Instead of bashing Bernie let's talk about why he is doing so well.

[milestogo]

He's not cheating. He's not taking corporate money. He's not lying.

He has built a grassroots campaign and has a message that a huge number of people like.

[blm]

1. Because Biden and Pete camps focused their attacks on Warren for 3mths last fall.

They laid off Sanders completely after his heart attack, probably assuming he couldn’t recover enough to endure the campaign trail.

So they got Warren’s numbers and favorable down while Sanders rose.

Joe and Pete camps must be so proud of their strategy to target Warren.

[ProgressDiv]

2. Amen

By contrast, let's talk about how Bloomberg is the opposite in every way (and to be clear, that is a BAD thing).
[link:https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/02/michael-bloomberg-2020-democratic-campaign.html?via=taps_top|

[George II]

3. Only two states have voted. He finished second in the first and tied for the lead in the second...

Obviously Buttigieg is doing better than Sanders.

[still_one]

11. and because Biden, Amy, Pete, and Bloomberg are from the same voting block that accounts for 70%

Last time I looked 70% is significantly more than 30%

[bearsfootball516]

34. That makes the incorrect assumption that those voters...

Will all flock to each other once their favorite candidate drops off, which isn’t true. For example, Biden is my first choice, but Sanders is my second.

[Apollo Zeus]

16. This is isn't golf - high score wins

New Hampshire (final results):

Sanders 76,324
Buttigieg 72,457
Biden 24,921

Iowa

Sanders 45,831 (26.5%)
Buttigeig 43,273 (25.1%)
Biden 23,631 (13.7%)

[George II]

18. It isn't golf nor is it any sport or game. The candidates are earning delegates:

Iowa (final results):

Buttigieg 13
Sanders 12
Warren 8
Biden 6
Klobuchar 1

New Hampshire (final results):

Buttigieg 9
Sanders 9
Klobuchar 6

[Codeine]

24. Actually, based on delegate apportionment

high score is currently Buttigieg. High score wins.

[MineralMan]

5. He's at about 30% in the polls, because we have several

candidates. But, that still means that 70% prefer someone else.

[Voltaire2]

7. And for Joe it is closer to 80%.

Funny how that works innit?

[Cal Carpenter]

8. He does well in the 2nd choice question

Per Morning Consult's new numbers based on thousands of Democratic voters nationally, Sanders is 2nd choice for 38% of Warren supporters, 33% of Biden supporters, and 20% of both Bloomberg and Buttigieg supporters. ETA not sure why they didn't include Klobuchar in this section...

Seeing as how Sanders will most likely make it to the convention and a few other candidates will not, this bodes very well for Sanders. There is a reason why all major pollsters, despite their flaws, predict a Sanders win for the nomination.

I guess we will have to see who makes it past Super Tuesday before we know how it all shakes out.

[DanTex]

6. He's running on a platform that his highly popular with voters. It's not much of a mystery.

Also, his platform isn't some new thing he came up with just for the election, he's been consistently advocating the same things for his whole career. Voters know that, and like that.

[Voltaire2]

9. But not so popular with the other wing of the party.

Whatever we are calling that wing these days.

[LonePirate]

28. The moderate/centrist wing hates the changes advocated for by the Sanders/Warren wing.

From my perspective, the moderate/centrist wing has a much smaller desire to change this country than the Sanders/Warren wing. Maybe that wing doesn’t think we have problems that need to be solved.

[ehrnst]

12. Except for his promise to release his full medical records...

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/02/18/bernie-sanders-wont-release-full-medical-records/4801735002/

[DanTex]

13. His platform consists of the policies he advocates. That's the whole thing.

Bernie is leading because he's advocating policies that people like, because those policies will improve people's lives. The degree of detail in medical disclosures is not something that will affect anyone's life. It's a "gotcha" game played by the media.

[ehrnst]

17. So you're going to just try to ignore that he's going back on his word concerning his promise

to release his medical records, after saying last year that he would because...

"The people do have a right to know about the health of a senator, somebody who's running for president of the United States, full disclosure," Sanders told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, following the incident. "And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them."

Got it.

[DanTex]

21. I'm satisfied with his medical disclosures. If you're not, and it matters to you, vote someone else

[ehrnst]

23. He promised his full records. Now he's going back on that promise. You keep ignoring that.

Why do you think that he decided that full disclosure that he promised would be a bad idea?

