Bernie's top strategist: Bernie might consider being HRC's VP

[book_worm]

Ask people in Hillary Clinton’s world whether they have a secret weapon to help win over voters under the age of old, and many will offer this answer: Bernie Sanders

When I mention all this to Sanders’ top strategist, Tad Devine, he responds with a big belly laugh — then he goes there.

“Maybe they’re going to put him on the ticket then,” Devine tells me during a wide-ranging 45-minute interview for POLITICO’s “Off Message” podcast. He isn’t joking, as far as I can tell

“I’m sure, of course, anyone would,” Devine says when I ask if he could see a scenario where Sanders would actually say yes. They haven’t talked about the possibility, Devine adds, and he says Sanders would never, ever consider it “unless you know, it was done in the right and proper way.” That’s a far cry from last year, when Sanders and Co. rebuffed the second-banana suggestion by countering with an offer to give Clinton the vice presidential slot on his ticket.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/tad-devine-inside-bernie-sanders-campaign-220357#ixzz42FAPVNE0

[comradebillyboy]

1. That is beyond bizarre

[Buzz Clik]

7. +1

VP choices are made to broaden the base, not narrow it.

[enid602]

2. insurance

That would be a good life insurance policy for Hill.

[MADem]

3. No--he'd be horrible, and a loose cannon. Better to give him Secretary of Labor.

Make him the promise, put him out on the hustings with a canned and limited speech, and let him round up his faithful and convert them to the cause.

I'd rather see Castro get the nod than Sanders. Or any of a dozen likely possibilities. Even a Clinton-Warren ticket would be better, though she'd take some heat (the usual insults about her heritage, e.g.) and she's not really a skilled debater even though she was able to vanquish the doltish Scott Brown (she might have trouble against a silver-tongued devil, she gets a bit TOO earnest at times).

[romana]

9. Not sure about even that

I'm not sure any administration could trust him to actually be supportive if they do something he doesn't like. I don't see a place for him anywhere in a Clinton administration, to be honest. He's better in Congress, anyway.

[George II]

19. Put him in charge of the National Parks.

[FreedomRain]

35. Ohh! I'd love that

He would be my best boss ever!

But realistically, Veteran Affairs is a better fit, though he'd probably rather stay in the Senate.

[Zambero]

4. Absurd

Decades ago someone even suggested that Alpha-Dog LBJ might agree to become upstart JFK's VP running mate, provided RFK was enthusiastic enough about the idea.

And now this!

[bravenak]

5. No

[Treant]

8. For so many reasons

I don't like this idea. He's a single note candidate and every attempt to strike another note turns out rather sour. He hasn't shown much ability at decorum, which a VP needs when filling in for the President in important meetings.

She may not bear any resentment toward him, but he seems to bear some toward her. An unfaithful VP is a really bad idea.

I'd rather see an up and comer like Castro--or somebody else that hasn't been floated just yet.

[Iliyah]

10. No

[William769]

11. HELL NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SunSeeker]

12. Oh Hell No

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. If Hillary wants someone who'll be undercutting & sabotaging her at every turn, I could see it.

However, there are many more actual "Democrats" who will have just as much impact on the ticket, who might also put an actual state in play.

[Starry Messenger]

14. No.

And we don't need any help from Devine, who apparently blights all that he touches, electorally.

[brush]

15. Not a good idea.

I hate to mention it but Sanders is in his 70s.

If Clinton was president and dies, and VP Sanders can't serve the line of succession falls to the Speaker of the House, Paul Ryan.

Who wants that?

And talk about bus-worthy, if I were the Sanders operative who said Bernie might be willing to be number 2 on the ticket, I'd be very, very careful when crossing the street, especially near bus stops.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

16. He's older than she is

I think it would be better to pick someone younger who's up and coming.

[livetohike]

20. + 1000 n/t

[Setsuna1972]

18. NO !

No way in hell !

[livetohike]

21. I hope not. I have many reasons why I do not want him on the ticket. The first is that he is not

respectful to Hillary. The second is he is not respectful to the Democratic Party. Thirdly, Hillary will win New England states on her own and should bring someone in from another region of the country. Another point against Sanders as VP is I don't think he would have her back the way VP Biden is loyal to Pres. Obama.

[fun n serious]

22. Right and proper way...

What does that mean?

[spooky3]

41. Maybe this: "Excuse me, I'm talking. Do you want to be my VP?"

[yallerdawg]

23. If he were on the Hillary ticket...

his supporters would evaporate.

It's not "I Love Bernie."

