The Guardian - The cold, hard truth: it's game over for Bernie Sanders

[wyldwolf]

It’s time for some cold hard truths in this presidential election.

Here’s an ice cold one: winning a landslide victory in the mighty state of Vermont is not a foundation for success. Especially if Vermont has been your home since the Jurassic age of politics.

Here’s another: if you hold a victory rally before most of the states have been called, you’re not fooling anyone. When your victorious supporters have emptied the hall before the TV pundits have barely warmed up, you’re actually throwing a consolation party.

... it’s only a matter of time before Sanders stops perpetuating his own hoax and looks at the data of the delegate count.

Instead, on Super Tuesday the socialist senator spoke of an idyllic place where democracy is still as pure as the mountain snow that didn’t fall this year. It’s a Swiss-like canton where they have town meetings for citizens to make decisions in a democratic fashion. “In Vermont,” Sanders explained, “billionaires don’t buy town meetings.” Well, they would be strange billionaires if they did.

In a place called Vermont, you can stand in front of your cheering supporters and explain the glory of proportional delegate allocation: that a narrow victory doesn’t confer a big advantage in delegates. “By the end of tonight,” Sanders declared, “we are going to win many hundreds of delegates.”

But in a place called America, that doesn’t mean a whole lot if your rival is winning many hundreds more. Sure enough, despite Sanders claiming Oklahoma, Colorado and Minnesota, Clinton won lopsided victories across the south, enough to push her far into the lead.

It may be premature to expect Sanders to concede to reality. But it’s never too early for Hillary Clinton to pivot to the general election.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/01/super-tuesday-results-bernie-sanders-campaign

[stonecutter357]

1. The Guardian.

[Geronimoe]

22. He is a consult to MSNBC

[thesquanderer]

50. Guardian is fine. This is just an op-ed from a Hillary supporter. (n/t)

[Lodestar]

2. FYI - about the author of this article

Wolffe was most recently vice president and executive editor of MSNBC.com, and is the author of Renegade: The Making of a President, Revival: The Struggle for Survival Inside the Obama White House and The Message: The Re-Selling of President Obama. He previously spent several years in senior roles at Newsweek magazine and the Financial Times.

[wyldwolf]

4. GREAT resume! Knows what he speaks of

[Betty Karlson]

16. The elite? The untenable status quo?

Yeah, I don't think that a big bubble of detachment from the real world constitutes a great resumé.

[riversedge]

29. Your comment shows that you are the one living in a bubble. Dissing an objective journalist

such a Wolfe makes you look beyond silly.

[Betty Karlson]

56. Yeah, I'm the one living in a bubble. That's what Rahm said when I asked for equal rights.

You know, back when 'common wisdom' said that we should just let Obama break his promises to the LGBT because we didn't have 60 senators, and we had to keep our powder dry, and anyway people like Clinton were still against equal rights so we were f*cking retarded?

Tells me exactly how much of a bubble her followers live in, when such arguments are rehashed and repeated ad nauseam. I know that my ideals are not unicorns or ponies, and you just mock them because you have yours and that satisfies you.

Journalists who parot the beltway talking points are not objective: they repeat elitist views. And as such, they open themselves to 'dissing' as you call it. Myself, I'd call it mocking. Because: why only report on one side's views?

[oasis]

19. Wolfe is definitely a proven heavyweight. (eom)

[sufrommich]

3. When your whole campaign strategy comes down

to targeting states based on how white they are,you're not going to win the democratic primary.

[RoccoR5955]

14. That's a steaming pile

of bovine fecal matter, and you know it!

[stonecutter357]

24. +1

[MaggieD]

46. Indeed

Wacky, and losing strategy.

[giftedgirl77]

53. Pretty much.

[Karma13612]

5. Dick Wolfe is very supportive of Hillary. This is an opinion piece.

Bernie and his supporters are headed to the convention.

Better get used to it.

[wyldwolf]

6. OF COURSE it's an opinion piece

[ChairmanAgnostic]

27. Only a hillarian would post it as fact.

[wyldwolf]

55. how was it posted as 'fact?'

[Art_from_Ark]

62. The title implies some sort of political analysis by The Guardian itself

when, in fact, it's merely an opinion piece by a staunch Hillary supporter.

[wyldwolf]

63. A political analysis is an opinion.

[thesquanderer]

66. But you're attributing the thoughts to The Guardian, not an op-ed columnist.

If would be as if someone posted Krugman's endorsement of Hillary's economic policy and headline-attributed that as being the editorial position of the Times rather then the position of Krugman.

So in your headline, instead of "The Guardian -" you could have typed "Guardian Op-Ed:" or "Wolffe" just as the appropriate call-out for a Krugman perspective would be "NYT Op-Ed:" or "Krugman:" -- in this case, more likely the latter, since he is so well known. Not sure how well Wolffe is known.

[wyldwolf]

68. It wouldn't have appeared in the Guardian if it wasn't approved by the Guardian

[thesquanderer]

69. That's silly. Sounds like you don't understand the purpose of an op-ed.

It is to present a variety of viewpoints. Op-eds are often actually at odds with the editorial positions of the paper. The NYTimes has often published op-eds from political conservatives, while endorsing people/positions to the left, for example.

