Discussion for article #237440
I think most of the folks don’t “lean” Clinton or Sanders. They lean “win”. Sanders would make a great President but he’s never going to be one. If his candidacy is about forcing issues to the front good for him. But he aint going to win.
2016 is no shoo in for either party. Right now the Democrat’s best choice ( by far ) is Clinton.
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The larger point is that Sanders’s presence in the primary is good for Clinton (and us) because it both provides cover for, and forces, her move to the left. She would not be talking about income equality, marriage equality, etc with nearly the same fervor if Bernie weren’t there. He can hold her feet to the fire on these issues, and do it more effectively precisely if it’s a “real” campaign and he posts real numbers.
Think I’m imagining this? It’s precisely why the DNC–which is firmly in HRC’s camp–has been forwarding-with-approval Bernie’s statements. They want him in the race, because it’s good strategy, for her and for an eventual leftward-leaning campaign in the general.
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New Hampshire: Population: 1.3 Million (1.2 Million White)
Congressmen: 2
Senators: 2
Electoral College Votes: 4
Yeah, that will put him over the top.
Pounding the socialist liberal issues and forcing them into the bright light, that is Bernie Sanders mission. I’m sure that he would love to be President, being the wonderful job that it is and all, but doing real work on equality and accomplishing real goals is the goal. Exposing the agenda of the wealthiest that always just want more and proving how they can give back to benefit everyone and especially the nation yet still afford multiple yachts, houses and off shore bank accounts, this is the awesomeness of the Sanders campaign and what it will do to the eventual winner and for us.
He is already a winner.
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I’d vote for Bernie in a heart beat. I don’t agree with his support of Israel but I support everything else he believes in.
I agree, and I’m sure the DNC agrees… the problem is those howling at DKos and elsewhere that ONLY Bernie is acceptable… that Hillary is exactly the same as a GOPer (including claims that she’d gut the EPA and appoint right-wingers to SCOTUS)… those crying that “if Bernie isn’t the nominee I won’t vote!” and so on.
(I’d add that it’s hardly surprising Sanders would do better in NH than elsewhere, given that he is from the state next door… though I can’t say I’ve ever heard of this particular pollster, and it’s rather far from the primary in any event.)
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Looks like New Hampshire maybe getting anxious about holding onto its importance as the first primary state after watching how Iowa lost its straw poll.
So you “don’t support Israel”. I suspect that Bernie would not relish the support of those who want to eliminate Israel.
I don’t think you’re imagining it. I’m willing to vote Sanders in the primary, hoping a strong showing will further encourage Hillary’s liberal lean.
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Oooooo, nice absolutism there sparky.
One can claim they “don’t support Israel” and at the same time not want it “eliminated”.
The two are not mutually exclusive you know.
If you feel otherwise: “You are either fur us, or agin us!” well then too bad.
I’m sure you would be quite at home in the Tea Party where “absolutism” reigns.
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wait, New Hampshire is a small state? Thanks for the info, Magellan.
When the Dems have a coronation, nominating the heir apparent–Stevenson in '56, Humphrey in '68, Mondale in '84, Gore in 2000, Kerry in 2004–they always lose. The last time that worked (not counting incumbent Presidents) was FDR in 1932, and he was up against a lot of opposition as well. Dark horses have certainly gone down in flames–Dukakis, McGovern–but EVERY ONE of the non-incumbent Dem nominees who have won the general election since FDR was a dark horse–JFK, Carter, Clinton and Obama. So I’m not convinced of the logic of voting for Hillary because we expect her to win.
The way I see it, the nation has seen its working class go to hell in the last two generations. Embattled white blue collars, being atavistic as we all are, see the rising prominence of gays, of successful blacks like Oprah and the President, of Asians, of Latinos, and see the world as a zero-sum game. They assume they have fallen back because the others have risen (not that blacks and Latinos are actually doing so great as a whole, but that is the perception). The genius of the GOP has been to sell this narrative of resentment. The inexcusable failure of the Dems is even to try to offer a counter-narrative. Bernie might be the man to do it; I am not at all convinced that Hillary can.
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Kerry was a coronation? Going into Iowa Dean had a large populist appeal, radically changed the fundraising landscape (online small-donor) and was leading the polls. His “perfect storm” strategy was a “all in” to try and run the tables but was a bust… so let’s not re-write history shall we?
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Would I prefer Bernie to Hillary as President? Probably.
Will I bitch or moan when Hillary is elected? Hell no! I will celebrate.
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Who the hell else wanted that nomination? Ike was enormously popular and a shoe-in.
Now there was a coronation, eh? Kennedy, McCarthy, they drew bubkes support, yeah? And the convention coronation went so smoothly.
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I’ll celebrate with you, but only if she wins in a fair fight. Dirty tricks against Sanders–like Kerry’s against Dean–will sour me on Clinton in a heart beat.
Don’t be an idiot.
I don’t want to see Israel destroyed, and that’s a big part of why I don’t support the government of Israel. They’re at least as scummy as the GOP, if that’s even possible.
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Ridiculous headline on the main page.
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Bernie and what media? The media which will depict him as a lovable and principled grandfather until two seconds after he wins a primary at which point he will suddenly transform into an evil socialist with blood dripping from his claws? That librul media?
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