"Bernie Sanders Could Still Win the Democratic Nomination -- No, Seriously" says Huff-Post

[Samantha]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/bernie-sanders-could-still-win-the-democratic-nomination----no-seriously_b_9898436.html

After Clinton’s Indiana loss, John King had told CNN viewers that “if Sanders were to win nine out of ten of the remaining contests, there’s no doubt that some of the super-delegates would panic. There’s no doubt some of them would switch to Sanders. What he has to do is win the bulk of the remaining contests. Would that send jitters, if not panic, through the Democratic Party? Yes. Yes it would.”

* * *

Super-delegates would be meaningless if their only purpose were to validate the primary and caucus results, which is why that consideration had absolutely nothing to do with their creation. When super-delegates were created in 1984, it was in fact to avoid a repeat of what had almost happened in 1980: a candidate with no shot at winning the general election almost becoming the popular-vote and pledged-delegate winner. It may seem counter-intuitive to some now, but the Democratic Party in 1984 wanted a mechanism available to vote down the Party’s prospective nominee — the popular-vote and pledged-delegate winner — if that person couldn’t be elected in the November general election. So when Howard Dean, former presidential candidate and Democratic National Committee Chair, said several months ago that he would cast his super-delegate vote without regard for the popular vote or pledged-delegate race, he was only stating what has been true about super-delegates for 32 years now: their role in the process is only “activated” either (a) to validate a historically weak front-runner who isn’t able to clinch the nomination via pledged delegates alone (in which case the super-delegates are “active,” and yet things would be no different if they didn’t exist), or, more profoundly, (b) to preclude the nomination of someone who can’t win the general election.

* * *

If Sanders runs the table in 2016, it will mean the following has (by June 7th) happened:

Sanders has won 19 of the final 25 state primaries and caucuses (not a typo);

Sanders is within a few hundred thousand votes of Clinton in the popular vote;

Sanders has won 54 percent of the pledged delegates since Super Tuesday; and

Sanders is in a dead heat with Clinton in national polling.

Much, much more at the above link. And kudos to CNN's John King, who appears to have initiated the "run the table" scenario on CNN.

So cheer up, Sanders' supporters, and the next time someone tells you Sanders can't win, smile and tell them he is running the table.

Sam

[CajunBlazer]

1. Yep, he has a chance to win

One chance in a million is still a chance.

Do you believe in miracles?

And, what he has been able to accomplish thus far is amazing, but not a miracle.

[reddread]

3. no way, I already bought the lie it was over!

I thought sure it was the truth this time.

[CajunBlazer]

6. The fat lady has already warmed and she is at center stage

People around here seem to believe in pixie dust and unicorns, so there is nothing to keep them from believing in miracles.

[pacalo]

15. You're seeing things.

[CajunBlazer]

19. Don't hold your beath, you'll eventually turn blue

[reddread]

16. I think she died before uttering a note, call the coroner

Bernie needs to drop out, doesnt he?

[CajunBlazer]

24. Nope, and she is set to sing Auld Lang Syne for Bernie campaign

If you believe other wise, sell everything you own, take every cent you can lay your hands on, and take a trip to Los Vegas. The casinos there will give you great odds on Bernie.

[reddread]

29. gambling is for tourists and junkies and mobsters

id rather work for my money and a better America.
Those casino guys, you know them personally?

[CajunBlazer]

31. No, I only bet on sure things

I assumed you had a premonition about Bernie winning that you might want to profit from, but I guess you don't believe your own BS.

[reddread]

33. that chestnut of a bluff really is a sad move

You go ahead and assume all you like.

[pacalo]

7. Well, they *are* in a dead heat in the voter enthusiasm category...

vs.

[Samantha]

11. This breaks me up everytime I see it, pacalo

Thanks for posting it again in this thread.

