If we want to win in 2016, we need Bernie Sanders as our candidate. [View all]

[Scuba]

I don't agree with the "conventional wisdom" that Hillary gives us our best chance of winning. The right has been taught to hate her for a generation. The left is luke warm about her at best. She's reduced to trying to peel off the mythical moderate Republican voter to even compete. Most importantly, she will attract no one from that half of the potential electorate who historically do not bother to vote, and that's where Bernie will excel.

Not only are fully half the votes out there for the taking, but Bernie doesn't need to get half of those potential voters to the polls. Nor a quarter of them. Nor 10%. In 2008, Barack Obama won with a 7.27% margin. In 2012 his margin was 3.86%. Bush won in 2004 with a 2.46% margin and in 2000 he "won" with a minus 0.51% margin. (Source)

It's in the half of the electorate who typically don't vote that the votes are available. And Bernie's the guy to make them see that the parties are indeed different, that there's a candidate actually representing them, and that they should get off their duffs and vote. And that's the path to victory in 2016.