Should Sanders drop out or change his rhetoric?

[swamplizard]

G' Morning all,

After watching the results of yesterdays primaries and Bernie's speech in California, I am wondering if he is unwittingly playing into the GOP's hands. It is no secret that I am a Bernie supporter, but not at the expense of losing the General Election to Donald. Is Bernie giving his followers false hopes and thus risk disenfranchising a large base that will be critical come November?

If Bernie and Hillary can't get it together, then we will lose IMO.

Can I have some civil, reasonable responses on this from fellow Democrats?

 

[brycejones]

Sanders should start pivoting towards how he wants to influence the party platform and focus less on Hillary. The race is effectively over at this point.

 

[swamplizard]

Sanders should start pivoting towards how he wants to influence the party platform and focus less on Hillary. The race is effectively over at this point.

Hi Bryce,

I agree. Perhaps if he and Hillary could reach out to one another and reach a consensus on what is at stake here, we could rally one of the biggest turnouts in history. I wish the two could agree on the fundamental issues and turn their guns loose on the loose cannon.

 

[akenbennu]

As someone who likes Bernie's ideas, I just don't think they're realistic in today's environment. Not enough support in Congress to get most of it through. That said, I'll hold my nose and vote for Clinton over Trump any day of the week.

 

[soundforbjt]

Bernie is fine letting the primary run its course. But he should drop the Hillary/DNC bashing and just keep stating his ideas and constantly remind his supporters how horrible a Trump victory would be for the country.

 

[swamplizard]

Bernie is fine letting the primary run its course. But he should drop the Hillary/DNC bashing and just keep stating his ideas and constantly remind his supporters how horrible a Trump victory would be for the country.

Hi sound,

Yes, this is what I'm getting at, Bernie should stay in the race, but last nights speech was over the top IMHO.

 

[hal2kilo]

Hi sound,

Yes, this is what I'm getting at, Bernie should stay in the race, but last nights speech was over the top IMHO.

He starting to sound like an angry old crank. He needs to get with the program which is to deny Trump getting into the White House.

 

[Bowfinger]

Yes, Sanders and Clinton need to start working together to consolidate his supporters behind her. I think that's going to be a tricky dance, however. Clinton is a mediocre candidate, and she is not very likable. Many of her votes will come from people who are holding their noses and voting against Trump. While that's OK, it's not enough to get the huge turnouts she may need, and that the Democrats need to win back Congressional seats.

Republicans have an inherent edge here because their voters tend to be more reliable. They see voting as a civic obligation. The Democrats need enthusiasm to ensure masses of people will show up to stand in line for hours. Sanders' supporters have that enthusiasm for him. Transferring that enthusiasm to Clinton will be the challenge.

 

[MomentsofSanity]

With his current rhetoric it will be hard for him to pivot and suddenly tell his supports to get behind Hillary. They way he is railing against the party and process can push his supporters towards Trump who is using the same rhetoric or convince them to stay home and not vote at all.

 

[swamplizard]

He starting to sound like an angry old crank. He needs to get with the program which is to deny Trump getting into the White House.

Hi hal,

I hate to say it about my candidate of choice, but he is beginning to sound delusional. Yes, he still has a mathematical chance of securing the nomination, but for Christ's sake, don't drag down the Democratic Party in the outside chance that he may actually reach it.

 

[theeedude]

I don't care if he stays in until the last ballot, but the math is not going to change for him. He's crazy if he thinks he will still be the nominee if he loses even pledged delegates.

 

[K1052]

I watched his speech last night and was struck by how he appears totally disconnected from reality. There is no way he can overtake Hillary even in pledged delegates yet he said he could. He decried the primary process as unfair and that it should be changed just to suit his needs even though he's getting fewer votes. The superdelegates will somehow see the light and switch to his side in spite of trailing in pledged delegates and having no firm allegiance to the party.

Previously I didn't see the harm in him going all the way to the convention as long it was kept civil but recent events, like the NV caucus, portend ominous things if he keeps whipping people up.

 

[swamplizard]

I watched his speech last night and was struck by how he appears totally disconnected from reality. There is no way he can overtake Hillary even in pledged delegates yet he said he could. He decried the primary process as unfair and that it should be changed just to suit his needs even though he's getting fewer votes. The superdelegates will somehow see the light and switch to his side in spite of trailing in pledged delegates and having no firm allegiance to the party.

Previously I didn't see the harm in him going all the way to the convention as long it was kept civil but recent events, like the NV caucus, portend ominous things if he keeps whipping people up.

Hi K1052,

As a Bernie supporter I can't find anything wrong with your assessment. I have an important meeting to attend. I hope that constructive ideas can be generated until I return. Thanks to all that want to defeat Trump in 2016.

 

[ivwshane]

He has already started to pivot. His speech last night had no mention of hillary and instead, at worst, focused on the DNC, the primary setup and trump.

He already realizes he can't win but he has such an amazing base of supporters (as in the amount and the loyalty of said supporters) that I think he is simply trying to figure out the best way to exit the race without coming off like a traitor.

