It is a bit 'rich' for 'moderates' to ask why doesn't Warren try to take down Sanders?

[denem]

It is the 'moderates' who have the greatest policy differences with Sanders, and 'moderates' who have held their fire throughout the campaign, only now coming to the realization that, shiver my timbers, he could actually win this thing. Joe Biden in particular has gone out of his way play nice with Bernie. But on the cusp of a Sanders win in NH, did he finally go on the attack - of course not - he launched the hardest hitting ad of the campaign against Buttigieg.

Going easy on Bernie while 'clearing out the moderate lane' has backfired big time. If you want someone to take on Bernie Sanders, look in the mirror, then call your candidate.

[CalFione]

1. I agree that all of our candidates need to go after Bernie more

But Liz is in the unique position of having policy positions that align more with Bernie supporters.

[Bettie]

2. She's also the most likely to alienate that

group of hard-liners if she goes after him.

Unfortunately, Sanders has some very vocal supporters who are awful.

[CalFione]

3. Sure, it is risky maybe

But she needs to flip the script. For too many people, it is "I like Liz Warren, but Bernie is my #1". She needs those people to flip to "I like Bernie, but Liz is my #1".

[mchill]

28. It's a no-win for Elizabeth to go after Bernie, but

I sure wish she could strip some of his support away. The moderates need to do some thinning or we will end up with you know who. I vote in California and this 15% threshold is going to screw the “moderates” even more.

[denem]

5. Why is it so hard for Biden, the 'moderate' leader to say

God love you Bernie but the American people will not elect a socialist. It's not (just) me saying that. The latest poll shows that 55% will not support a socialist. Of course I will support you if you are the nominee, but you will lead us to defeat.

[CalFione]

6. I agree that Biden should do that. But it isn't resonating. I hope it would.

Joe's not peeling off that support that he needs to.

[denem]

11. I may be old fashioned, but what I think people would like to see,

is some steel from Biden - we all know he's a good guy - and I can't think of many better ways to do that than lay down the unvarnished political facts of life (as he sees them) to a man he believes would lead the party to disaster.

[squirecam]

16. Old fashioned is doing things yourself.

Don’t rely upon Biden. If she wants to win, she needs to make the case herself.

She had no problems with going after anyone else.

[totodeinhere]

18. Whoever gets the nomination will need Bernie's supporters in November.

So I don't think it's a good idea to go after Bernie because that might alienate his supporters. I think it's best to stay positive, tout your own proposals and go after Trump, but leave Bernie and your other primary candidates alone.

[blm]

4. They want Warren to do the heavy lifting for them while they claim credit.

Even Sanders camp has online activists who claim that Warren copied Bernie’s policy positions, completely ignorant of the fact that the income inequality positions of most progressive politicians have been informed by the DECADES of painstaking research performed by Warren and other academics.

It is why a young Barack Obama running for senator in 2003 sought her out.

Sanders camp needs to get a grip. If anything, Sanders has been cribbing from Warren.

[CalFione]

8. Sanders supporters don't realize that. They think he invented caring about the poor.

[TwilightZone]

7. I think many assumed that he had a cap on support

and wouldn't be a real threat from a mathematical standpoint. The problem, of course, is that several candidates are splitting the not-Sanders vote.

As for Warren, conventional wisdom is that they share a constituency, so it would seem to be in her best interest to take down Sanders, if possible. I don't really buy the conventional wisdom, though -- I think it's largely overblown. I actually would have thought she'd have significantly broader appeal than Sanders, but that's not turning out to be the case yet.

[Baclava]

9. She needs to clear the field of other contenders to get to Bernie, quickly

Ideally, if she can be one 3 or 4 left standing after Super Tuesday, she can turn her sights on Bernie later

[squirecam]

10. There is no later

Super Tuesday is in 2 weeks

[denem]

12. The whole campaign has been about getting around

to taking on Bernie later. Times up

[squirecam]

13. When you go after everyone but him

Yes, the time runs out.

She is not trying to win the nomination then.

[denem]

14. She is demonstrating that she is a candidate who can take down trump.

If taking down an arrogant, self entitled billionaire with a racist / sexist record is not proof of concept, I don't know what is.

What was Amy's response to criticism of Sanders legislative record? Saying how well they worked together on a prescription drugs bill.

[squirecam]

15. She will win a debate true

Hillary did. She still lost.

Biden has the better argument. He is up in the Midwest better than anyone else. And he would win the debates too.

The fact is, Warren is afraid. Afraid to attack him for fear of mean Bernie supporter harassment/tweets. But if she wants to be the nominee, she has to do it.

Mid March is too late.

[denem]

17. I'm getting tired of 'moderates' who want Warren to do the heavy lifting.

Amy was shaking on stage last night. That's fear for you.

[squirecam]

19. When asked if anyone had an issue

With socialism at the last debate, only one raised her hand. Amy.

Not Biden. Not Pete. Not Warren who says she is a capitalist.

One. Amy.

So much for fear. Amy tells it as she sees it.

It seems you are “for” Warren, but don’t really care if Sanders beats her. In your mind they are a team. Right?

[denem]

20. And I applaud Senator Klobuchar for that.

Saying how good Sanders was to work with on a prescription drugs bill, not so much.

[denem]

21. I am more "against" Sanders, than I am "for" Warren,

for the simple reason that Bernie has the best chance of losing. Did you criticize Biden for going after Buttigieg when Sanders was on the cusp of victory in NH? I did.

Warren showed last night she has the game to defeat trump. That's what this contest is about. It has dispelled some doubts about her as a candidate. It is those who disagree with Sanders the most who have held their fire. They reap will reap what they sow.

[squirecam]

22. Biden was losing his voters to pete

So no. Just like I wouldn’t criticize Warren for going after Sanders when he was taking her voters.

Except she only did so after the debate was over. And it got far less coverage.

If the Warren that showed up last night had shown up 3 debates ago, she might not be in this position. She should have come out forcefully then.

But she didn’t.

[denem]

24. 3 debates ago Bloomberg was not on the stage.

[squirecam]

25. If she had been this good

Against Sanders then, she might not have lost those voters.

[blm]

27. She's wired to confront power and corruption not fellow Dems.

She is fully aware what she is capable of unleashing, and chooses to not direct it fellow Dems whose policy differences are minor. She directs her energy at power and corruption. And she is a sight to behold when she does. What she did to Bloomberg was just exercise for her. Trump will get a far worse beat down every day of the general.

[MoonlitKnight]

23. Those candidates need to focus on their own campaigns

Sure, President Warren is going to save us all in January 2021. In the meantime join with her or get out of the way as we go through the primaries on the way to her nomination and unification of our party.

[Kaleva]

26. Warren isn't going to rise above single digits unless she can get some of Sander's supporters

[denem]

29. History says otherwise.

October 11 - Biden 28.4%, Warren 25.6%, Sanders 15.2%
December 7 - Biden 28.0%, Warren 14.0%, Sanders 15.4% (Buttigieg 11.4%)

There is a large group of voters who just want to beat trump.

RCP 2020
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html

[Kaleva]

30. Warren has dropped since Oct and Sanders has gone up.

[denem]

32. Very scientific - and statistic free.

[Kaleva]

33. I was using the polling data at your link

[denem]

34. Then you would know there is little correlation between Sanders and Warrens polling numbers.

Sanders big rise happened when Warrens numbers were flat.

[Kaleva]

35. Look at Oct 8th and after.

You see Warren start to decline and Sanders start a climb.

Oct. 8

Warren 26.6
Sanders 14.6

Nov. 24

Warren 18
Sanders 19.5

[LaurenOlimina]

31. it is