Bernie is not a "real" Democrat

[gabeana]

isn't that been the statement from the Hillary chorus
Would they be happier if he ran as an independent, leave the Democratic party?
is that what they want, Bernie to make an Independent run so Hillary can have the Democratic party all to herself?

Don't they know if he did that there is no way Hillary wins in Nov.

Bernies Policies are more progressive and in line with the liberal values on a whole than either Clinton

[oldandhappy]

1. Absolutely correct

When I saw your title line I said to myself, neither am I. I am more progressive. We do not have a progressive party. We have to work inside the Dems. Not always easy. They do not want us and we do not want to be there, but together we can win.

[awake]

2. The Clinton's would love to have the party to them selfs

If they could just figure how to get rid of all of those FDR type people in their way.

[Stallion]

5. Don't Forget the 98% of Democratic Candidates Supporting Clinton in the Election

perhaps you got that backwards

[awake]

7. I want a party made up of working Americans

Not a party controlled by millionaire polititions who have sold their soul to the big Wallstreet banks. We all ready have the Rebublican party for that our party needs to get back to its roots thoes of FDR and the New Deal. We need a "Fair Deal" which is what Bernie is offering al the Clinton's are offering is Rebublican light.

[Jack Bone]

3. We Should Thank Our Upright Walking God..

that he's not a "real" democrat...whatever that may mean

[winter is coming]

4. The word "Democrat" has no magical power.

It's what it stands for--or used to stand for--that's important.

[Gothmog]

6. Clinton, Sanders differ on down-ballot Democrats

There is a major difference between Clinton and Sanders with respect to down ballot candidates http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/clinton-sanders-differ-down-ballot-democrats

Yesterday afternoon, meanwhile, Hillary Clinton’s campaign announced its fundraising tally over the same period, and though Sanders hasn’t matched his rival in votes or wins, we were reminded once more that he’s easily defeating her when it comes to dollars in the bank. But the Clinton campaign’s press release added something Sanders’ did not:

Hillary Clinton raised about $29.5 million for her primary campaign during March. That amount brings the first quarter total to nearly $75 million raised for the primary, beating the campaign’s goal of $50 million by about 50 percent. [Hillary For America] begins April with nearly $29 million on hand.

Clinton raised an additional $6.1 million for the DNC and state parties during the month of March, bringing the total for the quarter to about $15 million [emphasis added].

The first part matters, of course, to the extent that Sanders’ fundraising juggernaut is eclipsing Clinton’s operation, but it’s the second part that stands out. How much money did Sanders raise for the DNC and state parties in March? Actually, zero. For the quarter, the total was also zero.

And while the typical voter probably doesn’t know or care about candidates’ work on behalf of down-ballot allies, this speaks to a key difference between Sanders and Clinton: the former is positioning himself as the leader of a revolution; the latter is positioning herself as the leader of the Democratic Party. For Sanders, it means raising amazing amounts of money to advance his ambitions; for Clinton, it means also raising money to help other Democratic candidates.

As Rachel noted on the show last night, the former Secretary of State has begun emphasizing this angle while speaking to voters on the campaign trail. Here, for example, is Clinton addressing a Wisconsin audience over the weekend:

“I’m also a Democrat and have been a proud Democrat all my adult life. I think that’s kind of important if we’re selecting somebody to be the Democratic nominee of the Democratic Party.

“But what it also means is that I know how important to elect state legislatures, to elect Democratic governors, to elect a Democratic Senate and House of Representatives.”

The message wasn’t subtle: Clinton is a Democrat and Sanders isn’t; Clinton is working to help Democrats up and down the ballot and Sanders isn’t.

Super Delegates will be taking this difference into account in deciding which candidate is best for the party

[gabeana]

8. Again changing the tenor of the OP

it was about dismissing him as running as a democrat, as Hill supporters have, Hillary supporters should be glad he ran as a Democrat rather than an independent because if he did, no way in hell she wins in November, assuming there is not an Independent run on the republican side

[Gothmog]

12. To me, Sanders is not being a part of the Democratic Party when he refused to support other democrat

Sanders' refusal to support down ballot candidates is a clear sign that sanders is not really part of the Democratic Party and is not interested in supporting the Democratic Party. That is strong proof that Sanders is not a democrat.