It's "I Hate Hillary."

[FreedomRain]

33. I cant say nobody would do that

but you are way off. Perhaps fooled by the effect that more radical opinions get more airplay. A Yuge majority of Sanders supporters would be happy to vote him for VP.

That said, I doubt it would happen, but both sides would be fools to not consider it, and they would also be fools to talk seriously about it in public at this point in the race.

[dlwickham]

24. in honor of Nancy Reagan

just say no

[fun n serious]

39. Good one. :) nt

[misterhighwasted]

25. BARF ALERT!

Sanders would never, ever consider it “unless you know, it was done in the right and proper way.” 

Oh yes, if Bernie calls the shots..wags his finger in her face & tells her to be quiet ...
She has a superb list for VP, qualified & dignified, well educated & versed in public policy & law & superior to Bernie in every way.

A superb list. And Bernie's not on it.

He has accomplished nothing that qualifies him to hold a place of such honor. No foreign policy nor governance in a diverse & global society where all parts work together to make it run well.
The world is not Vermont.

Good lord!

[riversedge]

26. Laugh for the day

[72DejaVu]

27. the first item on the VP checklist

She should pick a Democrat.

[ismnotwasm]

28. Oh HELL no

Unacceptable

[DarthDem]

29. Persuasive Responses Here . . . Add Me to the "Nos"

When I first clicked on the topic and read the link, for a few moments I thought about bringing over these "millenials" (I put it in quotes because I most dislike generation labels other than Baby Boomers, and really dislike that one in particular) who seem to adore Sanders, and how having him on the ticket would help.

But would it? I bet tons of those people would disappear EVEN IF Sanders was on the ticket and he was no longer, in effect, a protest candidate. (Heck, a lot of them seem to be disappearing anyway.) He'd just become another traitor and tool of the establishment in their eyes, right?

Then you add in bringing nothing geographically and - perhaps most importantly - his total unwillingness or inability so far to do any downticket campaigning for Democrats in Congress. I guess that's because he's not a Democrat, which is why some days I still try to figure out how and why he's running to be the party's nominee for the highest office in the country. Finally, the disrespectful behavior towards Secretary Clinton just doesn't help.

So, no. I hope he'll be an effective member of the Senate for years to come.

[OKNancy]

30. OK.. here are my thoughts.

1. If you wanted to unite the party and have a blow-out win and were totally doing it for political reasons, it wouldn't be a bad idea.
2. The ticket would be very "old", however, if it is Trump... he's old too.
3. People would see it as a cynical move.
4. I really, really like Castro. ( I am concerned about his last name, but we can educate people during the campaign)

Finally... no way Hillary would pick him, and he wouldn't do it anyway.

[Nonhlanhla]

38. I'm not worried about his last name

Our current president is named Barack (what's that?!) Hussein (you mean like Saddam?!) Obama (rhymes with Osama?!). I think the American people can handle someone with the last name Castro (sounds like Fidel?!).

[peggysue2]

31. Very Unlikely

This suggestion is even less likely than Elizabeth Warren.

Not going to happen.

[pandr32]

32. Ha-ha! As reality sets in...

Is that what it will take for them to reign in the hate they've deliberately seeded and stoked against HC?

[UtahLib]

34. Good grief,no. Dream on , Devine

[sufrommich]

36. Am I the only one who thinks this is a very unusual

statement for a campaign manager to make? To me he's telegraphing that they know they're not going to win. I think it's strange.

[book_worm]

37. Yep, that was my point really in posting it

that his campaign is conceding that he won't be the nominee.

[wysi]

40. No

It's a terrible idea, and it's not going to happen, no matter how much they try to finagle it.

[FloridaBlues]

42. Never going to happen. Sure way to lose the election

[LisaM]

43. This from the guy who supposedly said Bernie is running against the Democrats?

Well, that's a ringing endorsement to add him to the ticket.

[charlyvi]

44. Maybe Sec. of Labor...

But Veep, hell no.

[jmowreader]

47. No. Nothing in the Hillary Administration.

[Stuckinthebush]

45. Oh, hell no

Unless she wants a VP who walks down the halls of the White House mumbling "oligarchy!"

[jmowreader]

46. Two words: Fuck. No.

I don't even want him in our caucus anymore, much less as our vice president.

[SharonClark]

48. Devine was being being flippant

It's what he does best.

[Cha]

49. Remember when one of those brilliant "strategists" of BS' said they would consider Hillarry for VP?

I do. Table turned.

Uh uh.. bad idea.