If Bernie were to lose a general election after winning nomination...

[kentuck]

It would be because all those liberals and leftists stayed home like they did in 2010...

[Thinkingabout]

1. I am not worried about this scenario.

[Hutzpa]

6. I'm curious as to why this will not bother you? nt

[Thinkingabout]

7. I have watched the polls.

[Hutzpa]

8. And?

nt.

[Thinkingabout]

12. It isn't hard for me to see Hillary is in front, huh.

[Hutzpa]

13. I can tell you this now

Bernie is not going to poll higher than Hillary, and I'm not a Hillary supporter either.

[merrily]

79. Maybe not, but you've been making one negative post after another about the only one

declared to challenge her. So, I guess I have to question your statement.

"I'm not a Hillary fan, but...."

"I like Bernie, but...."

A ubiquitous pattern on DU for a long time now.

[Hutzpa]

81. You're very encouragable.

haha

[merrily]

83. I don't try to bs anyone about where I really stand. See Reply 82.

[Ken Burch]

96. If Bernie doesn't run, there will be no good reason to even have the primaries.

Without him, there will be no passion and no debate.

[morningfog]

15. Niether am I. If Sanders is the nominee, he will crush any repub in the general.

[woolldog]

39. Delusional. nt

[daleanime]

77. But we love you anyways....

[Quackers]

87. Lol

[TheNutcracker]

2. Seems all Hillary supporters here have nothing nice to say. democrats who can't handle democracy?

[Maedhros]

5. Not true - there have been a few who wished Bernie well.

I probably have the nasty ones on ignore, though.

[Thinkingabout]

10. The Bernie supporters has not been saying nice thing about Hillary, does this mean they

can't handle democracy?

[lewebley3]

54. Agree with your post!! Bernie supporters are always bashing Hillary!!

Hillary has been working for the Dems for years


The GOP think she is so far left they use to call her a commie! (Baraba Olsen)

Sanders, people are now calling themselves the only progressives,

Hillary was progressive long before they had a word for it, they just
us Dems liberals.

[Thinkingabout]

56. Memories are short sometimes.

[onecaliberal]

78. That's not true of everyone. I support Bernie,

But I also have no problem with Clinton. I thought her speech today was awesome. It was everything I'd hoped she would say.
If she wins the nomination I will vote for her.

[merrily]

82. Bernie has been working for the Democrats for years as well. And for

traditional Democratic principles.

The Party has not even been running anyone against him for the Senate. What does that tell you?

I welcome civil discussion from all sides, not not message control attempts or hypocrisy.

I've never told Hillary supporters that their sincere beliefs mean they are sexist or racist or any other kind of bigot. I've never told them they are out to destroy the Democratic Party because they are critical of a Democrat. They've told me those things though, yet some of them throw have been throwing cold water all over any mention of any other possible candidate. I don't care much about the prior sentence. A political discussion board is for discussion of politics. Duhh But I see the nastiness and hypocrisy of the two sentences before that.

[seabeyond]

22. bullshit. nt

[Capt. Obvious]

3. Or voted for Nader

[merrily]

84. That has been so thoroughly debunked on this board so many times, including a couple of days ago.

[JI7]

4. what if he loses the primary ?

[kentuck]

9. I guess the question would then be?

If Hillary wins the votes in the primaries, will Sanders supporters vote for her in the general?

And if Bernie wins in the primaries, will Hillary supporters vote for Bernie in the general?

Personally, I think most Bernie supporters would see Hillary as a better gamble than any Republican that they put up this time around? I would assume most Hillary supporters would vote for Bernie in the general if the grassroots chose him thru the primary process? Both are better choices than any passenger in the clown car...

[liberal_at_heart]

14. I will not vote for Hillary if she wins the primary. How would I feel if Hillary supporters

said they would not vote for Bernie if he won the primary? It wouldn't bother me. Unlike many, I think voting is a deeply personal and intimate experience. I think everyone should vote their conscience and vote for someone they think best represents their values.

[Adrahil]

74. Winning elections matters! n/t

[Zorra]

16. Yep. I will vote for Secretary Clinton if she is nominated, without reservation.

The entire republican party has gone off the charts RW extremist over the last decade.

[leftynyc]

18. I will vote for whoever gets the nomination

without question or reservation. The supreme court is much too important to have a hissy fit about.

