Sanders allies expect him to make second White House bid

[left-of-center2012]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by DonViejo (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Hill

Allies to Bernie Sanders say the Independent senator from Vermont is increasingly likely to make a second bid for the White House in 2020 — once again as a Democrat.

“I expect him to run,” said Larry Cohen, the chairman of Our Revolution, an organization formed by Sanders operatives after their candidate lost the Democratic presidential primary to Hillary Clinton in 2016.
“He’s probably the most popular elected official,” Cohen added.

Jeff Weaver, who served as Sanders's campaign manager in 2016, said Sanders “is being very thoughtful about” whether he enters the ace.

“He's very focused on the question of beating Trump and putting a Democrat in the White House,” Weaver said.
“And if he runs it's because he thinks he's the one to do it.”



Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/406594-sanders-allies-expect-him-to-make-second-white-house-bid

---

[DURHAM D]

1. ...

[LiberalLovinLug]

140. But surely you'd wake up in time to vote in 2020 right?

Even if the primary winner was Sanders.

Surely there wouldn't be Democrats that would refuse to vote for the winner in the general because they didn't like the choice. That he wasn't pure enough. Right?


I don't mind him running, but I'd like to see some younger blood in the game. So while I'm stoked he is running, because he will be able to promote more Democratic progressive ideas to the conversation, I think his opportunity has passed, sadly. Its time for Harris or Schiff to run.....and win.

But if per chance Sanders wins.....this place will go into meltdown for the loud n proud dividers in here.

[Me.]

161. But What Primary Would He Win...Under What Party

He isn't a Dem so it wouldn't be that one

[LiberalLovinLug]

165. Maybe you missed this part

"Allies to Bernie Sanders say the Independent senator from Vermont is increasingly likely to make a second bid for the White House in 2020 — once again as a Democrat."

[Me.]

168. I Haven't Missed A Thing

But perhaps his allies have missed the part where you have to be a DEm to run in the Dem primary and he is very adamantly, in his own words which maybe they missed, not a Dem. I think they'll find that there is no stomach for the Dem Party being used a second time.

[LiberalLovinLug]

170. So...

You'd rather the most popular Senator in the country start up his own "Our Revolution" third party and run as an Independent? Running on many of the same issues as the Democrats? The irrational hatred of the man may just come back to bite you in the butt.

IMO he does a great service to the party by corralling all that populism towards the Democratic party. He's probably responsible for many more youth and Independents voting D. Most DC Dems understand that.

[Me.]

171. First

That poll naming him as most popular Senator has been questioned and disputed since it first came out. And he has started OR and I'm not impressed so that doesn't add to the attraction of him running a country. It's not irrational hatred not to think he's the end all and be all and trying to insult me for not genuflecting before him is irrational. And it won't come back to bite me because as many have realized he's more talk than solutions and that's what we actually need. AS for him running as an indie, I'd bet cash money he'll never do it...he'd have to use his own resources which he won't and structure which he doesn't have.

[LiberalLovinLug]

173. sigh

More than one poll has said this. But does it really matter if he is only the second, or third most popular? My point still stands.

We need that populism working for US!

And the only people I hear saying he thinks he is the "end all and be all" or that "it's all about him" are posters that like to SAY that is what he or his supporters think of him. People don't support Sanders for his gender, or age, or personal charm(!), they support him for the issues he passionately fights for.

cheers

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

181. You're right on so many levels... one can only hope Bernie runs again.

[George II]

203. Then why isn't he President today?

[zanana1]

208. America wasn't ready for him then.

But now America is desperate for him.

[betsuni]

193. The choices in the poll for most popular were:

Bernie Sanders, Mike Pence, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Elizabeth Warren, Paul Ryan, Nancy Pelosi, Rex Tillerson, Jeff Sessions, Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Stephen Bannon. Seven Republicans, four Democrats, one independent. Kind of heavy on the Republicans.

[George II]

195. That's the other skewed poll of cherry- picked"politicians" to choose from...

... as you point out heavy on the republicans and not even all "politcians" - when did Steve Bannon become a politician? And at the time the poll was first conducted, Obama was still President, Why wasn't he included as a choice?

Sanders was more"popular" than Obama at the time? Hahahaha!!

[betsuni]

199. Oops! I forgot about the most popular Senator one.

He's popular in Vermont.

[George II]

202. Among all 600,000 constituents!!!

[betsuni]

206. They really love Bernie's status quo!

[George II]

194. Here we go with that "most popular" thing again?

He's the most popular IN VERMONT among VERMONT constituents! In fact, the poll question didn't even use the word " popular".

Can anyone show us how " popular" he is in New York, or California, or Florida, or Texas?

[Me.]

2. Why?

If he's focused on putting a Dem in the WH why is he running?

[Cary]

7. Great minds...

When I saw this OP a heavy feeling of fatigue came over me.

[democratisphere]

30. Agreed.

I have the exact same feeling.

[pandr32]

32. Heavy is right

I sighed a big sigh and heard "oh no" coming from my mouth. Took the lightness I felt after reading about the Manafort plea deal away instantly.