"The people do have a right to know about the health of a senator, somebody who's running for president of the United States, full disclosure," Sanders told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, following the incident. "And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them."

One standard for Bernie, another for everyone else...

[DanTex]

25. And he's done that. If you won't vote for him unless you see his EKG readout, then don't. Simple.

[ehrnst]

26. No he has not... you are frantic to deny that he has decided not to release his full medical records

as he said he would.

October 2019:

“Of course, we’re — of course, people do have a right to know about the health of a senator and someone running for president of the United States, full disclosure,” Mr. Sanders told CNN’s Sanjay Gupta. “And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them.”

https://apnews.com/1d0c007e8527413faf8df9cf23a56277

Yesteday:

Sanders says he won't release full medical records


Why can't you just admit that he's gone back on his promise, and you are going to give him a pass on that, because Bernie?

[DanTex]

27. Well, I guess we disagree. But good look poring over the EKG readouts of all the other candidates

to decide which one you are going to support.

[ehrnst]

33. Yesterday: "Bernie Sanders says he won't release full medical records"

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/02/18/bernie-sanders-wont-release-full-medical-records/4801735002/

October 2019:

"The people do have a right to know about the health of a senator, somebody who's running for president of the United States, full disclosure," Sanders told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, following the incident. "And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them."

You're frantically trying to defend from the fact that he went back on his promise to release "all his medical records" while refusing to actually admit it. This must really be painful...

Why do you think that he decided it would be a bad idea to live up to that promise of full medical transparency?

What are the implications of that about his other promises?

[LanternWaste]

48. Keep moving those goalposts...!

"...to decide which one you are going to support."

[TwilightZone]

51. I find it curious that you're so willing to overlook failed promises.

The bottom line is that he should have never promised to release them if he had no intention of doing so. It just makes it look like he has something to hide, even if he doesn't.

All of the pretzel logic justification in the world can't explain away why he promised to release them in the first place. It was a mistake and he should just acknowledge that instead of pretending that he never said it in the first place. It just compounds the problem.

[LanternWaste]

47. No doubt, convictions are messy and inconvenient.

I can certainly understand why you move them so deftly when called for by that convenience.

[awesomerwb1]

10. Not lying?

Ok. Does lying by omission count?

To me he has to explain in detail how he will pass legislation for M4A, wipe student loan debt for example.

Then he'll have to explain in detail how he'll pay for M4A, student loan debt, free college.

I would also like him to show us his detailed medical records. At 78 with a recent heart attack it's a concern.

Bernie's supporters would have you believe he received a bionic transplant.

[DanTex]

14. All candidates' platforms will face resistance from GOP in congress.

[ehrnst]

38. The question was:

"Does lying by omission count?"

And you again ignored yet another mention of him going back on his word about releasing his medical records.

What implications does that have about other promises he's made to that grassroots base?



Why do you think that he went back on his promise if there's nothing that would damage his campaign by making good on it?

[brooklynite]

15. So when he said he would release his medical records, he was.......

When he built a grassroots campaign but lost half his support between 2016 and 2020 he was.......

[LongtimeAZDem]

19. He not lying? Like the doctored Biden video? Or when he said:

“Well for a start, what the studies show, if we do what Joe wants, we’ll be spending some 50 trillion dollars on healthcare over the next 10 years,” Sanders said, which is a complete lie.

Bernie Sanders Told Blatant Lie at New Hampshire Debate, and CNN’s Fact-Checker Missed It

[ehrnst]

20. Define lying.

October, 2019:

"The people do have a right to know about the health of a senator, somebody who's running for president of the United States, full disclosure," Sanders told CNN’s chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta, following the incident. "And, we will make at the appropriate time, all of our medical records public for you or anybody else who wants to see them."

February 18, 2020: Bernie Sanders says he won't release full medical records



https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2020/jan/09/bernie-sanders/did-biden-laud-paul-ryan-proposal-cut-social-secur/

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As a congressman in the 1990s, Bernie Sanders expressed an openness to making “adjustments” to the tax and benefit structure of Social Security. He also praised an overhaul of the social safety net program signed into law by President Ronald Reagan that reduced benefits and increased taxes on working families.

