2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forum4 Reasons Bernie Sanders Could Fight On
The message from Clinton is clear: Let's get that "Kumbaya moment" going, Bernie. And make it snappy.
But if you listen closely to Sanders and Rolling Stone spoke to him at length in recent weeks Clinton's call for a replay of her 2008 unity ceremony reflects an almost willful misunderstanding of his motivations for running for president.
This isn't 2008
In her call for unity, Clinton referenced her disagreements with Obama. "No matter what differences we had in our long campaign," Clinton said, "they paled in comparison to the differences we had with the Republicans."
Their most salient disagreement was whether the Democratic plan for universal health care ought to include a mandate to buy coverage. Clinton insisted the mandate was essential; Obama opposed as a matter of principle. They debated it ad nauseum. But in the end, this squabble was much ado about nothing. When Obama became president, Clinton's top health-policy adviser was tapped by the White House to run point reform and the individual mandate became a bedrock principle of Obamacare.
This is relevant today, because falling in line behind Obama in 2008 required Clinton to swallow little more than personal pride. It did not require sacrifice of any dearly held principle or policy stance only surrender of the idea that she would have made a better president.
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/4-reasons-bernie-sanders-could-fight-on-20160607#ixzz4AwOvh8bW
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MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)ciaobaby
(1,000 posts)onehandle
(51,122 posts)catnhatnh
(8,976 posts)in total indictments!
Lord Magus
(1,999 posts)democrattotheend
(11,605 posts)Not if after tonight it is mathematically impossible for him to win a majority of the PLEDGED delegates. I want him to go out on a high note when he has maximum support and influence and not relegate himself to a footnote like Kucinich.
But I agree with you that it is a much bigger ask to ask Bernie to get behind Hillary, given that he genuinely and fundamentally disagrees with her on so many things. However, it is not an either-or: he can suspend his campaign after June 14 because there are no votes left to campaign for, encourage his supporters to support her because she is a lot better than Trump, and stay true to his principles. That is what I hope he does.
He doesn't have to release his delegates, though, and I don't think he should until right before the convention, if at all.
GoneFishin
(5,217 posts)agreement.
That would provide an additional explanation for the unrelenting cheating by the DNC to ram her into the nomination.
Obama and Hillary are both establishment owned players. Neither was, or is, going to do anything to slow down the gravy train for the 0.1%.
Bernie wants to help the 99%, something the DNC doesn't give a shit about. It's a different game this time around from 2008. And it's far from over.