[Eliot Rosewater]

52. He will NO MATTER WHAT, because it is about him, really.

[Thekaspervote]

93. Absolutely it is!! Not sure why voters can't see it

[LiberalLovinLug]

124. And for very other politician on the planet, its NOT about them

Every other politician campaigns for the other contenders over themselves. They all believe that the other candidate would be better suited for the job. Why can't Sanders just stop promoting himself as a viable candidate? What the hell is wrong with him?

[Eliot Rosewater]

125. Which has ZIP to do with what I was responding to, I responded to someone

who painted Bernie as a selfless person who would bow down etc.
So your point again?

[LiberalLovinLug]

131. what? "who would bow down"?

No you responded to someone that said they had a "fatigue" on hearing he would run.

Frankly I am fatigued with this false equivalency pitted against Sanders and any other Democrat.

"He will NO MATTER WHAT, because it is about him, really"

But you know, any other politician, like the Clintons or Obama, when they promote themselves as the best choice for voters, they are doing it for pure altruistic reasons. But for Sanders it is all about him?

[Eliot Rosewater]

139. I got you confused with this

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=2157568


Either way, I am a Democrat, I support Democrats, period.

I responded to that post probably same time I responded to you.

I just wish people would ask why no tax returns, why no sanctions...but they wont. And as this has NOTHING to do with 2016, I just hope all of his supporters will demand his tax returns for his FUTURE campaigns and DEMAND to know why he first voted to combine the Russia/Iran sanctions then vote AGAINST them stating the reason was they were combined.

[LiberalLovinLug]

144. Well if the DNC says he can run as a Democrat, then he is by all intents

You support the DNC right? He is also supposed to be regarded as a D in regards to the rules in here, but that seems to be loosely enforced.

But seriously, almost every Democratic politician's votes and behaviours could be gone over with a comb and find particular instances that they don't like. I look at the character as a whole.

I think you are one who I share the anger and frustration with about the railroading of Al Franken. But if you balance some past frat boy comic tour behavior with his unrelenting work in the Senate since, I would say the latter far outweighs the former.

Like I've stated, I hope for new younger blood to be our nominee. But on the other hand, if enough rank n file Democrats actually vote him in, then I'll be 100% supportive.

[Eliot Rosewater]

145. Here is what I dont get, why do you not have the SAME suspicions when someone refuses to release

tax returns or refuses to do sanctions if it was anybody else, like rump or any democrat who would do that?

[LiberalLovinLug]

164. Because of his track record, he has a lot of rope.

And because there is usually a good reason behind these kind of cherry picked criticisms. Even if some say he made a mistake, his heart is usually doing things for what he believes are the right reasons.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernies-vote-on-sanctions-was-about-protecting-the-iran-deal-from-trump_us_597df7f8e4b0da64e879b55e

Bernie’s Vote On Sanctions Was About Protecting The Iran Deal From Trump:

In response to the criticism, Sanders tweeted: “I am strongly supportive of sanctions on Russia and North Korea. However, I worry very much about President Trump’s approach to Iran. Following Trump’s comments that he won’t re-certify Iran’s compliance with the nuclear agreement I worry new sanctions could endanger it.”



On his tax returns. I 'd like it if he would have just released the long version. But he released more than Trump. We know for instance that "in 2014, the couple paid $27,653 in federal taxes, resulting in an effective tax rate of 19.6 percent on $140,994 in taxable income." Which, as this article points out, "Sanders' return reveals that his annual $156,000 Senate salary was less than Clinton received for each of the three speeches she gave to Goldman Sachs for a total figure of $675,000."
He's not some billionaire cheating the system. One of the poorest members of the Senate. It may not be a good thing he didn't release them, but really, is that issue so important to cut ones nose off to spite him?
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3543028/Bernie-Sanders-releases-tax-returns.html


What may be in play was he did not want to feed the trolls with a red herring to chew on about how this champion of socialism, one whose own tax proposal would eliminate a lot of the loopholes that everyone else uses, he uses as well if one were to go over the details...gasp. He may have been paranoid how it would be used against him in the race. I don't know for sure. But he had a lot of critics ready to pounce on whatever they could to chisel away at his image. Because as we know, the further to the left you are, the higher the standard you are held to. Mother Jones says it best:

https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/04/no-bernies-taxes-dont-show-hes-hypocrite/


Either way, I'm sorry, but not releasing his long form return in '14 is just not enough of a deal breaker to negate his value in so many other areas. I just think that one must weigh the foibles of any politician, and the degree to which they really matter, against what they have done for the issues that are dear to the heart of most Democrats, and what he brings to the national discourse. (Reminds me again of Franken's situation)

[George II]

172. Comparing his tax return release to trumps is irrelevant....

trump won't be a candidate for the Democratic nomination. What he did in 2016 was release an incomplete return from 2 years earlier. He promised to release his 2016 return (for 2015) more than once. That never happened.

As for the Russia sanctions, he was one of only two senators voting against them, and only three (Maybe five, I forget now) in the House voted against them, ALL republicans except for him. His reason for doing so is questionable, especially since the Iran deal was cancelled anyway.

there can be no rational or logical reason for voting no.

[LiberalLovinLug]

175. "but what about his tax returns?"

You know what that sounds a lot like

"but what about her emails?"

