I gotta say, when Bloomberg decides to turn his guns on Trump instead of Bernie...

[DanTex]

I really hope he does a better job than this.

I mean, digging up some random essays and grainy videos from 50 years ago? Posting fake Bernie quotes on twitter and then deleting them? Leaking push-polls to the media in the hopes people will mistake them for real polls? I'm almost embarrassed for him.

Granted, with Trump, unlike Bernie, there are actual substantive things to criticize. But with his billions, and his huge media-savvy staff, you'd think he could come up with something -- anything -- that might dent Bernie's support at all.

[Demsrule86]

1. Really? I think it is pretty effective. You all are so into Sanders, you don't see the damage such

ads will cause to his campaign in a general...the GOP will show less mercy than Bloomberg.

[DanTex]

4. But you already were solidly anti-Bernie. So he's moved you from anti-Bernie to anti-Bernie.

You think anyone who isn't already anti-Bernie is going to care about grainy videos from the 70s? Or fake quotes posted and deleted from twitter? Or push-polls?

[rzemanfl]

10. In two words "fuck yes." n/t

[Devil Child]

22. I agree, Bloomberg can saturate all media venues with whatever message he wants

If he invests money in attack ads or media against Sen. Sanders it will certainly have a negative effect on those who aren’t committed in one way or another. How much a drop the ad and social media buys causes I do not know and time will tell.

[rzemanfl]

23. Child, sometimes you confuse the hell out of me. n/t

[Devil Child]

24. Ha! If it makes you feel better it's not on purpose or personal

[rzemanfl]

25. I know, the devil makes you do it.

Google Flip Wilson if you don't get that

[Devil Child]

28. I had to google and I'll check him out on YouTube ASAP

Can’t at the moment as I’m stealth posting while at work. Shhhhh don’t tell my boss!

[rzemanfl]

30. I will save you having to look after work-

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=flip+wilson+the+devil+made+me+do+it&view=detail&mid=96F60DE5C056AEC2F85A96F60DE5C056AEC2F85A&FORM=VIRE

[True Blue American]

31. The Devil

Made me buy this dress! Flip was funny back in the Golden TV days.

[W_HAMILTON]

12. I voted for Sanders in 2016.

And now, he is one of my most disliked politicians. I can't even stand to hear him on the TV anymore -- I turn the channel.

If I had known about these essays and this seedy past of his, I would have never voted for him to begin with. And I consider myself one of the more well informed people when it comes to politics. You can rest assured that the vast majority of voters have not heard any of these claims you are trying so hard to sweep under the rug and once they do, many of them will sour on the man as well.

[PatSeg]

14. Oh my goodness

Great timing. You would be one of the people I was referring to in my comment below!

[wyldwolf]

19. a lot of this oppo research was posted here in 2016...

... but it disappeared, replaced with "the post has been removed."

[PatSeg]

13. I've encountered a lot of people who

like me have always liked Bernie Sanders, but now are fiercely opposed to him as the Democratic nominee. Many even voted for him in 2016. Not everyone who opposes Sanders is "already solidly anti-Bernie". Bernie, his campaign staff, and some supporters have caused the opposition.

Meanwhile, no Democrat wants to see Trump reelected and they see Sanders as a weak GE candidate. Even if he won however, I see him as a weak, ineffectual president possibly with a republican controlled congress.

[MineralMan]

6. Yes. If Sanders is the nominee, the GOP

will flood the airwaves with anti-Bernie ads. Right now, they're hoping Bernie gets the nomination. They have so much opposition research that it could go on endlessly.

[MineralMan]

2. Oh, his ads against Trump are outstanding.

Maybe you haven't seen them yet. They've been running, though, almost nonstop in the Super Tuesday states. There are many of them; they all attack Trump very effectively. You'll see them, I'm sure.

[The_Counsel]

33. This.

We've been seeing Bloomberg ads here in New York taking Trump on for six months at least.

And even before that Tom Steyer has been doing the honors.

The reason no else has been doing this is because they simply don't have the resources. It's why I won't ever begrudge Bloomberg spending $3B of his OWN money for this purpose. He's not "buying an election." He's buying ads because he needs to. How else is he going to get his message out?

Remember when Ronald Reagan bellowed "I'm PAYING for this microphone!" Well, there ya go, I guess...

[uponit7771]

3. Sanders has no historical swing state appeal outside of MOE, Biden has the most and that's why

... everyone should be turning their guns against him.

We want to win and we're being warned it wont be done with Sanders

[Meadowoak]

20. Except for Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Pennsylvania!

[uponit7771]

29. That's false, against Trump in the last 3 month Sanders gets is ass kicked by Trump. That's reality

[we can do it]

5. Take off rose colored glasses.

His anti-dump ads have been eviscerating the turd.

[Autumn]

7. I'll take things a young single hippy said 40 years ago for a nickel please.

[rzemanfl]

8. ....

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287578577

Still hoping for five.

[TwilightZone]

9. It's obviously been quite effective and it barely just started.

You've already written dozens of posts about it, haven't you?

Welcome to the world of vetting. A word of advice: if you're going to freak out about every little criticism or reference to something Sanders has done in the past, it's going to be a very, very long campaign. You might want to pick your battles.

[DanTex]

11. I've been posting for weeks about anti-Bernie smears, and he's risen in the polls the whole time.

Remember how people said Bernie only did well in Iowa and NH because they were so white? Yeah. LOL.

[PatSeg]

16. Spot on!

[democrattotheend]

15. As a Bernie supporter, you should welcome what Bloomberg is doing

I'm undecided for now, but I supported him in 2016 and I am tired of hearing that he hasn't been vetted and that there's all this unspecified supposedly damaging dirt the Republicans will use on him. I would rather it all come out now. If it does and he survives it, he'll be in a stronger position for the general election because it will all be out there and be old news by November, and it'll go a long way toward reassuring those in the party who are nervous (myself included) that he is more electable than people think.

Think back to 2008, when the networks became obsessed with Obama's pastor and played those videos 24/7 for weeks on end during the primaries. Obama's standing in the polls dropped significantly when that happened, but he survived it, and he came out stronger as a result of it. And while McCain chose not to make an issue of it in the general election, I believe a third party PAC did run some ads with Reverend Wright, but it didn't hurt him much because it was old news by then.

[Dem2]

17. Most ridiculous headline!

He's spent probably 200 million attacking Rump and likely very little on Bernie.

I really hate seeing these distorted views of reality.

[msongs]

21. the problem is you don't "love bernie" with a dedication that blinds like the sun lol nt

[Devil Child]

26. I agree in spirit but disagree on views of effectiveness

While I may have the opinion and agree that Bloomberg’s attacks on Sen. Sanders are clumsy or at times cringeworthy. I can not disregard that the ads may have a negative effect on Sen. Sanders’s campaign. Bloomberg has the ability to saturate all media outlets in ways that no other candidate can. I see this as something to be very wary of and not dismiss or minimize.

[dubyadiprecession]

27. He has been going after trump more than everyone else

I think we can all agree on that.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

32. Mike's desperation is showin! But, then Mike's done more to BOOST Bernie's poll#s than anyone!!

Mike is most responsible for the Baseless Bernie Bashing Backlash... so special shot out to Mike!! Thank you for all you've done to ensure Bernie is inevitable as our Democratic nominee!!




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

[evertonfc]

34. you will be surprised how damaging

those old grainy videos and essays are in middle America and Southeast. It will be devastating to the over 65 demographic. My guess is they will bring out old acquaintances as well. I think Bernie can win but it's better he's vetted now than later.