Nominating Bloomberg will fracture the party.

[redqueen]

Many are stunned that it's come this far. The party that is supposed to fight for the working class and the poor is actually supporting someone who did all these things.

- already bought himself into office once https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/11/how-bloomberg-got-away-with-buying-new-york/347685/

- ramped up the stop and frisk program so that 5M black and brown men were assaulted and traumatized for doing nothing but being black and brown and outside, and lies about it constantly
https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/15/politics/fact-check-michael-bloomberg-stop-and-frisk/index.html

- has "nearly 40 sex discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuits brought against him and his organizations by 64 women"
https://www.gq.com/story/bloomberg-sexism


But we're supposed to panic over Bernie? Seriously?

Many seem to be worried about Bernie's voters not voting for anyone else, I think the real concern is voters sitting out the election once Trump and the MSM start their own advertising spree on Bloomberg.


Edited to add - all this said, I will not have a problem supporting Bloomberg if he's the nominee, and he did do a lot of good in New York, which will make it easy for me to support him. Blue no matter who.

[Drunken Irishman]

1. So would nominating Bernie...

The two worst candidates to nominate are Bloomberg and Bernie. I think we're doomed in November and Trump is likely to win reelection as it appears the Dems are set to nominate either a candidate who won't excite the base or a candidate who is going to alienate moderate voters we need to win in PA, WI and MI.

[gollygee]

5. I agree nt

[NYFlip]

160. I agree nt

[emmaverybo]

11. Agree and scared.

[DemocracyMouse]

103. Scared because you have limited your reading to Obama's time in the White House and...

perhaps you are simply afraid of the unknown?

[emmaverybo]

157. Not afraid of Bernie's policies and feel assured he believes in every cause he espouses and feels

that he can change America and the world for the better. That, not money or power, is what I think drives him. Nervous about Republican’s ability to unleash an anti-Bernie backlash and his path to an EC win. I can’t address Bloomberg. He needs to actually run to give Americans a fair look at him.

[redstateblues]

71. I would be excited about any of those. The problem is that none of them are going to win

They all have flaws that will eventually knock them out of the race. Either money, electability or a number of other things

[NCjack]

107. Or, Trump has more and bigger flaws that will knock him out of the race.

[pistdem]

77. I feel the same way.

[rainy]

132. Me too!

[Apollo Zeus]

17. Polls say otherwise

Sanders won the first two states and has a 19-point lead going into Nevada and just filled 17,000 seats in Tacoma.

If we are going to win we should rely on facts -- not on each others biased psychic predictions.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/general_election_trump_vs_sanders-6250.html#!

Even the Righties know what you asserted is wrong:

https://dailycaller.com/2019/12/11/2020-bernie-beating-donald-trump/

[CalFione]

24. Sanders didn't win Iowa. There's no such thing as "popular vote" in a caucus.

SDEs are all that matters.


The first two states were split between Buttigieg and Sanders.


Secondly... Bernie has solid support of 30% of the party, but for most of the other 70% he is NOT their second choice.


Nominating a candidate that 7-in-10 Democrats don't want at all will fracture the party.

[AverageJoe]

74. If 7 in 10 Democrats don't want Sanders...

...he won’t win the nomination. That’s a fact.

[redqueen]

78. True! So everyone who hates Bernie can just relax :)

[Butterflylady]

90. I don't think saying that everybody hates Sanders is fair

A good many of us here just feel that nominating Sanders equates to 4 more years of lard butt.

[Steven Maurer]

94. False - when moderates are split between too many good choices, unelectable extremists win

Largely due to the thresholding effects of the elections.

Sanders is on track to win the nomination with less than 30% of even Democratic voters supporting him.
It's a recipe for general election disaster.

[DemocracyMouse]

108. Sanders is not in the least bit extreme. His policies are traditional Democratic.

Stop propagating that myth.

* he's also considered center-right in Europe.

[Steven Maurer]

163. Even if that were entirely true, and it's not, his constant bashing and alienating rhetoric

...is not going to win him the votes he needs. Especially since he likes to direct that at even the people whose votes he needs.

That's far more of the problem than his positions. Voters at this point just assume they're being lied to, which is entirely correct. They vote on visuals and perceived temperament.

[AverageJoe]

126. If that were the scenario at the convention

there would be much arm twisting and smokey, back room negotiations. I’m certain we would end up with a nominee more to your liking.

[McTwisty]

128. That assumes that nobody else drops out.

We still have 8 candidates... that’s not going to hold much longer.

[still_one]

111. Not necessarily true. Whichever candidate comes to the convention with the most delegates, but not

enough to get the nomination, anything can happen

[AverageJoe]

130. I suspect a nominee more palatable to moderates

would emerge from a contested convention.

[still_one]

135. I think it will be a mess unless a candidate comes to the convention with enough

Delegates to win the nomination outright

I hope i am wrong

[AverageJoe]

140. No, I think you're right

A contested convention would alienate at least one, and possibly two huge blocks of voters. That could spell disaster. If we could end the primaries today and the candidate who is least attractive to me were nominated by acclamation, I think I would be happy. We need to unify, and the sooner the better. I have my preferred candidate, but we cannot afford to lose this thing....