Is he giving his supporters a false hope? Well his whole campaign has been based on a false sense of hope so I don't think it matters.

 

[IBMer]

Yes, Sanders and Clinton need to start working together to consolidate his supporters behind her. I think that's going to be a tricky dance, however. Clinton is a mediocre candidate, and she is not very likable. Many of her votes will come from people who are holding their noses and voting against Trump. While that's OK, it's not enough to get the huge turnouts she may need, and that the Democrats need to win back Congressional seats.

Republicans have an inherent edge here because their voters tend to be more reliable. They see voting as a civic obligation. The Democrats need enthusiasm to ensure masses of people will show up to stand in line for hours. Sanders' supporters have that enthusiasm for him. Transferring that enthusiasm to Clinton will be the challenge.

Its funny how Clinton has become a mediocre candidate when not but 4 years ago, this was the case:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...ys-hillary-unbeatable-in-2016-by-current-gop/

They thought she was unbeatable. It is fairly obvious what happens to 4 years of hits on her does and just something being a scandal even if its proven without merit still sticks with someone forever.

 

[michal1980]

clinton didn't drop out in 08 until june.

 

[K1052]

Is he giving his supporters a false hope? Well his whole campaign has been based on a false sense of hope so I don't think it matters.

The answer to that is an unequivocal yes. The longer and farther this goes the bigger the boom will be at the end when it all comes crashing down and he'll shrug off responsibility (and the consequences) on a party that he is only a member of for political convenience yet will blame for his failure. I used to have some respect for Sanders but that's pretty much evaporated now.

 

[cubby1223]

Its funny how Clinton has become a mediocre candidate when not but 4 years ago, this was the case:

http://www.breitbart.com/big-govern...ys-hillary-unbeatable-in-2016-by-current-gop/

They thought she was unbeatable. It is fairly obvious what happens to 4 years of hits on her does and just something being a scandal even if its proven without merit still sticks with someone forever.

Or the other interpretation, Clinton always was mediocre and the current GOP were below mediocre. Your link isn't really saying much to make your point.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

He doesn't want to become like Cruz toward the end where he essentially was betting on influencing the people who set the rules then use some trickery to get on the ballot during a second vote. Nobody wants to support a Candidate that operates like that.
Currently Bernie is not that guy but he will soon become a sore loser then transition to that guy. Bernie needs to be careful.

 

[Jhhnn]

Or the other interpretation, Clinton always was mediocre and the current GOP were below mediocre. Your link isn't really saying much to make your point.

I always have trouble with the whole Clinton as mediocre schtick. She actually has the best resume of any modern candidate whether a person likes her or not.

The Repub field? Woof. None of those dogs can hunt & Trump knew it. Even when he's barking up the wrong tree he convinces people that there's something up there... he's a great hunter.

 

[Jhhnn]

Bernie needs to use his head & look in his heart, not listen to the bullshit his campaign is feeding him. His people screwed the pooch in Nevada, then got all bent out of shape because they couldn't unscrew it by changing the rules afterwards.

His campaign has been afforded every opportunity to convince Dems to pick him & we apparently aren't doing that. They need to get over themselves rather soon & help put a Democrat in the White House.

 

[Bowfinger]

I always have trouble with the whole Clinton as mediocre schtick. She actually has the best resume of any modern candidate whether a person likes her or not.

Since I made the original comment, I wasn't talking about her overall qualifications as a POTUS. I agree, she has a very strong resume.

IMO, her mediocrity relates to some of her positions and her strength as a candidate. For example, she is relatively old; younger candidates project more energy and vigor. She is too hawkish and her Iraq vote was a major black mark on her record. She has been inconsistent on important issues, raising valid questions about where she really stands and even her integrity. She is not very likable, lacking the charisma and charm that Bill has, for example. Finally, she has a lot of baggage that will be used against her.

The Repub field? Woof. None of those dogs can hunt & Trump knew it. Even when he's barking up the wrong tree he convinces people that there's something up there... he's a great hunter.

Absolutely agree. However "mediocre" Clinton may be, her GOP competitors were a horror show. Clinton is clearly the better candidate.

 

[soundforbjt]

My biggest fear is that he listens to Drumpf or his supporters and runs third party.

 

[werepossum]

He starting to sound like an angry old crank. He needs to get with the program which is to deny Trump getting into the White House.

And which Presidential candidates aren't angry old cranks again?

 

[Bowfinger]

[ ... ]
His campaign has been afforded every opportunity to convince Dems to pick him & we apparently aren't doing that. ...

That's not really true. Nearly half of the party voted for Sanders, and his support grew as time passed. It is quite possible that were we to start over today, Sanders would win a solid majority. Nonetheless, we aren't starting over and Clinton is, in fact, winning. That's reality.

Sanders' supporters need to recognize that if Clinton wins the nomination as expected, they can't live in a fantasy world. They may need to swallow their pride and decide if they really think Trump is preferable to Clinton. Meanwhile, Clinton supporters may also need to swallow their pride and stop being so obnoxious towards Sanders supporters. You need their support. You need them to show up on election day. Both camps need to come together.