Regards,

Sam

[pacalo]

21. Thank you for the thread, Sam.

[CajunBlazer]

12. Too bad enthusiasm didn't translate into votes

[reddread]

17. maybe if the exit polls matched the tallies they would

[CajunBlazer]

34. Oh oh, another conspiricy theory takes root

[reddread]

37. I appreciate your keen interest in election integrity.

unfortunately, you dont meet the minimum requirements to stay off my ignore list.
it doesnt take much these days, my standards have dropped so its shortish. you wont have a lot of company.
I know youre headed for some difficult days and you know it better than I.
just remember, its all for the best, and they can and will live comfortably.

or maybe we will suffer yet another stolen election, and actually do something about it.
I sure hope not

[CajunBlazer]

43. Good!

Are you planning on hanging around after Bernie is eliminated from the nomination process?

[pacalo]

18. You're being naive.

[NorthCarolina]

88. It will in the GE. -nt-

[northernsouthern]

20. What you are missing is...

...the picture of Hillary's meeting does not show all of the corporations that are people who are attending the event via her check book...or all of her attendees that are attending via absentee or surrogate spaces.

[pacalo]

27. Definitely!

But, heaven forbid if they get their way, we could be seeing them slither in as witnesses at future hearings non-stop.




She cannot or will not follow the rules.

[northernsouthern]

32. I love the second one more.

My favorite version of that is with her looking at the tweet from the Hill Bro that got all of the Bernie sites blocked on FB.

[Samantha]

35. Those are great, pacalo!

I especially love the last one! It is so good to end the evening with a laugh.

Take care,

Sam

[Corporate666]

60. You need to get your criticisms correct...

The 'corporations are people' is obviously a dig at Citizens United.

Unfortunately, CU didn't say corporations are people, nor did it make any change to the 'personhood' status of corporations.

[northernsouthern]

61. You need to get your corrections correct.

HRC flat out supported Obama's pick, who is considered highly pro citizen's united. She basically tried to cast shade at Bernie for telling Obama that is he is elected he would ask him to withdraw the pick. But I was also going for the money is considered speech as well. There were so many options to make a joke about her it was hard to narrow down which one.

[GulfCoast66]

72. Too bad for you

That in this country votes get you elected, not enthusiasm.

[pacalo]

74. Show me some proof that the votes are going where they should.

[GulfCoast66]

76. I should quit while I am ahead

If there was so much fraud going on do you not think that Bernie would be leading the chorus about it?

When your candidate is losing by the amount he is and you claim it is voter fraud you are jumping the shark. Voter fraud helps in close elections, not in blowouts. And the way the Democratic Primary is designed with proportional representation, this is a blowout.

But keep believing whatever makes you feel validated.

[pacalo]

77. Blinders have been a big help to you, apparently.

I'll stick with critical thinking, thank you. If something doesn't make sense, something is generally amiss.

[GulfCoast66]

79. How rich!

So if you cannot figure something out using your 'critical thinking' skills then something is amiss? Despite a lack of evidence being presented.

I am guessing you do not work in the sciences.

[Warren DeMontague]

58. I love that song.

[dchill]

2. Thanks, Sam!

[Samantha]

4. It was my pleasure, dchill

I was noting the thread posted after mine which also is looking good. Going back to read that one now.

Thanks for posting on my thread.

Sam

[rhett o rick]

5. Of course, why do you think her followers want so badly for him to quit. They are terrified

that he still might win. So they try to shame him into quitting in the 8th inning. They really don't like a democratic primary.

[Samantha]

8. I know -- and take a look at that WSJ article just posted in this forum

Things sure look like they are turning around.

I am going to make another donation and keep my hopes up that Bernie pulls this off.

Thanks for posting on my thread, rhett o rick

Sam

[rhett o rick]

22. Thanks for the OP Sam. We must continue to fight those that would enslave us

and their groupies.

[rhett o rick]

87. The more desperate the Powers That Be get, the more dirty tricks they pull and the

more determined we get. We must pull down the culture of corruption that the Wealthy 1% has foisted on our Party.

[dchill]

9. That's the only logical inference.

[CajunBlazer]

10. That's a good one!

[rhett o rick]

25. And I bet that's the best you can come up with. No posts of substance from your side. The side

that thinks Goldman-Sachs profits are more important that helping the 2.5 million children that are homeless. Shame.

