Sanders Weighs Three Options

[comradebillyboy]

“Sen. Bernie Sanders has convened a series of weighty discussions about the future of his presidential campaign with his closest confidants, and at least three potential paths forward have come up in the private talks,” the Washington Post reports.

“One option that has been raised: keep the campaign technically active with a goal of winning votes and accumulating delegates to the July nominating convention, but forgo attack ads aimed at delegate leader Joe Biden. Another: stay in the race and aggressively compete for the nomination. A third choice: end the campaign.”

https://politicalwire.com/2020/03/21/sanders-weighs-three-options/

more at:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-is-considering-several-options-as-he-ponders-his-campaigns-future/2020/03/21/0d75a93e-6b0c-11ea-b313-df458622c2cc_story.html

[boston bean]

1. Go with the third choice, Bernie.

[sop]

37. If Sanders drops out his followers will viciously turn on him and accuse him of being a sell-out,

or they'll claim the process was rigged and concoct some conspiracy theory that Bernie was forced out by the corrupt, corporate DNC. Either way the result will be the same: many of them will pitch a fit and stay home, or they'll vote for some 3rd party loser.

Sanders created his band of Intransigent Implacables, now he has to finesse his way out of this situation without upsetting them. It's sort of like pulling the pin out of a hand grenade, then not knowing what to do with it.

[redstatebluegirl]

54. Give them all a participation trophy.

[pnwmom]

2. If he stays his support will continue diminishing and he'll look more and more like a spoiler.nt

[Turin_C3PO]

3. Third choice is best.

First choice, eh, not too bad but definitely not ideal. If he goes with the second choice, I’m going to be pissed and lose whatever respect I ever had for him. Now in this time of crisis is not the time to attack our nominee.

[NurseJackie]

4. It's such a no-brainer decision. The fact that any candidate would have trouble deciding...

It's such a no-brainer decision. The fact that any candidate would have trouble deciding on something so obvious is a good indicator as to what his (or her) administration would be like, and the likelihood that he (or she) really isn't ready or qualified to POTUS anyway.

[DownriverDem]

6. Same with

the undecided here. I am mystified as to why they are. What is there to decide? Biden or trump is the choice now.

[TwilightZone]

7. Most of them aren't undecided.

Some of them are pretty obvious about it. I suspect many of them will stay undecided until Sanders drops out and the options go away.

[Andy823]

14. A lot of the "undecided" here

are only here for one thing, stir things up and divide posters. Most of them are pretty obvious. Myself, I just ignore their posts!

[Codeine]

18. There are no undecided DUers.

The undecided label is being used as a way to provide plausible deniability when launching unsubtle digs at the clear primary victor.

[Indykatie]

47. I Completely Agree with Codeine

Many of the "undecided" are newer DU members and if you check their comment history it is usually clear who they are supporting or attacking. I always thought the % for candidate selection should only be based on those that have made a decision on a candidate. To pretend that 45% of DU is undecided is sheer folly.

[relayerbob]

24. Exactly

Clearly not Presidential behavior

[DownriverDem]

5. His only option

is to quit with dignity and support Biden. It's over Bernie. You'll just help trump if you stay in.

[demtenjeep]

57. why can't he just see this and act accordingly

is it his ego?

He never should have run this cycle. 2016 should have given him all the info he needed

[MrsCoffee]

8. Him, not us.

It’s been obvious for sometime now.

[MineralMan]

9. Take the third door, Bernie. Trust me. The best stuff is there.

[NurseJackie]

28. Carol Merrill knows...

[MineralMan]

31. Indeed she does!

[Paka]

10. As someone who votes in a state that has yet to vote,

I resent anyone else pushing for him to drop out, disallowing me my vote. My vote is only one, but it counts as much as yours.

[George II]

13. No one is disallowing your vote.

[Thekaspervote]

20. This! Lots of voters over the years have had to face the same choice

It isn’t something unique to this election cycle or rigged.

[sop]

29. Yeah, who "disallowed" my vote for Elizabeth Warren here in Florida? I voted for the best

remaining candidate (Biden) after my first choice (Warren) dropped out. That's how the primary system works.

