Sanders votes 96% with Sen. Boxer, Markey, Booker, Cantwell, Leahy, Gillibrand, and Brown, and he

[Attorney in Texas]

voted 93% of the time with the Obama administration. When Sanders and Clinton were both in the Senate they voted the same 93% of the time.

That makes Sanders more of a Democrat than Democratic Sen. Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, King, and Tester.

I cherish Democratic Sen. Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, King, and Tester so don't think I'm trying to criticize them, but Sanders supports Democratic legislation and the Obama administration more than many with the party label "Democrat" and so, to me, actions and votes speak louder than labels.

Do you feel otherwise?

If so, you should probably ask yourself why.

[HassleCat]

1. Party loyalty is a big deal

This does appear strange, that the party should love its members who vote with Republicans more than it loves Sanders, who supports Democratic ideals and legislation mot of the time. But it's a struggle to win and retain seats in congress, and the DNC strategy is basically, "Welcome anybody who can put a "D" in that district, and don't ask too many questions." For the past 35 years, the DNC has been running scared of Ronald Reagan, attempting to move its candidates left or right to accommodate polls and focus groups. And it's working very well. For the Republicans. But this strategy has to be played out to the very end, and that means the DNC will continue losing seats in congress until we have 60 percent Republican majorities in both houses, and a Republican president. Then we'll have a national disaster such as the great depression, Democrats will sweep back into office, and the cycle will start all over. It will be another 20 years or so before that happens, and I'll be long gone by then, so make your plans, young people.

[Faux pas]

2. Kickin'

[emulatorloo]

3. Agreed, Bernie caucuses w the Democrats and that is good enough for me.

So I think it is a lame attack and it isn't doing those who make it any good.

I was also taken with the stat that Bernie and HRC voted the same way 93% of the time. So I also think character attacks which demonize HRC (liar, corporate whore, duplicitous, republican, criminal, corrupt) aren't doing those whose make them any good either.

She's too conservative for me, but painting her as evil is not a way to convince people to change their vote to Bernie.

[Attorney in Texas]

4. Agreed! Sanders supporters should take a cue from Sanders. Does he spend all day attacking Clinton?

No. Sanders spends all day, every day explaining why his policies would be better for the vast majority of Americans and he doesn't get bogged down in responding to Clinton or Clinton surrogates or criticism of Clinton's policies. That is the correct strategy for him to win. Build support in Iowa, New Hampshire, and lay the ground work to take off to 51% of the delegates based on the gas in his tank that will result from upset wins in Iowa and New Hampshire. Sanders' pathway to victory does not involving trashing and burning the Clinton campaign.

Let Clinton be Clinton, and let Sanders be Sanders. That's how Sanders wins. Not because of some phony email server nonsense, not because of Benghazi, not because of whatever controversy FauxNews will fabricate next, but because the Sanders agenda is best for the vast majority of Americans.

[brooklynite]

5. "more of a Democrat than Democratic Sen. Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, King, and Tester"

Fair enough: show me how Sanders gets elected in WV, ND, IN, or MT (I'll give him an even shot at ME).

[Attorney in Texas]

6. Did you see where I said "I cherish Democratic Sen. Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, King, and Tester so

don't think I'm trying to criticize them"? That's because neither Sanders nor Clinton could probably get elected in WV, ND, IN, or MT. I understand that Sen. Manchin, Heitkamp, Donnelly, King, and Tester are probably as good a group of Democrats as we could ever expect from WV, ND, IN, or MT. I'm cool with them. But it seems foolish to accept them as good Democrats (as I do) but then run down Sanders because he not a "Democrat" when he supports the Democratic party and agenda and administration more than they do.

[frylock]

8. The same way Obama got elected in those states in 2012..

oh, wait.

[frylock]

7. Show us the birth certificate... errrr voter registration card!

[marble falls]

9. What bad bills did Sanders sign onto? Not sure what your point i.

[Attorney in Texas]

10. No bad bills that I'm aware of. Some people bitch that Sanders isn't a "Democrat." I think he's a

great Democrat.

[marble falls]

14. He's certainly good enough of one to be elected and re-elected by mostly Democrats!

[jfern]

11. He's been a member of the Democratic caucus for 24 1/2 years

And supported every Democratic Presidential nominee for at least that long.

Compare to Jerry Brown, who no one questions his party allegiance, even though he voted for Nader in 2000, when he was Oakland mayor, and 30 years after he was first elected as a Democrat statewide.

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz teams up w Sheldon Adelson to make sure sick pot smokers keep going to jail

and she actively assists Republican buddies like Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

[Warren DeMontague]

12. When we have 59 other votes in the Senate

you can bet your ass the complainerazzi aren't griping about "why isn't he a REAL Democrat" when he comes in to caucus with us and give us a Filibuster-proof majority.