And those that have nothing to add here but ridicule ala Sid's then Bob-Bye to you.

That makes 55

[CajunBlazer]

36. What makes you think your posts are worthy of replies of substance?

All I see here are people who have trouble facing reality and conspiracy theories.

I frankly don't give a flip how long Bernie continues to campaign, he isn't spending my money.

[bvf]

52. All I see elsewhere are

the same Clinton supporters:

1. Insisting it's over, and
2. Acting as if it's obviously not.

You know the old saw.

[CoffeeCat]

48. Why would a Clinton supporter think

that they have any leverage over a Bernie supporter?

That's very bizarre for someone to believe that.

We may mildly annoy each other on the internet, but that's certainly not going to alter any voting behavior!

[rhett o rick]

86. I agree. I am here to discuss issues and not to put up with the boasting and gloating

of those that side with the Wealthy 1%. I have about 60 on ignore so far.

[Lil Missy]

84. sure, there's a chance. When monkeys fly out of my butt.

[rhett o rick]

85. The arrogance of those siding with the Rich and Powerful is getting tiresome.

How like Jr High this has become. There were the kids that hid behind the biggest bully and egged him on, and they grew up to be conservatives and now support Clinton or Jeb Bush. Then there were the kids that tried to help the victims of the bully, and they grew up to be progressives and now support Sanders and Warren.

I am here to discuss issues and have no time for those that seem to be here to boast and gloat that they side with the Rich and Powerful, Wealthy 1%.

[Lil Missy]

89. Even more tiresome are these wildly ridiculous analogies.

If we prefer Clinton over Sanders, we must be corrupt, Republican, Rich, Powerful, etc. And we must not be Democrats, because you decide the definition of Democrats as only those who worship at the altar of Sanders.

Hogwash.

[northernsouthern]

13. Oh the Irony.

When super-delegates were created in 1984, it was in fact to avoid a repeat of what had almost happened in 1980: a candidate with no shot at winning the general election almost becoming the popular-vote and pledged-delegate winner. It may seem counter-intuitive to some now, but the Democratic Party in 1984 wanted a mechanism available to vote down the Party’s prospective nominee — the popular-vote and pledged-delegate winner — if that person couldn’t be elected in the November general election

I love the irony here. they are saying they made super-delegates to basically bend the will of the democrats to a more popular nationwide candidate vs the other parties, not just their own. In this election though they have done the exact opposite and they have tilted the game in her favor by a massive amount to the point of almost outright cheating by voting long before they are supposed to. But all of the HRC fans here that have done nothing but say that independents have no right to vote in our election and are fine with the super-delegates are pretty much missing the entire point that super-delegates are there to make teh party vote for a candidates that represents the entire country and not just the will of the party...and the irony is dripping.

[Samantha]

23. I really, really wanted to add that paragraph and a couple of others but let me say

you are so right on point to highlight the irony of this situation.

Yes, I think some of the super-delegates will bolt if the panic sets in and Bernie continues his string of wins. I am sure they don't want Trump to be president and if they think the best hope for blocking that is Sanders, they will flock to Sanders.

Thanks for posting on my thread.

Sam

[RobertEarl]

46. Supers are not stupid

They are supers because they have shown some political wisdom. In the time from the last vote to the convention, they will be considering all the factors and Bernie will be campaigning for their votes at the convention. Bernie can be very persuasive.

[CajunBlazer]

40. Irony, how's this for irony?

First Sanders said that super delegates are not democratic.

Now the only reason Hillary won't cinch the nomination before the convention is because of the unfair super delegates.

Then, even if he doesn't win the pledged delegate race, (and he won't) Sander is going to try to flip enough unfair super delegates to give him the nomination.

[northernsouthern]

45. I don't thing you know what Irony is.

Try using google it will help because I have no clue what this line means unless you typed it wrong since it has nothing to do with the delegates for the reason she won't cinch it before the convention, in fact it is the main reason she is doing so well, the corrupt media and the Hillary victory fund money laundering for the 400+ paid super-delegates that made it seem like California basically voted for her at the very start...

