I gotta admit, both my Optimism And My Inner Eyore are kicking up with the Bernie-friendly polls

[Armstead]

Okay, I remember watching Bernie in action in the 1990's as he tore into the veil of illusion created by the GOP, the Tech Bubble and the Alan Greenspan wing of the Democratic Party, and pushed with the truly progressive faction of Democrats to bring about Real Reform.

And I remember thinking "Geeze. This guy should be President."

More recently seeing the zeitgeist begin to slowly shift to make the progressive populist/liberal somewhat more visible and acceptable. And thinking "Gee, if someone like Bernie or Elizabeth Warren could harness that..."

Then, when Sanders announced it was like "Yipee! I know he hasn't got a chance in hell of getting the nimonation, but hopefully he'll inject the seeds of a more honest progressive message and values and priorities into the Democratic mainstream this campaign."

Then as his crowds started to grow and his poll number began to slowly climb, I thought "Holy shit. This is becoming a movement.

Now, as he begins to eke out ahead of Clinton in some polls, I'm thinking "HOLY SHIT! He and the progressive movement might actually pull this off."

But I also gotta be honest. My nature is a perennial struggle between a side that is a relentless optimist and idealist, and another that is a cynical fatalist. Sort of a "Hope for the best but expect the worst" defense mechanism.

And both are battling it out at the moment. While I'm basking in the good news, my inner Eyore is saying "Uhhhhhh nooooooo. This can't be true. It's a fluke. It won't last. Clinton will bounce back, Unhhh ohhhh."

So I'm not counting on anything...."But Holy Possible Redemption Batman. This is starting to look doable."

[Le Taz Hot]

1. If you didn't see the speech he just now gave in Greensboro, NC

you HAVE to watch it. The crowd was phenomenal and he was absolutely on fire. Worth the price of admission just to hear him try to say "Y'all" with a New York accent. Seriously, you have to see this speech.

[Armstead]

3. Know where I might find it?

[Le Taz Hot]

7. It just finished.

I'm sure it will pop up on YouTube soon.

[Fawke Em]

8. I'll get it for you.

Should be up soon.

[Fawke Em]

17. Here you go:

http://www.wral.com/news/video/14897019/

[Armstead]

19. Messy Buckets (Merci Beaucoups)

[cantbeserious]

2. No Citizen Need Settle For The Lesser Of Two Corporate Evils - Go Bernie Go

eom

[Baitball Blogger]

4. I saw my first political sign of this election season in my red community.

It was a Bernie sign. Shocker.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

24. wonderful!

I'm seeing some Bernie bumper stickers around here.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

5. 48 more states to pull ahead in.

We've still got a LONG road ahead of us.Hope for the best, plan for the worst, and keep on plugging on til the last polling place closes.

Then take a breather, celebrate a bit, and the real work begins

[daleanime]

32. Amen....

[aikoaiko]

6. I feel exactly the same way. He's accomplishing what needs to be done, but

he has many challenges to overcome. The first two dominoes appear to be ready to fall.

The HRC machine is awesomely strong, but I believe a Bernie nomination is possible.

And if a Bernie nomination is possible, then a Bernie president is possible.

[Cleita]

9. What is being touted as optimism and idealism today

was regarded as mainstream political thought back in my salad days. Even though there was an ultra conservative faction back then, they were considered crackpots and unAmerican by the average American even Republicans. Bernie's policies are about improving the social programs that have been in place since FDR. There is mostly practicality in his ideas and little idealism.

[Armstead]

14. Yes, as I sometimes say...

What is considered normal political and economic behavior todaym would have been considered unthinkable and beyond the pale in the not-too-distant past.

Hopefully that's not just old-fartism, but our moral and ethical standards have slipped a long way since 1980 or so.

