity. And I don't think it's Ralph.

[merrily]

33. Not only the ballot, but creating an infrastructure in 50 states.

You need a headquarters and an organization in every state, volunteers in every state to GOTV. And he did say all 50 states, so he seems in line with Dean on the 50 state strategy.

[RufusTFirefly]

38. Very true. Important point!

Thanks for adding it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

40. It's only 2014. He better get to work. He could start with DU. But above ground, he'll never win.

As much as people claim to be anti-war, anti-interventionist, you see what happens when Americans are murdered. The appetitite for bloodlust increases. Bernie's isolationist leanings won't play well after Obama. The country will elect someone who's much more hawkish and sure-footed when it comes to foreign intervention. Bank on it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

36. Disunity, as you call it, would be Bernie leaving his "party" to crash ours for $$$$$.

[Union Scribe]

48. If you're so sure he won't get any support in the "real" world

then what's it to you if he runs and if we as unimportant piddly little posters here vote for him?

[merrily]

62. It's a deviation from the script.

From the jump, the PTB of the Party have seemed desperate that she not be challenged in a primary. Maybe they don't really think she is as "inevitable" as they've been saying publicly for the past two years.

[arcane1]

67. His chief goal was to make sure that Democrats lost?

That's some real honest thinking you have there

[Tarheel_Dem]

68. Well, I guess only he & his BFF, Grover Norquist know the real truth.

[Scootaloo]

51. Find a progressive democrat to run, then

if there are any, that is.

[SamKnause]

11. The HONORABLE

Senator Bernie Sanders has many great clips available on YouTube.

It is very rare that I get to use the word HONORABLE to describe a U.S. politician !!!!!!!!!!!!

[merrily]

15. Thank goodness for youtube because the msm does not give him

tons of air time.

[merrily]

34. He's been in one elected office or another since 1981 and still is one of the least

rich members of Congress, both houses.

Sounds honorable to me.

[SamKnause]

39. Indeed he is.

He is a rare and honorable politician indeed.

[woo me with science]

12. Hear, hear!

[AzDar]

16. K & R

[merrily]

17. Thank you!

[valerief]

19. Bernie was kind enough to have the clip posted right away on YouTube

so we didn't have to trudge through the other MTP slop.

[merrily]

20. And you were kind enough to post it at DU. Thanks.

I enjoyed that clip so much.

Win, lose or draw, America needs to hear what he is saying.

[Enthusiast]

24. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

Yay, Bernie!

[merrily]

25. Thank you. Please remember to sign the petition, too.

[Enthusiast]

26. I signed. And I was already on Bernie's mailing list.

[merrily]

27. Thank you.

[CarrieLynne]

28. #14079

[merrily]

32. Thank you!

[jwirr]

29. To run in the Primary does he have to give up his Senate seat? Unless I have him as my president

I do not want to lose him as a Senator.

[merrily]

30. That could be a complicated question, if he wants to run as a Dem.

Will they let him run as a Dem while holding a Senate seat as an Indie? Maybe. He's in their caucus.

Apart from that he is not up for re-election in 2016, so that is not a problem. (He ran in 2012 against five or six others and got 71% of the vote, LOL!)

But no law would requires him to quit the seat in order to run for Pres.

Didn't Biden run for the Senate and VP at the same time? Or am I misremembering?

[brooklynite]

35. An internet petition? That'll do the trick...

What you've actually done is given your contact information to a liberal advocacy group. Maybe you want to support them, but are you really under the illusion that this will have any influence on Sanders' decision?

If you want Bernie to run, you're going to have to get organized (like "Ready for Hillary&quot or at a minimum close your web browser and writer real letters with real personal opinions as to why he should run.

[merrily]

41. I assume most DUers understand internet petitions.

We've all signed enough of them to get it.

are you really under the illusion that this will have any influence on Sanders' decision?

