BREAKING NEWS: There will be NO CAMPAIGNING THIS FALL !!!

[brooklynite]

Polls TODAY show Bernie Sanders beating Donald Trump. Since absolutely nothing will change the result of polls six month before, there'll be no need to campaign or raise funds between the Convention and Election Day.

Right?

[onehandle]

1. Finally! The Truth! nt

[SFnomad]

2. rMoney was ahead of Obama DAYS before the election and we see how accurate those polls were n/t

[virtualobserver]

3. Hillary's numbers will only get worse.....and she starts out losing....

Trump has said every disgusting thing that pops into his head....and still he leads Hillary in key swing states.

Bernie has given Hillary a free pass....narrowly targeting the issue of money in politics and doing is subtly at that.

A Hillary-Trump matchup will be disgusting.

[anotherproletariat]

7. Yeah, Trump would never say anything negative about Sanders.

Who wants to bet that his Sanders nickname would be "comrade Bernie"?

[virtualobserver]

8. which will mean absolutely nothing....this isn't the 1950's

namecalling won't work against Bernie.

[anotherproletariat]

10. It doesn't mean anything to us because we are Dems, but it means A LOT to the repubs.

And you know it would only get worse. Sanders is a far left liberal...it just won't happen in the current culture.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. Are you sure that handle is not a joke?

Bernie Sanders is moderately to the left. He is not far left. That is 1950s talking point. You know who else is in his wheelhouse, that other far leftist called Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then there is other far leftie called Lyndon Baines Johnson... perhaps you have heard of them? How about John Fitzgerald Kennedy?

Education in this country, especially political education, is a joke when you believe Bernie Sanders is Trotsky.

[anotherproletariat]

14. Again, I don't believe any of that...I am saying that the repubs will go all out with this line of

attack if Sanders were the nominee. Clearly, Sanders supporters are the only smart ones, after all they believe that the Right will just roll over in a Sanders presidency at let him give free stuff to everyone.

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Again, that talking point is not going to be as effective as it once was

the cold war has been over for over a generation.

Yes, my husband got to dance on the wall as a young man.

[anotherproletariat]

16. There are plenty of other potential areas of attack against Sanders

not the least of which is that he is the most 'tax and spend' liberal that has run for office in a generation. Repubs also don't tend to like non-Christians (and I'm not even referring to his Jewish heritage, but to his stated agnostic/atheist views), those that want to legalize pot...not to mention dredging up his writings from decades past.

My point is that the (notoriously inaccurate springtime) polls that show Sanders in a better position against Trump are a result of the fact that he has largely been ignored by the repubs. Either they don't think he has a chance of winning and have moved on to the general election, or they are focusing negative attacks on Hillary in the hopes of bringing up Sanders' numbers.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Those talkng points you are using are coming from what once was the far right

I understand this is where the right wing of the democratic party is though. In fact I know consider the democratic party a right wing party. But at least have the gumption to admit you are a conservadem and would have never voted for FDR, or LBJ. These attacks are not coming from the Republcians. They are coming from the right wing of the democratic party.

[anotherproletariat]

18. Absolutely not. Can a Democrat not try and see the possible attacks on their own side without

being one of the attackers? I know it is painful for you to hear the weaknesses of your candidate, but those are facts that the conservative middle of the country will use. Political consultant do it all the time. They set aside their own views and try to think like the other side.

If you want to know my personal views...I was pro-Bernie when he first announced. I thought he was the 'real thing'. I waited and waited for him to put forth his plans on how universal healthcare and free public college could be implemented. As the months went on, and nothing came forward, I stuck with him because he was running such a positive campaign. I came to DU early this year, when I started to become a bit jaded with Sanders. I was hoping to find like-minded people to give me some motivation to renew my dedication to his cause.

Instead I saw the raw, mean vitriol that I had previously only seen from the Right. At the time, it was all coming from the Sanders supporters (I will freely admit that it has since become a two way street). Concurrently, Sanders started to attack Hillary. He specifically said that he would never do this. I knew in my heart that this would not be good for the party. When the New York Daily News article came out about the same time as the SNL 'yadda, yadda' skit, by eyes were opened to the fallacy of his candidacy. He is not the real thing. He is just another politician making hollow promises to get votes. I went with Hillary because I believe she has the best chance of beating the repub (didn't know it was Trump at the time, but I still believe that she will beat him), and because she has actual plans for how to move the country in a more progressive direction. She understands that a democracy requires compromise. Idealism is fine, but as Obama said on Saturday, it only leads to cynicism when the dreams invariably die because people are unwilling to compromise.

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. That story is so familiar these days

for the record, I don't support any candidate openly. But the I supported Bernie before I did not is a familiar story. That said. your talking points are very much right wing talking points. And the party has been in the process to realign right of center since at least 1990 It is almost over. Enjoy your right wing moderate party.

And if you think mean Sanders attacked Hillary, you are in for a treat... and I will laugh at the gnashing of teeth here.

[anotherproletariat]

22. Once again, none of the points I was making are MY talking points, they are the talking points

I anticipate repubs would use if they get the chance. It is important for all of us to anticipate what kind of attacks will be made, so that they can be adequately defended.

There is nothing more I would like than to see universal healthcare in this country. I just think that the way to get there is incrementally. Expanding Medicare (as Hillary has suggested) seems like a good first step, and one that we can get the repubs to go along with (with a little arm-twisting/bargaining). If that makes me a right-winger in your view, so be it.

