bernie sanders cant win

[rdking647]

i like the guy. i wish it wasnt true but it is. bernie sanders is unelectable as president.

there are a large numbers of independents and even a lot of dems that wont vote for a self proclaimed socialists

thats a simple fact of life.

personaly Id like to see elizabeth warren as president but dont think it is to likely that she would win the primary


but irregardless of that i will vote for HRC over ANY rethug candidate.
a so so HRC is infinitely better than any rethug

[cali]

1. so what? go read Charles Pierce's piece about why this line of attack is silly

He can be a power broker.

I won't vote for Hillary period.

[Laelth]

2. I think you are wrong.

Demographics alone suggest that the Democratic nominee will win the White House in 2016 no matter whom we nominate. Daffy Duck could win the Presidency in 2016 if he ran as a Democrat. If Bernie runs as a Democrat and gets the party's nomination in 2016, he can win in the general election. Whether or not he can get the party's nomination is a very different question.

-Laelth

[Romulox]

3. You guys are sounding *scared*. nt

[djean111]

6. Seems that way to me, too.

I think the hope is to not have anyone oppose her in any primaries, because that did not work out so well, last time.

[The Magistrate]

4. Sec. Clinton, Sir, Will Be A Better Candidate For Having To Recognize His Strength In The Party

He says what most people think on matters of wages and taxes and working conditions, and reining in 'malefactors of great wealth'....

[justabob]

8. the party itself would be better for everyone if

Sanders was allowed to get his message out. Whether one thinks he can win or not, his message resonates out there and the party and HRC enforcers do themselves no favors continually bashing on people who are not ready to pledge their vote TWO YEARS before the election and before HRC has actually made it official. I wish we could restrict campaigns to the actual year of the election, or something.

[Autumn]

5. Of course he can. Most people are Bernie socialists , they just don't know it yet

[RobertEarl]

25. "They just don't know it yet"

Truth!!

That the people don't know our society is actually founded on socialism is our biggest sin as a society.

That we don't daily thank those who came together, and being social with each other, built many of the material things which make our lives so much better, is something the capitalists thrive on.

The capitalists want everyone to thank bankers for what we enjoy.

But the reality is that the common people, joining together, and sacrificing their lives, their bank accounts, and their own chances at hoarding capital, for the good of society and the future, is what made America.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

29. clap!

[LawDeeDah]

50. Oh is that the truth or what!

They just don't know it yet because what Bernie has to say is considered unspeakable. Once he does speak, the people will know and now I have some very worrisome thoughts about how Mr. Sanders is going to be held back and not have his turn for his voice to the people. He must really terrify the likes of the Clintons and that sort.

[Autumn]

52. I've posted a few of the pictures with Bernie snippets on them to my FB like the

Veterans one and the politicians worried about family values while 1 out of 5 children here live in poverty, My republican friends and family are hitting like on them and sharing them, We are not a centrist nation, when some one like Bernie speaks the truth to people we are a socialist nation. Anyone who says he's unelectable is lying.

[arcane1]

53. Bernie gets quoted by liberal Facebook pages MUCH more than any other politician

At least, for the pages that I follow. People instinctively react to the word "socialism" because they have no clue what the word means, and how prevalent it already is. Once they find out, they LOVE it.

Look how hard they are trying to scare us away from Sanders, SO SOON!

[Donald Ian Rankin]

58. I can't tell if you're joking or not.

If you are, it's something that a lot of DUers come depressingly close to believing.

If you're not, you scare me.

[Autumn]

59. No I'm not joking I'm serious.

[blogslut]

7. He will influence the message of the race...

regardless of whether or not he wins. I did not support John Edwards in 2008 but I will forever be grateful to him for forcing both Clinton and Obama to address the economic disparity in this nation.

[frazzled]

9. Well, neither could Al Sharpton

But he was a completely delightful and useful addition to the Democratic primaries when he ran. His reason for inserting himself into the primary season was not to win, but rather to get issues on the table (and, admittedly, to self-promote: he wouldn't be on TV today if he hadn't shown himself to be an agile and engaging speaker able to address the mainstream).

I'd be happy for Bernie Sanders to fill that role in a Democratic primary. However, should he opt for an independent run at any point, he would be doing a huge disservice, and I would be opposed.