Thanks for being so condescending. I have very few illusions left. As long as the petition doesn't discourage him, I'm fine with signing the petition.

And I am really enjoying the enthusiasm.

[Union Scribe]

47. I love that you snicker at an internet petition

posting anonymously on an internet discussion board

[merrily]

42. kick

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

43. K&R

[glinda]

44. ALSO encourage everyone to vote in Dem Majorities so Bernie can actually get something done.

[merrily]

45. Sure, but unless the Senate changes its 60 vote rule......

As you can see from the quote from Sanders in the OP, he is focused on the midterms.

[chknltl]

46. Done. My voice added urging Sen. Sanders to run as a Dem.

nuff said

[merrily]

53. Thank you!

[Cha]

49. Bernie's voice needs to be heard.. I thought I read somewhere today that he would consider

changing to a Dem if he were to run?

This isn't where I read it but here it is..

Sanders may run for White House as a Dem, but 'the issue is not Hillary'

Sanders said, however, the two could be in for a primary fight — but his decision to run as a Democrat would be based on purely practical considerations.

“I am thinking about running for president. And the issue of whether you run as an independent, with the necessity of setting up a 50-state infrastructure, running as a Democrat — that’s something that I’m looking at right now,” he said.

MOre..
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/217667-sanders-i-may-run-as-a-dem-but-the-issue-is-not-hillary

mahalo merrily~ thanks for the links and I Encouraged, Bernie~

[merrily]

50. Thanks, Cha. It's in the video. Bernie said he has not decided yet

if he will run as an Indie or as a Dem.

The gist was that running as Indie is daunting because he would need to set up infrastructure in 50 states, but he thinks running as an Indie might help him appeal more to voters who seek a change. Personally, I think he is wrong about the appeal bit.

Perot had billions he was willing to sink into his Presidential run. I think that is the only reason he did as well as he did as an Indie--and even that was a long time ago. I think people are far more likely to vote for a Dem or a Republican.

[Cha]

52. I love this.. 'the issue is not Hillary'.. "it's the Middle Class".. that's a compelling

message to get there in atmosphere.

I think his Indie streak would come through loud and clear if he were to switch parties and run against Hillary in the Primary. Again, his voice needs to be heard.

[merrily]

54. I feel/believe that is what he will do, Cha.

As we all know, it takes money to run, even to run and lose; and I don't think he is going to be able to raise it on his own. The big Dem donors are not going to want the vote split.

[MissDeeds]

55. Bernie has my full support

K&R

[merrily]

70. ANYone who wants to get into the Dem primary has my full support.

[treestar]

56. What difference does it make if Congress is still Republican?

And not being a member of either Party, Bernie would get no where.

This is an even dumber person to tout as Messiah.

[merrily]

57. So, lets not elect any President, then? Is that your point?

As far as Bernie specifically, if he runs at all, it is very likely he will run as a Dem. If he runs as an Indie, I will worry about your comment then.

And, of course, no one touted Sanders or anyone else as a Messiah, so no reason to exhaust that poo straw man.

[treestar]

59. Bernie went on TV and said something cool

So now he should be POTUS. No mention of congress. As I said, no one cares who ends up in Congress, and yes, they think Bernie will do what Obama couldn't, regardless. He's just the next proposed benevolent dictator.

[merrily]

60. Um, no, you have it exactly backwards.

Sen. Sanders did not decide to run because he was on MTP. MTP had Sanders on because Sanders has been exploring a run for the Presidency for some time now. Surprised you hadn't heard.

in an interview with The Nation on March 6, 2014, Sanders stated that he is "prepared to run for President of the United States" in 2016.[6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_Sanders

And, I might add, so far he is the only potential candidate to be honest about that and not ludicrously coy, as though the Presidency were some kind of inside joke.

One of the reasons that Sanders might have been exploring a run is that there was a draft Bernie for 2012 movement back in 2010 or 2011, when some Dems were desperate for a choice in 2012, rather than a coronation. Surprised you hadn't heard of that, either.