[wyldwolf]

70. No it isn't. Sounds like YOU don't understand the purpose of an op-ed

And if the Guardian disagreed, they'd put a disclaimer along the lines of "does not necessarily reflect the views... blah blah."

See, I worked in newspaper for a decade.

[thesquanderer]

72. You don't have to work at a newspaper, you just have to read one.

Op-Ed pages are filled with opinions that diverge from the editorial positions of the papers. The only opinion positions that can be attributed to the paper are the ones that are officially presented by them as editorials. They don't have to disclaim every other one. You don't see the Times running disclaimers on every Krugman piece (or anyone else's), but you cannot assume that the Times endorses everything those columnists say.

But fine, believe what you like.

[wyldwolf]

74. Apparently you have many misconception about news papers

[thesquanderer]

75. I don't know about that, but you have at least one.

You think every op-ed printed by a newspaper reflects the official editorial position of that paper unless they specifically issue a disclaimer? Try to find that disclaimer on the conservative op-eds in the Times (you can find them online, just like your Guardian piece). Or do you think the Times is schizophrenic and believes all the contradictory opinions they publish?

Anyway, as I said, you can believe what you'd like. Bye.

[Warren DeMontague]

7. She's already been running against Single Payer Health Care and "Free Stuff", while focusing on

things like fighting terrorism and a promoting a muscular foreign policy approach to the world.


One shudders to think what pivoting to the general election and "the center" will look like.

[Fast Walker 52]

37. indeed-- what's scary is she is more hawkish than Trump, such as on Iraq

and on several other issues, probably not that different from Trump, ultimately.

[CoffeeCat]

80. There's only one more country

that the neocons haven't turned into a complete disaster area.

Their original plan included dominating Iraq, Iran, Syria and Lybia.

They've got Iraq. Syria, check. Libya, a complete failed state shit hole.

Iran. Looks like we'll be at war with Iran.

[Enrique]

8. pointless commentary

obviously this guy doesn't want Sanders in the race and never did. But he's in it, and he's doing well, and he's not done yet, and no reasonable person would say that yesterday's results were bad enough for Bernie to drop out.

And one less-obvious problem, and more dishonest, is the comparison to Hillary in 2008. It was eight years ago, a lot of people probably forgot, but Hillary stuck around until June. There's absolutely no comparison.

[Art_from_Ark]

61. +1

[bkkyosemite]

9. We still got lots of time.

[gregcrawford]

10. And this seething furnace of malice calls himself a journalist?

I don't think so.

[BeyondGeography]

11. Sanders isn't perpetuating a hoax

Not only does he remain a legitimate candidate, he's probably the most constructive opponent Hillary could have hoped for. Stupid partisan shit like that doesn't help anyone.

[Fast Walker 52]

38. exactly-- hoax, my ass

this guy is a douchebag.

[Live and Learn]

59. +10,000 nt

[RoccoR5955]

12. BULLSHIT!

There are still THIRTY FIVE states left.
Just another hit piece for Clinton.
As Yogi Berra said, "It ain't over till it's over!"

[VulgarPoet]

13. :eyes:

[Betty Karlson]

15. "comment is free" is what this section i called. Comment is cheap too

when it comes from Hill-shills who can't stomach the fact that Sanders' camapign still hasn't been knocked out.

[Cobalt Violet]

17. crazy talk

The Deep Red South doesn't get to decide who the wins. Let the rest of the county have a say.

Thankfully Bernie isn't ignorant as this writer is. He will stay in it til all states have their say.

Go Bernie!

[AgadorSparticus]

18. I think Bernie did well for super Tuesday considering he doesn't have the AA vote.

Once we get to the other states where the AA is not as dominant, he should be picking up the pace. It could very well be wishful thinking on my part, but I still think it will be a nail biter down to the wire---much like Iowa.

[HoosierRadical]

44. Don't count the AA vote out, Bernie is going to do better with

non Southern AA voters.

[AgadorSparticus]

57. Really? Why do you think that? Nt

[HoosierRadical]

64. Because I'm one of them!

We care about policy, and the BLM along with other academics and grassroots activists have been instrumental in getting the information out about the all the candidates records and rhetoric. Once the average AA voter hears the truth about HRC's record the less they like her.

[bravenak]

76. I'm one too!!

And I have no clue why you think that we Northern Blacks are much different from our southern brothers and sisters. I'm way way far north and we will go mostly for Hillary, whether that pleases you or no.
I suppose some might think us backwards but we know who has been there for decades.

[HoosierRadical]

78. "...but we know who has been there for decades."

That right there proves you know nothing and unfortunately lack the political sophistication to distinguish between HRC's empty rhetoric and Bernie's actual history, record, and policy proposals. Yes, there will still be people like you who don't want to shatter your illusion of HRC, but there are enough of AAs here up North you know better.