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. Hold it right there

these are talking points made by democrats and Correct the Record, so that ain't gonna fly with me. For the record, so you know this, they will be used against WHOEVER the democrats run by the FAR RIGHT WING FASCIST REPUBLICANS. They are still RIGHT WING TALKING POINTS, and they were made by RIGHT WING DEMOCRATS to attack Sanders.

And I will enjoy the gnashing of teeth...

It will be worth a few bags of popcorn.

[Dragonfli]

13. He is not a "far left" liberal, he is closest in policy to an FDR Democrat, far left is Communism

Red baiting is most unattractive, try wearing the truth instead, I bet it would look much better on you.

[brooklynite]

21. He wouldn't be facing this problem if he didn't go around calling himself a Socialist

Is it "red-baiting"? Of course it is; because that works with a segment of the population.

NOw, for those for whom it doesn't work, there'll be "tax and spender"; "big Government Liberal"; "anti-Israel"; etc.

[nadinbrzezinski]

24. Yes, all of these are RIGHT WING talking points

already used by RIGHT WING Conservadems. You have adopted the lingo. Congrats. (And no, I am not surprised)

[brooklynite]

25. I haven't applied any of them;

I'm addressing the fiction that Sanders will be immune from negative campaigning. Which will likely mean a hit on those meaningless head to head polls you love so much

[nadinbrzezinski]

26. Anybody the dems run will face it

but there is this fiction that Sanders has been a mean old guy... just wait. I am going to enjoy the popcorn... and you have applied RW talking points against Sanders, calling him a socialist and a fantasy campaign promise, and yes, conservadems have used red baiting... so don't even try.

I now consider YOUR PARTY a moderate right wing party that has adopted the lingo of a former moderate right wing party, that has morphed into a right wing fascist party. That is where we are. Realignments baby, this one started in the 1980s for the Rs and the 1990s for the dems. Don't cry too hard when the LW you despise bails on you. (And yes, you still need them to win elections, it is not that complete yet)

[brooklynite]

27. So apparently MY PARTY isn't YOUR PARTY...

...but since I'm willing to work within the Party for change, rather than stand outside and whine, I wonder which of us will have more influence?

[nadinbrzezinski]

30. I am one of those dreaded indies

I left in 2011 when the yes we can became I will not even consider single payer.

Also I do not have the millions you have, or attend the right salons. In other words, I am not part of the oligarchy, but I am part of the lumpen proletariat. Read some history as to what happens to oligarchies when the hoi polloi realize elections are not the way out... in fact JFK described it very well in his inaugural address.

[Dragonfli]

29. He's a Democratic Socialist and only morons with no understanding of politics think that is "Red"

The only problem he will face because of it are with those that loath things like Social Security and other FDR style policies, IOW Republicans (or as others of that ilk prefer to be called "New Democrats" these days) I Wrote a post describing you folks.

It is not a problem for traditional Democrats, Independents and the younger people below 50. You Right wing types are very much a minority, and can't win an election without at least some pretense of winning over these groups, the largest by far being Independent, who just happen to find Clinton extremely unfavorable and among whom 70% think her a dishonest liar. Good luck with that Red Baiting thing. Maybe it will win you the Bush money and voters (those whom you truly covet)

[NCTraveler]

4. If we are polling "also rans", can they at least show O'Malley a little respect an include him.

This is the corporate media generating division. Those of us who have been around for awhile recognize it for what it is.

[LexVegas]

5. How does Bernie do against Scott Walker?

That race has just as much chance of happening.

[lagomorph777]

6. You act so desperate.

But begging us to give up won't change the polls. So far, Hillary is the one changing the polls, and not in her favor.

[Bettie]

9. Odd. Over and over I hear

that there will be no campaigning this year because Hillary is inevitable.

There is no choice, only assimilation.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. PHew and I thought this election season was going to be at least 5 billion

at least now I know HRC does not have a need to spend one more cent to be spent to be elected... oh wait. (And yes she is likely getting the nomination...that does not mean people are happy with it)

[Logical]

19. Another silly post from you

[Jim Lane]

28. Another DU post demolishing another straw man argument.

People cite current polls because such data are very valuable in predicting November results. Not infallible, but valuable.

Campaigning cuts both ways. A Republican nominee like Cruz or Bush would emphasize policy and would paint the Democratic nominee (whoever it was) as far left. Such a candidate might well do better against Sanders than against Clinton.

Trump, however, is different. No one has ever accused him of being a policy wonk. His strength is in personal attack. People on DU may pooh-pooh any talk about emails or the Clinton Foundation, but such topics are right in Trump's wheelhouse, along with Clinton's documented and politically convenient changes of position on some issues. If I were Trump's campaign manager, I'd rather run against Clinton.

With Trump on the ballot, both major-party nominees will engage in some negative campaigning, but it's foolish to pretend that Trump would weaken Sanders's support but wouldn't be able to lay a glove on Clinton. It's certainly relevant that Sanders is starting out in a stronger position.

Then, of course, there's turnout. Polls in the spring don't measure enthusiasm in the fall. No one is now going to tell a pollster, "I prefer Clinton to Trump but, even though it's the most important office in the land, there's a good chance that I won't vote at all if the weather is iffy or I have to work late or whatever." They won't say it now but we know it will happen -- and it will happen to Clinton more than to Sanders. By contrast, Trump's effect on depressing Republican turnout will be more than countered by Clinton's effect on increasing it. Two decades of right-wing demonization of her mean that Republicans will be highly motivated to vote against her.