Another reason that Sanders might have been exploring a run is that no one else speaks out as frankly against the oligarchy in general and the Koch brothers in particular and he needs to get that message out, win, lose or draw. Am I thrilled that someone besides MSNBC finally had to give air time to that? You bet I am.

As far as your comment about Congress, it applies to any POTUS and it's pretty much bs anyway. Unless the 60 vote rule changes, nothing much new is going to happen. January 2009 -January 2011 was a unique opportunity that some would say was not used well. In any event, we are not going to see any time soon, an overwhelming Dem majority in the House, 60 in the Dem Caucus and a Dem in the White House all at the same time.

Besides, Bernie does care about Congress. From his wiki:

Possible 2016 presidential run

In a March 6, 2014 interview with The Nation, Sanders stated that he is "prepared to run for President of the United States" in 2016[6] but did not officially announce a campaign. When pressed on the issue, Sanders said, "If the question is am I actively right now organizing and raising money and so forth for a campaign for president, I am not doing that. On the other hand, am I talking to people around the country? Yes, I am. Will I be doing some traveling around the country? Yes, I will be. But I think it’s premature to be talking about a campaign when we still have a 2014 congressional race in front of us."[6]

Facts trump again.

[magical thyme]

58. Done. He has my vote. nt

[merrily]

61. Thank you!

[merrily]

63. kicking. Please sign the petition and/or post on facebook.

Links in the OP.

[merrily]

64. I have to leave for a while. If anyone sees this, please kick.

Also, excuse me if I am a bad thread parent for a bit.

Thank you.

[MohRokTah]

65. No, thank you

I don't want him to run and if he does I'll never forgive him for becoming the Ralph Nader of 2016.

If he decides to join the Democratic Party and run in the primaries, cool. I won't be supporting him in the primaries but the more the merrier.

[merrily]

66. The link is for him to run as a Dem. So no Nader issue.

Saw this just as I was about to check out.

[merrily]

69. So, the fact that the petition is sponsored by Dems to get him to run as a Dem

and there is no Nader issue at all doesn't really matter?

[merrily]

80. What happened to "the more (in the Dem primary) the merrier?"

If he decides to join the Democratic Party and run in the primaries, cool. I won't be supporting him in the primaries but the more the merrier.

The petititon is to encourage him to participate in the Dem primary.

[Autumn]

71. K/R Thank you for this. Elizabeth would be great too ,the two of them would be one hell

of a team.

[merrily]

72. Agree, but he's the only leftist so far who admits to being willing to run,

if he can get the money and the support.

Maybe there's a petition for her somewhere on the net, too?

I really only googled for him, after MTP.

[Autumn]

73. She says she not running but a girl can hope LOL

I will work my ass off for Bernie.

[merrily]

74. A girl and Manny. He is convinced she will run.

[Autumn]

75. It's early, she may just suprise us all. She knows what's at stake.

[merrily]

76. I just googled. There's a lot about Warren for President 2016.

[ladjf]

77. I will support Sen. Sanders as long as he still needs my vote. nt

[merrily]

78. Cool. Please consider signing the petition or liking his facebook page, too.

Links are in the OP. Thank you.

[ecstatic]

82. Has he promised not to run as an independent?

If not, why would we want him to ensure a Rand Paul or Mitt Romney victory in 2016?

[merrily]

84. Thanks. The link is to encourage him to run as a DEM in the Dem primary.

There is no issue of splitting the Dem vote in the general to help elect a Republican.

I thought just a glance at the link at the beginning of the OP would make that clear and certainly clicking on the link would make it clear. However, several people seem to be posting after reading only the thread title.

I've now tried clarifying the OP with bolded language, but it probably will not matter. I don't think people raising the point are actually concerned about that point anyway. Seems they just don't want Sanders in the race, period. I need to stop assuming people actually mean what they post.