Sanders not releasing the tax forms, or Hillary using the wrong server, though both may be mistakes, does not make irrelevant or drown out everything else they've done for the good of the country. The balance is way off.

I quoted you his reasons for the Iraq sanctions vote. Maybe misguided, I don't know. I haven't really studied this topic. But once again, he had a "rational" reason, it just wasn't shared by others.

He doesn't always go in lockstep with every other Democrat. He's a free radical. He's an anomaly. Why not just live with the grumpy old man for awhile longer? Whatever harm you think he is doing, hes doing a lot more good in counter balance. Its like having a sixth finger on one hand. Just learn to accept it, and maybe, just maybe, that sixth digit might even come in handy one day.

[Gothmog]

176. Luckily ballot access laws in a couple blue states will be in effect for 2020

sanders will not be allowed onto the ballot unless he releases all of his tax returns. I really doubt that sanders will run in 2020 due to these laws

[George II]

198. No it doesn't. Tax returns sounds nothing like emails.

Between 2014 and 2016, after ~25 years in Cmgress, he suddenly went from a claimed net worth of about $500K to about $2 million.

[JonLP24]

190. The Iran deal is still going on with other countries

I oppose sanctions for Iran myself. The bill was designed to appeal to both who wanted sanctions for Russia and Republicans who wanted sanctions for Iran.

[George II]

196. The US Senate didn't vote for other countries and...

... even so, 98% of ALL Senators voted for it, only two against it - Rand Paul, a republican, and Sanders.

About 9q% of all Congressmen voted for it, the only no votes were bn republicans.

That tells me a lot.

[JonLP24]

197. He voted against the sanctions for Iran

I would too. I would treat Russian sanctions as a separate issue which he would vote for.

[George II]

200. He voted against the bill, not just half of it.

[JonLP24]

201. Because of the Iran sanctions

[George II]

204. No matter what he and his supporters claim, he voted against Russia sanctions

[kstewart33]

73. And dread.

So hoping that his running does not blow up this community as happened during the 2016 campaigns.

For sure, Bern's running will split the party and lessen our chances of beating Trump.

[George II]

133. In my case it wasn't fatigue.

[Cary]

138. I'm tired of the B.S.

What else can I say?

[True Blue American]

41. Good question. He is not using our party again.

[David__77]

42. The DNC passed a rule relating to candidate qualifications.

The DNC passed a rule that would require candidates to make a pledge to accept the Democratic nomination and to run and serve as a Democrat. If Sanders agrees to this, then I presume that the DNC will accept him as a Democratic candidate. I also think it's relevant that he got 43% of Democratic primary votes in 2016.

[murielm99]

71. Is the 57% who did NOT vote

for BS irrelevant?

It was never close. Bernie was never going to be the nominee.

[David__77]

75. Of course. Sanders didn't win the nomination.

...

[George II]

136. Then why did you bring it up?

Cynthia Nixon got only 9% less than him last night.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

96. Absolutely... as it should be.

Run Bernie Run!!!

[George II]

162. That's a red sneaker!

[George II]

132. Not to refight the primaries (which you did) but how much of that 43%...

.... were republican votes trying to stop Sanders' opponent????

[bottomofthehill]

192. Yet that is not what he does in the Senate

He runs as a Democrat and declines the nomination once he secures the nomination.

[yurbud]

46. if a Democrat announced who he felt would actually pursue a similar agenda...

he would probably campaign for her or him rather than run himself.

[Eliot Rosewater]

55. Never, many existing Democrats who are in the house or senate now

have had just as progressive of an agenda as he has and no matter who runs, he will run because...

There is a link here showing ELEVEN senators with higher PROGRESSIVE ratings than him INCLUDING Kamala Harris and I think she will run, you think he wont then????

[Me.]

135. Correct

and they're solutions are actually workable/practical

[Me.]

65. I Salute Your Optimism

But cannot join it

[George II]

163. Like he did in the 2016 general election campaign?

Will he share his email list with that Candidate?

[George II]

127. That was exactly my question. Even many of the candidates he supported have lost.

[Renew Deal]

3. He'll lose again

[Cary]

4. Why?

Because he did such a great thing in 2016? That worked out well?

[Me.]

15. Perhaps It's The Money

he and his did pretty well out of the last time around and right now he has close to 10mil for his Senate race which is virtually unopposed. WE need those tax returns.

[yurbud]

48. Hillary stayed in until the bitter end in 2008 & it didn't hurt Obama at all.

[all american girl]

72. Well, considering they were practically tied

Hillary having more votes, and Obama having more delegates, I can understand why. Hillary beat sanders with 4 million more votes and far more delegates...he had no chance of winning after Super Tuesday...See the difference.

2016 was nothing like 2008.

[Cary]

115. Hillary Clinton is a Democrat

We didn't have this Democrat bashing crap.

[Me.]

130. Quite

[mcar]

150. No, she didn't

She endorsed Obama well before the convention.

[betsuni]

189. There's always a WhataboutHillary that isn't even true.

[George II]

160. Three points:

l. It wasn't truly decided until early June

2. She wasn't saying just days before the convention that she was going to fight it on the floor, as Jeff Weaver did.

3. Just days after the convention she was out on the campaign trail WITH Obama and she vigorously campaigned throughout the fall for Obama.

