Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

BootinUp

(46,928 posts)
Wed Jun 8, 2016, 07:36 PM Jun 2016

Some Closing Thoughts on the Democratic Primary - Kevin Drum


Kevin Drum Jun. 8, 2016 1:38 AM
Mother Jones

A few random thoughts about tonight's election results:

Hillary Clinton won a majority of the pledged delegates, a majority of the superdelegates, and a majority of the popular vote. If you can't stand her regardless, that's fine, but a clear majority of Democrats preferred her to Bernie Sanders. Nothing rigged, nothing corrupt, nothing unfair. That's just the way it goes sometimes.

I'd love to see her choose Jeff Merkley as her running mate. I've never thought it was fair that Oregon gets all the cool senators. They should share.

But Sherrod Brown is out of the running, I guess: "Aides say Sanders thinks that progressives who picked Clinton are cynical, power-chasing chickens—like Sen. Sherrod Brown, one of his most consistent allies in the Senate before endorsing Clinton and campaigning hard for her ahead of the Ohio primary. Sanders is so bitter about it that he'd be ready to nix Brown as an acceptable VP choice, if Clinton ever asked his advice on who'd be a good progressive champion."

I find Sanders' bitterness very sad. It's not that it's unusual: presidential primaries often get pretty nasty, and the losers frequently take it personally. But Bernie accomplished a helluva lot. He wanted to move the Democratic Party to the left, and every hack in the party is now keenly aware that young voters bought Bernie's message en masse—young voters who, in a few years, will be middle-aged voters that form the core of the party's base. Sanders has taught the hacks not only that it's safe for the Democratic Party to move to the left, but that it's going to whether they like it or not. How many losing candidates can say they accomplished that? Reagan in 1976? Who else? Bernie may have lost the primary, but he won the more important battle. He should be proud as hell.

Continued at Mother Jones
5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

JonLeibowitz

(6,282 posts)
1. Interesting how they take an anonymous' source's opinion on Sanders' internal thinking as fact
Wed Jun 8, 2016, 07:38 PM
Jun 2016

That would be what I call poor analysis.

Eric J in MN

(35,619 posts)
3. It lowers my opinion of Kevin Drum even more
Wed Jun 8, 2016, 07:45 PM
Jun 2016

...that he quoted that obnoxious Politico article based on mind-reading and psychic predictions.

Number23

(24,544 posts)
4. Why would anyone, including Bernie Sanders, think that Sanders has any say on who Clinton picks
Wed Jun 8, 2016, 08:28 PM
Jun 2016

as her running mate??

Sanders can be "bitter" about Sherrod Brown, Barney Frank, Debbie WS, Elizabeth Warren, Obama, Clinton and any damn body else he wants. Should have no bearing whatsoever on who Clinton picks.

Latest Discussions»Retired Forums»2016 Postmortem»Some Closing Thoughts on ...