[still_one]

141. Yup

[Recursion]

186. Unfortunately he can easily win the nom with 30% in each state

That's not hard to imagine at all

[Apollo Zeus]

79. SDEs no longer determine convention delegates

Sanders received 42,672 votes compared to Buttigieg’s 36,718.

>>due to recent reforms by the Iowa Democratic Party, SDEs are no longer relevant even to the selection of national convention delegates. As Sanders pointed out in his victory announcement, it used to be possible for delegates at the state convention (who are selected on the basis of SDEs) to vote to allocate more national convention delegates to a candidate than they would have earned on the basis of their final alignment votes. But this is no longer the case.<<

https://jacobinmag.com/2020/02/bernie-sanders-won-iowa-caucus-democratic-party

19-point lead in Nevada.

[lapucelle]

113. Jacobin Magazine is an anti-Democratic Party publication

owned and operated by an asset-stripping, worker-exploiting, multi-millionaire one percent-er.

[FBaggins]

154. What makes you think 7/10 don't want him at all?

Last I saw, he was the second choice for almost all Warren supporters. Do you think she’s staying in much longer?

There was just a head-to-head poll released against the other top Democrats. It did not back up you theory that 30% is his cap on support.

It’s worth noting that the same theory was used re: Trump throughout the 2016 primaries. He kept winning fractured primaries and everyone assumed that he would be gone once the field cleared. Yet he has a PA Ave address now.

[Butterflylady]

87. Bill Clinton lost the first 6 contests

So your post doesn't hold any water. As far as crowds go, sanders had enormous crowds in 2016 but it didnt carry over into votes. Not everyone votes in the primary or caucus.

[Apollo Zeus]

95. So we should be rallying behind whoever loses the first 6 states?

Democracy isn't golf -- high score wins.

[lapucelle]

104. Pete Buttegeig won Iowa and currently leads in delegates.N/T

[Happy Hoosier]

109. We'll see how it goes.

I think you are misinterpreting the facts significantly. But we shall see, I guess.

[LanternWaste]

116. The first two steps in a 20 mile marathon illustrate so very little.

Pretending otherwise simply exemplifies an irrational bias.

[Drunken Irishman]

120. Polls show Sanders with a plurality of support among Democrats...

Head-to-head polls vs Trump show, on average, a very tight race despite Sanders being the apparent front-runner. Hell, Biden still does better h2h vs Trump on average.

[Turin_C3PO]

148. I'm so disappointed

in Joe’s apparent decline. I still think he has the best shot of trouncing Trump.

[Cha]

149. Yes, let's rely on Facts.. Pete Won Iowa.

[Apollo Zeus]

171. It ain't over til it's over

Buttigeig losing (now irrelevant) SDEs in the recount:

Sanders won the popular vote by 6000 and as of 10:28Pm Tuesday:

>>“We now believe a recount will give Sen. Sanders enough State Delegate Equivalents to put him over the top by that metric as well.<<

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/02/18/buttigieg-sanders-iowa-recanvass-gap-115898

[highplainsdem]

23. +1,000,000

[LakeArenal]

32. I agree as well. And the DNC is letting it happen.

I can’t believe Harris is out for lack of cash, but rules are bent for those who have billions.

I want a parallel drawn between the Koch Brothers buying the Wisconsin Government and Bloomberg buying the Federal government.

It’s just wrong for money to buy power. It’s against everything I thought we were for.

But I guess fewer Democrats feel as I do.

[Boulevardier]

34. The polling so far doesn't seem to back you up.

According to the Real Clear Politics averages:

Bernie beats Trump by 6.7 points in Michigan. (Biden beats Trump by 6.5)

Bernie beats Trump by 3.7 points in Pennsylvania. (Biden does better here, beating Trump by 7 points)

Bernie beats Trump by 2 points in Wisconsin. (Biden beats him by 3.7 points; Warren and Buttigieg both lose to Trump)

Both Biden and Sanders beat Trump in all three states.

[Butterflylady]

97. You can't use polls anymore to back up what will happen in the GE

Why, because lard butt hasn't really started campaigning yet, but when he does with the money he will have he will be able to convince a lot more people that aren't his supporters that he is one to vote for. You all said it yourself that money talks and buys elections.

[Drunken Irishman]

121. All but Michigan within the MOE...

Biden does significantly better in PA & WI. We need all three to win.

[MoMof6]

35. yes

I agree as well.

Bloomberg? Has the "trump derangement syndrome" I hear thrown about actually taken over DU (i.e "Anybody but Trump!&quot ?

Wth are we thinking? If we are actually, seriously considering BLOOMBERG...what does that say about the rest of our Democratic candidates? This is insanity!

[jrthin]

40. I agree. nt

[Happy Hoosier]

105. Yup. We're in grave danger. NT

[MBS]

106. Agreed.

Nominating either Bernie or Bloomberg would be a disaster – each for opposite reasons, but with equally catastrophic results.

