Bernie's online speech last night: The good and the bad.

[RBInMaine]

The good was that for all intents and purposes he conceded the race. He knows he isn't the nominee, and you heard this pretty clearly because he transitioned from campaigning for president to being all about building his "political revolution" BEYOND the presidential election. He also said he would soon be talking more about how he will focus on beating Trump in November, which is also very good. All his talk about working to take his campaign as a start of this new "political revolution" and grow it from here is very good. (BUT, WE SHALL SEE if his people are really committed for the long haul and if HE takes a sustained leadership role.). He talked about needing a 50-state strategy, a Dem Party that is strongly populist, urged people to run for office at all levels, etc. Reminded me of Howard Dean, and that was all very good. He is right about all that, and also right about his general views and GOALS on most issues important to progressives. So I give him kudos on all that. These were the right things to say on his desire for a real movement and his positions on the issues both morally and politically. The DNC has in fact done a SHITTY job in the last two mid-term elections, and Wasserman has STUNK in those years. (She did much better in the 2012 presidential year.)

The bad was making too many demands and having too many conditions for the convention platform and, apparently, an endorsement of Hillary. He should expect to have a voice and a fair number of reps involved in the committees at the convention. But he can not have it all nor should he expect to have it all. He needs to understand that, and he better keep his people in line. He lost fair and square. The loser doesn't get to control everything.

[Cooley Hurd]

1. You had me and you lost me...

"...too many demands"?

He is considering his supporters, and trying to steer them towards Secretary Clinton's nomination. It's an intricate process, and I feel he is handling it precisely the way it needs to be handled.

[Lord Magus]

4. What makes it such an intricate process?

Serious question, I don't see what's complicated about it. Bernie's supporters are hardly the first people ever to be disappointed by the outcome of an election. Nor was this even a particularly contentious primary campaign; most contested primaries have been far worse in that regard.

[Cooley Hurd]

9. Intricate because one candidate was left, and another center...

"Center" might've worked in 1992 after 12 years of St Ronnie/Poppy, but we're emerging from an era that was, *at best*, center-left (more center, IMO). President Obama had aimed the trajectory to the left, but because of strong interference from the extreme right, the trajectory was laid down the center (again, not his fault).

Secretary Clinton wasn't aiming high-left enough at the beginning for the process, but Senator Sanders helped her aim to the left.

It's actually quite complicated, given the last 36 years. And, because of his candidacy, he has done nothing but HELP Secretary Clinton's candidacy.

People are sick to death of trickle down, of GE paying no taxes while they give up 33% of THEIR income, of the whole fucking corporatocrisy.

She didn't give any indication that she would change that, until Senator Sanders pointed it out. NOW, she's responding to it because of Senator Sanders and is a MUCH stronger candidate in the GE.

Serious question answered seriously.

[msongs]

2. he is still trying to be the nominee (he did not say otherwise) instead of clinton (he did not

acknowledge her status in any way)

[Cooley Hurd]

3. Oh, bullpucky.

He is trying to support her by guiding his supporters to her after a contentious primary season.

[kstewart33]

5. Hope you're right, but count me among the skeptical.

Bernie has been advocating his causes for decades. He's in a place that he never dreamed he would be. I'm not sure he knows what he should do, and with Weaver and his wife egging him on, I'm not sure he's getting the best advice.

He can't build his movement without cooperating with the party. Bernie is not much into cooperating with the party that he's accused of rigging the election for months. Bernie is an agitator and a very skilled one at that. But he's not much for compromise which is essential to build the movement.

[pat_k]

8. On the other hand

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512195488

[Cooley Hurd]

10. Senator Sanders is doing what is best for the country and our party...

He has ceased being contentious towards Senator Clinton - at the same time is trying to make a case to his supporters to support the Secretary.

He is a good American. Secretary Clinton is also a good American. Both deserve to be POTUS.

One fuckwad who should not be even allowed to visit the WH, even on a guided tour is DRUMPF! Even Busher Armitage thinks he's an asscarrot. That speaks volumes about Drumpf, right there.

[pat_k]

7. Willful blindness. (Stubborn failure to acknowledge that he effectively did concede.)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=2200141

[pat_k]

6. "for all intents and purposes he conceded the race."

Why do some many people seem to (or pretend to) miss the fact that "for all intents and purposes he conceded the race."

I'm still seeing claims that he is going to the convention to try to win the nomination. (And after setting up that strawman, condemning him for it.) The willful blindness is incredibly annoying.

And as far as too many demands, that's what you have to do to drive a hard bargain.

The usual Democratic strategic strategy is to seek a half a loaf (because that's all they think the Republicans will let them have), and end up with less than a quarter.

Bernie's going for what he wants. And he will get more of it than he would if he just meekly asked for what he thought the Dems would give him.

But maybe he’s on the right track. If he can drive a hard bargain at the convention, maybe he can help smooth the path to unity by showing his supporters that he’s won concessions. He may have more credibility with his supporters when he eventually comes around to supporting Clinton. He’s not the typical politician — in many ways. He may never run again (he’ll be 78 in 2020). So why not drive a hard bargain?

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/17/upshot/bernie-sanders-and-the-terms-of-surrender.html

[redstateblues]

11. The other bad was that only 218,000 watched

After all the millions that went to his rallies you would've thought that they could at least turn on their computers

[eastwestdem]

12. Or MSNBC for the first 15 minutes.