Bernie Sanders doesn't need to drop out.

[MineralMan]

There's no problem with his continuing on to the convention. The voters will make their wishes known and the convention will nominate the candidate with the majority of pledged delegates, as it should.

Bernie's candidacy is not hurting anyone. He's not hurting Hillary Clinton's chances of being the nominee, either. She has a substantial lead in pledged delegates, and it seems very unlikely that Sanders can overtake her before the convention.

He may continue to court superdelegates, but he won't win over many of them, unless he can win the majority of pledged delegates. If he manages that somehow, then the superdelegates will vote to make him the nominee. If he doesn't, they'll vote with that majority and nominate Hillary.

Whether he continues to campaign or not, his name will be on all upcoming Democratic primary ballots. Whether he campaigns or not going forward, voters will vote for whom they please in the remaining states and other jurisdictions.

There's no necessity for Bernie Sanders to end his campaign or suspend it. It's his decision to make. The voters will decide and the pledged delegate count will determine who the nominee will be.

It doesn't matter. So why shouldn't he continue until the convention?

[In_The_Wind]

1. I agree with you on this. I also hope that when the primaries are over we all vote

for the Democratic nominee.

[NurseJackie]

2. Bernie's candidacy is not hurting anyone... technically true. But ...

... it's his anti-Hillary, and anti-Dem rhetoric that is irresponsible. "She's not qualified" ... accusations of "money-laundering" crimes ... "Democratic party is corrupt".

It doesn't matter. So why shouldn't he continue until the convention?

Yes, those things do matter and it should not continue.

[eastwestdem]

7. You hit it on the head...exactly the problem with Sanders staying in. nt

[MineralMan]

11. I'd certainly rather not see more of that, but

I think it really only hurts his chances, to be frank. Once the primaries are over, there will be plenty of time for that to be forgotten and ignored. I simply don't care any longer whether he stays in or not. Soon enough, it will be over and done with.

[Logical]

14. They do not matter, quit your daily whining. Nt

[pat_k]

25. He's said nothing Donald Trump wouldn't "come up with" ...

on his own.

Trump has already been boasting about how he gave the Clintons money so they'd owe him and do whatever he asked for.

Sanders is not hurting anyone. The longer the Clinton - Trump slug fest goes on, the sicker of it all voters will get. By the end, many will just say fuck them both, and stay home. The shorter the better. And if Sanders staying in shortens the painful spectacle, great.

[BootinUp]

3. You didn't address how he campaigns, my rec doesn't address it either

I have some reservations about how he treats the likely nominee, but no I am not asking him to drop out.

[Garrett78]

4. Yeah, *how* he campaigns is key.

He can campaign without attempting to damage Clinton, and stick around long enough to impact the party platform. Nothing wrong with that.

[MineralMan]

8. Frankly, I don't think that matters, either.

People have already heard his campaign speeches and seen him in the debates. He is who he is, and will campaign in his blunt, honest way, I'm sure. There it is. The voters are responding as they respond.

Soon, the primary campaigns will be over. Just a little more than a month, now.

If he ends up behind in the pledged delegate count after June 14, though, I hope he'll consider dropping his plans to try to convert superdelegates. It won't work and won't do him or the nominee any good, either. Once the primaries are over, we'll know for certain who the nominee would be. I expect that Bernie Sanders will act appropriately if Hillary has the majority of pledged delegates. I can't imagine him doing anything else.

[BootinUp]

17. Ok, but opinions on that are going to vary.

My own view is that the sooner he gets back to his message that Hillary is 100 times better than the alternative, the better.

[MineralMan]

18. Yes, that would be my preference, too.

Both of our candidates have said similar things about the other. Both have made it clear that either candidate would be far superior to any Republican. Now that Trump is the presumptive nominee, it's more like 10,000 times better for both Hillary and Bernie.

[pat_k]

26. And it's not like he's saying anything Trump wouldn't...

... "come up with" on his own.

