It Doesn't Matter if Sanders Stays on Primary Ballots.

[MineralMan]

Not one bit. Here's why:

He has withdrawn from the campaign. What that means is that most people will not mark their ballot next to his name. Most people. Some still will, but the 15% rule means that he will not get any delegates in most remaining primary states.

It also means that Joe Biden will get most of the votes in those states. In any state where Senator Bernard Sanders (I-VT) does not receive 15% of the vote or more, he will get zero delegates, except for a very few in some districts. What that will do is put Biden over the 1991 pledged delegates that ensure he will win on the first ballot at the Convention.

With that assurance, Bernie Sanders will have very little influence on the party platform or rules. He simply will not have enough clout to be able to change things to suit himself.

Once Joe Biden has the requisite majority of pledged delegates, the game changes completely. He will have that majority before all of the states have even held their postponed primary elections.

I can see what Senator Sanders is attempting here by withholding his enthusiastic endorsement, but it is not going to work. Now that he has announced his exit from the campaign, fewer and fewer people will vote for him on primary ballots. Since there is no point in voting for him, many of his supporters will simply not bother to go to the polls at all in the remaining primary elections, further limiting Sanders' chances at reaching that 15% result in those states. We saw that happen in Michigan.

What he should do is recognize that fact and issue the strongest endorsement of Joe Biden that he can muster. Will his endorsement be enthusiastic? Probably not. His bitter exit from the field and his campaign-style speech in doing so sounded a lot like his regular stump speech. So, I don't expect a strong endorsement from him.

A Note to Bernie Sanders:
More's the pity, Bernie, regarding your non-endorsement. You could do a service to the nation with an enthusiastic endorsement. You probably won't, but you should do that, just to show that you really don't want Trump as President. I hope you learned from 2016, and will work hard to elect Joe Biden. If you cannot do that, then please hold your tongue altogether. That's the least you can do. Consider the future, please, and do what is right to do. We'll all appreciate your endorsement of our next President. Withhold it, and we will withhold our praise. I guarantee that.

[The Magistrate]

1. Something That Might Help, And Might Even Drive Things Home To Sanders, Sir

Would be for well-meaning supporters of Sen. Sanders to make clear the partisans of that faction of 'Bernie' adherents which seems unwilling to support the Democratic nominee are flat wrong, and to seek by their own actions to demonstrate how wrong they are. Rather than to claim that when this faction of 'Bernie' devotees are attacked for what they are, nihilist wreckers whose actions assist the cheap thug Trump, it is they themselves who are being attacked. It is rather like a main-line Protestant minister complaining that when the likes of Falwell Jr. or Rick Wiles is attacked for their pernicious statements and actions, it is Christianity, and all Christians, who are being attacked. If you are not claiming Mr. Biden is a senile racist rapist who killed millions in Iraq, whom you could under no circumstances vote for, no one is attacking you. I certainly am not, and would not. You would probably find I agreed with you on many points of policy, and certainly on most goals to be sought.





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[MineralMan]

2. Driving Things Home to Sanders, Sir, Is Probably Not Possible, I Fear.

My final paragraph, I know, is useless. Bernard Sanders will make up his own mind, or has already done so. As I also said, more's the pity.

[The Magistrate]

3. An Obvious Turning From Him Of Many In His Flock, Sir

Might have some effect on our High Sparrow.

It would certainly be of benefit to unity behind Mr. Biden's campaign.





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[MineralMan]

5. On that, we agree, Sir.

[femmedem]

4. It matters to people who would not otherwise have to go vote in a primary during a pandemic. n/t

[MineralMan]

6. Perhaps so. However, now there is little reason for Sanders supporters

to vote in the primary, I think. I believe enough voters will brave the pandemic and vote to ensure that Biden gains a majority of pledged delegates.

[femmedem]

14. "I believe enough voters will brave the pandemic": and some of them will die as a result.

Some will live but infect others who will die. Flattened curves are likely to become steep again. Businesses are likely to remain closed longer. People are likely to go longer without seeing their loved ones in assisted living and nursing homes. All of that matters a hell of a lot to me, regardless of who wins the remaining primaries.

I live in an area of Connecticut where the peak isn't expected until mid-May, just two weeks before our primary, so this is personal for me.

[MineralMan]

15. More and more states are making it much easier to vote by mail.

Here in Minnesota, a bill has been introduced that would mail ballots to every voter for our state and local primary election and for the November election.