Sanders’ presidential campaign and allies have highlighted similar remarks by Joe Biden to attack the former vice president and make the explosive charge that Biden was an outspoken proponent of slashing the program.

https://apnews.com/31c432f20acba807a569c7004abaf473

Sanders camp admits anti-Warren script was deployed in multiple early states

Sanders initially attributed the talking points to rogue staffers, and supporters launched an online campaign to convince people the document was fake.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2016/apr/06/bernie-sanders/bernie-sanders-has-released-few-tax-returns-compar/


https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/list/?category=&ruling=false&speaker=bernie-sanders


April 15, 2015

“I am one of the exceptions," he said. "I am not going to start a super PAC. I’m not going to go around the country talking to millionaires. Now I'm saving my time because they wouldn't give me any money anyhow and that's fine."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/senator-bernie-sanders-calls-hillary-clinton-foundation-money/story?id=30687863

October 14, 2015

Mr. Sanders was cheered at a fancy campaign fund-raiser at the Hollywood home of Syd Leibovitch, a high-end real estate agent, and his wife, Linda, on Wednesday night.

Tickets for the event sold for a minimum of $250. Those who spent the maximum, $2,700, or who raised $10,000, were invited to a “pre-event reception,” according to the invitation.

The 14 co-hosts included Cindy Asner, the former wife of the actor Ed Asner, the actress Mimi Kennedy, and Benjamin W. Decker, whose website notes that he was once called the “legendary Hollywood P.R. maven” by Forbes magazine, and used to produce “celebrity-driven red-carpet movie premieres.”
...........................................
It was the ninth such event of his campaign, his aides said, according to the pool report.
................................

As Mr. Sanders began speaking to the guests, he joked that the Leibovitch house was a “proletariat” home, and told them, “The truth is there are many people in this country who have money but also believe in social justice.”

https://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/10/15/bernie-sanders-has-fund-raiser-at-fancy-hollywood-home/

[Pachamama]

32. [phone]

Thank you for posting this....

Americans need to get informed about who Bernie Sanders really is.

He cannot beat Donald Trump and in my observation he simply represents now the other side of the tribalism coin that Trump and his Trump Humpers are. This is not who America is or should aspire to be and definitely not the Democratic Party. It’s ingredients for a civil war.

Sanders is to the Democratic Party what Trump is to the GOP.

Neither is what will heal this country or be good for it.

Sanders = Trump for 4 more years

[Mad cow]

39. Please do not normalize Trump...

Saying they are two sides of the same coin normalizes Trump. Trump is a monster.

[Pachamama]

40. Tribalism is the coin

And yes, Trump and Sanders represent opposing sides of that Tribalism coin.

[Mad cow]

45. I reject that characterization...

Trump is a monster. Stop normalizing him and his followers by denigrating Sanders and his supporters. The world each "tribe" envisions is diametrically opposed. Framing it as both sides of the same coin glosses over how perverse the last three years have been. There is no modern counterpoint to Trump, and if there were, Sanders isn't it.

[Pachamama]

46. Trump & Sanders and their supporters are Political Tribalism and in particular Toxic Tribalism:

“The behavior and attitudes that stem from strong loyalty to one’s own political tribe and social group to the point that dogma and dysfunction become the standard.”

Both Trump and Sanders and their supporters are the classic definition and it’s dangerous to our democracy and society.

You are entitled to your opinion and disagreeing with me. For me and many others it’s very clear.

What we can agree on is that Trump is a monster. But I completely disagree with you about Bernie Sanders.

[Mad cow]

63. That is an awfully broad brush...

Parsing out Trump from your statement, you literally said Bernie and his supporters define toxic tribalism which is dangerous for our society and democracy. That's a very inflammatory statement, and in no way helps win any hearts and minds. I would also classify myself as a Sanders supporter, and our democracy should feel no threat from me.

[handmade34]

57. "The True Believer"

by Eric Hoffer...

https://growth.me/book-summaries/the-true-believer/

nobody will normalize trump and it is not about right/wrong... but Sanders and his followers are to the Democratic Party what trump and followers are to Republican...

"The True Believer, written over 60 years ago... is still frighteningly relevant and accurate today. From Christianity to National Socialism, Eric Hoffer shows how all mass movements are similar. People join movements because of personal feelings of inadequacy or failure, to escape their seemingly powerless individual self.

Under the surface, all mass movements are driven by the same emotions, frustrations and motivations.....

….each movement is started by men of words, comes into being by fanatics and is stabilized by men of action. The man of words. The man of words... criticizes established institutions and undermines the existing order. He casts doubt on old beliefs and belittles the people in power. The man of words plants seeds into the minds of people. Seeds that later will grow into mass movements......

