If there actually was a viable "Draft Bernie Sanders for President" movement - would you support it?

[Douglas Carpenter]

Poll question: If there actually was a viable "Draft Bernie Sanders for President" movement - would you support it?

I realize this is dreaming and though not entirely impossible - it is highly unlikely. But still would you support it, IF?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

1. I'd add Dean and Kucinich

[Recursion]

26. Why Dean? He's hardly "far left"

Where do people get the idea that he agrees with people like Sanders and Kucinich on policy questions?

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

28. on Howard Dean

Dean's views on the war in Afghanistan, and dismay with Obama's penchant to cave, most notably on single payer and the public option. People see a tenacious bulldog in Dean, not the whipped puppy Obama has morphed into. I would back Kucinich, but Dean *may* be more electable. Kucinich and Dean have run for President, Boxer hasn't or ever indicated that she's interested.

I'd like to see what Alan Grayson is up to, next, too. :)

[Douglas Carpenter]

35. you are absolutely right.

I suspect because Gov. Dean publicly opposed the invasion of Iraq in 2003 - people have the idea that he represented the left of the party. But even a cursory examination of his actual record as Governor or even his actual position on most issues reveal someone pretty much in the same political camp as Clinton or Obama - certainly not someone on the left. Like most successful politicians he is a masterful opportunist - recognized in 2003/2004 that there wa a market for someone on the left and he responded to that opportunity.

[NightWatcher]

2. the system is set up so that no radical or truly Anti-establishment candidate can make it

Jimmy Carter was the closest and last person to get it like this. Obama was close, but had the backing of the a strong machine in 2008

Willie Nelson, Kucinich, or Sanders could not jump through the hoops or thwart the establishment and sneak in.

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

23. Ooops, you subbed Willie Nelson for Howard Dean

Pretty telling that this would be done intentionally.

[onehandle]

3. Define viable. Because in this universe, it is not.

If I could wave a wand and make Bernie President, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

That's the Only way he would ever be President.

[Goldstein1984]

4. Sanders always seems to roll at the last minute, but yes.

I don't know how good he'd be, but I know how bad it is.

[racaulk]

5. Sure, if you want Sarah Palin to be President!!1

:sarcasm:

Hey, you know somebody is going to say it. I just wanted to be first. :P

In all seriousness, I think Bernie Sanders is amazing and I would fully support him in a bid for the Presidency. We could also use a lot more Senators like him.

[cali]

6. it is entirely impossible

I can think of little that Bernie would hate more or be worse at than running for prez.

[NotThisTime]

52. +1

[Radical Activist]

7. In 2016.

[ibegurpard]

8. I find that I am in agreement with him much of the time on policy, so yes, or someone like him

[Crusader Rabbit]

9. Bernie?

Who is Bernie Sanders?

[Slit Skirt]

10. Senator Sanders Vermont

[MineralMan]

11. No. It would be a complete waste of time. Bernie Sanders

would not win a single primary. Not one. I like him very much, but he is a poor choice for a Presidential candidate, unless you really, really want the Republicans to win.

[frazzled]

15. Um, he wouldn't have to win a primary: he's not a Democrat

He self identifies as a Socialist. He'd have to run as an independent, third-party candidate.

[Smarmie Doofus]

20. Plenty of time to reregister as a DEM in virtually...

... every primary state.

[RaleighNCDUer]

21. Right. If we really want to beat the Republicans,

we need to run a Republican.

[PBS Poll-435]

12. Even if he weren't more unelectable than Kucinich, I doubt he would want the job. nt

[Douglas Carpenter]

22. oh I totally disagree - Bernie is well respected even by a lot of Fox News watching, teabagger types

His plain speaking style which is kept focused on bread and butter issues sells across the board. Now Kucinich as great as his positions are - which at times are more progressive than Sen. Sanders simply has an image problem on the national stage. Sen. Sanders is able to project himself as an ordinary person who understands ordinary working people. Something many other progressives like Dennis Kucinich tend to lack.

[dionysus]

13. you could replace obama with bernie now and nothing would chnage. the senate is broken.

[obxhead]

14. I would, but "viable" is the key word.

As good of a man as he is, he is simply unelectable.

With DADT as an indicator, we will have a cartoon character as pres before Mr. Sanders could become President unfortunately.