Perhaps this year will be the year mail-in ballots become standard in enlightened states.

Can you vote by mail in your state? If so, I urge you to do that.

[femmedem]

18. We cannot. And it's a state constitutional issue.

So under ordinary circumstances this wouldn't be remedied through the legislature. They are looking for a way to work around it, either by executive order or by expanding the ability of people to request absentee ballots due to illness by expanding the definition of illness to include fear of exposure to Covid-19.

Without that, we'd have to commit fraud to request an absentee ballot if we are in good health and are within our district and not working any hour that the polls are open.

The primary would be cancelled if the state receives a letter from the candidate requesting to be removed from the ballot. We're still waiting for Warren's, too, but we expect hers any day.

[MineralMan]

19. I hope they figure something out.

Constitutional requirements at that level are ridiculous. We're getting blowback from the Republicans in our State Senate about mail-in ballots, too, and they have a tiny majority in the Senate.

We'll see what the Governor can get them to do. In any case, no excuse is needed to get an absentee ballot and vote by mail in Minnesota, so...

[Politicub]

7. All of the nominees were still on the ballot in Georgia

Including those who dropped out. I’m guessing that each state has its own law that governs changing the text of a ballot.

[MineralMan]

8. Yes. Most ballots are set early with candidates.

In Minnesota, there were more than two dozen Democratic presidential candidates on our primary ballot. Voters ignored those who had already withdrawn, along with those who were merely vanity candidates. Voters are used to doing that.

[GeorgiaPeanut]

9. I think this is the time for AOC, Ro Khanna, Ayanna Presley, Pramila Jaypal et al

to endorse Biden. Their own futures are also at stake.

Rashida Tlaib probably won't win her primary - she is a goner after booing the great Hillary Clinton who won her district.

Ilhan Omar is 50/50 -- she may lose as well because her affair with a married man (which she falsely denied) and destroyed his family will be an issue.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

10. Omar has two primary challengers, both of whom

seem to be well-credentialed, credible people. I voted for her enthusiastically but she has been a big disappointment; she spends little time in the district actually representing her constituents, and she has an unfortunate penchant for creating completely unnecessary controversies. She just isn't very good at her job. I won't be supporting her this time.

[MineralMan]

12. I am not in Omar's district.

In many ways, I have been disappointed in her since she was elected. However, it is not a matter I can vote on. Those in her district will have to make that decision. I trust they will decide well.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Ah, but I can, and I will.

[MineralMan]

16. Good!

[MineralMan]

11. I think this is the time for all Democrats, elected or non-elected, to endorse Biden.

An endorsement from anyone might well convince another person to vote for Biden and help to ensure a victory.

If a person is a Democrat, then that person should endorse the Democratic nominee for President. That is really a minimum thing to do if you are a Democrat. Not making that endorsement is a demonstration that you are not truly a Democrat in your heart. People who might otherwise vote for you will remember that you refused to endorse a Democratic presidential nominee. That could influence their vote for you.

We have only two viable political parties when it comes to Presidents. Two. It is a binary choice. If you are a Democratic candidate, then it is essential that you endorse the Democratic nominee for President. Anything less is unthinkable.

[GeorgiaPeanut]

20. Yes, but coming from people who had previously endorsed BS carries more weight

and influence over Bernie supporters. Other Democrats are written off as "establishment" in their deep-seated and ingrained narrative.

[R B Garr]

17. Let's just hope that Biden voters don't take Sanders at his word and not show up since

Sanders is still collecting delegates. That was quite a duplicitous message he delivered about supposedly quitting.

[Hav]

21. It just seems he remains in the race "unofficially"

It has the advantage of not being seen as delusional for believing he could still win.
I agree it probably won't matter much but it also delays the moment of uniting behind one candidate. And although the chances for it are probably close to zero, it might generate some bad headlines if BS somehow wins one of the remaining races due to special circumstances, maybe in a caucus with very low turnout in these times.

[thesquanderer]

22. I believe that numerous candidates will remain on numerous primary ballots.

And I agree, Sanders will not be getting many more delegates, and he has now assured that Biden will get to 1991 ahead of the convention. Thanks, Bernie! Though really, it was plenty likely regardless.

re:

I can see what Senator Sanders is attempting here by withholding his enthusiastic endorsement, but it is not going to work.

I'm not sure... one could say that it already has. For example: https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287701615