Actually four things...

4. Her delegates didnt organize at the convention to boo "Establishment" Democrats as they spoke.

They had the chutzpah to boo John Lewis - JOHN FUCKING LEWIS!
And no one in his campaign lifted a finger to stop it!

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

182. Don't remind me! Was awful how Obama was treated by many of her supporters.

[awesomerwb1]

5. Here we go again.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

6. I hope not.

I supported him during the primaries (and immediately thereafter switched to Hillary, so don't yell at me), but he had his chance and it's time for someone else. I hope that instead he'll throw his support, which could be very useful, behind a solid, progressive Democrat.

[njhoneybadger]

8. Because the Black voting bloc will turn out in droves for an old white man from Vermont

[Gothmog]

38. I was a delegate to the national convention

I was there when the sanders delegates engaged in a planned stunt of booing Congressman John Lewis on the first night of the convention. The Clinton campaign warned her delegates 20 to 30 minutes before this stunt occurred. Sanders was evidently asked to stop this stunt and refused.

The Texas delegation shared a bus with the Georgia delegation. There were some pissed members of that delegation on Tuesday. I suspect that this incident will come up if sanders really does try to run again.

[Omaha Steve]

105. What is the source that Bernie was asked to stop it?

Honest question. Just wondering.

OS

[Gothmog]

108. I heard this both from my whip and from a delegate in Georgia delegation

I love the term "whipping infrastructure" and the Clinton campaign was organized and had actually vetted her delegates. The Clinton campaign knew everything that sanders delegates were doing and my whip was great about letting us know what stunt the sanders delegates were planning to do next. This was a planned stunt by the sanders campaign/delegates that the Clinton campaign knew about in advance. I was shocked when I got the text from my whip about this stunt and did not think that anyone would pull such a stunt. I was wrong. The next day I saw my whip after the sanders uprising at the Texas delegation breakfast and then talked to a Georgia delegate on the bus trip to the convention site.

Your good friends on JPR were so very very proud at this stunt pulled by the sanders campaign. https://jackpineradicals.com/boards/topic/hey-john-lewis-karmas-a-mf-aint-it/

[George II]

129. That's good enough for me.

[Gothmog]

174. The National Convention was a mess

A group of Sanders delegates decided to yell at my daughter (who was my guest) and call her the C-word because she would not try to get me to change my vote. My daughter had a guest pass to the first night of the convention and got to witness the booing of Congressman John Lewis

[Hekate]

142. Damn that JPR post is nauseating. Good thing the Internet is forever. nt

[Gothmog]

149. The JPR posters on that thread are really sad people

[yardwork]

146. I trust your eyewitness account, gothmog.

You reported on this when it happened.

It was a disgrace, and inexcusable.

[Gothmog]

148. I was very very upset when this happened

The next morning we had the revolt by the sanders delegates who demanded that we condemn Hillary Clinton and vote for sanders

That was a fun breakfast. I had to try to calm down a labor delegate for Clinton who wanted to punch some bernie delegates.

[Eliot Rosewater]

152. No wonder...no wonder...cant say more.

[ehrnst]

157. Yep.(nt)

[mcar]

151. One would think he would know what his supporters were doing

[Hekate]

141. Yeah, I can just feel the groundswell. They booed John Freaking Lewis at the Convention...

I'm sure Latinx voters will be pleased to be reminded how Dolores "Heroine Alongside Cesar Chavez" was shouted down and jostled at a rally as well.

Woo-hoo! Groundswell!

[Gothmog]

177. Susan Sarandon Gets in the Face of Dolores Huerta Nevada Caucus

I remember this

[Frances]

9. Can the Dems make a rule that only registered Democrats can

Run in Democratic primaries
It seems obvious to me that a Democratic primary is about Democrats
Bernie should run as an Independent IMO

[David__77]

19. DNC passed a rule relating to this question.

See, for instance: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/06/08/dnc-rule-change-sanders-supporters-634998

Certainly, this needn't impact Sanders because he could agree to the terms of the rule and run as a Democrat.

[True Blue American]

50. Sanders would have to become a Democrat

No more pretend. That is why the rule was passed.

[David__77]

57. Presumably he'd have to agree to run and serve as a member of the Democratic Party.

I think that, were he to run, he's make such an agreement as those are now the rules of the game.

[True Blue American]

92. Bernie made

That promise last time. That he would go back to the Senate as a Democat. Bernie lied!

[David__77]

95. I don't know that.

"I made a decision in this presidential election that I will run as a Democrat. I am a Democrat now."

"And what I am going to do as the Democratic nominee, if we win this thing -- and I think we have a good chance to do that, is to create a new and different type of Democratic Party..."

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/kavanaugh-denies-high-school-assault-allegation/story?id=57801261

“I am running as a Democrat obviously, I am a Democrat now.”

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2015/11/05/sanders-declares-democrat-nh-primary/75242938/

Subsequently, he declared himself an independent. I didn't locate a quote where he said that he serve as Senator as a Democrat for to a certain date. I can understand frustration with his changes in partisan identification; at the same time, I'm not sure I consider that a lie. That said, he could have made other statements I didn't see that constitute lies.