Also, either nomination would fracture the party at a time when we need to be unified more than ever.

This election is very very hard on my nervous system.

[ebbie15644]

177. Agree

[juliuswest]

189. Bernie won't alienate moderate voters in PA, WI or MI

Looking at the numbers from the 2016 primary:
I don't see the alienation of moderate voters from the three states you mentioned bar PA.

PA:
Hillary Clinton 55.6%
Bernie Sanders 43.5%

WI:
Hillary Clinton 43.1%
Bernie Sanders 56.6%

MI:
Hillary Clinton 48.3%
Bernie Sanders 49.8%

[guillaumeb]

2. Wall Street is worried about some of the candidates. eom

[redstateblues]

3. Bernie can't win the GE. America will not elect a Socialist in 2020

I know some Dem leaning Indys that won't vote for someone who ran as a member of the Socialist Worker's Party. No panic just a hard fact.

[HerbChestnut]

7. Opinions are not facts.

[NurseJackie]

26. My entire family refuses to vote for a Socialist interloper.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

46. Bazinga!

[Lordquinton]

49. But you will vote for the frontrunner Bernie Sanders

When he's the nominee, right?

[NurseJackie]

62. I do not have a response for you, either.

[George II]

72. Better that than posting one and deleting it.

v

[NurseJackie]

86. Bazinga!

[SunSeeker]

147. LOL

[lapucelle]

169. Isn't it odd that folks seem to be erasing Pete's Iowa win and his frontrunner status

as the candidate with the most delegates?

[ehrnst]

156. "When?" You mean "if..."

Right?

[lapucelle]

167. Pete Buttegieg is the frontrunner. He has the most delegates. N/T

[AllyCat]

93. He is not a socialist. He is a Democratic socialist.

continuing to call him a socialist is parroting right wing media.

We have all kinds of "socialist" programs in the US...for now.

[HerbChestnut]

4. I don't think you're wrong.

Nominating Bloomberg would be a giant middle finger to people of color, women, and people who consider themselves progressive.

[redqueen]

10. I wish people would scratch below the surface just a little bit.

[SDANation]

13. So we're just gonna ignore Bernies view on women?

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/bernie-sanders-essay/

[floppyboo]

15. Hey, welcome ! Go back to archive 2016 if you want all the vetting over that. Its done. Baked. over.

welcome back, I mean.

[SDANation]

16. So you think republicans are gonna call hands off cause it's sooo 2016?

[floppyboo]

19. meh. they like trump. would this be a positive or negative story?

It's more curious than anything else. And easily discredited as out of context.

[SDANation]

21. Haha true!

[left-of-center2012]

6. Here's where Bloomberg is running strongest ...

1) Moderates: Bloomberg has emerged as the top choice for Democratic voters who view themselves more in the ideological middle of the party. He takes 29% among moderates as compared to 23% for Sanders, 14% for Biden and 13% for Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar.
2) Non-college whites: This was one of the pillars of Biden's support going into this race -- he's from Scranton! -- but no longer. Among this group, it's Sanders who leads with 34% followed by Bloomberg at 24% and Biden at just 10%. (Among all white voters, Bernie leads with 29% followed by Bloomberg at 18% and Warren at 15%. Biden takes just 9%.)
3) Old(er) voters: While Sanders has a massive lead over the field among voters younger than 45 (he's at 54%!), it's Bloomberg whose the top choice of the 45 and older crowd. He takes 27%, to 22% for Biden and 13% for Sanders.
4) Small-town/rural voters: Yes, it's not exactly the most obvious fit: the guy who spent more than a decade running New York City performing well among people who lives in small towns and rural areas. But here we are! Sanders leads among these voters with 28%, but he is followed closely by Bloomberg at 24%. Biden takes 13%.

If Bloomberg can eat into Biden's support among black voters, Biden is done for. Bloomberg will have fully taken his slot in the race -- and his voters.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politics/michael-bloomberg-surge-2020-democrats/index.html

[brooklynite]

33. "If Bloomberg can eat into Biden's support among black voters..." He already is

18% AA vote in Virginia (Monmouth)
15% AA vote in Georgia (Landmark)
16% AA vote in NC (High Point)
22% AA vote nationwide (Quinnipiac)

[jalan48]

8. It's definitely an eye-opener for this long time Democrat. I thought Bush/Cheney were the worst ever

and yet here we are seriously considering one of their backers as our own nominee.

[left-of-center2012]

9. America will not elect a socialist for president

[Apollo Zeus]

22. Bloomberg and his polling disagrees with you

[BlueWI]

88. There are only two choices in the GE.

Even though I didn't think Trump would win in 2016, it did strike me at the time that his being one of two finalists made winning seem possible though unlikely.

Any Democratic nominee has a good chance against Trump. If Sanders wins, moderate Democrats will have to stop the red baiting and roll up their sleeves, left and young voters need to walk the talk, and the Sanders campaign has to tighten its message and change from outsider to alliance builder.

There's plenty to do to win the GE - there always is.