[procon]

11. 2010 was not a presidential election year.

Check the stats, for whatever reason, Dem voters are well known for their propensity of skipping non-presidential elections, but they love turning out for a president. The election will not hinge all those worrisome liberals and leftists, but rather the independent and crossover voters who might be persuaded to vote.

[lewebley3]

17. Agree, Bernie is another Raplh Nadder, He will help the GOP

Hillary and Bernie agree on most issues!!

[kentuck]

19. Don't bring me down...

At the minimum, try to spell correctly.

[seabeyond]

21. he is running dem, in a primary. one wins. one does not. nt

[jeff47]

23. If you can't spell the name correctly, it takes a lot away from your political analysis.

As poor as that analysis already is.

Also, Nader did not "help the GOP". That would be Gore and his awful "I'm not liberal!" campaign. Who says so? Al Gore. He's admitted to running a terrible campaign in 2000, losing states he should have won. Winning any of those other states would have made Florida moot.

Lastly, more registered Democrats in Florida voted for W than voted for Nader.

[lewebley3]

24. Nader was out their bashing the Dems and Gore; He only helped the GOP

Which gave us Bush, and dead American's on 911, and Irag war for GOP profit!!

[jeff47]

27. Since you didn't bother reading the post, I'll just copy-n-paste it.

If you can't spell the name correctly, it takes a lot away from your political analysis.

As poor as that analysis already is.

Also, Nader did not "help the GOP". That would be Gore and his awful "I'm not liberal!" campaign. Who says so? Al Gore. He's admitted to running a terrible campaign in 2000, losing states he should have won. Winning any of those other states would have made Florida moot.

Lastly, more registered Democrats in Florida voted for W than voted for Nader.

[LuvLoogie]

64. Raplh Nadder is a narcissystik rattfucker

Did I spell that correctly?

[jeff47]

73. Your sock puppet is showing. (nt)

[LuvLoogie]

75. Whatever

[merrily]

90. A lot of that going around lately.

[lewebley3]

29. Not spelling his name write: Didn't stop you from understanding:

You new whom I was talking about!! Remark clearly indicate that you understood
me!

[jeff47]

32. Are you trying to appear particularly poorly educated?

I eagerly await which stereotype you think you are copying.

[LanternWaste]

44. Your should rationalize your poor spelling and inaccurate grammar with even more melodrama.

Your should rationalize your poor spelling and inaccurate grammar with even more melodrama.

[lewebley3]

48. You: are the only one brought melodrama with your small minded comments!

Last edited Wed Apr 29, 2015, 05:27 PM - Edit history (1)

If you do not care for my comments, just move on and get a life!!

[smokey nj]

28. Who's Ralph Nadder?

[bluesbassman]

33. It's Raplh.

I know, I can hardly keep up myself.

[smokey nj]

34. Thanks for the correction, I really hate it when I make spelling errors!

[Oilwellian]

89. Someone with nads?

[LuvLoogie]

72. Bernie is not a narcissystik rattfucker.

I hope he vents his combative energy at the GOP. Now that he is running as a Dem, he is going to have to contrast our party to the toxic spill that is today's GOP. And he can't be a Debbie Downer about it. He's going to have to smile a lot and explain how things can get better.

[lewebley3]

97. The GOP will fund Sanders campagin to attack Hillary: They are already sending trolls

Today on several Dem talk shows, there were trolls claiming
to be Sanders supporters, and kept attacking Bill and Hillary,
the GOP will use Sanders supporters to drive up neg on Hillary.

The used Nader the same way against Gore!!

[seabeyond]

20. regardless of our dem, it is ours to win, i believe. and that is a wonderful opportunity for sanders

i believe, in this election

[lewebley3]

25. There are not enough people on the left to Elect Bernie! That why Dems kept losing!!

Campaign us are won in the middle, and Dem will have to attract
some GOPs, as well as Independents.

[smokey nj]

30. You're funny

[cascadiance]

36. I guess that's why so many red states didn't pass measures to raise the minimum wage last election!

I guess it was too "far left" for them to do so!

OH WAIT! They DID pass these bills! Even when many of them elected Republicans to senate and other statewide seats? HMM!! I wonder why! Could it be that maybe certain Third Way Democratic candidates are CLUELESS in how to appeal to their states' voters? HUH?