[jrthin]

10. NO!!!!! nt

[Pisces]

11. I hope not

[Rebl2]

12. No!

I don’t want 70 something’s running for President. Sorry, but this includes Joe. Love you Joe, but please, no.

[yurbud]

51. I would rather have one year of a good president who dies in office than eight...

of a younger corrupt one or worse, one who loses to Republicans by triangulating.

[ehrnst]

158. Many of us remember Reagan.

Perhaps you don't.

[TheCowsCameHome]

13. No. No Sanders, No Clinton, No Biden, No Kerry.

Time to look forward, to the younger generation. They are the future.

[StevieM]

27. Tom Steyer will be 63 in 2020. And he will be my candidate.

I don't want a younger candidate, I want to vote for the guy I like the most.

[Freddie]

33. But I want a candidate under 70 please

Especially running against a 74-year-old.

[StevieM]

40. Well, Biden and Sanders will both turn 79 in 2020. And I fully expect both of them to run.

In the end the people will have to chose who they most want to nominate. Biden and Sanders will likely be the early front runners, but they may give way to other contenders.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

183. I agree with three quarters of your statement.

[Ninga]

14. I would rather he didn't. We have wonderful talent in our

our party .

We don’t need an outsider to take cuts.

[David__77]

16. I would have to see what field take shape before deciding on this one.

While I voted for him in the last primary, I was never convinced that he actually wanted to win, which is a very important factor, in my opinion. I do want there to be a strong candidate who will support reducing military spending and increasing health, welfare, and education spending.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

17. Just in time to stir up divisiveness for the midterms...

[njhoneybadger]

83. I know, it feels like a squeeze bunt play

[still_one]

18. Run as what? He made it clear he didn't want to be identified with the Democratic party, by

immediately changing his party affiliation from Democratic back to independent after the primaries.

If he pulls the same strategy where he decides to change his party identification to Democratic to run for President in 2020 for his political ambitions, it is naïve at best for anyone not to believe this would cause a schism.

Right or wrong, the fires of 2016 are not forgotten by either side, and we need someone who was not associated with the 2016 election.

We need a new face to unite the party 2020, and Sanders or Hillary will not be the ones to do it.

[Me.]

44. Look At The Cut & Run He Did In Vermont

ran for the DEm primary, won, said no thanks and ran as an indie. That kind of two-faced approach will lose us a presidency for sure.

[still_one]

97. It is divisionary

[Dopers_Greed]

20. I voted for him in the primary, and voted for Hillary in the general

I really hope he doesn't run again.

I like him, and he does a great job as Senator.

But anyone who doesn't think he helped Trump win in 2016 is kidding themselves.

[Chemisse]

23. Exactly like me.

My biggest worry is that his candidacy will again divide the Dems in a very contentious way, causing a loss in the end.

[David__77]

35. I can understand your perspective.

At the same time, I want a progressive policy agenda to be at the forefront. That includes things like corporate/financial regulation, greatly expanded health, education, and welfare initiatives, and certainly making comprehensive health care a right unrelated to ability to pay. If he contributes by bringing those things to the center of discussion, that might be helpful.

[CTyankee]

21. Bad idea, Bernie...

You are too old (I'm old, too). I think we need a younger candidate and a woman and I suggest Kamala Harris.

I would go with her and Chris Murphy as VP.

[DFW]

22. Well, there is a certain logic to that

After all, why should those who want to give Trump and Pence their walking papers have an easy time of it?

[Fullduplexxx]

24. Good it'll give me the opportunity to write in hillary's name sort of returning the favor

Not really but an independent running for potus will be tough

[David__77]

37. Sanders supported Hillary Clinton.

How would writing in a name be returning a favor?

[Doitnow]

113. What is more democratic than letting the best men and women run and drawing up contrasts

between them. Seems democratic to me. I voted for Bernie in the primary and for Hillary in the general. If Bernie had gotten on the media like he should have, I believe it would have made a great difference. For a whole year the media covered all the reThugs even tho they were at 2% and Bernie was getting enormous crowd rallies. The media committed the big sin, as far as I'm concerned. I wondered if talking heads were fined if they even mentioned Bernie's name unless of course, they made some kind of sarcastic reference to him.

New, young people sounds pretty good, but lets get someone who knows what they are doing. I want a really complete record of the kind of life they've had and whether or not they've ever done anything for the average person AND the less fortunate. In other words, what kind of RECORD do they have, not merely what they promise to do. Lots of people in Texas knew what George W was like, but it wasn't publicized enough. Lots of people in New York know what 45 is like. Why didn't the rest of us know?

[Tom Rinaldo]

62. Delete - Wrong Placement of reply to OP - See below n/t

[TEB]

25. Give us a break Bernie

[BannonsLiver]

26. ...

[Cryptoad]

28. geeeez,,,,,,,

[leftynyc]

29. FUCK THAT

The Democratic party should make plain TODAY that nobody but a DEMOCRAT will be allowed to run on our party's ticket. Tired of this narcissist USING my party as his platform. Let him run as an independent. Tired of his shit.

[icaria]

102. DEMOCRATic Socialist

What part of DEMOCRATIC-ic do you not understand?

Bernie wants to put a Democrat in the whitehouse.