Now the only reason Hillary won't cinch the nomination before the convention is because of the unfair super delegates.

Then this part where you forecast the future and then ignore the fact that the game has been rigged from the start, and we have been asking for you to remove the super-delegates since day 1...and now that the game is almost over and you refused to remove them they are saying will if these are the rules and we gave you over half a year to fix this...then we will use the rules...and the HRC camp starts crying? That is why it is ironic, you claim they are the rules, then when you see you will lose, you start crying foul.

Then, even if he doesn't win the pledged delegate race, (and he won't) Sander is going to try to flip enough unfair super delegates to give him the nomination.

[madokie]

14. I won't give up

I'll hang in there until the last vote is counted.

To be honest with you I'm not so sure that our voting machines are counting the votes accurately . I find it hard to believe that thousands of people make it to Bernie's rallies and it doesn't translate into thousands of votes. I don't trust our vote counting machines here in Ok for a second. About the time that we started using them our state went from a heavy democratic state to a 'CON state. Still in local elections most times there won't even be a republiCON running. That used to be the case more so. Many of our local elections are decided at the primary level.

I'm a man of my convictions in case anyone wonders.

[CajunBlazer]

26. ...

If only the people at his rallies voted for Bernie, he would have lost every state. Do the math.

[Samantha]

30. I don't trust them either, and I don't trust that NY result one bit

And it is not a coincidence changes of party registration happened mostly to Sanders' supporters.

Maryland returned to paper this year, and I am so glad it did. It sent out sample ballots prior to the election, gave instructions for marking it, reported the party to which you were registered -- in other words, Maryland made it easy and made it right. The day I voted, it took about six minutes to mark my ballot and scan it to be counted. And yes, I scanned it myself.

If Bernie wins the Presidency, I think one of the first things he will start looking at is the lack of integrity in our Country.

Thanks for posting on my thread.

Sam

[madokie]

39. At this point in time

Bernie Sander is one of the few politicians I trust to be honest with me/us

[CajunBlazer]

41. And yet he is being dihonest with you about his chances of winning

Hell, you can't trust anyone these days.

[Samantha]

44. Absolutely not true! Bernie levels with his supporters about every issue

He keeps us well informed.

And his reputation for integrity is one of the reasons he generates a win of 25 percent of Republicans voting in the place that knows him best: Vermont. When asked by people to these Republicans why they support Sanders, they respond while they don't agree with him on every issue, he is the only politician that tells them the truth.

Sam

[CoffeeCat]

50. We all sense that something is very off

Primary after primary has been a shot show of problems. The chance of so many states having this many horrendous problems, randomly--is about a billion to one.

Republican exit polls match their election results, but the Democratic exit polls don't match our election results.

Something smells, that's for sure.

[onehandle]

28. Clap if you believe!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinkerbell_effect

[Samantha]

38. Well I do not believe but

I invite you to join the six other respondents whose posts I do not see.

Feel the Bern!

Sam

[CajunBlazer]

42. I see that a number of posters on this thread have been burnt by the bern

[The_Casual_Observer]

47. Yes, if a house drops out of the sky and lands on Hillary.

otherwise, forget it.

[mikehiggins]

64. omg!! Are you implying Her Excellency is a Wicked Witch?

That's the only person I can think of that had a house fall on her.

Something about ruby slippers or such.

[cherokeeprogressive]

80. Freudian slip. nt

[senz]

49. Thanks, Sam. Bernie wouldn't keep at it if there weren't a good chance.

Meanwhile, the lowest of the low will keep trying to demoralize us because they are what they are.

[Adrahil]

63. Bernie is now Mitt Romeny, 2012.

He's losing, but he's allowed himself to manipulated by professional political handlers to believe he can win, and he in turn convinces his followers to keep that money tap open. Not that I think Sanders is a grifter, I don't. But Weaver and Davine are, and Sanders trusts them, apparently.

[senz]

65. Bernie knows exactly what he's doing.

Those with a narrow black-and-white view of events cannot understand him because he's not playing the little win-lose game they're familiar with.