I think if many of these states had a choice of someone like Bernie to vote for who comes off far more honest than other Democratic or Republican candidates on wanting to work more on issues like the TPP which the masses of all parties don't like as much as the rich elites, he'll get many from all political stripes to vote for him, just like he gets many Republicans to vote for him in Vermont too, when they know that he stands up for them personally as he has over the years.

[Cleita]

26. If Bernie wins the primary, he will win the general election with even a bigger

turnout than BOG. Count on it.

[Tarheel_Dem]

35. Who the hell is "BOG"?

[Cleita]

40. Freudian slip.

Meant President Obama not DU's Barack Obama Group or BOG.

[Tarheel_Dem]

42. Freudian or not, I still think your original assertion is laughable. Bernie will win even bigger...

than Obama? Wait till a critical part of the democratic base learns that Bernie wanted someone to primary the sitting black POTUS in his re-election in 2012. Not gonna go over well.

[Cleita]

45. Seems like a leap, doesn't it? Until you think about it.

President Obama won with an overwhelming liberal vote because he promised CHANGE and even made beautiful speeches about what change should look like although in actual policy he was very much a Wall Street centrist. Sure he brought us health care reform but made sure the insurance companies were the primary beneficiaries of the change. He's trying to stop the wars but doesn't want to ruffle the MIC because it would affect Wall Street. Bernie says all the same things Obama did and will on the campaign. Unless people don't believe him they will flock to his side. I just hope no one tries to off him like they might have off'd Paul Wellstone. He would have been a Presidential candidate too today if he had lived because his message is the one that resonates with the 99%. It's the same message Bernie preaches and that Obama did on the campaign trail.

[Tarheel_Dem]

53. I'll ask you the same question I asked another poster & never got an answer. Bernie's been draggin'

around Washington for a lot of years. What critical legislation has he authored, gotten through the legislature and onto the President's desk, and signed into law? It's a serious question. As far as I can tell, Bernie's only impetus for running is that he was being upstaged by Elizabeth Warren.

[Cleita]

58. Why is he being upstaged by Elizabeth Warren considering that she's not running?

His record is too extensive to put up here but you might look at these two pages of govtrack.us:

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/bernard_sanders/400357/report-card/2014

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/bernard_sanders/400357

[Tarheel_Dem]

59. I didn't ask you about proposals or platforms. And please omit naming post offices. Thanks.

[Cleita]

60. Well, I don't think Bernie is your guy. So don't bother to ask anyone else to prove stuff.

The idea of the ratings is so you can compare their record with others. If you are really interested you will do it yourself, but I ain't doing it for you. I gave you a source to start but expect you to do your own homework. However, I don't think you will.

[Tarheel_Dem]

62. Yup. That's kinda what I thought. I didn't ask you, nor do I care about his "ratings". I want...

legislation "authored by Bernie" that became law. That should be simple enough if you're a staunch supporter, right? I'm just curious why President Bernie will be more capable of moving legislation through a GOP controlled legislature than Senator Bernie. Bernie's been on the Hill for nearly three decades, it should be easy to see how persuasive he's been with his Republican opponents.

[Cleita]

63. On one of those pages are all the bills that became law for 2014 if you bothered to look.

I don't need to look up the rest of the years because I am already impressed with him and subscribe to his newsletter. I have for many years so I know what his policy philosophy is and what he's doing. You want his hits so to speak? Look them up. I provided you with a source. There are many others as well.

[Tarheel_Dem]

66. His "hits"? What about the "misses"?

[Mnpaul]

69. Okay, will leave out Post Offices

S. 2948: Medicaid Generic Drug Price Fairness Act
S. 2905: Carbon Pollution Transparency Act of 2014
S. 2899: Responsible Estate Tax Act
S. 2901: 10 Million Solar Roofs Act of 2014
S. 2832: Employ Young Americans Now Act
S. 2782: A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to improve the Federal charter for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and for other purposes.
S. 2548: A bill to require the Commodity Futures Trading commission to take certain emergency action to eliminate excessive speculation in energy markets.
S. 2450: Veterans’ Access to Care through Choice, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2014
S. 2422: Ensuring Veterans Access to Care Act of 2014
S. 2413: Restoring Veterans Trust Act of 2014
S. 2229: Expanding Primary Care Access and Workforce Act
S. 1982: Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014
S. 1950: Comprehensive Veterans Health and Benefits and Military Retirement Pay Restoration Act of 2014
S. 1782: American Health Security Act of 2013
S. 893: Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013
S. 1581: Survivors of Military Sexual Assault and Domestic Abuse Act of 2013
S. 1604: Veterans Health Care Eligibility Expansion and Enhancement Act of 2013
S. 1562: Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2014
S. 1583: Mental Health Support for Veteran Families and Caregivers Act of 2013
S. 1584: A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide replacement automobiles for certain disabled veterans and members of the Armed Forces, and for other purposes.
S. 1586: Enhanced Dental Care for Veterans Act of 2013
S. 1578: A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to cover the costs associated with the care of veterans at medical foster homes.