[left-of-center2012]

99. "Any Democratic nominee has a good chance against Trump"

One can hope.

[BlueWI]

115. Nothing can be taken for granted of course.

And the downticket races, IMO, are the biggest X-factor for a Sanders candidacy. I live in a blue island in mostly red Northern Wisconsin, and I think in this area Sanders or Biden would be the strongest candidates to strengthen turnout. For the more urban side of Wisconsin, Eastern, it's more of a tossup between Warren, Biden, and Sanders for coattails. But every state is different.

[BusyBeingBest]

12. I don't think it will. I think we'll be united in defeating Trump.

[nobuddy]

18. Trump fears Bloomberg

we all want trump out of office. Bloomberg will crush him.

[asiliveandbreathe]

20. As a Biden supporter..just an fyi..Bloomberg has hit the ground

in AZ and making a massive push thru mailers, callers, texts, opening of campaign offices, and canvassers knocking on doors..how do I know this...experience of all of the above...the canvasser, in particular, was NOT pushy - well versed in what Mike will get done -

Any candidate that is aggressive, well funded, and not being overly aggressive will win out the day..

I welcome ALL voices in our Democratic Debates..and in the end may the best candidate be the one to beat the pos...

Vote blue no matter who..I sure hope our Democratic voters have this message to vote blue no matter who....

[murielm99]

114. I received my first text from Bloomberg's campaign

several weeks ago. I ignored it.

I received one today, and exchanged a series of texts with the sender. I left it at, "I will wait and see. Our primary is March 17."

You are right. The campaign worker was not overly aggressive. They were polite and informed. They knew how to find the strong Democrats if they started contacting my household this early.

[MineralMan]

25. The party is already fractured.

It has been since 2016.

[Act_of_Reparation]

36. 2008

[MineralMan]

37. Yeah, OK. That, too.

Obama had "IT," though. That's really, really rare.

[Act_of_Reparation]

48. Honestly, I think the recession did more damage than that primary.

A lot of what you're seeing now, especially the generation gap, is because of the 2008 recession and how it was handled.

[H2O Man]

53. Since 1968

with a few exceptions.

[MineralMan]

59. I was home on leave after 15 months on the shores of the Black Sea

while in the USAF. I watched the Democratic Convention on TV. I remember thinking, "WTAF?"

Then, off I went to my next assignment - the NSA building and Ft. George Meade in MD. Shortly thereafter I hooked up with the anti-war crowd in DC and spent my off-duty hours helping organize stuff. A lot sure happened in that 15 months I was out of the country. Wow!

[H2O Man]

69. It was a strange

year, for sure. An odd combination of beauty and horror, hope and despair. I think that those of us who lived through it recognize that as terrible as things are now -- and they surely are -- we have the ability to not only survive it, but bring the nation back from the brink.

Still, at times I do wonder how, after '68, things got this bad again?

[MineralMan]

170. Our country's history has gone up and down multiple times,

in terms of hopefulness versus despair, I think. It's cyclic, in many ways, although I'm not sure what the period of the cycle is.

For those of us who are now elders, we can look back on history from a personal perspective, but only so far.

[stonecutter357]

27. I'll take Bloomberg over BS and his bro's anyday !

[evertonfc]

28. As will a Democratic Socialist

that has zero chance of winning a GE

[andym]

29. Bloomberg has A LOT of baggage, but so does Bernie--they are both problematic

Bloomberg has his tough on crime stop-and-frisk, supported GWB, sex harassment suit problems. Bernie has his idealism-fueled positions that offend mainstream voters problem: allowing felons including terrorists to vote is one of his worst (though in actuality it would have no effect on elections), and raising taxes on the middle class (to pay for MFA)--a position of Bernie's I support btw is probably number 2.

The Democratic Party may be heading for inevitable fracture in this election given the Sanders vs Bloomberg dynamic.

[customerserviceguy]

30. Agreed

At least I could vote for Bernie with a clear conscience, even though he's far from my first choice.

And those who think Trump is scared of Bloomie are fooling themselves. The two have watched each other at close range for many years now, and they both think they can gain an advantage if it comes down to just the two of them.

However, in this case, Trump would have the benefits of incumbency. Only twice in my lifetime have voters thrown out someone seeking a second term. One of those involved the party in the White House having been their for twelve years (Bush) and the other involved a very damaging fight for re-nomination (Carter). Even Bush had to fend off Pat Buchanan in 1992, who got about a quarter of the GOP vote in the primaries.

Trump will sail through to Election Day with a coronation the likes of which we haven't seen since Tricky Dick in 1972. We will be divided, and MAGAts will be united. Even the never-Trumpers will like their chances of regaining their party in time for the 2024 election.

[redqueen]

39. I don't get the thinking that says Bloomberg can win any easier than Bernie could.

It seems to me that we are in for a rough battle no matter who it is, and to me Bloomberg's negatives outweigh Bernie's - including the one where more voters start believing there's 'no difference' and therefore no point voting so they stay home - or worse, leave the party entirely.