[BeyondGeography]

54. Sometimes you've got to slap the donkey

From 2003, but he used it again in 2008:

"The way to move a donkey is to slap the donkey," Sharpton, warming up for the debate, told delegates at the state party convention Saturday afternoon. "I'm going to slap the donkey until the donkey kicks and we are going to kick George Bush out of the White House."

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/washington/2003-05-03-dems-sc_x.htm

I agree with you.

[Jamaal510]

65. +1

[MineralMan]

10. Bernie Sanders is still a winner.

His Senate seat is secure as long as he wants to run for it. He wins handily for that seat. Nationally, I doubt that he can pull enough votes to win, though. I'd like him in the primaries, but I think it will be clear early that he doesn't have the support to carry him through the entire primary season.

I think Bernie's great, and I wish he could be President, but realistically I'm not seeing that as a real possibility at all.

[Thinkingabout]

11. The president has more on their plate than the financial sector.

There needs to be foreign affairs experience and in many other areas such as civil rights, etc. It is not a one horse show.

[GeorgeGist]

12. Spineless Democrats are the norm of course!

[QC]

13. He sure scares the shit out of party hacks.

That is surely worth something.

[G_j]

14. keep repeating it, that is how self-fulfilling prophecy are made

Last edited Wed Sep 17, 2014, 12:17 PM - Edit history (2)

that's the way it works... so destructive..

[Xyzse]

15. If he wins the Democratic Primary, I think he could take it.

[rdking647]

16. how could he win a general election?????

the GOP candidate can count of 40% of the vote. to can teh democratic
that leaves 20% as the deciding vote.

there is no way bernie attracts enough of the remaining 10%. i wish it was true but its not. thats a simple fact .

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

28. If it's a two way race, he'll draw all of the lefty votes, dem or independent.

That's just the nature of the beast. Roughly half the country will vote for the person to the left, roughly half for the person to the right. As time passes, younger voters don't see 'socialist' as a scary boogeyman label, but more what it actually is - a word that means everyone chipping in to help everyone else. Libraries, fire departments, public transportation, and all those other eeeeebil socialist notions.

You may be right that we're not there yet, but you also might be wrong. We'll see when voters speak.

[zonkers]

17. Whether he wins or not, he elevates the dialogue. To me, this is winning.

Last edited Wed Sep 17, 2014, 11:14 AM - Edit history (1)

And somehow, yes, down the line, if the Bernie train gains steam and "tell his story" and get he gets some hairspray, he can be president. Maybe Hillary pulls out unexpectedly. Who knows.

IMO, Bernie answering a "morale" calling in his gut to save the middle class is a solid platform for a candidate. It screams "compassion".

[rdking647]

19. all im concerned with is beating teh GOP

stopping them in their tracks

as much as i like and respect bernie i have to go with the person who is the best candidate to beat the thugs

and bernie despite his credentials isnt it

[Maedhros]

37. If "all [you're] concerned with" is beating the Republicans,

then you are a myopic partisan hack, best ignored.

If this country is to be saved from itself, voters should not primarily be concerned with defeating the tribal enemy but instead should be concerned about enacting policies that will solve problems. Voting for politicians who will do little or nothing, just because they have the right letter next to their name, achieves far too little to achieve the objective.

America needs politicians with integrity and vision, not just party affiliation.

[cascadiance]

57. Your doing EXACTLY what the corporate funded media want you to do!

... only care about this election as if it is a football game and that "our side" wins, and not care about the issues that we support and want to have worked on.

The media will continue to ram down us social issues which are the engineered dividing issues that are used to distract us from the other real issues that could have unity amongst Democrats, Republicans, and independents if they were made more visible.

Issues such as:

- TPP, and outsourcing of our jobs without tariffs, etc.
- domestic spying
- continuing to get involved in wars we can't afford
- continuing looking at privatizing social security and keeping health care more privatized
- continuing to NOT prosecute those on Wall Street that have committed crimes that have brought down
our economy.