and on and on and on. Bernie is in the top ten percent for sponsoring bills. Do have have a candidate that has a better record of advocating for their constituents?

[Tarheel_Dem]

70. I did not ask the poster what Bernie "sponsored", but then you knew that.

[Mnpaul]

71. Oh, it's there

it is also pointed out in the link above

S. 1578: A bill to authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to cover the costs associated with the care of veterans at medical foster homes.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s893

S. 2782 (113th): A bill to amend title 36, United States Code, to improve the ...
... Federal charter for the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, and for other purposes.

[Hoyt]

31. Would vote for him in the general, but don't think he has much chance of getting there.

He's another Kucinich. Makes a lot of sense, but just isn't going to garner many votes. He will definitely make the debates more interesting.

[cascadiance]

37. Hmmm. I think he's done better at winning a senator's seat than Kucinich has!

He's got a better track record than Kucinich, and we are living in populist times where voters are looking more for people that speak to them, not just speaking AT them while taking money from the 1% corruptors in DC!

[Cleita]

41. Love me some Dennis K and even met him and his wife in person, but Bernie is

a different cat and I think he will overcome the Keebler Elf image something Dennis couldn't.

[Hoyt]

68. If he does, I'll definitely vote for him.. I think it will be tough.. Love the Keebler Elf

reference.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

38. I think it will be more like Bernie lost because he's tooooo liberal.

Like the "pragmatic" types blamed McGovern.

[LanternWaste]

43. We should also craft an irrelevant, though self-fulfilling prophecy to make fun of those

We should also craft an irrelevant, though self-fulfilling prophecy to make fun of those who disagree with us rather than campaigning for those we do agree with.

Though it's yet a waste of time and advertises our own lack of character much more than those of whom we may disagree with, and despite it's petulance and the ineffectual mind behind it, it's fun.

So yeah... let's do that.

[JoePhilly]

46. I don't think I've heard any Hillary supporter say they would not vote for Bernie ...

... have you encountered some?

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

80. Not yet. They've been too busy proclaiming that he's got no chance in hell.

So they don't expect to have to vote for him, so they can be free to say whatever they want about something they don't think will ever come to pass.

(And no I'm not going to link, but I just read several such OP's in the last couple of hours.)

[JoePhilly]

95. Actually ... I hear them say they'll vote for the Dem noninee.

Hillary, or Warren, Sanders, whoever wins the primary.

I have yet to hear a single one of them say they'd sit out, vote 3rd party, write in Scooby Doo, or anything other than vote for the Dem nominee.

And you can't provide a link for anything like this ... because it doesn't exist.

[Blue_In_AK]

47. Our system is too rigged for Bernie to win the primary, sadly,

but he will help pull the conversation to the left, which is a very good thing.

[HereSince1628]

51. I'm not sure that's true but Sanders does need convention delegates

And that means every state organization need to be an organization that engages the state party.

If he does survivably well through Massachusetts he'll start to warp the table.

[treestar]

49. It would be because the center voted for the Republican

Like another Dukakis or McGovern.

[Exilednight]

52. The center deciding elections is nothing but ...

A myth. Purple states are not filled with moderates, but rather with deep divides to each end of the political spectrum. My state is a great example.

I live in Va and have met very few moderates. Maybe 4 since I lived here, and only one of them votes. I have met 100s from both ends of the political spectrum, and their ideology runs deep. They are, also, more likely to stay home on Election Day if they feel a candidate does not lean far enough to their point of view, and that applies to both sides. McCain was a huge reason that Obama won Va the first go round.

[Tarheel_Dem]

57. +1

[brooklynite]

50. ...and because moderate Republicans and Independents didn't vote for him.

Like in 1980...and 1984...and 1988...and 2004.