[bravenak]

79. Oh really?

Name some bills bernie put up to congress that was specifically designed for blacks? And name the black people he hired on staff as mayor and in his congress time or while in the senate? How many of our black politicians did he raise money for or stump for besides Jesse Jackson? What have Vermont's black political leaders said about how often he was there to help? If you do not know, that's fine. Maybe I'm not the one who knows nothing 'sides empty rhetoric... I know the exact figures and quotes. Not good. Let us see what you know..

His yes vote on mass incarceration is something people fail to mention. His lack of relationships show something..

[Live and Learn]

60. Definitely. nt

[noretreatnosurrender]

20. Misleading Headline

Your headline is misleading. It's not the Guardian saying this it's Richard Wolfe.

[PeterGM]

21. isn't a landslide victory winning by more than 10 points?

in which case 4 landslides for Sanders and 6 for Clinton.

[-none]

40. I thought a landslide victory for Hillary was winning by .02%?

I read it right here in DU.

[AllyCat]

23. With three quarters of the delegates and 34 states to go,

Just give up!!!

[FailureToCommunicate]

25. Thank you for putting this opinion piece where it belongs, instead of LBN. That is where I

fully expect to see this re-posted by a certain Clinton supporter any moment now.

[erlewyne]

26. The DNC and MSNBC are in lock step

disappearing.

GO BERNIE SANDERS !!!

[NurseJackie]

28. Yes, that's true, BUT ...

It may be premature to expect Sanders to concede to reality.

Yes, that's true, BUT ... that day will come ... sooner rather than later.

[nxylas]

30. Oh, the irony

"If you hold a victory rally before most of the states have been called, you’re not fooling anyone." A Clinton supporter wrote that.

[tymorial]

31. Check... actually i am just tired of the celebratory opinion pieces

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cenk-uygur/why-bernie-sanders-won-su_b_9363416.html

These pronouncements of victory are premature and ridiculous.

[Geronimoe]

32. Group think - Hillary is the inevitable candidate

I don't think journalist think anymore. David Brock does it for them. They are wrong around 90% of the time.

According to them this was going to be over on Super Tuesday, however it isn't. Bernie is in this to the convention.

And it does seem if Bernie ran as an independent against Hillary and any of the Republicans, he wins the Presidency. Dr. Jill Stein also has a shot if Bernie doesn't run as an independent. Hillary and any of the Republican candidates unfavorable ratings are so high.

[denvine]

33. I am not a Hillary hater but I am a Trump/Cruz/Rubio hater

These are numbers the MSM are not showing. Sanders wins against all Republican candidates and Hillary loses to Rubio and Cruz! These are CNN poll numbers! Do we really want to take that risk?

[PotatoChip]

34. It is not over until the fat lady sings.

And I ain't singing...

[restorefreedom]

35. lol cool story, bro. nt

[beerandjesus]

36. Nice try.

[SidDithers]

39. It's all about the delegates...

and the delegate math for Bernie Sanders is very, very bad.

Sid

[ejbr]

41. Please pivot, Hillary!

That way the remaining states will see who you really are!

[DrBulldog]

42. Go look at the author and have a good laugh.

Richard Wolfe. His opinions have been worthless for years . . .

[SunSeeker]

43. K & R

[MaggieD]

45. Yep

It will be interesting to see when Sanders wakes up to that thing called "math."

[EndElectoral]

47. lol

[DemocratSinceBirth]

48. "Now she needs to prove that her version of love can beat Trump’s version of hate."

[debunction.junction]

49. Spin Spin Spin. The cold hard truth?

Last edited Wed Mar 2, 2016, 12:16 PM - Edit history (1)

Reminds me of the old Tommy Roe song "Dizzy."

Yes, Hillary won lopsided victories across the south, which was expected. Bernie won lopsided victories not in the south. Let's see, what states are coming up?

March Madness is going to be something to behold.

[Puppyjive]

51. Horse Shit

That is what I think of this article. It does not speak to me well. It does make me want to send Bernie more money because he has to fight biased journalists who attempt to get votes through intimidation. Evidently, the media has a lot to lose if Bernie gets elected. I have developed an awful taste for the mainstream media. They are nothing but over paid political pawns.

[TxGrandpa]

52. Brings to mind the Chicago Daily Tribune headline from 1948 - "Dewey Defeats Truman"

"It ain't over till it's over"....Yogi Berra

[ismnotwasm]

54. K&R

[oasis]

58. K and R

[riversedge]

65. I am sure he will throw some hail mary passes but yes, the game

of over.

[NurseJackie]

67. But, but ... CALIFORNIA!

[Vinca]

71. It might be wise to encourage Bernie to stay in, even if he's behind . . . just in case.

[MaggieD]

73. Will Sanders stay in after his next upcoming drubbing?

If so, why?

[nichomachus]

77. I'm beginning to think that global warming

could be caused in large part by the manure being spread by the Clinton campaign and their surrogates posing as "independent" observers.

Wall Street has hundreds of millions of dollars invested in Mrs. Clinton -- and they don't want to see that go to waste.

In those speeches that she's keeping under lock and key, she promised them the keys to the treasury. They want her to deliver.