[leftynyc]

103. Spare me

Either this is sarcasm or you aren't understanding me at all.

[icaria]

106. Political model

Are Tea Party Republicans not Republicans?

Democratic Socialists can run (and win) as Democrats. That avoids the third party spoiler problem.

It’s our misfortune to be stuck with a two party System.

[Hav]

134. Seriously?

Tea party Republicans are Republicans because they are Repubs running as Rs on the ballot. They aren't Independents who caucus with another party. And they don't merely join the Repubs out of convenience or to meet regulations and leave the Repub party immediately after the elections.

[leftynyc]

155. Couldn't agree more. N/t

[icaria]

185. Yes pretty seriously

I don't think Bernie left the Democratic party after the election. I think there is a pretty good argument that he's leading it.

But my real argument is that we need a mechanism to create informal coalitions before an election, and it looks like this idea of having factions under a big tent works to some degree.

[leftynyc]

154. He's an independent

Let him run as one. Tired of him using my party when he has nothing but disdain for it.

[MFM008]

31. Which democrat is he

Planning on putting in the white house??

[Freddie]

34. Better question

Which Republican will he be helping to elect?

[David__77]

36. The nominee is responsible for the nominee's campaign.

...

[Control-Z]

39. Noooooooooo.

Just no.

[LiberalFighter]

43. He will have less support.

I have a few words I would like to say about him.

[Adrahil]

45. For fuck's sake....

No. Just fucking NO.

No more non-Democrats.

You the party's nomination? Try joining the party.

And where's your fucking tax returns, Bernie?

[sheshe2]

47. No!

[ForDemocracy]

49. Great

That's great I hope after seeing the mistake made in choosing Trump he has a better chance this time

[DRoseDARs]

53. Better headline: People who aren't Sanders speaking for him just to get their own names out.

And the predictable Pavlovian response it elicits in the people who hate him because he ran against Hillary in the primary.

Just so fucking tiring. This too shall pass, fortunately, just as no one bitches about the Clinton/Obama primary face-off anymore.

[True Blue American]

60. Yep.

Jeff Weaver.

[betsuni]

167. Talking point: Only reason for criticizing Bernie is "because he ran against Hillary in the primary"

Anything he has said or done in the last two years did not happen. Like:

"It is not good enough to have a liberal elite. I come from the white working class, and I am deeply humiliated that the Democratic Party cannot talk to where I come from." (The working class voted for the Democrat in the last election, Trump voters were not working class and they did not vote for Trump because of economic insecurity. And calling Democrats "liberal elites" only helps Republicans.)

"The business model, if you will, of the Democratic Party for the last 15 years or so has been a failure."

"The Democratic Party has been dominated by wealthy campaign donors."

"Over the last 30 or 40 years the Democratic Party has transformed itself from the party of the working class ... to a party significantly controlled by a liberal elite which has moved very for away from the needs of ... working families in this country."

"It wasn't that Donald Trump won the election, it was that the Democratic Party lost."

He called Planned Parenthood "establishment," meaning they are corrupted by wealthy corporate donors.

Why is it difficult to understand why people don't like it when Bernie says these things? They are not true and only help Republicans. Why not listen to why people have a problem with what he says?

[Cha]

186. Thank You for clearing up that poster's misconception

of why BS isn't liked by multitude members of our Democratic Party, betsuni.

[betsuni]

187. I wish they would listen.

[Cha]

184. I don't care for the way BS has conducted himself since

the 2016 election. He was out there on tv Nov 16, 2016 calling my Democratic Party the party of the "elite".. and making it all about himself. When so many people were hurting from the stolen election(not knowing at the time).

Bernie Sanders 'deeply humiliated' Democrats lost white working-class voters

snip//

Washington (CNN) — Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed his disappointment Monday with Hillary Clinton's failure to secure the support of white working-class voters in last week's presidential election.

Donald Trump "very effectively" tapped into "the anger and angst and pain that many working class people are feeling," the Vermont independent senator who challenged Clinton in the Democratic primary said on "CBS This Morning."

"I think that there needs to be a profound change in the way the Democratic Party does business," Sanders said. "It is not good enough to have a liberal elite. I come from the white working class, and I am deeply humiliated that the Democratic Party cannot talk to where I came from."

https://www.cnn.com/2016/11/14/politics/bernie-sanders-humiliated-democrats-loss-working-class-voters/index.html

Trump Voters Driven by Fear of Losing Status, Not Economic Anxiety, Study Finds

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210532271

White working-class economic anxiety is a zombie idea that needs to die

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/10028434018

The Dangerous Myth That Hillary Clinton Ignored the Working Class

https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/12/hillary-clinton-working-class/509477/

That's just one example of his gratuitous insults to our Party SINCE the 2016 "Election".

[stonecutter357]

54. lol fail !

[HopeAgain]

56. 2020 is still a ways away - let's just focus on midterms

Who I will want to run in 2020 depends on a lot of factors that has not played out yet. Let's focus on flipping whatever we can blue for now...

[MBS]

67. +1000 n/t

[GemDigger]

58. Not this time Bernie.

[onetexan]

63. Agree, NO NO NO NO NO

Bernie is not a Dem, said he's not aDem, and should not be allowed to run as a Dem. The DNC needs to make sure of that.