[customerserviceguy]

47. I agree

Division is our enemy, and there are a lot of reasons looming that will potentially divide us. I've said, "Our NYC billionaire is better than your NYC billionaire," is not a rallying cry for a general election.

And Trump's campaign will have a field day skewering Bloomie. They'll point out his nanny statism, with things like, "If he'll take away your Big Gulp, he'll come after your Big Mac next." They'll also paint him as a complete gun-grabber, and the NRA and their sympathizers will march in lockstep to the polls for Trump.

Has Bloomberg ever asked for money or a favor from Trump during their mutual time in NYC? If so, expect it as an October surprise. Trump loves to brag about people coming to kiss his ring when they were running for office.

[redqueen]

55. I doubt Bloomberg ever had to ask anyone for favors.

If anything that's probably an advantage for Bloomberg. He can't be bought and doesn't need to ask for favors - he buys them. Trump likes to play the part of a big fish but in reality he's just a showoff. Bloomberg actually is a big fish. It probably drives Trump crazy, I bet.

[customerserviceguy]

61. He didn't go from being an almost nobody

who was viewed as having a very slim chance when he first ran for mayor, to getting the law changed to give him a third term that he served without making some deals along the way.

He's the ultimate wheeler-dealer, and he resents that Trump claims that title. This is why he's running for president. This is becoming a pissing match between two egotists who have circled the ring for quite some time, sizing each other up for the moment that the punching starts.

[redqueen]

64. Sad for Trump. He's not a pimple on Bloomberg's ass.

But I guess of all the rumors of outrageous drug addiction are true, then in his drug-addled mind, he thinks he is. If he wasn't such a walking real life horror show I might pity him.

[delisen]

31. Nothing we can do about voting refusers. They prefer TRUMP

whether Bernie backers or some other candidates backers. It is waste of time to cater to them

[DaDeacon]

143. Spot on !

Trump supports aren't moving to Dems just case he's a dick. Independents just need a reason to vote for someone else and just being rich is not going to cut it.

[Demsrule86]

38. Nominating Sanders would fracture the party...at least Bloomberg might win.

[Turin_C3PO]

42. So would Bloomberg.

I already know one person, Democrat, who won’t vote for Bloomberg in the general. Bernie would split the party also. Biden needs to win, period. I’ll hold my nose and GOTV for whoever grabs our nomination. We must oust Trump.

[Demsrule86]

43. We have no chance with Sanders.

So I will roll the dice...only play with a chance of winning a general.

[Demsrule86]

54. I would add that I would love Biden to win...I have supported him from the beginning.

[honest.abe]

41. My panic about Bernie is two things..

-- he will get slaughtered by Trump if he wins the nomination
-- his supporters will slaughter our nominee if Bernie does not get the nomination

[rzemanfl]

138. How true. n/t

[dustyscamp]

150. That's my fear too, but I think Bernie has a chance to beat Trump

He needs to convince people that socialism isn't really a bad thing and it's just a word Republicans use to halt progress.

[honest.abe]

155. Trump and RW media will make it all about the economy.

They will pound the message that Bernie’s socialism will destroy the economy, raise unemployment and blow up the national debt. That will be easy to do against a candidate like Sanders.

[Renew Deal]

45. What do you think nominating Sanders will do?

It could create an opening for a third party candidate to run against two extreme options.

[redqueen]

50. Isn't that opening always there?

If it's not Bernie, there's an opening for an alternative to two of the super rich. Granted, Bloomberg is planning to repeal Trump's tax cuts and institute a number of other reforms, but he's not saying anything about a wealth tax which a lot of people apparently support.

[H2O Man]

51. Recommended.

[JustAnotherGen]

56. There will be an advertising spree on both

Bernie - it will be the Sandinistas.
Bloomberg - it will be NY Power Broker Establishment

None of the candidates are perfect.

[redqueen]

58. Exactly so. Tbh I used this headline to draw a counterpoint to people saying

that we'll definitely lose if Sanders is the nominee.

It's a toss up imo.

As I've said before, I'll have no trouble voting for either, but when it comes to it, I'd rather be in a position of having to defend against Sanders'negatives than Bloomberg's.

[Rider3]

57. Enough of the infighting

Let's just get our nominee. I'm sick of all the negative things being circulated. We need to beat Trump. I don't care who is nominated. Any of the candidates will be able to debate Trump on the issues. Trump cannot debate anything. He just likes to brag about things. We CAN beat him. Now, if we can only get Putin out of the election...

[krissey]

63. RIght back at you nominating Sanders. But Sanders people don't care, as a matter of fact,

have stated they are good with that. Because they will do exactly that if we do not vote for Sanders.

So, compromise.

Lets all get behind Warren. We pretty much agree she is uniter. Lets be smart and get on it.

[redqueen]

68. I wish.

Warren's support is just too low as of now. If she does well in NV I may have to go back to undecided.

[krissey]

70. It is the smartest thing to do. I can only hope we will choose smart. We use to as Dems, then along

came someone that shook that up. I just shake my head.

