Jonathan Chait: "Why Can't Bernie Accept That Democratic Voters Didn't Want Him?"

[StarfishSaver]

From the moment he announced his candidacy, Joe Biden led in polls of Democratic primary voters. His lead endured through months of bad press and worse debate performances. He lost his national lead very briefly, after crushing defeats in two overwhelmingly white states — one of them a low-turnout caucus — only to regain it after African-Americans voted for the first time in large numbers, at which point he has led by commanding margins.

The Bernie Sanders movement has mostly accepted the finality of Biden’s victory. What it hasn’t come to terms with is its causes. The Sanders campaign and many of its enthusiasts continue to see Biden’s victory as either a fluke or a plot.

Sanders advisers told the New York Times they believed they had been on the precipice of sweeping to victory on Super Tuesday, until Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg dropped out and endorsed Biden. Ben Tulchin, a Sanders pollster, claimed the candidate was “on the brink of winning until the most unprecedented event in the history of presidential primaries occurred.”

It is hardly unprecedented for the fifth- and sixth-place candidates to drop out of a race after four primaries. Yet Sanders himself has fixated on this decision as evidence of an Establishment conspiracy. Appearing on ABC’s This Week several days later, he described it as “the power of the Establishment to force Amy Klobuchar, who had worked so hard, Pete Buttigieg, who had really worked extremely hard as well, out of the race.”

From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway.

https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2020/03/bernie-sanders-democratic-primary-joe-biden-2020-voters-establishment.html?utm_campaign=nym&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=s1

[Harker]

1. It's a very fine line between being on the brink

and brinkmanship.

[Zambero]

2. Because we must be the "establishment" he keeps talking about

I believe that point has already been established!

[RandySF]

3. Rejection hurts

[centrarchus]

4. Mr. Sanders, please drop out and be quiet. nt

[showblue22]

5. Delusion

He can't fathom anyone not being in love with him. They must be corporate tools.

[Cha]

19. And he was so sure..

Link to tweet

[showblue22]

22. Cocky, wasn't he?

Even when he thought he was winning there was no sign he was interested in unifying the country.

[Cha]

23. Exactly.. not into unifying when he was so sure

he was going to win with 30% coalition.

[bucolic_frolic]

6. Old Bolsheviks know

this was their high water mark that will never be seen again. They're having trouble letting go.

[world wide wally]

7. Maybe next time, try running as a Republican

[LakeArenal]

29. Winner!

[NurseJackie]

8. If he can't accept defeat gracefully, then that confirms to me that he...

If he can't accept defeat gracefully, then that confirms to me that he would not have been a good president. These are the fundamental skills that a true leader possesses. A willingness to change, to admit defeat, to treat others with respect, to be able to accept the results of an election, to be willing to share, compromise, find common interests and mutual benefit.

The behavior we're seeing now is NOT what one expects to see from a true leader and a true statesman. History will not be kind to Bernie Sanders.

[Thekaspervote]

10. +1000

[TreasonousBastard]

9. As I have said before, this is last shot at relevance and history...

He knows he can't run again in '24. Shit, he knows the odds are against him even being alive in four years.

Most politicians instinctively know when to drop out and and then align with the leader. It's how they got where they are and how not to drop lower. Note the earlier dropouts refused to endorse anyone until they saw how the winds are blowing. Then they know how to maximize their resources for the win. And, just coincidentally, maximize their connection with the presumed winner.

Not Bernie, though. Delusional might be the word. It also helps explain his abysmal record as a Congressman and Senator.

[zackymilly]

11. Bernie's new chant, "One more house! One more house!" n/t

[subana]

12. maybe he should simply respect democratic voters

we all know that if something happens that Bernie is never to blame, he claims the establishment is against him!

Mostly I think Bernie doesn't like democrats & the voters have said they don't like him either! I don't care when he ends this campaign but when he does, I hope he stays out of our primaries for good! It is simply a waste of time to have to deal with his crap every 4 years!!!

[mcar]

13. Kick

[William769]

14. Kick & recommended.

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. Ding! Ding! Ding!

[The Magistrate]

16. This Is The Head Shot, Sir

"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."

[MrsCoffee]

17. Him, not us.

[Cha]

20. Exactly!

Link to tweet

[showblue22]

25. Goodness...

Link to tweet

[Cha]

27. E gods with that Stein Voter Pusher.. I couldn't finish that.. west's Gaslighting

sickens me. sigh.

But thanks for that.. 'cause it just shows how divisive they are.

P.S. I can't understand why the "establishment" can't stand them.. that's a Real Mystery!

[NCProgressive]

18. Bernie's 800 lb ego is sitting on his 1/4 pound humility

[Blue_true]

24. A powerful graphic in words. Please spread that around online. nt

[Cha]

21. But We Did "Stop" him.

Link to tweet

[LakeArenal]

30. That's what I was thinking.

Great minds....❤️

[Cha]

31. And, he's mad.

❤️Gracias, LA! StaySafe!

[NCProgressive]

32. But .. it was not the establishment that stopped him .. you, me and voters did by the millions.

[Cha]

33. Yes.. you're right it was Millions of Dem Voters who stopped

him in SC and all 3 of those Super Spectacular Tuesdays.

But I feel when he insults the "Dem Establishment" he is insulting us all.

I stand with the Dem Establishment like John Lewis, Planned Parenthood, Nancy Pelosi.. all of them!

[saidsimplesimon]

26. The primary is over.

[saidsimplesimon]

28. No worries,

Bernie is history, imo.

[Hortensis]

34. He despises Democrats. He tried to overset our sovereignty

to take the nomination before. Would a person like this care that Democrats don't want him or consider it validation of his contempt? Anyway, he doesn't want us either. He wants our power.

[betsuni]

35. +1

[Cha]

36. Kick