[Yurovsky]

68. And Hillary is a less charming Al Gore...

if she gets nominated and avoids indictment, she may well lose to Trump, something Bernie would never do.l.

[redstateblues]

51. The Sanders echo chamber

[akbacchus_BC]

54. Is there a reason why you need to be so rude?

Mr. Sanders supporters are not an echo chamber. Give it up and wait rather than being so obnoxious!

[akbacchus_BC]

53. Samantha, not going to happen. Mr. Sanders will not be the nominee!

Much to my dismay. I was hoping he could have but when a younger person like Bill O'Malley did not gain any traction, I knew that Mrs. Clinton will be the nominee. Mr. Sanders tried but you have to realise that Mrs. Clinton has the support of Black Americans and other people of colour, Mr. Sanders does not.

It is very sad how the race is turning out but it is what it is. Trump vs. Mrs. Clinton. I just hope that there is enough time for Mr. Sanders supporters to regroup and vote for Mrs. Clinton in the general election, which will happen. Dems protest but in the end they always vote for the Dem nominee. A republican president is going to wreak havoc worldwide, especially if it is Trump!

[Samantha]

55. As the article clearly denotes, akbacchus, Bernie very much still has a chance

Clinton's appeal has taken a downturn slide, while Bernie's continues to climb.

Sam

[akbacchus_BC]

56. Sam, am so glad to hear that, but the media is not so

progressive. I am a Sanders supporter but I cannot vote in your elections, am in Canada. You have no idea how much am backing Mr. Sanders. After President Obama, he has an agenda that will benefit working and middle class people. If people cannot see that, then they will vote for someone different!

[Samantha]

59. Did you actually read the article, akbacchus_BC?

It makes perfect sense.

Sam

[synergie]

57. This is that guy who really sucks at math and got all mad on twitter

when people (nicely) tried to explain his errors to him.

[PATRICK]

62. Not to mention

that Sanders' guaranteed victory, his first goal, will show up as a movement- not just for a candidate- at the Convention. That momentum can keep building because it is not just about one person's candidacy but about what the party stands for in the real demands of a nation and world in crisis.

"Resisting" this real wave of the people will gain the party what exactly? The establishment is so busy, along with the media, ignoring the message that it can do no more than trash the seeming second place finisher. Neither simply beating back the new deal nor squelching the candidate can be done by power gambits alone and trying to do both is causing nothing but harm to all- except Trump.

[CajunBlazer]

66. Really, a movement with momentum?

Then who pray tell is that young socialist with good credentials who is waiting in the wings, ready to pick up the revolution's baton when Sanders is no longer around? Hillary is very likely to be the President for 8 years. Who will lead the revolution then after this defeat?

The dreamer would say, "Oh, there will be somebody (I don't know who) who will lead the revolution after Sanders is no longer on the scene".

Reality says, this was your one shot, and it didn't happen.

[Samantha]

67. Goodby and welcome to Ignore (eom)

[CajunBlazer]

73. LOL - I am proud to be on your ignore list

... but didn't you put me on ignore three weeks ago.

[brooklynite]

69. I DO believe in Fairies!!!

[Samantha]

70. Do you believe in Ignore?

Welcome.

[brooklynite]

71. Wouldn't know; I don't keep anyone on ignore...

...I suppose it must be nice to surround yourself with only voices that agree with you.

[PATRICK]

82. These people

talk exactly like those arrogant in your face ****s in those horror flics where everyone cheers when FINALLY the guy gets eaten. I mean do they ever listen to themselves. Embarassing more than annoying.

[Beacool]

75. Well, if it's not Goodman it's Abramson.

The delusional is strong with those two.

[dlwickham]

81. the same guy also wrote this: John Kasich Will Be the Republican Nominee for President

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/seth-abramson/john-kasich-will-be-the-r_b_9638598.html

don't think this guy is credible

[PATRICK]

83. Who is exactly?

As far as I can see only bat shit crazy rules if it has the requisite big dough. From pole to melting pole.