[redqueen]

76. Obama?

That was the first time I remember seeing truly vile things said about Democrats by other Democrats in a primary.

[krissey]

80. No. I was an Obama. There was a couple times both went over the line a tad, and just a tad.

But pulled back and I think it was very much handled like Democrats. I did not see the vile you discuss and I was hard into that campaign. It was nothing compared to the destruction in 2016. Purposeful destruction.

[krissey]

82. The only reason many of us would even consider a Bloomberg vote is because of the bridges burned

by Sanders over the last five years. That should tell you something.

[redqueen]

118. That tells me very little. So what is the support for Bloomberg based on?

Spite?

[krissey]

144. I am not a spiteful person. If that tells you very little, I know I do not want to spend my time

trying to get you to understand. We have too big a gulf.

[redqueen]

145. Ok. Welcome to DU. nt

[redstateblues]

65. The party is already fractured

[Javaman]

66. meh, at the end of the day, whomever the nominee is...I will vote for them.

not a fan of either but if they are picked, they get my vote.

[Red Oak]

67. Bloomberg is dangerous.

If he ends up getting the nomination I'm afraid millions of Democrats will stay home as the "party of the working man" is fully bought by one obscenely rich man.

I'd hate to see it happen.

[safeinOhio]

81. And millions of Independents might take their place.

I'm going with who ever wins the nomination.

In the mean time, beating up on every one now is just helping Russia and Tramp.

So far Bloomberg is doing the least attacking of the others and I kind of like that.

Not on his team and will not donate to any running for president, only those Dems running for Congress.

I'll vote for anyone we run for President.

[Red Oak]

172. Your comment is comical and ironic

"Not on his team and not donating...."

You couldn't donate to Bloomberg if you wanted to as he is in the process of buying the presidency.

Bloomberg is a dangerous self-serving special interest of one person and will split the Democratic part into pieces if he is the nominee.

If the Democratic party, the party of the working class, goes to a self funding man with at least fifty four thousand million dollars to his name to be its "savior", it will pay a price due to the obvious irony and hypocrisy.

[safeinOhio]

175. Some of the richest Democratic Presidents

Were also rich. I try not to judge on wealth. My most important thing now is who can beat Tramp. If it takes a real rich person, I’ll vote that way. Have fun living in Tramp world. Don’t forget to vote for the Democrat. Sounds like you are ready to help Russia get its wish with talking points to keep Dems home if not pure.

[Red Oak]

176. But they were never Republicans

Bloomberg has no party affiliation, nor does his history show anything other than a desire for money and power.

He was a Republican mayor of NYC as he ran the city under an authoritarian rule of stop and frisk.

I dont remember FDR or JFK supporting Republican presidents and candidates. Bloomberg has and does. I dont remember Clinton supporting Republican Senatorial campaigns. Bloomberg was a lead on Susan Collins super PAC. And on and on ad nauseum.

This bit about Bloomie being a good Democrat is hilarious and easily proven wrong. Bloomie is a self interested billionaire that changes party on a whim so as to accumulate even more money and power.

If the Democrat party nominates him, it will split the party of the working man asunder.

[safeinOhio]

179. Those working men elected Tramp.

He has just said he will donate all of his wealth. Good luck winning a war on a budget.

[Red Oak]

181. A guess you like Bloomie's Republican policies?

EOM

[safeinOhio]

182. Perhaps the least of all, but

a zillion time better than getting Tramp. So, I'm not as pure as the driven snow.

[Red Oak]

183. Do you like them better than voting for a different

candidate that isn't a Billionaire cutthroat capitalist?

[safeinOhio]

184. Divide and conquer.

I feel your pain, just not your tactics.

[Red Oak]

185. Bloomberg is the one dividing the party. Not me.

He's the Republican/Independent/Democrat depending on what is best for him.

I disagree with his tactics as I disagree with most self-serving billionaires that try to buy an election.

[safeinOhio]

187. Ok get your facts straight.

Warren switched parties in 1996 from republican to Democratic. Anything else?

[Red Oak]

188. Warren saw how people in Wall Street, like Bloomberg, are and she saw how the Republican supported

predatory actions on the working class and she changed parties. Permanently. I respect her for seeing the truth and making a change, then working hard to make the systemic changes needed in the system. She affected change such as the Consumer Protection Agency.

Bloomberg bounces back and forth as he needs to in order to gain either more power or more money or both. It is his history. Do a google search.

Want to be Mayor of NYC? Hey - I'm a Republican.

Need Republican favors? - Hey - George Bush is great!

Need something in Maine? Hey - Sen. Collins needs more money is her super PAC.

Obama elected and the Dems have the Presidency, House and Senate? Hey, I'm no Republican, I'm an Independent!

Facts.

Bloomie blows in the wind so he can do what he wants.

[safeinOhio]

190. Or like Warren

Does what serves his constitutes best at the time. He can serve us best by defeating trump. He has said he will donate cash to who ever runs against him. Has Warren made that promise? If not she needs to.