[GemDigger]

68. It was his refusal to immediately support HRC and his donor list. That was costly and beneficial

for DJT. I gave him a pass and embraced him as a D and then he pissed on me/us and pissed me off. He lost the trust factor.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

61. No, Bernie.

It's all about him. Enough already.

[Tom Rinaldo]

64. I'll say it

5+ years of tax returns is a prerequisite for seeking the nomination again.

[Bok_Tukalo]

66. This time, he will be competing with candidates like himself ...

… in that they are also not Hillary Clinton.

[Power 2 the People]

69. Bernie or Elizabeth Warren, I'll be thrilled with either one.

What a great ticket that would be!

[Marrah_Goodman]

88. Same

[NastyRiffraff]

70. I normally stay far far away from 2020 projections

But on this one, I have to say: HELL NO!

We have plenty of good DEMOCRATS who may or may not run. I'd vote for ANY of them in a primary over Sanders.

[AZ Jim]

74. Go ahead Bernie and

Play the spoiler!!! We Democrats (which you are not one of) have a uphill battle with ANY candidate and will be extremely screwed with you in the race again. Do us a huge favor and stay out of the fray. Nader was our nemesis before you came along. QUIT!!!

[David__77]

77. How would that be playing a spoiler?

...

[Adrahil]

79. The same way he did in 2016....

He'll rile up his more rabid fans. They'll declare their hate for the "establishment" candidate, and they refuse to support that candidate and they'll the Jack Ass Radicals.

WE've seen this movie before.

[David__77]

80. Lots of Sanders voters voted for Clinton.

I’m one of them. Sanders endorsed Clinton. I think with any primary loser there could be supporters who don’t go with the primary winner.

[Adrahil]

86. Yes. Including my wife. Many did not.

Sanders stretched out his campaign as long as possible. He never enthusiastically supported her, it was always "we have to oppose Trump." I honestly do not understand this man's magnetism.

In short, I am completely done with him. He doesn't give a crap about the Democratic Party. If he got the nomination, I would vote for him, but frankly, he killed any possible enthusiasm I could ever have had for him.

[David__77]

90. I understand.

I think that Sanders at least mainly supported Clinton to oppose Trump.

A big part of why I supported Sanders is because I thought that he'd have greater chances of winning the general election. At the same time, I didn't think Sanders was a great candidate. Thankfully, 2020 is a whole new game. Above all else, I'm hopeful that Trump will be defeated.

[StevieM]

87. Yeah but it is made worse if the candidate in question is a woman. There is a lot of sexism in our

society. And it won't be as easy to label a man as "establishment," especially if they were not in the White House before as first lady.

It is so disgusting the way our country handled having a woman candidate for the first time.

[all american girl]

76. No, no, no, no

I'm too tired from the abuse that happened in 2016 to go through this crap again. sanders needs to go knit and leave us alone.

[Hekate]

78. Psst. He's still not a Democrat, & this time the DNC won't waste a nickel of their resources on him

Spoiler candidate. Chronic gadfly against OUR party, but strangely enough not a chronic gadfly against the GOP.

[icaria]

104. Spoiler if he ran as third party

He may run as a Democrat. He would do that to avoid being a spoiler.

[icaria]

111. Our party may include some Democratic Socialists

It’s a big tent. A spoiler candidate would run third party.

[Hekate]

116. BS is an Independent who is too pure to register as a Democrat unless there is some gain...

He spends his life being a gadfly against the Democratic Party, but the GOP not so much. He is not, repeat not, a Democrat.

[icaria]

120. Many Democratic Socialists are Democrats

And vote for Democrats. I voted for Hillary. I would vote for Kshama Sawant if she was running as a Democrat. Socialists can be a wing of the Democratic Party. Its a wing thing.

Another way to look at it is - if it looks like a duck and talks like a duck, etc. Bernie looks and sounds like a New Deal Democrat. We need some of those.

Let’s lighten up. Divided=Conquered.

[Hekate]

143. Uh-huh. Sure.

[Gothmog]

81. Ballot access laws may affect this proposed run

Sanders will have to file a number of years of full tax returns to get onto the ballot in a couple of blue states. I doubt that sanders will be running in 2020 due to these laws

[Mike Nelson]

82. I expected this...

… some time ago. I think, if he runs as an Independent, it might help the Republican...

[msongs]

84. by definition he cannot both win and put a "Democrat" in the white house nt

[David__77]

85. He can run as a Democrat.

He can agree to the DNC conditions.

[Hekate]

118. I doubt the DNC will allow him a second bite at the apple. Why would they?

[David__77]

121. If he complied with the policy, why not?

I don’t see DNC stating that Sanders couldn’t have delegates. Of course, I could be wrong.

[Hekate]

122. The DNC is a big organization, and big organizations cost money to run. It costs money to support...

...a candidate by giving them access to the name, the mailing lists, data base, and all the other associated stuff that comes with running under the umbrella of said organization. As a general rule, it is understood that candidates "share back," not hog the info (like mailing lists) they have gained. As a general rule, when one has held office a long time, a lot of reciprocity has built up.