When you see many Republicans go after Obama on his weaknesses (that WE don't like either) for him being "in bed with the banks", or not caring about our jobs, or spying on us, etc., many of us know if many of these voters were to get the real messages of how a candidacy of someone like Warren or Sanders would HELP them in the ways they complain about Obama NOT helping them, there is an opportunity if we can find a way of leveling the information field to have the election focus more attention on populist issues than the divisive social issues such as gay marriage, women's issues, etc. that the corporate media wants us to focus on to keep us divided and distracted from the real issues that corporate America is screwing us with.

To some extent Obama exploited that thirst for change in these other areas that gave some of us hope that he might do something about these more important issues that weren't discussed much, but he left us high and dry when the time came after he got elected to do something about them. This time around, I think the electorate is going to be more demanding during the primaries and the election on candidate stances on the "money" issues so that we don't continue to get screwed by candidates that care more about campaign money than serving us.

[LawDeeDah]

20. I am in agreement. I doubt even Bernie thinks he can walk away with a big win.

The whole idea of his running, and hopefully as a Democrat, is to keep the rest of the field honest. The debates will become about issues and policies that Clinton is afraid to address head on. He will force her to speak out and define herself. It will be very uncomfortable for her as she doesn't really have a center of beliefs that cater to the basic needs of the American people.

[Chathamization]

47. Not sure about that. Dean seemed to move the other candidates to the left more than Kucinich in 2004

In order to move the other candidates it seems like you need to actually do well. I don’t think a Sanders campaign would actually threaten the other candidates, and I don’t get the sense from him that he’s trying to win the nomination, so it’s hard for me to get too excited.

[marmar]

18. ...............

[tk2kewl]

21. do you think anyone thought obama could win back in 2006?

[Thinkingabout]

61. I heard him speak at the 2004 convention, yes he was up and coming, Bernie on the other hand

would not get the same response. Two different people.

[PoutrageFatigue]

22. Neither can a black guy with a funny name and big ears...

...oh wait....

('irregardless' is NOT a word.....sorry...but my inner grammar nazi won't let that one go...)

[rdking647]

23. it is a word

websters dictionary calls it non standard but gives it a definition.

that makes it a word. also since you understaood exaclt what it meant that also makes it a word

(sorry but my inner engineer wont let that one go )

[PoutrageFatigue]

33. My apologies. It is not a PROPER word....

..."Most dictionaries list it as "nonstandard" or "incorrect" usage, and recommend that "regardless" should be used instead."
"The OED goes on to explain the word is primarily a North American colloquialism."

Inner grammar nazi vindicated...

[rdking647]

49. its as proper as y'all

and try telling a southerner that aint proper english :0

[Stellar]

24. The Bottom line is I will vote for Hillary 'only' if she is the last one standing when all

is said and done. I don't care what Bernie wants to call himself as long as he's doing the right thing. Bernie said on MTP that he had Republicans and Independents that voted for him in his home state.

[oldandhappy]

26. Maybe he cannot 'win',

but he could do a lot towards keeping the primaries honest. I hope he gives it a shot. His participation is a 'win' for us.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

27. He's suggested that he'll run as a Democrat if he runs.

If he does, he'll have to win the Dem primary to be in the general.

So there's no worry if that's the case. Either he won't be in the general, or he'll be running with a (D) after his name.

There are a 'large number of independents' who WILL vote for a 'self-proclaimed socialist', just as there are a large number of Dems and Indies who won't vote for HRC.

So just let the process play out. If he loses, he loses, if he wins, he wins.

[MelungeonWoman]

30. He can't possibly win...

His name rhymes with OSAMA!!!

[Puglover]

31. Just the mental picture

of Lannie Davis all up in a lather on the TV will make a Bernie run fun.

[NCTraveler]

32. Everyone knows he can't win except for a special select few.

Wanting him to be in the Democratic Primary isn't about him winning to me. I think we all win if he is a part of the debates. Our party would greatly benefit from his voice on the stage. Some people see this process as just winners and losers. That is not what it is about. It is about shaping the party and the verbiage the party uses going forward.

[Ino]

34. Your post reminds me of this...

http://nypost.com/2008/04/03/baracks-a-lost-cause-hill/

WASHINGTON – While lobbying for his endorsement, Hillary Rodham Clinton flatly told New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson that Barack Obama could not win the presidency if he got the Democratic nomination.

