Sanders on running against Obama: 'Ain't gonna do it'

[jefferson_dem]

Sanders on running against Obama: 'Ain't gonna do it'
By Jordan Fabian - 12/27/10 11:24 AM ET

One of the Senate's liberal leaders says that, despite receiving pleas to challenge President Obama in 2012, he is not taking the bait.

When asked about launching a potential primary challenge of the president, self-described democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said he "ain't gonna do it."

"You will be the first to know, ain't gonna do it," he said during an interview on Vermont's WCAX-TV.

Speculation mounted that Sanders could run against Obama after he spent over eight hours this month railing against the president's tax-cut deal on the Senate floor in a speech that came to be known as the "filibernie."

A website even sprouted up titled bernieforpresident.com that bills itself as, "An independent and Quixotic plea for sanity."

"Let’s face it, this will never happen," the site reads. "But hey, why not at least put it out there."

Sanders says he is, "Very proud to be Vermont's senator."

"I am very content to be where I am, but I am flattered by that kind of response," he said.

If Sanders had decided to challenge Obama, he would have faced a steep uphill climb. A recent Magellan Strategies poll found Obama with a 71-point lead over Sanders among registered voters in New Hampshire, a key early primary state.

VIDEO at LINK: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/135183-sanders-on-obama-primary-challenge-aint-gonna-do-it

[Skink]

1. I always felt Ralfph Nader could have done a lot of good if he had run for congress.

we need a left leaning Governor in the mold of Howard Dean.

[onehandle]

3. Yep. Nader could have been an effective voice in Congress.

But he'd rather be a whiny spoiler.

[vaberella]

12. I had said something in regards to him running for President.

Most definitely if he ran for Congress he would have been good. He never bothered so I always questioned if he ever really cared about the people. A pragmatist would have aimed for that and he would have probably made a name for himself for the good he did. He chose not too so I always saw him as someone who was more into publicity than really anything else.

[phleshdef]

2. Sanders, Dean, Franken, Weiner, whoever - will be endorsing and campaigning for Obama/Biden 2012.

[Davis_X_Machina]

7. At this point, I think the choice of real progressives at DU is down to...

....Warren Mosler/Somebody Else, 2012!

I'll have the bumper stickers ready soon...

[Clio the Leo]

25. As will all good Democrats. ;-) nt

[tekisui]

4. Aw, too bad. Not surprising though.

I'd love to see a challenge from the left, even though I don't think anyone could beat Obama in a primary. I'd like to see it just to push Obama left and expose how much towards to center Obama has been moving.

[impik]

5. He would lose 80-20 at best

He's a great man, great senator, and he doesn't stand a shred of a chance to beat Obama - Just lie any other "progressives" fantasy challenger.

[tekisui]

8. I agree that no one on the left could beat Obma, but I'd love to see

a challenge form the left, just to demonstrate how far from the left Obama actually is, and hopefully a challenger would push Obama left.

[vaberella]

13. It's not even about beating Obama. Can you seriously see Sanders beating the Right?

With this politics. I think you're not looking at this with the full lense here. This is more than just beating Obama. Is there anyone in the Dem party who can beat a Republican leader aside from Obama. Can you name one? In this extremely right wing nation.

[tekisui]

15. It is not an extremely right wing nation.

I don't think it is impossible for a candidate to capture the frame from the left as a representative of the people, of the working class and as a defender of the people against the status quo and big business. If done right, there could be a very effective candidate from the left. I don't accept your fatalism that the nation cannot elect a populist candidate form the left.

Like I said, I don't think anyone could beat Obama from the left. But, I would like to see the candidate challenge Obama to more clearly define Obama's economic centrism.

[boppers]

28. Compared to what nation?

When has the US seized businesses? Shut down right wing media outlets? Run re-education camps?

We're not very left-wing, by many measures.

[valerief]

6. This country doesn't deserve Sanders. Unfortunately. nt

[jenmito]

9. How long before you'd turn against him because he'd still be limited in what he could

get done due to Congress?

[valerief]

14. I LOVE Bernie Sanders. Don't you? nt

[jenmito]

20. You just totally ignored my post! n/t

[valerief]

21. It was a total non sequitur. Why would I turn against Bernie Sanders?

That's stupid. You're just trying to provoke and I'm not biting, baby!

[jenmito]

23. "...because he'd still be limited in what he could get done due to Congress"...

like Obama.

[valerief]

26. I know that. We need Bernie in the Senate. nt

[cali]

17. Maybe not, but we Vermonters surely do.

[valerief]

19. That's true. You're smart enough to continually vote for him. You surely deserve him!

The rest of the country votes for lobbyists like Coburn or McConnell or Inhofe.

[CreekDog]

10. I have the same criticisms of Obama but Sanders running is not the solution

and probably anybody else challenging him is not the solution either.

the solution is more along the lines of getting Obama to recognize that your support is gettable and useful and will help him more than it will harm him with other constituencies that he's sees as gettable.

tricky, but doing so requires a willingness to engage Obama enough for him to see that he might get your support rather than completely abandoning him in a "never again" way, which if you do, he will seek other votes to compensate.

politicians do this. learn how to use predictable behavior to your advantage. :D

[mdmc]

11. bernie!

[DFLforever]

16. See: Bernie's every bit as smart and shrewd

and committed as we all think he is and likely a much stronger supporter of President Obama that quite a few on DU.

[Arkana]

18. Clearly this is a sign that he's already planning Sanders 2012!

I'm off to the nearest HQ! Who's with me?!

[mtnsnake]

22. If Sanders were to run against Obama, I guarantee he'd beat him hands down

Deion Sanders was one of the fastest football players to ever play the game. :smoke:

[BklnDem75]

27. I'd have to give that honors to Barry

Barry Sanders, that is.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

24. Despite the haters, Bernie ain't no fuckin' fool!!