[morningfog]

5. Plus, you might get to post some more ass grabbing OPs!

[HumanityExperiment]

6. Indeed...

[MineralMan]

9. Only if there is more ass grabbing, and I think it's amusing.

[morningfog]

13. Ah, I see. Amusing to you = flame bait bullshit. Got it!

[MineralMan]

16. Good day to you.

[panader0]

12. I was sure he'd have to drop out after that scandal.

[HumanityExperiment]

10. MSM...

Neither DEM candidate will have enough delegates from the state primaries to earn the nomination so it revolves around SDs and convention

This is the heart of the matter and what HRC supporters are rabidly trying to avoid as that would cause a gigantic chasm and cause a huge distraction away from HRC and any momentum she tries to gain present till convention time

If the proportional voting trends go bad for her too that's another distraction and will also add fuel to the fire that MSM will chew on until convention...

The reality of this OP is to make the off handed swipe at Bernie and his supporters, 'go ahead and continue to play at the kids table while we adults get back to business'

The real battle will be at convention and platform and it's planks...

[MineralMan]

15. The superdelegates will vote with the pledged delegate majority,

just like they did in 2008. Expecting anything different is silly. If Sanders can get that majority, then he'll be the nominee, but that's the only way he'll be the nominee.

Simple. Easy to understand. Historically supported. The superdelegates will confirm the pledged delegate majority.

Campaign FOR Bernie, not against Hillary. That's the only way he can pull it off. I can't see it happening, but it's theoretically possible. What's not possible is for the superdelegates to vote in a nominee who didn't get the majority of pledged delegates. That simply won't be happening.

[HumanityExperiment]

19. Your OP...

doesn't state what you reply here with, it just proves out my 'go ahead and continue to play at the kids table while we adults get back to business' point

SDs are DEM establishment votes, they are unbound, their only allegiance is to DEM establishment, the insider tract... they are there to counter populism or 'revolutionary' or 'grass roots' within the party. They were derived because of what happened in '80 with Carter... DEM establishment didn't want Carter but couldn't stop him since the RULES dictated a more democracy based process

So your point here 'Simple. Easy to understand. Historically supported. The superdelegates will confirm the pledged delegate majority.'
Isn't correct at all... it's not 'simple', nor is it easy to understand (have you read the DEM rules lately?), and if you really understood the history of SDs you wouldn't have posted the OP in the first place..., and SDs just 'confirm' the anti bias towards grassroots and populism within the DEM party

The primary campaign is and always should be about ISSUES, this is the KEY point HRC and her supporters will never understand, and it's the main reason SDs are the point of contention at this point and even before the primaries started, how can you have entities that pledge before a single primary vote has been cast? for what REASON would that even be allowed? creating the OPTICS of what the establishment wants so the voting public can be made to heel to that 'direction' establishment wants is the reason but I would like to see what your take on that is....

Hillary is republican light to the ideology of progressives / liberals both in how she has voted, her shifting positions to the left by force of public protests and values, so if the issues puts HRC on the wrong side so often then the campaign is against Hillary... Try to pivot or generate optics otherwise makes you or anyone else intellectually dishonest

The fight at convention will happen, how the platform is defined and planks created at convention will draw out the absurdity of the current rules within DEM party and I believe that's something insiders and establishment GREATLY want to avoid.... hence all these OPS and replies ranting about 'Bernie needs to drop' or 'Bernie needs to stop'... etc...etc...

[Garrett78]

20. Have SDs ever thrown the nomination to someone who had fewer pledged delegates?

Has that ever happened?

[HumanityExperiment]

21. SDs...

Let me break this down...

the REASON for SDs to even exist within the primary process will become the point of contention at convention

So your reply, although historically accurate, isn't the point of what I posted now is it?

your pivot away from that is noted...

[Garrett78]

22. I was just asking a question.

Thanks.

[HumanityExperiment]

23. Loaded...

A loaded question it was indeed...

[lagomorph777]

24. This is the first post I've agreed with you on.

Well, the headline anyway.

Bernie won't do anything to damage the enthusiasm of the Republican wing of the Democratic Party. Either Hillary wins or Bernie wins, but there is very little overlap in their constituencies; it's just a matter of who brings out the most voters, preferably those who have planned ahead to get through the exclusionary requirements for primary voting.

[leveymg]

27. This appears to mimic the Line of the Day coming from Camp Weathervane

A couple of days ago, you insinuated he's a grab ass dirty old man. Why the shift, MMan?

[MineralMan]

28. No shift. I've not suggested that Bernie should pull out.

My poor joke notwithstanding.

Bernie has every right to campaign as long as he wants. The convention will put an end to the primary race, as it always does.

[leveymg]

29. You're right. It was a poor joke but telling. nt