There is no need for Sanders to concede.

[MineralMan]

Whether he does or not will change nothing, really. He has called for the defeat of Donald Trump. That means he is supporting voting for the Democratic nominee, since votes determine which of the two major party candidates wins.

He can concede or not. He can actively campaign for Hillary or not. He can come to the convention or not. He can do whatever it pleases him to do. As time passes, what he decides to do becomes less and less important, as the two presumptive nominees shift to campaign for the general election.

As time passes, Bernie Sanders becomes more and more irrelevant to the decisions voters will make in November. Already, we're seeing people making those decisions, as reflected in the polling. Senator Sanders no longer appears in those polls, nor is he appearing in daily media to the degree he once was. As time passes, he will drop out of notice by the media entirely.

So, he can do as he chooses. It will not materially affect the election. His voice, on a national level, will grow quieter and quieter, with the passing of each week leading up to the November election.

I hope he will concede and endorse Clinton at some point, but it's no longer really an essential thing. It's his choice, and I'm OK with whatever he decides. My focus from here on out is on:

Hillary 2016!

[CrowCityDem]

1. He has to at least tell people to vote for the Democrats. He hasn't done that yet.

[swhisper1]

4. go to his page, then start speaking constructive truths

[CrowCityDem]

19. Sorry, where he has told his followers to vote for Hillary?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

20. Even if he "told" me to vote for her I wouldn't. I can make my own decisions.

[Sheepshank]

2. his choice as to what kind of a recalcitrant or noble, statesmanly legacy he decides to leave behind

and it will not be forgotten...so there is that.

[MineralMan]

7. I suppose that's true, but it's really irrelevant, too.

He'll go back to being the junior Senator from Vermont, unless he becomes the senior Senator from Vermont at some point. If he runs for that seat again in two years, he'll probably get elected again.

As for being forgotten, I have no idea. I suppose that's an individual thing. Probably, some have forgotten him already. Most of those never heard of him before this primary season.

In the larger scheme, how he is remembered is of little consequence.

[swhisper1]

3. thats very big of you

[MineralMan]

10. Is it? I thought it was just a comment on a political

discussion forum. Not very big at all, just my opinion.

[MADem]

18. He's as entitled to an opinion as YOU are--or are you trying to silence him because you don't share

his POV?

Is that the way it is...huh?

[ymetca]

5. He could raise a big stink at the convention

... and throw his support behind Jill Stein. That would be fun to see.

I wouldn't bet on it however.

[MineralMan]

8. That seems unlikely, really.

If he truly wants to see Trump defeated, clearly a third party vote works against that. However, Jill Stein will finish with only a percent or two of the vote nationally, and won't affect the election in any material way, either.

[rhett o rick]

14. Of course he truly wants to see Trump defeated which is more than

can be said for those that chose Clinton. But he should not bow and scrape as some are demanding his fealty.

We have a movement that we must keep alive. We need to fight for those among us that live in poverty while the Big Corporations divide us the spoils. We need to fight to get free and fair elections. Now we are rated worse that 23 other countries for Free and Fair elections. We must get big money out of politics. We may lose this battle but the war is still in full force.

[MineralMan]

15. I have zero problems with continuing to work for change.

In the meantime, though, we have an election coming up. That will create change, too, either way. Then, there will be more elections in future years. Each one is an opportunity for change. And so it has been throughout the history of this nation.

[Lord Magus]

16. He can't do that at the convention because he wouldn't have a speaking slot.

He only gets on the stage if he's conceded and endorsed the winner.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. Is that a rule or an opinion?

[Lord Magus]

22. It's a fact.

Hillary's campaign is running the convention, they're not going to give him a speaking slot unless he's endorsed.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

24. You know that? How?

[geek tragedy]

6. he's not relevant to the general election, which is just fine

he'll try to start some intramural food fights, but no one except for political junkies will pay attention.

[MineralMan]

9. Once the convention is over, none of those food fights

will even make the news. Up to the convention, he might get some back page coverage or brief mentions on the teevee, but that's about it. The internet will talk about it, but in numbers that don't matter in terms of a national election.

Frankly, even his endorsement won't really change many minds. Voters are going to decide between the two major party candidates, based on whatever people base those decisions. Sanders' endorsement won't convince those who would not have decided on their own, I think.

[uponit7771]

12. Just calling for tRump to be defeated is NOT supporting the dem candidate, disagree with the premise

[MineralMan]

13. See, for me, it is. I can think of no other way to defeat him

other than voting for the Democratic candidate. Anything else is a waste of time, if that is your goal. I believe that most sensible people realize that.

[MADem]

17. People are starting to turn away. Every former Sanders supporter I know has moved on.

Granted, I don't know any of these rabid "Busters," but I do know a fair number of people who liked the Sanders candidacy and voted for him.

Some are expressing dismay at Sanders' churlishness and fear that he is pissing away his influence by acting like a poor sport.

Even the ones who got a bit bitter and nasty after the NY primary are coming around to reality. They're saying "It's OVER."

The fact that Sanders can't do that yet is just curious and a bit sad. It's almost as if he wants to fall on his sword. Thing is, if he does, no one will care. We've got some seriously big fish to fry and it's time to take on and defeat that nutty Trump. Sanders can try to be a distraction, but that's all he'll be--and he will destroy whatever legacy he wanted to craft if he keeps acting like a sore loser.

[eastwestdem]

23. Agreed. At this point it is better for Hillary if he stays in shows people that they made

the right choice by going with her over the wacky old guy who refused to compromise and overstayed his welcome.