[beastie boy]

15. Your vote is safe. You can always write Bernie in.

The question Bernie is facing now is whether he is willing to continue with a losing campaign that attacks the presumptive nominee at the expense of eroding his credibility with the voters and damaging his movement.

With all the quickly diminishing options Bernie has left, running against Biden no matter what seems to be most damaging to his credibility, his movement and his supporters.

[hay rick]

19. Bernie is probably already on your ballot.

Florida's ballots were finalized in late December to allow time for printing. Our primary was March 17. There were 16 names on the ballot, but only three active campaigns on the ballot by the time I turned in my ballot- after March 3's Super Tuesday's results. My first choice (Inslee) wasn't on the ballot. My second and third choices (Steyer and Warren) were on the ballot but had suspended their campaigns. So I voted for Joe. I helped organize for Bernie 4 years ago but can't support him now.

[BidenBacker]

21. Your vote counts

But in 2008 I wanted to vote for Biden and never got the chance. It happens.

You make the best choice that is available at the time and move on...you don't tear the party down just because your 1st choice didn't cut the mustard with states that preceded yours.

[relayerbob]

25. As someone who has voted since 1976

That's life. You don't screw over allies when you know there is no chance. Has happened to me many, many times. In fact, it happened to me a couple of times this cycle, as one or another of my early choices dropped out. The right thing is to be responsible, and Sanders only has one option for responsibility : join the team.

[TwilightZone]

26. "disallowing my vote"

Welcome to every election ever. The vast, vast majority of the time, most candidates drop out before the last state has held its primary.

Neither Sanders nor Sanders supporters are unique in the regard. Welcome to reality.

[MineralMan]

32. You'll be able to vote for anyone on your ballot, of course.

None of us can affect that in any way.

[MH1]

41. And there is always the write-in option. No one is denied to vote for the person of their choice.

Many people, if they wanted to "vote their conscience" without regard to real-life electoral consequences, would have to write-in themselves, because no one else is "pure" enough. But most of us recognize electoral reality and vote for the best person of the realistic options. Even when that "best" person falls far short of our ideals. For most of us, using our one vote to help stop the worse candidate(s) is sufficient.

[MineralMan]

43. I have no respect at all for anyone who would vote as a protest

against the nominee of our party. None. It is a selfish and a moronic thing to do. That's why we have primaries. We sort out everyone but the person who has the most voters. Then, we vote for our nominee and hope to defeat the Republican who is running.

Anyone who doesn't understand that process and who votes otherwise or for some useless third party candidate is not worth a second of my time or attention. Such a person is a fool of the first order.

I do not suffer fools in any way.

[MH1]

46. I agree with you in the General Election.

Late primaries, I don't care.

For someone with an actual brain (meaning, they have thought this through carefully), I am not necessarily opposed to voting for a non-major candidate in a state where the result is a foregone conclusion. There can be valid strategic reasons for doing so (that I probably won't agree with, but if it is based on rational thinking, it is a "we disagree" rather than "they're an idiot" situation). However, and a BIG however, I do not abide the bullshit of actively campaigning against the Dem nominee while claiming to also be against the Republican candidate. At this point it is a binary situation. You support one, or you support the other. If someone lives in Alabama (solid R) and wants to show support for the Green Party, sure vote for them in November. Just don't go around saying how horrible Democrats are to family that live in Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, etc. Because if they do, then I know they don't actually care about what the GP claims to be trying to achieve. (GP lost me at "not a dime's worth of difference" in 2000. But some people still don't get it, and need to learn if for themselves.)

[brush]

53. Well said.

[demtenjeep]

59. yes sir

and those that vote mickey mouse GRRRRR

[PubliusEnigma]

34. You can still vote for Bernie after he drops out.

[Happy Hoosier]

35. Work to change the primary system.

But this primary is over and Sanders has to recognize that.

[Demsrule86]

39. I resent the fact that some think voting for a losing candidate is more important than defeating

Donald Trump.

[W_HAMILTON]

11. Grifting small change from poor people skipping meals to donate to his """movement""" and...

...THAT was what they came up with?