[Codeine]

22. His opposition is split

between a number of choices, he’s doing well with young liberals, and he’s getting a boost from having been passed over last cycle.

[Lunabell]

29. He has been a champion for the working class his whole career

He champions the underdog. The forgotten. Those who have no power.

I'm sick of the 1% ruling this country. Viva la Revolution!

[handmade34]

58. no judgement on my part...

but to get facts straight... Bernie IS part of the 1%

[Lunabell]

71. Lol

So was John Lennon, but he championed power to the people. I never begrudged him a dime.

[Go Vols]

69. .

[jcmaine72]

30. Absolutely correct!

Bernie's appeal is to regular, working class folks and to young people. He's earned his grassroots popularity and appeal with a message that genuinely resonates with those groups. Bernie hasn't had to grease a single palm or pay anyone exorbitantly to create memes to make him appear to be cool, popular or relevant. He's authentic.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

31. Republicans are voting for him in the Democratic primaries/caucuses?

I think that was Trump's instruction to the base.

He's not my choice, but if he's the nominee, I sure hope he goes all the way.

Four more Trump years would corrupt the Supreme Court for a generation.

[ehrnst]

35. It's illegal to take corporate $$$... but about taking large donations from undisclosed donors...

Under the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, an entity directly or indirectly established by a federal candidate or officeholder is not allowed to “solicit, receive, direct, transfer, or spend funds in connection with an election for Federal office” unless the “funds are subject to the limitations, prohibitions, and reporting requirements” of federal law.

According to Our Revolution’s tax returns showing contribution amounts but not contributor names, data compiled and first reported by the Associated Press, from 2016 to 2018 Our Revolution raised almost $1 million dollars from contributors who gave in excess of the applicable $5,000 contribution limit, including multiple contributions of between $100,000 and $300,000. Our Revolution has not disclosed any of its contributors to the FEC, as required by federal campaign finance law.

https://www.commoncause.org/press-release/common-cause-files-complaint-against-pro-bernie-sanders-group-our-revolution-for-violating-soft-money-ban/

[Demsrule86]

36. He is not doing well...right now he has the moderate vote split which will end after Carolina or

Super Tuesday...and when it gets down to one candidate or even two vs Sanders...he is toast. He has not increased his support...in fact it has decreased...and he will lose a general so if it is between any candidate and Sanders-including Bloomberg-I will vote for anyone but Sanders in the primary...will vote blue no matter who in the general but if Sanders is the nominee, he has my vote but I work to save our one avenue of power that will be left to us when he loses...the house.

[Mike 03]

37. Some reflections on last night's Town Hall

He seemed to be at his best in that environment. It was reminiscent of the Bernie I remember from 2016. He was forceful but not angry; he strongly hit the theme of cooperation in order to confront climate change. He's certain about what he's saying and that self-confidence--that belief he can actually accomplish what he claims he can accomplish--can be contagious.

He is offering a holistic vision rather than a series of plans. Nothing wrong with plans, but Bernie is describing something that feels more complete.

The positive energy demonstrated by many of his supporters is an exciting phenomenon.

It is clear he and his supporters have been masterful at the ground game (or, at least, have created the impression that they have been).

Apparently money is not an issue for his campaign (?)

Those are just a few reasons that come to mind that could explain his success.

(I'm just keeping this post positive for now. I recognize there are counter-responses to what I wrote.)

[dansolo]

41. But he is lying - a lot

He has never explained how M4A can realistically be passed. He hasn't honestly discussed how much it will cost. He hasn't told people how much their taxes will go up to pay for it. He also hadn't explained how he can pay for all the other things he is promising when there won't even be enough money for his signature policy. And that doesn't even cover all of the severely underfunded things that exist now. You can also throw in his medical records, since he lied about that too.

[ebbie15644]

42. Let's talk about what states he can win and what states he can't. Let's talk about the Senate

let's talk about how many house seats we could loose

[matt819]

43. Okay

But he's also something of a fantasist.

Free MFA.

Free college for all.

Maybe nuance isn't called for on the campaign trail, but, I'm sorry, grand assertions like free stuff for all - you get a car, you get a car, you get a car - is just silly.

Talk about stuff that resonates on a rational level, maybe even a "gut" level.

Plus I don't like the failure to release medical records. That's a little too Trumpian, plus it pretty much tells you there's something voters should know about.

