The notion among the Party's Deep Thinkers is that Bernie is a disaster.

[Johonny]

22. I think Bernie's problem is the media certainly will go after his "socialist" tag but will it stick?

RW leaning voters don't understand what socialism is and will gladly chant keep that socialist's hands off my social security. I have no doubt the media will do nothing to help correct the impression. Indeed they hound Obama as a socialist with little evidence to support it.

The counter is that Bernie's message from his great filibuster speech on saving American capitalism to his very sound positions on Obamacare and Obama's military action in the Middle East would seem to indicate he should have no problem moving Democratic voters.

Much like swiftboats for truth was complete bullshit, so won't all the socialist stuff they would say about Bernie. I note though that it did not prevent the media from running with a bullshit story for months. They tried the socialist thing on Obama, they tried the terrorist thing on Obama, they tried the African thing on Obama, they tried the Muslim thing on Obama.... nothing hung on him and the voting public told the media to fuck off so clearly for some candidates you aren't wrong.

I can honestly say I don't know if Bernie is a Teflon candidate or a magnet. Running him through a primary would likely tell us. I have no problem with him running. If the people that say he can't shake this issue are right then we'll know rather quickly with no harm done to the GE.