Bernie Sanders says he's staying in the presidential race. Many Democrats fear a reprise of 2016

[RandySF]

Behind the growing fear among many Democrats that Sen. Bernie Sanders’s continued presence in the presidential race could spell doom in November is the belief that they’ve seen it happen before — in the last campaign.

The 2016 Democratic convention was just about to get started when Sanders (I-Vt.) addressed his delegates. It was time to support her, he told his backers. They disagreed, booing loudly. Some stuck their thumbs down as TV cameras captured the extraordinary show of dissent, which would continue on the convention floor.

To some Democrats in that campaign, it was a lesson learned the hard way about the limitations of Sanders’s promises of support and the ferocity of his unbridled backers. Four years later, with the senator from Vermont still running against former vice president Joe Biden despite almost impossible odds of victory, some party leaders are increasingly worried about a reprise of the bitter divisions that many Democrats blame for Hillary Clinton’s loss.

“It’s the equivalent of a World War II kamikaze pilot,” said Philippe Reines, a longtime adviser to Clinton. “They have no better option than to plow into USS Biden.”

The judgment Sanders makes about his fate and the direction taken by his supporters could be among the most consequential decisions of the race, determining whether Democrats speak with one voice against a president who is already aimed at November, or squabble for months more.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/bernie-sanders-says-hes-staying-in-the-presidential-race-many-democrats-fear-a-reprise-of-their-2016-defeat/2020/03/28/a6b8a8dc-7032-11ea-a3ec-70d7479d83f0_story.html

[The Magistrate]

1. Such A Repetition Is His Intent, Sir

There is no longer the slightest room for doubt 'Bernie' intends to do all he can to damage the prospects of Mr. Biden, and Democrats lla down the ticket to dog-catcher, this coming November.

The man has made it clear he takes the 'Democratic Establishment' as his chief foe, and if he cannot harm it any other way, maintaining this cheap thug Trump in office will serve his desire better than anything else available to him.





"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."





"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."

[thesquanderer]

5. Difference from 2016: Biden is a stronger candidate than Hillary.

Biden won't be dealing with a James Comey revelation, among other things. Sanders was among the least of Hillary's problems last time. (And not as much of an issue as Trump's primary competitors were for him!)

[The Magistrate]

6. 'Bernie' Is Not An Acute Student Of Political Reality, Sir

And he was problem enough then.

He intends to be as much of a problem as he can manage again now.





"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."





"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."

[StevieM]

15. James Comey did not have legitimate revelations. He had manipulative antics. (eom)

[thesquanderer]

16. True, that would be the better word, but the point remains,

it was nonsense that won't affect Biden. I didn't mean to imply any legitimacy to it, though. It was revelation from Comey and the press' perspective, but not in truth.

[NurseJackie]

9. As a result, and in response, the party will move further right...

As a result, and in response, the party will move further right... in order to match the perceived mood and temperature of the voters. His ill-conceived and ego-driven plans will cause the Democratic party to move right, not left.

[The Magistrate]

10. Exactly, Ma'am

The strategy 'Bernie' embodies is self-defeating. The left demonstrates it is not a reliable constituency, and so the Party must move towards the center to make up the deficit. This isolates and aggravates the left further, and many leftists simply double down on proving they can't be relied on in a broad coalition.

I am a 'Popular Front' man myself, and see evicting the worst elements of the reactionary and christo-fascist right as the chief and first duty of any leftist in present circumstances. No progress at all can be made until that task is accomplished.





"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."





"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."

[William769]

19. ...

[redstatebluegirl]

2. I am not sure if he has any good committee assignments but he needs to lose those after this.

[duforsure]

3. He will regret doing this

Knowing his chances are gone, and with a national crisis going on. Drop out Bernie and don't do like you did to Hillary. For this now alone I hope he rethinks this and drops out , then help Biden win, instead of prolonging the inevitable, and hurting the country.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

4. Sen. Sanders needs to do the HONORABLE thing....DROP OUT....

Why?

1. Bernie Sanders IS NOT a member of the Democratic Party. Caucusing with the Democrats in the Senate does not make you one.

2. Joe Biden WILL take Bernie's ideas under advisement as to how they could move the country further in the right direction.

3. The longer Bernie stays in the race with no possible path to the nomination, he paves the way for a Trump win. For Trump will capitalize on this, like he did in 2016.

[comradebillyboy]

7. Sanders is getting blown out by Biden yet

Sanders thinks Biden must submit to him. Shades of Bernie's dog in the manger performance from 2016.

Before the Biden South Carolina victory I had begun to believe the pundits who were telling me that Joe was finished. I had steeled myself to vote for BS. Then Joe took command. I am so glad I will never ever have to vote for Sanders.

[npk]

8. Seriously Bernie?

This is pure grandstanding. He knows that this will only help tRump and he also knows he cannot win the nomination. He is forcing Biden into an unnecessary drawn out primary. If Sanders really wanted to get tRump out of the White House he would be throwing his support behind Biden. This is crazy.

[padah513]

11. I think we've all seen this movie before

We need to change the ending this time

[honest.abe]

12. "It's the equivalent of a World War II kamikaze pilot,"

Unfortunately an excellent analogy.

[Bayard]

13. DAMMITT!!

This has gone on long enough! The man is NOT a Democrat, and he is dragging our party and presidential candidate down. Not dropping out and endorsing Joe says to me he has ulterior motives, or is just yelling at clouds at this point.

I can't believe I supported him in 2016. Can the Party Chairman do anything about this?

[mtngirl47]

14. The members of DU need to raise their voices---Change your

Undecided to Biden and help unite the party.

I stayed Undecided for a long time...but I voted in the NC Primary for Joe and changed my decision on this board.

Are there *really* 48% of our number that are Undecided???

So bring on the "don't tell me when to decide" posts.

[liberalmediaaddict]

17. So tired of having to pacify Bernie & his supporters

For 5 years Democrats have lived in fear of a Democratic Socialist and his "revolution." The party has bent over backwards to meet his demands: Changing platforms, election rules and debate topics.

And what is our reward? Bernie and his supporters repeatedly accuse Democrats of stealing elections from him. That anyone who hasn't voted for Bernie is part of the "Democratic corporate establishment."

They can’t accept that Hillary and Biden beat him by million of votes. That's not a conspiracy it's the will of the voters. And even now after 4 years of Trump destroying every progressive policy he comes across, Berniecrats still want to bash on the party's nominee. They've learned nothing from 2016. And if they take their attack-Biden campaign all the way to the convention Trump is going to get re-elected.

[LizBeth]

18. This says everything about a man in time of crisis, reject. This is what history will write.