I mean, no shit, Sherlock. Not real assuring that you needed to have "weighty discussions" to figure that one out.

[brush]

55. Yeah, "weighty discussions" is another term for "what a...

egomaniac." After the shellackings he's taken it's a no-brainer decision that should've been made last Wed.—quit already.

[George II]

12. Act like a Democrat, concede and endorse Biden. Today!

[Andy823]

16. If Bernie was being honest

when he said the main goal is to "BEAT TRUMP" there should be no doubt about it, he needs to "end the campaign!

We don't need to continue playing games, we need to unite and take on trump.

What I think we need is for Warren to come out and endorse Joe, and then maybe Bernie would understand what he must do!

[SidDithers]

17. He's addicted to $2.70 donations. Can't give them up...nt

Sid

[BlueIdaho]

22. Door Number Three Dude...

[BidenBacker]

23. I got 3 options for Sanders

1) End your campaign

2) Suspend your campaign

3) Stop your campaign

Pick one, Bernie. Your choice.

[ucrdem]

27. This is usually a prelude to a "promise" to keep doing what he's been doing.

He's not going to pull the plug unless he has to. So it really comes down to the Senate or the DNC rapping his knuckles, or threatening to. Schumer holds the cards here. I hope he plays them, and soon.

[Basic LA]

30. Bernie's hero is American Socialist Eugene Debs ...

...who ran for president 5 times (once from prison) and never accepted the notion of incremental progress. No compromise for him. Everything or nothing. (Heard this on NPR's Throughline podcast.)

[PubliusEnigma]

33. Quit wasting time and money. Give supporters a chance to grieve and recover before the Convention.

[Demsrule86]

36. Get out Sanders. You have no path and need to do your job in the Senate.

[aikoaiko]

38. As a Bernie supporter I hope he chooses to suspend.

But I'm still voting for him if he's on the GA mail-in ballot.

[projectiboga]

40. Should stay in on a unity theme

Needs to turn to fighting the White House Grifter. First choice, stay in and stop attacking on our side. To be grim, we don't know who will even be alive come Summer and Fall.

[MH1]

42. You make an excellent point. I am fine with Bernie staying in if he goes clearly anti-Trump,

and stops all negative campaigning against the Democratic Party, DNC, and likely Democratic nominee (Biden).

I have already had your grim thought.

[The Magistrate]

48. That, Sir, He Could Do While Conceeding The Contest

The problem is, he is running not so much for President as to overthrow the 'Democratic Establishment' and take over the wreckage he creates.


"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[relayerbob]

44. He actually has two options

1 - Join the team
2 - Contribute to the chaos and demise of the USA

[Indykatie]

45. Bernie is Not Leaving the Stage

His idea to stay in the race but not attack Biden is bull sh*t. His advocates would continue the barrage of attacks against Biden which is normally where attacks originate in political races. Him hanging around should hopefully convince the DNC and others that accommodating Bernie gets you nothing. He doesn't give a sh*t about what's best for the party. We need to begin treating him accordingly in all future decisions.

[The Magistrate]

49. Exactly, Ma'am

Sanders needs to be told he ends his campaign, or he will be expelled from the caucus, stripped of any committee assignments, and told to caucus with McConnell if he doesn't like it. My personal inclination would be to do it anyway, once he has stood down, but wait till next year to inform the wretch of his fate.




"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[TomCADem]

50. Fourth Choice Most Likely - Help Trump By Undermining Biden

Bernie has a history of attacking Democrats and his supporters are made of folks who have bought into his past attacks on the Democratic party. Bernie's progressive message has already been lost in the acrimony has built against the Democratic party. Bernie is going to stay in and his attacks on Biden's character will end up being the most visible part of his campaign.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

51. Fish or cut bait, Bernie. There's no more weighing to be done.

Or, as my dear departed Dad would say, "Shit or get off the pot."

[Squinch]

56. Who cares what he does now? It makes no difference. Really, this is just silliness.

It's over, no matter what his ego makes him do.

[LizBeth]

58. "Technically active" to get donations to buy that fourth house?