As far as I can tell, there's no reciprocity with Bernie. By belonging to NO party, he has never felt any obligation to the Democratic Party whatsoever. He exists to scold us for not being perfect in his eyes.

Do you know the saying: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you"? Bernie bit the hand of the DNC. Why would they work with him again, knowing what they now know? He has made it clear he is not a Democrat.

There's another old saying: "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Or as Dubya famously misquoted: "Fool me twice, uh, won't be fooled agin."

[Midnight Writer]

89. I'd rather see him do some Senate work. Maybe put up a few bills, build coalitions, pass laws.

Free college tuition at public universities? Write a law, put together sponsors, build a coalition, and push for a vote.

Raise minimum wage? Write a law, get sponsors, partners, build support, push it through.

Every proposal of his can be accomplished by a skilled Senator. Not one can be done by a President working alone.

He is already in a prime position as Senator with a safe seat to change things. It will take hard work and even (gasp) distasteful compromise. He will have to achieve something there to get my support, instead of jumping straight to his Presidential fantasy.

[machoneman]

91. Oh, God no! Please.....don't run!

Enough votes diverted away, otherwise we'd have President Hillary Clinton and not the moron we got!

Stuff it Bernie, go home for Chrissakes!

[Thekaspervote]

94. The republicans want him to run... tell you anything??

[Uncle Joe]

98. This is a good read.

Thanks for the thread left of center.

[YOHABLO]

100. I am a Bernie supporter and voted for him in the primary. But perhaps it's time to pass the torch.

[PubliusEnigma]

101. How can Bernie put a Democrat in the White House? He is not a Democrat.

We don't need or want him.

[bottomofthehill]

107. GOOD, Let him run as a Republican this time

Maybe he can fuck things up there too. He has as much right to run as a Republican as he does a Democrat. FU and the Horse you rode in on St Bernie. Once you join the party I cant say bad things about you but for now......

[icaria]

114. Alternative would be third party

That would be a spoiler. Please appreciate that Bernie is trying to put a Democrat in the office.

[bottomofthehill]

169. Bernie is trying to put Bernie in office

And last I checked he left the party the day after he dropped out of race for president, so I don’t believe he is trying to put a Democrat in the whitehouse

[JonLP24]

191. He caucasus with Democrats and criticize Republicans all the time

I followed his career for awhile. He was against the Iraq war when many Democrats were too chickenshit to oppose it. Trashing this thread.

[SamKnause]

109. I love Bernie !!!

I would be thrilled to be able to vote for him.

I still have my Bernie 2016 sticker on my front door.


I voted for Hillary.

I cried for days when Trump became president.

[OilemFirchen]

110. Sanders allies have not been paying attention.

Sanders has been running for the 2020 presidential election since the moment he lost the 2016 primary. It's not a secret.

I sense a lack of communication between the Senator and his staff.

[INdemo]

112. no no its time for Warren/Schiff to head the ticket

[Omaha Steve]

117. Warren said she isn't running

She was my first choice in 16 & 20!

[INdemo]

123. Really? I hadn't heard that.

[SkatmanRoth]

119. GOOD

I like having a choice.

I like seeing the potential Presidential candidates having to look to the left.

[LiberalLovinLug]

126. + 1000

[icaria]

188. Yes +1000

That's a great way to think about it. Thanks.

[George II]

128. How is this Latest Breaking NEWS? It's speculation.

[pamdb]

137. Bernie

No No No

He's too old. I want someone younger than me, or at least close in age, although Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden are possibilities.

[Devil Child]

147. Damn good news!

Provided that Sen. Sanders runs as a Democrat I am very supportive of his throwing his hat in the ring. I strongly disagree with the cherished belief by some round here that Sanders is toxic to the party or damaging to the prospects of Democratic victories in 2018 and beyond.

[chillfactor]

153. hopefully he will not n/t

[betsuni]

156. I am looking in my crystal ball. I see ... yes, I see Bernie running for president.

Something else is appearing. It's the Internet. I see words ... many words. They are familiar. Oh, no ... status quo/billionaires/oligarchs/triangulation/Third Way/centrist/corporatist/conservadem/FDR/New Deal Democrat/liberal elites/corrupt/rigged/abandoned unions and working class, don't want universal health care/wealthy donors/establishment/Republican lite/identity politics/inspired/voting your conscience/transformational/visionary/earn my vote/1%/incremental/Wall St./big banks/paid shills/out-of-touch .... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Two more years of this?

[George II]

159. He's going to keep running until one of two things happens....

[Historic NY]

178. Russia Bernie...remember you blamed Hillary.

[link:https://www.inquisitr.com/4993097/bernie-sanders-aide-tad-devine-linked-to-paul-manafort-in-russia-probe/|]

[shanny]

179. Fine by me. Better than fine.

[SHRED]

180. I'll vote for Joe

[dlk]

205. Bernie is Not a Democrat

Unless he joins the party he claims to represent, he will not receive DNC resources. Is he planning on joining?

[Kurt V.]

207. Sanders was surprised as anyone

by the support he got last time around. so yeah, why wouldn't he be considering it.

[DonViejo]

209. Locking...

The consensus of Forum Hosts agrees this is more of a feature story about what "allies expect," not what is actually happening/happened IOW not LBN. Please post this in the General Discussions Forum.