If Sanders ran as an independent he would not be able to the attention that he is getting. Sanders admitted this himself http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-03-15/sanders-yes-im-a-democrat-of-convenience

Bernie Sanders raised eyebrows Monday when he admitted his decision to join the Democratic Party to run for president was not an ideological choice or driven by loyalty, but a way to hack the nominating process.

“Here’s the truth. You’re right, I am the longest serving independent in the history of the United States Congress,” the Vermont senator, who identifies as a Democratic Socialist, told MSNBC’s Chuck Todd during a town hall Monday night in Ohio.

“We did have to make that decision: Do you run as an independent? Do you run within the Democratic Party?” He said. “We concluded – and I think it was absolutely the right decision – that, A, in terms of media coverage, you have to run within the Democratic Party.”

He added that to run a campaign outside the major two-party process, “you need… to be a billionaire.”

“The structure of American politics today is such that I thought the right ethic was to run within the Democratic Party,” he said.

[gabeana]

15. The point being

regardless is that his run as a Dem is better for the chances of the Dem's in the general than if he ran as an indy
do you agree or disagree

[firebrand80]

9. Bernie-Come-Lately nt

[gabeana]

10. so would you rather have him

run as an independent?

gotcha

[firebrand80]

11. Whatever floats his boat

It's not like I have any control over what he does either way

[gabeana]

14. So you don't care about Nov.

yeah whatever, don't care but you post

[PufPuf23]

13. Thats my basic problem, that Hillary Clinton and other DLC types are not "real Democrats"

I know I am a "real Democrat" as have been one since discovered politics and then registered to vote in 1972.

I am still anti-war, a social liberal, and for economic justice; I want an inclusive nation that is a positive force in the world, not a bully.

In these matters I have not changed since my teens.

Bernie Sanders is more a "real" Democrat to me.

[BreakfastClub]

16. He's not. He doesn't raise money for dems and never was a dem. In fact, he said

he'd be a hypocrite to run as a democrat, once upon a time. He's a socialist, not a democrat, at least according to HIM.

[fun n serious]

17. Bernie is the one who said he was not a democrat

Not only did he say it, he bashes almost all democrats. He would not have gotten this far as an INDY so he is the one USING the party. I would have preferred he ran as an indy.

[apnu]

18. Every peice of polling right now shows Republicans are hanging themselves.

Hillary could be the nominee and spend every moment at the mic making fart noises until November 8th and she'd win. The Republican choices, the division in that party, and how repulsive Trump and Cruz are to independents guarantees it. The Democrats could nominate a ficus plant and a brick and it would win over anything the Republicans come up with right now.

This election is an easy win for Democrats. I think so many people fight so hard in here because they know, on some level, the real election is happening right now, here in the Democratic Party.

Bernie won't run independent. He's said as much and he will support Hillary if he loses, he's said that too. He's not dumb and he knows his best chance to move America in a progressive direction is through the Democratic party. As an Independent he loses all the advantages of having a political party behind him would grant. He'd have to scare up signatures in every state. He'd have to fund raise way more. He'd have to design and build his own campaign infrastructure, databases and all that stuff. Its a daunting thing to do alone, and the path of least resistance is to win the nomination of a major political party and use all that stuff that's already in place.

He also knows if he runs independent, he'd split the democratic/liberal/progressive vote and we'd have a Republican winning in November. That's the last thing he wants. Bernie has been pretty clear about that. He'll fight to the convention floor, and I'm cool with that, but he will also step aside if he loses. Bernie's a pro like that.

[gabeana]

19. I never said he would run as an Independent

I said if he did it would be bad because as you correctly pointed out the repug side is a clusterfuck right now, and whoever is the Dem should win a cake walk,
and regardless if Bernie wins the nom or not i am thankful he ran as a Dem