[Vinca]

16. Yes! I love Bernie.

[stray cat]

17. Do you think he could beat a lousy GOP candidate like Palin

[Smarmie Doofus]

19. I think the point is it would make a *difference*....

... if he did.

[sarcasmo]

18. 9 cheerleaders walk into a bar.

[treestar]

24. Let's say he were President

In this dream, what would Congress be like? How many Socialists would it have in each House?

[Recursion]

25. It might be fun, just to watch the meltdown here...

...when he also has to actually be pragmatic and get things done.

[AndrewP]

27. How about Bernie Kosar?

[zorahopkins]

29. Yes! YES! A THOUSAND TIMES "YES"!

I would definitely support a Draft Bernie Sanders Movement!

YES WE WOULD!

[Harry Monroe]

30. How about Alan Greyson?

We need someone with a real set of gonads (and to the females here, I use this term figuratively) who won't cave to the Republicans and won't take any of their bullshit!! Bernie Sanders also fits the bill. I wonder where Obama is hiding his set?

[aquart]

31. Draft him into what?

What party organization does he have that extends to fifty states?

[B Calm]

32. Wow. . A socialist president! Count me in. . .

[Recursion]

33. What would a hypothetical President Sanders have done differently over the past two years

I'm genuinely curious.

[Douglas Carpenter]

34. he would have framed the debate on healthcare, financial reform and just about every other issue

totally differently and would have at least given these issues a fighting chance. President Obama cannot be fairly blamed for everything the Republicans and the blue dogs blocked - but he can be fairly criticized for allowing them to frame the debate. President Obama was elected with a mandate for change. He had the momentum especially following the financial market collapse - or near collapse - to go directly to the people and completely roll right over the Republicans and the blue dogs and their sycophants in the media - but sadly and most unfortunately for the country - he allowed this window of opportunity to close.

As we see in the health care debate - debate President Obama never once turned the issue into a campaign for a moral, patriotic and practical imperative. He allowed the blue dogs, the Republicans and the insurance industry to define the debate and define opposition to even a much watered down pro-insurance company plan as a moral, patriotic an practical imperative and consequently - we ended up with the Romney plan - a pro-insurance company, Republican plan well to the right of the old Nixon plan of the late 60's or even the Dole plan of 1993. Still the Republicans would still frame this Republican plan as a socialist government takeover.

Few politicians of any persuasion are better communicators than Bernie Sanders who is able to explain the progressive perspective to ordinary working people in a manner that keeps the focus on bread and butter issues. President Obama cannot do this. I suspect largely because he probably has few strong or firmly held political convictions.

[Recursion]

40. Ah, right: the mythical "framing" ability

And this "frame" would have made how many Republican senators support his agenda?

[Douglas Carpenter]

41. the Democrats held solid majorities in both houses

passing sweeping legislation requires reshaping the political culture. When the Republicans stand for something and the Democrats stand for modified Republican policies that are in many ways more conservative than what old-style Republicans once stood for - we are left with only one solid reason to vote Democratic - They are not as bad as the Republicans - and they are the only viable alternative - we simply don't have much of a democratic culture left.

I will certainly support Obama in 2012 because the Republicans are far worse. I wish there were more solid positive arguments than that.

Ronald Reagan did not succeed in passing many of the most important parts of his right-wing agenda during his first two years or even his two terms - He did however start the process. Unlike Obama or any other mainstream Democratic Party leader he did fight hard for his long term agenda probably because unlike most mainstream Democratic Party leaders - he actually had conviction.

[Recursion]

42. I agree with you halfway

I think a comparison to Reagan is apt, because Obama too is shifting the direction of the conversation. This is why health care reform was so important, for instance: the government is involved in the economy in ways that were nearly unimaginable 4 years ago.

[TwilightGardener]

36. LOL--I'm sure a REAL socialist has a chance of getting elected. Nothing against him, of course--

he's a good guy. But let's get real.

[Douglas Carpenter]

37. he wins conservative rural districts by landslide margins

He is one of those rare people who is able to actually get Fox News watching teabaggers types to stop and think. For one thing he comes off as an ordinary guy who understands the trials of ordinary people thus avoiding the elitist image that plagues most of those on even the center-left. For another thing, he keeps the focus on bread and butter issues. He makes sense to ordinary people. Try asking some working class right-wingers who have listened to Bernie Sanders when he has appeared on Fox what they think of him. One might be surprised at the respect he commands.

