Who will Sanders mostly attack in the debate?

[Tennessee Hillbilly]

Will he mostly attack:

Biden?
or
Trump?
or
the democratic party?
or
?

Has he given any indications about this?

I just hope that he doesn't do anything to hurt our chances to beat trump.

[el_bryanto]

1. Sanders has to distinguish himself from Biden

And that means critiquing the things that Sanders has said and done. That said, he seems aware that it's most likely that Biden will be the nominee so who can say.

Bryant

[beachbumbob]

3. Biden will ignore sanders altogether be going at trump, biden not to waste words on sanders

"dreams"

[Demsrule86]

11. Sanders could write a book called the unrequited dreams of a Democratic Socialist and buy another

house.

[NCProgressive]

23. Better title would be

"My fourth mansion"

[Demsrule86]

27. Perfect! I bow to the master...

[Demsrule86]

6. Why...everyone already knows who both these candidates are...and voters chose Biden...the only thing

Sanders needs to do is concede...that is all that is left for him. I posted new polls which are disastrous for Sanders...it is over.

[el_bryanto]

15. Well he has a chance to make his case

I wouldn't advise him to turn it down. Even if he fails in his attempt at the presidency which seems likely, he does have a chance to push the discourse within the democratic party leftwards - and I support that.

Bryant

[Demsrule86]

17. He has already failed in his attempt to be president...and we won't move left...because we would

lose like Sanders did...his idea and plans are not popular enough to win a primary and would have no chance in a general.

[el_bryanto]

20. Well outside of a party context

the liberal / leftist position is actually pretty popular.

Bryant

[Demsrule86]

28. That is not true. Voters overwhemingly voted for Biden...he will win Washington and may in the

end tie or win California. Sanders and his policies went down in defeat everywhere. We won in Massachusetts and Maine too.

[el_bryanto]

38. Good response

You certainly put me in the place - except, didn't I say something about outside of a party context. I meant to.

Consider this article - has supporting links and worth looking at - and presents 7 issues that are overwhelmingly popular, but are less likely to get support from centrist democrats. There's also of course regulating the financial industry, which inside the beltway politicians are pretty opposed to (as the big banks fund both parties to protect themselves).

Bryant

[Demsrule86]

29. Also, the party is the context. You can't win without the party on a national level.

[Happy Hoosier]

21. At this point? It's vanity and selfishness.

Unless he really IS that bad at math, he surely knows his goose is cooked. At this point, since he cannot realistically win, he needs to focus on articulating his vision and seeking to incorporate that vision into the platform, rather than weakening the nominee.

[Demsrule86]

14. Biden is not likely to be the nominee...he is the presumptive nominee as the math shows clearly

Sanders is finished in the primary...he lost every big states on big Tuesday after his disastrous performance on super Tuesday...Next Tuesday will be a blood bath for Sanders with Florida.

[LanternWaste]

22. So in effect, we can all now freely admit Bernie is engagingly in little more than Kabuki Theater.

[el_bryanto]

25. I can see how it would look that way

If you can't imagine a future where this nation moves significantly to the left, towards democratic socialism, than yeah it's all a waste of time. Democratic Centrist are all that is on the menu. I hope that is not the case, though.

Bryant

[Demsrule86]

36. Playing to his fans...Bernie the Great...worshiped buy a few anyway who apparently don't vote.

[DownriverDem]

2. If he

attacks Biden or the Democratic Party, he will piss off a lot of folks.

[comradebillyboy]

16. He's incapable of doing anything else. nt

[Demsrule86]

4. Biden of course... in his doomed debate Hail Mary.

It won't work...he looks pathetic IMHO.

[H2O Man]

5. I think he will

attack the gross inequalities in our society, in an attempt to encourage Joe Biden to move to the left on the issues that are important to the Sanders's movement.

[Demsrule86]

9. Joe Biden should stand firm and not give one inch to Bernie...get out Bernie. The voters have

not only spoken but shouted...in Biden's overwhelming wins against Sanders...he doesn't need a cookie or an also ran trophy...he needs to go away and have a shred of dignity left.