[handmade34]

59. yes

see #57

"he's also something of a fantasist"

[ehrnst]

44. His spokespeople are lying. Gray to retract two of them in as many days:

For the second day in a row, Briahna Joy Gray — the National Press Secretary for the Bernie Sanders campaign — backtracked on a baseless claim about Michael Bloomberg.

Gray gave an interview to CNN on Wednesday, where she claimed that the former New York City mayor “has suffered heart attacks in the past.” This came as Gray defended Sanders’ refusal to release his complete medical records, drawing a comparison between birtherism and the “smear campaign” from those who’ve raised concerns about the senator’s health since his heart attack last year.

There’s no proof Bloomberg ever had “heart attacks” as Gray claimed, though Bloomberg “did undergo a stent procedure in 2000 after Mr. Bloomberg complained of discomfort and tiredness,” according to the Bloomberg-friendly source who spoke to the New York Times in 2007.

This comes a day after Gray falsely claimed on CNN that 64 sexual assault allegations have been made against Bloomberg. Sexual harassment claims have been made against Bloomberg’s company. Gray has said she “misspoke” about this as well.

https://www.mediaite.com/politics/bernie-sanders-spokesperson-releases-second-correction-in-two-days-about-mike-bloomberg/

[Locrian]

49. medicare for all - n/t

[Retrograde]

50. Name recognition

He got a big boost in 2016 from the media deciding that the Democrats needed a horse-race, and he did well as a challenger to Clinton. And he used that exposure to build a very vocal base. IMHO.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

52. K&R!!

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

[ibegurpard]

53. A lot of people just can't wrap their heads around grievance-based politics.

That's what Trump ran on. It's what Bernie is running on. Our political and economic system is NOT working for many, many people who are completely isolated from those who don't understand the grievances. It's happening all over the world and the pundit and political classes just don't seem to get it.

[Rorey]

54. I think the next month or two will tell a different story about how well he's supposedly doing. NT

[CentralMass]

55. Why Bernie Sanders is the current favorite for the Democratic nomination

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/18/politics/democratic-primary-favorite-analysis/index.html

[ismnotwasm]

56. He also has a strong youth movement

He’s built up an enormous Latino outreach as well.

Don’t get me wrong. Bernie Sanders is NOT, and will never be my favorite human being, but there’s no denying his campaign adjusted and learned

Young activists I have respect for, ones that don’t pull that “economic justice is more important than social justice” bullshit are out there working for him. His message resonates, and this time they are voting.

This ground game could seriously get him the nomination.

The presidency? Not so much, but I’ll take Bernie Sanders over Trump any day, anywhere, anytime. And if *I* feel this way, others like me do too.

[brooklynite]

60. Maybe they'll VOTE this time?

[ismnotwasm]

61. They'd best

What I did, was I looked into Iowa, Nevada and other places with a high Latino population, It’s not Bernie per se, it’s his organization. They’re registering people, helping people to the polls, nothing that other candidates don’t do, but he’s got the youth support.

I personally would rather any other candidate than Bernie Sanders, but I’m not ignoring that his campaign has fixed some glaring problems it had.

[brooklynite]

62. In New Hampshire, most of the new voters apparently came in for Pete...

Showing up for a concert/rally is not the same as showing at a polling place.

[ismnotwasm]

66. I know, I know

I live in Seattle. I live in a “safe” state. They was a huge Sanders rally in Tacoma that had sort of juvenile nonsense going on.

The fact is, I am trying to mentally prepare myself.

Just because I can admit Sanders has improved his outreach with targeted communities, or see that up and coming voters are really drawn to his campaign doesn’t mean I’m enthusiastic for the guy.

On the other I just got my voters pamphlet in the mail. Or all the candidates, Bernies is the least inspiring to me, because it’s the same. Old. stuff.

[LiberalFighter]

64. He really isn't doing that well.

Less than when he went against Hillary.

[Blue_Tires]

65. He's also being propped up by Repulicans and Russian troll farms

You'd be remiss in not mentioning that.

I'd have thought DU would be apprehensive of a "Dem" frontrunner the GOP apparently sees so favorably... I know for a fact how this site would have reacted if GOP pundits were openly whoring for Hillary to win her 2016 primary...

[Meowmee]

67. Agree

NH has an open primary for unaffiliated voters. I read somewhere 15% unaffiliated are voting Bernie in the primary with no intention of voting dem in general. It was abused in 2016 as well. There should be no open dem primaries with a requirement to have been a registered dem for at least 3 years with no recent changes in party affiliations.

[LongtimeAZDem]

70. Nah