Hillary Clinton's Bernie Sanders Problem Is Bigger Than Anyone Realizes

[Jesus Malverde]

Seven ways in which the septuagenarian socialist from Vermont actually presents a mortal threat to the Democratic front-runner.

Let’s all please stop asserting that Bernie Sanders can’t beat Hillary Clinton in the Democratic nomination race. Pundits and journalists galore have been declaring (alleged margin of error: zero) that the Vermont senator will lose to his party’s front-runner. Sure, his odds are long, but so far he’s shown substance, grit, and surprising appeal. Why not let the voters decide who will accept the torch in Philadelphia next summer?

Clinton is, without doubt, still the odds-on favorite to win, with plenty of support, cash, and ballast for the foreseeable future. Therefore, it is more germane to ask: What impact might Sanders have on the former secretary of state in the nomination fight? And, if Sanders doesn’t win his party’s nomination, what impact might he have overall on Clinton’s chances of becoming the next president of the United States?

Sanders’ surprising success has already influenced Clinton’s conduct and fortunes, and there is every reason to believe that he will continue to challenge her, influence her, and create significant problems for her as the race continues.

There are plenty of recent examples of underdog candidates in both parties who “couldn’t” win the nomination in the estimation of the chattering class but who nonetheless had an outsized influence on the contours and, indeed, outcome of the race. These include Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich in 2012 against Mitt Romney; Pat Buchanan in 1992 against George H.W. Bush; and Jesse Jackson in 1988 against Michael Dukakis. Based on how things are shaping up so far, Sanders has the potential to adversely affect Clinton in numerous ways, echoing the underdogs who ran before. Romney, Bush, and Dukakis, not coincidentally, all lost the White House.

Here, then, are seven ways Sanders can weaken Clinton in the general election, perhaps fatally, even if he doesn’t manage to beat her for the nomination.

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2015-07-27/hillary-clinton-s-bernie-sanders-problem-is-bigger-than-anyone-realizes

[awake]

1. Frist they say Hillary needs a primary fight to make her strong

Now they say she might get hurt if the fight is too strong. Well I should think if Hillary is as ready as many say she will do just fine and if not good to find out in preseason when we have a choice of who to run as our candidate, as has been often said "If you can not stand the heat get out of the kitchen".

[99th_Monkey]

2. K&R nt

[Herman4747]

3. "seven ways Sanders can weaken Clinton in the general election"

Please, please, please, people:
We do NOT want a repeat of 2000, when Bill Bradley tore down Al Gore!!

[winter is coming]

4. LOL at the notion that Bradley damaged Gore in 2000.

Bradley wasn't even on the radar for most voters.

[bigbrother05]

5. Running away from WJC's record was Gore's biggest flaw, made it close enough to steal

His failure to figure out how to put personal/moral distance between himself and Bill without disowning their policies is the real story of that election.

Lieberman on the ticket lent a moralist tone that couldn't out "religion" the Right and created a friction among the factions of the Dem party that could have come together for a convincing victory.

The fact that Gore really won the election if the Supremes hadn't interfered shows how wide the margin would have been with a smart campaign strategy. The moral votes were going to break for the Right anyway, so that was a losing tactic from the start.

[artislife]

6. It is exactly what we need.

[bvar22]

7. Objects in this mirror are closer than they appear.

Bern!

[geek tragedy]

8. yeah, not sure how I feel about Mark Halperin talking up Bernie's chances.

I mean, ick.

[fbc]

9. +1 Mark Halperin ... no thanks.