[H2O Man]

12. Interesting.

I am confident that Joe Biden is wise enough to recognize the benefit of appealing to all potential Democratic Party voters. But you may be right. We'll see.

[comradebillyboy]

18. Too bad that Sanders never saw the benefit of appealing

to all potential Democratic Party voters. Had he done so he might be the presumptive nominee rather than Biden. Sanders and his agenda lost. He doesn't get to dictate to the winner.

[H2O Man]

30. I agree.

Bernie Sanders can't "dictate." I think that it is accurate to say that he knows that, and has no intention of dictating. Yet, he has the right -- and indeed, the responsibility -- to represent the interests of his supporters. He knows that, and Joe Biden does as well.

Unlike some here, Biden does not look at the Sanders movement as "the enemy." Such an immature understanding of politics would not only have prevented him from being so successful a politician as he definitely has been, but would be the ball & chain that would surely prevent him from defeating Trump. Like President Obama, he fully understands the benefit of uniting the party, which always is the difference between winning and losing the 50 individual state contests that unite to determine the presidential elections. Always.

I remember after Bernie won the third contest of the primary season, listening to two spokespersons for the state's Hispanic community. The man said that Bernie won the Hispanic vote because he listened to the community, rather than just talked to it as other candidates had. The woman said that Bernie won because he didn't limit himself to advocating for the middle class, but showed great concern for the poor in America. Now, you certainly have the right to believe that Biden doesn't need those two people to win. But I am convinced that Biden is far, far smarter than that.

Biden has an impressive lead now, and it looks like he will win the nomination. He has about 2/3rds to Bernie's 1/3. Obviously, that one-third cannot dictate. But Joe Biden is certainly smart enough to know that he needs that other third to support him in November. He's not stupid enough to mistake that need as Bernie attempting to dictate to him. He's far too intelligent a man for that type of foolishness.

[Turin_C3PO]

37. Your post makes a lot of sense.

It’s not that Bernie should get to dictate (as some Sanders supporters would have it) or that Joe shouldn’t listen to Bernie at all (as some Biden supporters would have it). It’s about fostering an environment of open dialogue between the two sides of the party so we can actually defeat the Thing in the White House this November. United we stand, divided we fall.

[H2O Man]

41. Exactly.

We see, even here on this thread, nonsense about one candidate being "humiliated." NeitherJoe Biden nor Bernie Sanders has any desire to "humiliate" the other, or the other's supporters. Reading such nonsense only shows a lack of insight on primary campaigns, raw emotion that over rides rational thinking, or an unattractive combination of the two.

We are not sitting on a fence, where some will win in November, and others will lose. We are, as you note, in this together. Either we all win, or we all lose.

[Demsrule86]

45. Sanders is humiliating himself unnecessarily...he lost and needs to concede. Tuesday will be awful

for him. As for being 'in this together' ...they want him to do maximum damage to Biden hoping for a miracle...which won't happen but could cost us the election...saw this movie in 16 in the general. There is no 'us' in the Sanders world I fear... I hope I am wrong.

[H2O Man]

47. Sometimes the world

moves so fast that it appears to be on the brink of spinning out of control. At such times, I would suggest that it is beneficial to pull in, take the time to slow your mind, and then objectively examine if what you are doing creates unity, or division. That is our individual responsibility. Obviously, I can only speak for myself, and not for a single other individual on this. But I can say the the Constitution is currently in great danger, and cannot survive another term of Trump. And, in my opinion, it makes a fuck of a lot more sense to focus on "humiliating" Trump, than any candidate in our primary, or that candidate's supporters. This includes what each one of us posts on this forum.

[Demsrule86]

46. Sander will fall further and further behind...it won't be 1/3 in the end.

[H2O Man]

48. I agree.

Yet I recognize that every vote counts. We will be in a 50-state contest. Even 5% can determine the difference between victory and defeat in November. I will invest all of my energies in the unity needed to win.