[Red Oak]

191. I would like to remind you who we are running against

A man who calls women fat broads and horse faced lesbians and I'm not talking about President Trump, I'm talking about Mayor Bloomberg..

Damn. Sen Warren gutted him on live TV.

It was a thing of beauty and well deserved.

[bucolic_frolic]

73. Bloomberg will not win the nomination

Weigh his liberal side with his business positions. It's clear where he's at. Democratic voters won't flock to him.

[rockfordfile]

83. I agree about him going full repuke

[Magoo48]

101. Yup

He’s a Republican billionaire and he will support conservative billionaire stuff.

[MasonDreams]

110. Agreed, He was Republican when Kavanaugh was crying about beer and attempted rape.

That was not too long ago. Sixty women have ugly things to say about his lack of respect for women. That's as nice as I can put it.

He supported moving the embassy to
Jerusalem, and bombing civilian areas in Palestine.

94% of stop and frisk victims were POC.

Campaigned FOR bush the shrub AFTER he totally screwed up the aftermath of the Iraq invasion.

Blames the 2008 crash on US not his scheming demon buddies.

The repukes will laugh their asses off, if we put him in the White House.

[redqueen]

129. Uggggghh this list could just go on and on.

"Blames the 2008 crash on US not his scheming demon buddies."

[redstateblues]

117. That's like saying Bernie, if elected, will go full Socialist. Both are not true

[MasonDreams]

139. I agree, both are not true. But look at where Bloomberg IS now !!

[EveHammond13]

84. Bullshit

[EveHammond13]

85. if you are promising NOT to vote for the Dem nominee then that's ON YOU!

[Squinch]

125. You mean like someone who has never really made much of a legislative splash in 30 years

in Congress?

[redqueen]

131. Why are you yelling at me about that?

[johnthewoodworker]

89. The sky is falling. The sky is falling.

Whoever wins the nomination can never win the election because some don't agree with him/her. Oh, woe is me.

[AllyCat]

91. Honestly, every time I log into DU, there is another post about

nominating so and so will destroy us. We are not that fragile.

Quit the infighting. We need to talk about the strengths of our preferred candidates and quit trying to tear down the others. Actual facts are fine (such as Gabbard's comments on Fox, etc).

[James48]

92. America elected FDR FOUR TIMES!

Quit saying America won’t elect Bernie.

America has been yearning for another FDR for my entire lifetime, and all we have been getting is “low risk moderates”.

We tried it your way.

Now is the time for YOU to try it OUR way.

Bernie is the winning candidate.

Not Biden.
Not Bloomberg.
NOT Koblachar
Not Buttigieg
NotSteyer.


Not Even Warren.

The one that can and will win in November is:

Bernie Sanders.

[Warpy]

96. People back in 1932 said the same thing about FDR

My grandmother kept albums of newspaper clippings of anti FDR editorials and articles. She didn't think a plutocrat had the brains to cope with the disaster the country was in. When he got in, he pissed her off even more by dumping farm produce in front of starving people on the theory that artificial scarcity would increase prices.

Thanks in great part to Eleanor, he finally got the point that nobody was buying at any price because nobody had the money to buy anything and the New Deal was born.

I don't think Bloomberg is another FDR, far from it. He lacks an Eleanor, for one thing. He's my least favorite of the bunch, his head stuffed with rich man fallacies about the economy.

However, the bar is low enough this time that he won't fracture the party, you'll just be able to tell who the Democrats are the day after the election by the noses bruised from holding. We can survive Bloomberg. We can't survive four more years of a mobster regime.

[James48]

134. We DO have such a candidate .

Bernie is our generation’s FDR.

And he comes with his own Elenor equivalent - Jane Sanders will be our Elenor.

[Warpy]

146. Bernie would be fought tooth and nail by Congress

that is full of knee jerk jerks who react to socialism by voting against anything a socialist proposes, no matter how necessary or even non socialist it might be.

Bloomberg is in the club. He wouldn't have that problem and they'd vote for pure socialism should he propose it. He is just unlikely to because of who he is.

So don't expect miracles from anyone. We'll lucky to get the worst of the past 3 years reversed and we need a technocrat to do it. If Bernie gets the nom, he'd better pick his VP carefully and then take the advice seriously.

[whistler162]

98. WOW this coming from a Sanders supporter

I AM SHOCKED!!!!!!!<SARCASM>

[dsharp88]

100. VOTE BLUE NO MATER WHO!

Even Bloomberg is better than Trump.

[Mr.Bill]

112. What I worry about with Bloomberg

is on a debate stage with Trump someone asks him "When you were Mayor of NYC, were you aware of Trump doing anything illegal in his businesses and if so, what did you do about it?"

I'd like to hear his answer to that. Maybe someone should ask that in the next Democratic debate.

[redqueen]

133. Oh shit, yeah...

that might be interesting.

[JGug1]

119. Fracturing the Party

This is of COURSE, insane. Vote BLUE no matter who. Let the process play out. IF Bloomberg gets the nomination because of the immense amount of money he puts in, support him. Get this odious monstrosity out of the White House.

