Could Sanders be a stronger Democratic nominee than Clinton? BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

[kadaholo]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Mcclatchydc

"WASHINGTON -- Unimaginable at the start of the campaign, Bernie Sanders might be a stronger general election candidate for the Democrats than Hillary Clinton.

He leads Donald Trump nationally by 20 points right now in a hypothetical general election matchup, more than double her 9-point lead, according to the latest McClatchy-Marist poll. He leads Sen. Ted Cruz by 12, while she is locked in a tie with the Texan.

Sanders also leads or competes better in places where Democratic presidential candidates often seem anonymous. He leads Trump in Kansas and Utah, for example, which haven’t given their electoral votes to a Democrat since 1964. Sanders outperforms Clinton over Trump in the swing states of Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin, as well.

And underlining all that: the independent senator from Vermont energizes and excites younger voters, he’s not dogged by an FBI investigation into use of a private email server and his anti-establishment message is perfectly pitched to the key of 2016."




Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article70748402.html

[yuiyoshida]

1. K&R

Tweeted.

[DebbieCDC]

2. Time to wake up and feel the bern people!

You want to beat the GOP in the GE? Here's your answer and it's been staring you in the face for months.

[blm]

3. The article starts out sounding great, then goes on to whine how he hasn't been vetted

or withstood the focused attacks from GOP.

I think the writer kinda pulled a fast one on us.

[kadaholo]

4. Numbers tell the story...

Stats included in his article tell the story. Go Bernie!

[stupidicus]

5. well, Hillarians think she's worth the risk

even though a preference for their respective policy proposals would like poll similarly, e.g. $12 v $15 MW, etc, with him prevailing

That's why only ignorance or support for her policy povs explains their support, while neither justifies it if you want a progressive pres, as opposed to another WS/MIC/etc water carrier and enabler

[RiverNoord]

9. You've gotta know those things have nothing to do with her support.

A lot of good people support Clinton, and I won't demonize them. I believe her most vigorous supporters have been rooting for her for many years, and a significant part of it is a response to right-wing radio and TV hammering her with insults for all those years. They associate people who are not on board for her candidacy with Limbaugh, Beck et al, and a common response to Bernie supporters' criticisms is that we're parroting right-wing talking points. The reason they can even say that is that there have been so many and they've paid attention.

Once you know that, you know how to help win some of them over. Keep the criticisms clean and don't push personal insults of Clinton.

[stupidicus]

12. hardly, I KNOW they do

you don't have to look beyond the recent uptick in awareness regarding the many and varied failures throughout the first Clinton admin to see the role prominent role ignorance has played in their support. As a critic before he was through his first admin, I cannot tell you how pleased I am to finally see both of them seen as they truly are and have been.

Secondly, if you spend any time reading around here you can see that most of those that are aware support them despite their failings or the costs extracted and associated with them.

I have about as much respect for 3rdwayers as I do their rightwing cousins these days, after decades of debating them. They suffer from some of the same flaws as their rightwing cousins, not the least of which is the way you can lead them to knowledge, but you can't make them think. All you've used to describe them (some of them anyway) are characteristics of mindless drones reacting to negative stimuli who are wholly unable to discern the diff between honest and justifiable criticism and bs from rightwingers.

SO our opinions ain't that far away from each other, with the possible difference that I couldn't care less about changing their minds. If that's a product of my critical efforts fine, but I'm not gonna pull any punches to achieve it.

[RiverNoord]

6. Huh. 'Unimaginable at the start of the campaign'?

I suppose if you're not very imaginative, lots of things are unimaginable.

I knew from the moment Bernie declared his candidacy that he'd blow away any Republican who was stupid or unlucky enough to end up with the nomination. And, likely, bring a lot of liberal Democrats into the House and Senate 'down-ticket'.

McClatchy probably has been the closest thing to an example of mainstream media not ignoring Bernie, but I'm always amazed at how many people call his success things like 'unimaginable,' 'a complete surprise,' 'out of nowhere,' etc.

Is the American 'political' press that insulated in its echo chamber?

[denbot]

7. Election wise, Sanders greatest value is what he will bring down ticket.

We might not regain the Senate with Hillery, even if she squeezes out a win. I believe that Sanders will not only crush any schlub the GOP sacrifices, but he will put the house into play!

[phazed0]

8. Welcome to reality, Mcclatchydc. Good to see they heard something outside of DC Bubble, perhaps.. nt

[PSPS]

10. This doesn't belong in LBN.

[silvershadow]

11. I'm filing this one under "obvious". nt

[Omaha Steve]

13. Locking after a review by forum hosts

Consider posting in The Bernie Group or GD-P.

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