[Demsrule86]

31. You have to go where the votes are and judging by the primary elections...they are not with Sanders.

[H2O Man]

32. See post #30.

[NurseJackie]

7. The Democratic party will be his target. It's the high-level staff members who attack Biden...

The Democratic party will be his target. It's the high-level staff members who attack Biden with RW talking points and other smears that originate in Russia to the likes of Cenk Uygur, Michael Moore, Cornell West, David Sirota, Brianna Gray, Nina Turner, Matt Orfalea, Phillip Agnew... and then act all "shocked" that they're "going rogue" without his approval.

I just hope that he doesn't do anything to hurt our chances to beat trump.

Too late.

[comradebillyboy]

8. Sanders will continue his attacks on the Democratic Party

and Joe Biden. He might throw in a little token criticism of Trump between his attacks on the 'establishment' and Biden. He is totally incapable of being a unifying figure. Sanders can't cope with being beaten and he will lash out in anger just as he has in the past.

[Demsrule86]

10. Yes...and we are going to have to ignore him I guess... as time goes by I think what he says won't

matter.

[comradebillyboy]

13. I worry that Sanders campaign staff and surrogates will

continue to smear Biden for the foreseeable future. Sanders shows no inclination to muzzle them.

[Demsrule86]

19. The would be quite a legacy right...re-elect Trump why he would be a hero...for Republicans.

[HarlanPepper]

24. Biden and the party

Same as it ever was.

[pampango]

26. Trump and Biden. Whom will Trump attack when he debates Biden? Joe can handle it. Can't he?

I have confidence that Biden will do well in the debate. He knows the policies that Sanders will discuss and promote. He can handle Bernie and he can handle Donald. Then he will steamroll Sanders in the primaries 2 days later. Then Bernie will suspend his campaign and the vast majority of his supporters will support and vote for Biden.

[Demsrule86]

34. Bullshit. It is not a matter of handling ' it' . Biden has been handling Trump this entire

election...Trump hates and fears Biden.Trump was impeached for trying to manufacture dirt on Biden...of course Trump likes Sanders (because he loses a general)...the fact is the debate is useless and just another opportunity for Sanders to attack our presumptive nominee and our party. Biden has will destroy Sanders on Tuesday and continue to steamroll Sanders in Ohio and all the other states too...a debate won't change that. Sanders should have been a little more careful with his discussion of Castro...he will lose Florida by maybe 50 points...might not be viable. I don't see Sanders winning even one state on Tuesday...so humiliating.

[pampango]

39. You certainly have a very high opinion of Biden.

I must say that while I support most of Sanders' ideas and think he would indeed beat Trump, I don't idolize him to that extent.

Unless there are new polls showing that Sanders would lose the general to Trump, that is news to me. Trump does not 'like Sanders'. He likes to create dissension within the Democratic Party. You don't think that, if Sanders had been the nominee, Trump would not have told moderates how 'evil' and dishonest their 'Socialist' nominee was during the primary - lying about Biden, cheating in caucus states, etc. I can assure you he would.

I do agree that he will lose big on Tuesday and exit the race on Wednesday. Plus you get to enjoy his 'humiliation'. Congratulations.

[Demsrule86]

42. No...he fears Biden and looking at the Michigan results with good reason.Sanders didn't win a single

county. As for worshiping Biden, I find that funny...as Sanders supporters are desperate to find a path to the nomination for Sanders where none exists. Socialism would have been only the beginning...and it would have been a walk in the park for the Republicans...unlike Biden who they fear. I expect Sanders would have lost in a landslide...I thank God that voters are smart and put an end to this. Biden is the presumptive nominee.

[dalton99a]

33. The Establishment, The Elite, The Very Unfair Media, The Very Stupid Voters Who Don't Like Me

[Demsrule86]

35. Oh the injustice of it all...

[totodeinhere]

40. He attacks Trump in every speech I have seen him give during the campaign.

When it comes to Biden I think he will draw contrasts between himself and Biden, but I would not call that an attack. He has to make a case for why people should vote for him instead of the other guy. And yes I know it's probably a futile attempt to try to overtake Biden now, but for whatever reason Bernie wants to keep trying.

[Demsrule86]

43. drawing contrast in Bernie world attack

[StevieM]

44. I think he will be pretty well-behaved.

He knows that Biden will be the nominee. I think Sanders just wants to have that one on one debate. Then he will be done.

I expect the party to unite after March 17.