[Vinca]

55. If you look at the GOP field of crazies, it would seem anyone who gets the Dem nod will win.

Bernie's steep hill is overcoming the big money interests in the primary.

[LordGlenconner]

61. File under: Things nobody will ever have to worry about

[Autumn]

65. Here's the link to the Bernie Sanders group

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=forum&id=1280

[merrily]

85. Thanks! And thanks for your effort to form the group.

[LuvLoogie]

67. It would be because he lost the "purple" states to Jeb.

Maybe he pulls it off against Walker or Cruz, but not against Jeb or Christie who, if not indicted, still stands a good chance at the nomination.

But maybe not, because if his message and organization is enough to best Hillary Clinton after 8 more years of world stage experience, then it's good enough to beat any Republican.

But I think those pining for Bernie and Liz are overstating Hillary's negatives, most of which aren't deal breakers for the bulk of voters sans the R/W echo chamber and its sympathyzers.

More Democrats wanted Hillary to run than want Bernie or Liz to run--and just as passionately. Neither O'malley, Warren or Sanders has put him/herself front and center for the time HRC has been there.

Bernie's only chance is to avoid taking the shots at Hillary many are hoping he'll take. To run a positive campaign, to champion the Democratic brand and encourage those already in office and seeking office to fight for those ideals without calling out any Democrats, whether by name or by implication.

The primary should be about hammering the GOP.

[merrily]

76. The primary should be and IS about choosing a Democratic nominee, not coronating Hillary or anyone

else.

[LuvLoogie]

86. Who said anything about coronating Hillary?

If Bernie wants to win he is going to have to stay positive. He won't win by making a punching bag of HRC or of the Democratic party.

You are going to vote for Bernie. Great. But he is not going to pull votes from HRC by going negative on her, which IMO is what many Liz and Bernie fans are hoping for. He also can't get too wonky without incorporating some ease and humor.

I have seen a few post here stating that they will not vote for HRC if she is the nominee. I haven't seen that kind of attitude from HRC supporters toward either Liz or Bernie since she announced.

HRC supporters seem to me to be pretty upbeat about it, in spite of the constant attacks. I really didn't make up my mind in the '08 primary until I was in the booth. I am of course glad that I voted for BHO twice. But I sometime wonder how HRC might have handled certain situations.

I am glad that I get another chance to vote for HRC. Warts and all. No, I am not expecting an HRC coronation. But y'all don't think she's just going to step aside now, do you?

Look, I dig Bernie. But he, too, is going to have to campaign and earn the nomination.

[merrily]

88. My post did. And I stand by it.

"which IMO is what many Liz and Bernie fans are hoping for." Very much think you're wrong.

I've never heard 1 Warren or Sanders fan say "Gee, I hope he goes negative on Hillary." That has never even occurred to me. All my posts say things like "America needs to hear his voice," meaning his agenda. I don't think his lifelong agenda has been bashing Hillary. Now that you have raised it, though, I want him to do whatever works best for his candidacy.

But y'all don't think she's just going to step aside now, do you?

Y'all? Why do Hillary supporter assume every one who does not support her is in lockstep? We are not. And you seem to have a lot of odd assumptions about critics of Hillary.

OF COURSE, I neither expect nor want her to step aside. This notion that only one candidate should be in the primary could not be more repugnant to me. The only reason I would want any candidate to step aside is some October surprise issue that primary voters do not know about.

Of course, if she is the real mother of John Edwards child, I'd love for her to step down now. (KIDDING).

[LuvLoogie]

91. So if Hillary wins the nomination,

will you accept that she won fair and square or call it some kind of coronation? Isn't that some kind of sweeping generalization on the nature of her candidacy? Doesn't that diminish her supporters as vassals and serfs.

She has no control over who runs and who doesn't run. The candidates make up their own minds.

She's been deflecting daggers from the left and the right since Jerry Brown first brought up Whitewater in '92. If she win's the Presidency in 2016, she'll have earned it.

[merrily]

92. The comment is about the Party, not her (maybe) and certainly not about her suppporters (definitely)

Don't make this about me. You and I are grains of sand in this mess.

[LuvLoogie]

94. Just dust in the wind, I

That I know.

[fadedrose]

93. Bernie is for expanding Social Security

not cutting it.

He may bring in a few Republican Retiree votes....

We people on SS scare easily....