[calimary]

122. Understood.

I get the point of view.

I WILL vote for Bernie if it comes to that. Even though I am not a Bernie fan, he is still LIGHTYEARS better than trump.

Vote blue no matter who!

[AlexSFCA]

123. it's all irrelevant. removing trump is the only issue

policy proposals are completely irrelevant in 2020. It’s all about who has the best chance to defeat trump and carry congressional races. Presidents don’t legislate.

[myohmy2]

124. "Nominating Bloomberg will fracture the party.

...I agree...

...the Battle of the Billionaires will turn many people off and put others to sleep...

...calling Bernie a 'Communist' will be nothing in comparison...

...Bernie is our best hope and choice to beat trump in the Fall...

...trump is not as invincible as many think...Bernie will soften him up plenty with more, "...grab 'em by the pussy..." and trump's own corrupt, racist, fraudulent, lying words and tactics...

...Bernie can and will do it...

[Mr.Bill]

137. If Bloomberg runs against Trump,

there's only one billionaire in that race.

[yaesu]

127. I don't think is will be too devastating to the party, the Democratic party is pretty flexible

he wouldn't be my primary pick, ever, but if his money & message get him to the GE we will all have to back him 100%, no hurt feelings, no excuses not to vote just get it done. He may surprise us in a good way, he may be swayed by progressives to do the right thing by the party which is govern for we the people, not corporate America.

[Cary]

142. My priority right here and right now is throwing Orange Hitler out

Throwing his enablers out on their corrupt asses is a close second.

I can live with Bloomberg.

[d_b]

151. that would be so f'n classic

Dems nominating a racist country club dipshit to beat Trump.


Fuck, I HOPE it happens.

[Turin_C3PO]

164. Why do you hope it happens?

Surely you don’t want four more years of Trump.

[33taw]

152. It seems that regardless of who is nominated there will be fracturing.

But, some of us will have to make concessions if our preferred candidate does not win the nomination. I will vote for whomever is the nominee. We can’t afford to lose the election because of sore feelings.

[underpants]

153. 👀

[UniteFightBack]

158. But nominating Bernie won't fracture the party...you are right because we are ADULTS. nt

[pecosbob]

159. We already are fractured...the question is which candidate can unify the electorate

The Bernie Bros will throw tantrums and some will become splitters WHEN he loses the nomination. A Bloomberg nomination is capitulation to Wall Street and reactionary government. I may quit society altogether if this happens and move into a cave in the mountains.

[Red Oak]

174. Can I rent a cave room? Hahaha.

The irony and hypocrisy of the Democratic party going to a dangerous man with fifty four thousand million dollars to be its savior is truly next level stuff.

Yeah, let's forget candidates that truly care about the poor and middle class and nominate a cut throat Wall Street capitalist as our "savior". That's just bound to turn out well. (for Bloomerg anyway)

[Vivienne235729]

161. But Bernie is ok? The irony is Bernie isn't even a Democrat. He won't win the GE.

They'll trot out all his "socialist communist" stuff and, like it or not, the majority of people out there will run to trump. He'll get demolished outside of the progressive tent. To be honest, I hope you are right and that Bernie can win and get his agenda done bc I would love to have that agenda. I just can't see it happening w him. Even if he wins (and I don't think he can against trump), I don't think he can get anything done once he's in office.

The party will survive just fine w Bloomberg. I like most of his policies: prochoice, reenter the Paris Accord, saner immigration laws.

[Tom Rinaldo]

168. He never endorsed a Republican President at a National Republican Convention n/t

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

162. OK redqueen, youve officially won Post of the Day...Johnnie, tell everyone what redqueen has won!!

Johnnie: yes blue... congrats redqueen, you've won this custom pair of Bernie All-Star Chucks in your favorite color, red... perfect for canvassing for your favorite candidate... wear 'em in good health my friend!!




Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join the revolution!!

[Garrett78]

165. Great and accurate post. Not sure why posts of mine about Bloomberg got removed.

[Autumn]

166. Nominating Bloomberg will give 4 more years to Trump. He can afford it, we peons can't.

[robbedvoter]

173. At least Bloomberg wants to beat Trump

Burnie just wants to blow up the Democratic party

[redqueen]

178. What's the evidence for your claim that Bernie wants to "blow up the Democratic party"?

The way I see it is he just wants to end the neoliberal economic policies that have been disastrous for the country.

[Historic NY]

180. Please and Bernie's won't.

Look at Vermont , a state where Sanders could have had some major effect.....what does he do?

the whole Healthcare thing went out the window too expensive, criminal justice reform, they house prisoners out of state 1366 miles away in a private prison. Vermont minimum wage went up an entire 18cents to 10.96 this year. Paid family leave nope, clean water nope, relations with the minority community, one of the few in the legislature resigned because she was harassed. He wants to pile on other states & business, when he should have made his a model, they rejected him. Maybe its keeping fighter jets there that get him re-elected.


[link:https://vtdigger.org/2019/01/27/inside-prison-vermont-inmates-1366-miles/|]

4 yrs later it still goes on