“He cannot win, Bill. He cannot win,” she said, according to a report by ABC News.

[ladjf]

35. He might could win. And since he's intelligent, honest ,

courageous and seems to care about America, I'm going to support him for as far as he can go. If he bombs out, I'll look
for the next best candidate.

[TheNutcracker]

40. ditto....

[IDemo]

36. Party functionaries must be furiously Googling

for a UFO incident in Bernie's past.

[Maedhros]

38. DEFEATISM! [n/t]

[TheNutcracker]

39. Sounds like mind control

[closeupready]

41. And Hillary was inevitable. Until she wasn't.

[magical thyme]

42. Right. Only Hillary and Jeb can win.

We've been given our choices, now shut up and eat your peas because people are starving in ______.


Funny how so many people are afraid of a Bernie Sanders candidacy.

Wish there was an unrec.

[pansypoo53219]

43. the 'libral' gnewz MEdia will try to define him and block him at all costs.

how dare he not appease wall street! of corporations, by corporations FOR corporations.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

44. So? Why worry about him if he "can't win"?

[LiberalAndProud]

45. You know, you are likely correct.

I think Bernie's candidacy is probably doomed to failure. Even so, I *still* encourage him to run. We need to hear progressive voices. When the conversation is dictated by the center-right and the right, there can be no progress.

As for what happens beyond the primaries, we can argue. To silence a voice before the voice is heard is regressive censorship and also stupid.

[booley]

46. I don't thin the point is to "win"

third parties rarely win elections but what they do do is get the major parties to have to address the issues.

Since Sanders isn't interested in appealing to a large base of voters, he can say what he wants and force others to respond to his points.

[librechik]

48. I hope he primaries Hillary, just to move her to the left in the debates

ha ha, as if Bernie will be allowed in the debates. Dem leadership will keep them miles apart.

Sorry, Bernie--they didn't allow Nader in the debates either. Our democracy has been dead for a long long time.

[LawDeeDah]

55. I want him to ask her some tough questions

I don't think forcing Hillary to be more to the left in the debates does anything. She is known to lie and will say anything. I want him to challenge her for some of the very bad decisions she has made and have all see the side of her that is often hidden. Rudderless and Say Anything and Amnesiatic.

[arcane1]

51. In other words, Hillary gets your vote and doesn't even have to work for it?

Many people said the black guy with the Muslim-sounding name would never wind.

There are also large numbers of independents and even a lot of dems that wont vote for republican-lite.

[Kalidurga]

56. If he makes the primary ballot I will vote for him

if he wins that I will vote for him again.

[BlindTiresias]

60. Infinitely better?

Kind of an overstatement, yeah?

[Warren Stupidity]

62. Hillary Clinton can't win.

i like the gal. i wish it wasnt true but it is. Hillary clinton is unelectable as president.

there are a large numbers of independents and even a lot of dems that wont vote for a self proclaimed centrist

thats a simple fact of life.

personaly Id like to see elizabeth warren as president but dont think it is to likely that she would win the primary


but irregardless of that i will vote for anyone over ANY rethug candidate.
a so so HRC is infinitely better than any rethug

sic

[LWolf]

63. When voters

decide that nobody worth electing can win, nobody wins.

EVER.

And that's the mantra used to put down enthusiasm and energy for anyone who could bring the change people actually want to see to the table. EVERY FUCKING TIME.

"unelectable"

Well, FUCK THAT. The only reason why better candidates aren't "electable" is because masses of voters buy into that shit and allow it to influence their votes.

Those who withhold their vote for the best candidates on issues and record, giving it instead to the bought and paid for "electable" ARE the problem.

[99Forever]

64. Bullshit.

And quite frankly, I have zero respect for anyone gullible enough to buy into or push such a steaming pile.

[bunnies]

66. ^^ THIS ^^. nt

[pnwmom]

67. Besides not having a campaign organization, and the socialist tag, he's got an abrasive personality

that will not play well in most of the country outside of the NJ-Vermont corridor -- except with true believers, and there aren't enough of them to carry the election. All it would take would be one little tirade, and the media would push it like Howard Dean's non-scream.

On top of all that, he'd be even older than Reagan. DU won't care, but DU isn't like most people.