[TwilightGardener]

38. In Vermont. I just think you'd have about the same luck getting an actual commie

elected President in the 1950's as a socialist today. It's just a dirty word in politics--and the fact that it's applied to Obama is laughable, but they've tarnished him with it.

[cali]

39. there really aren't any conservative districts here

I know. I live in the Northeast Kingdom, which is always touted as the conservative part of Vermont. It's not. We voted for Obama. Hell we voted for Jesse Jackson here. Pat Leahy wins in the Kingdom. So does Peter Welch.

I've traveled this country widely and I don't believe for one minute that Bernie could be elected statewide in Nebraska or Missouri or even CT.

[Douglas Carpenter]

43. perhaps you are right Cali - maybe there is no hope for this country - perhaps I'm just dreaming

Or perhaps I should move to Vermont or even back to Europe where I became a social-democrat in the first place. Still America is a global power unlike any little European country and the direction America takes affects the whole world on a scale unlike any other country in world history.

But I am amazed how many conservatives will actually listen to Bernie and seem to respect him and even agree with a lot of what he has to say. Because he talks like someone who understands ordinary working people - he seems to have amazing crossover appeal - Something lacking even in most "centrist" Democrats.

[cali]

48. hi douglas. good to see you.

here's the thing. Vermont is a tiny place. And its smallness- both population wise and geographically allows for politicians to really engage with the public. So although I certainly have neighbors who bridle at the word socialist, they know Bernie- not to mention that he has great constituent advocacy and outreach.

I agree that Bernie seems to garner a remarkable amount of respect from conservatives. And he really is a down to earth person who doesn't condescend.


I gotta say though, that Bernie hates traditional campaigning and it's not possible to run for president without engaging in the bullshit he so detests.

I have a lot of hope for Vermont. Our new governor is a genuinely smart, progressive guy. He's assembling a terrific team- really impressive. Our statehouse is filled with genuinely good folks. Our House Speaker, Shap Smith really gets things done. Hey, Windham County just elected Peter Galbraith to the State Senate.

It's easy to engage politically here and feel like you're making a difference, and that is gratifying. We also have local media that's vibrant and, well, non-commercial. Take a look at this: http://vtdigger.org/

So yeah, if you can take the winters, Vermont is a place worth living.

[BzaDem]

44. What if Bernie Sanders not only endorsed Obama's re-election, but admonished anyone who would even

think about not voting for him?

Would you then throw Bernie Sanders under the bus?

(Because that's exactly what's going to happen.)

[Douglas Carpenter]

45. if Obama is the only alternative to the Republicans I will support him - because the alternative is

far, far worse. I just wish there were more positive reasons for supporting Obama;s reelection.

[BzaDem]

46. In terms of positive reasons

How about http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=9692905">this?

While the President is of course the leader of the executive branch, many people don't think about how the President also appoints the judiciary (a significant portion of it per term).

For domestic policy, the President is significantly limited by Congress. But for judges, he only needs to have a 1-vote majority in the Senate to appoint them to lifetime terms.

[Douglas Carpenter]

47. in terms of the courts and other executive appointments - I agree

The President also has a lot of bully pulpit influence which sadly this President has not been very effective in using to advance a progressive agenda - to put it mildly.

[Dr Morbius]

49. I like Senator Sanders a lot.

But I think he's perfect right where he is.

Alan Greyson needs a gig, you know. And he's feisty; I'd like a feisty Democratic President. Please!

[cali]

50. Grayson is inexperienced. He can't hold as congressional seat.

I can't imagine anything more futile stituents.

[TheUnspeakable]

51. Yes I would and I think he could win-here's why..

Because he is not a Democrat-Most of the right-wingers I know are simply conditioned to hate
Democrats-not really Democratic policies-just Democrats (thanks Media!) If you sent a tape of one of Bernie's floor speeches to a tea-bagger they would probably be hard-pressed to find a lot to disagree with. Like Thom Hartmann has said many times, when he lived in Vermont, he would see signs for Bernie on people's lawns right next to signs for Bush. He is so smart and pragmatic, I think he would be the perfect candidate-but I bet he wouldn't want to run.

[RushIsRot]

53. I'd make certain he avoided ALL aircraft if he ran. Hate to see him Wellstoned.