[Cleita]

21. Other societies respect old fartism.

Unfortunately my generation didn't. Most us were the first generation in our families to finish high school and aspire to attend college and do it. We knew the old folks were hard working and fought a Great War, but they also were ignorant. We didn't respect them as we should have. But back then we didn't have a mainstream propaganda media and we could keep up with current events. That has been destroyed and the younger generations aren't getting the information they need to to live their lives. I think we old farts need to supply that to them again.

I know there are many old farts who have been turned to the right wing because of their latent prejudices being appealed to by the right wing, but there are enough of us out there to do it, at least I hope so.

[haikugal]

27. Sing it sister!!

[Hydra]

10. Like you, my inner Eyeore has kicked in several times berfore this

But now I'm only asking one question- will they ALLOW him to take the nomination he is now posed to to secure? CAN they allow him to do so?

It's a scary line of though.

[slipslidingaway]

11. As my 20 something year old son said to me ...

this is the time for Sanders, he would not have come this far without the younger generation. This generation is more open minded to his ideas about people and not as easily swayed by a "D" or and "R" after their name.

Good for them and for us, they are playing a big role!

Not to diminish all those older, white, liberal people that we read about on DU over a year ago that should 'just get out of the way.' I think they also drive Volvos.

This can be a hard battle between the majority of people and major money. Hopefully our elections will not have foreign governments intervene to silence a candidate, thinking of how long Mossadegh waited to run for national office only to be taken down.

[Armstead]

23. I can't afford a Volvo...I'm a Honda Civic old, white liberal Bernie supporter

Maybe that should be a new stereotype

[slipslidingaway]

26. OMG, you need a Volvo!!! Honda's are good as well :) n/t

[RobertEarl]

12. It is wise to consider all the possibilities

But consider that this a team sport: this election.

We are in this to the end, and the end is the future. Meaning 20, 40 years.

In team sports, in the huddle or on the sidelines, no negative words need be spoken. All that need be said is: "We can win this".

I say: We have to win.

[Armstead]

16. You're right, but sometimes one has to vent...

and prepare oneself for whatever.

As I said in the OP, it's a defense mechanism, necessary I think to keep that optimistic half functioning.

[MuseRider]

13. After all the years we have watched

and lived through watching this country go completely nuts I think a good many of us have that same Eeyore talking in the back of our minds at all times.

This time I think we may actually get it done. It is a perfect storm of misery, watching futures go up in smoke and no end in sight with the usual party lines and we are there, right where we need to be to see a Sanders gain the office.

I have written to him over the years, just in support. His interest excited me and his announcement had me dancing around the house. It is getting harder for Eeyore to get out these days.

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

29. Like I have said before.

Now is the time for a real progressive populist movement, but the message needs to be clear and not overly complex and it needs to be repeated over and over to drive it home into the minds of the people.

Then Bernie will win.

[Android3.14]

15. I've never been this excited about a candidate or a future

He can win, and the future we envision can come about.

[840high]

31. I was about JFK - this is almost better.

[KoKo]

18. Armstead...You are Legacy DU'er like Me! Watch this Speech...It's Incredible..The Link:

I just posted here on DU. Truly this is his best speech so far! Believe me on this.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251590768

[Armstead]

22. Listening to it (and sandwiching in peeks) now

Good speech for sure, It's good to see him smiling at the beginning.

[L0oniX]

20. K & R

[Live and Learn]

25. +1 Inner Eeyore, I love it. Eeyore was my nickname when I was a kid.

ETA: By the way, I always though Eeyore was simply a realist.

[polichick]

28. K&R!!

[ibegurpard]

30. you and me both my friend

And lifetime of disappointments will do that to you. Hope springs eternal however.

[senz]

33. K&R! Good OP.

[joanbarnes]

34. Ditto: I remember feeling this way about Obama, too, later crushed, Bernie won't cave though.

[colsohlibgal]

35. Tweety Oblivious

I flipped to Chris Matthews and it was all Trump and Hillary. Unbelievable but I would assume he has his marching orders from Griffin.