It may not look like it, but Biden entering the race was a net positive for Bernie.

[redgreenandblue]

There was going to be a strong, for lack of a better word, "establishment" figure in this race, one way or another. In many ways Biden is much easier to run against than any of the younger candidates. Imagine Bernie vs. Kamala...

[NurseJackie]

1. Okay.

[obamanut2012]

2. ...

[oasis]

4. lol

[True Blue American]

8. All rightie!

[BootinUp]

15. Yeah

No long replies required, lol.

[DownriverDem]

24. Young folks

are moving away from BS. I do not see how Biden helps BS. BTW I support only true members of the Democratic Party.

[watoos]

3. One might also say then

that Biden entering the race was a net positive for Elizabeth Warren.

[Recursion]

5. And with better reason, since her polling is at least going up (nt)

[wyldwolf]

28. but only in the reality-based community.

[oldsoftie]

6. But only one thing matters; winning in 2020.

Failing to focus on that is dangerous.
Which candidates can get the Independent voter? Thats the question

[DownriverDem]

27. VP Biden

can get the Independent voter. Folks want normalcy. Biden represents that. trump needs Pennsylvania to win. Even though trump blamed Biden for abandoning PA, that turned out to be a laugh. Biden was 10 when his parents moved to Delaware. Biden will win PA. So we need him to pick a strong progressive Dem woman to run with. I still say a Biden/Harris ticket would be formidable.

[oldsoftie]

36. I really think he'd go with Abrahms before Harris

Harris comes from CA, already a blue state. Not to mention there COULD be a little trepidation about harris upstaging him. Abrhams would probably bring GA & 16 Electoral votes

[betsuni]

7. "There was going to be a strong ... 'establishment' figure in this race, one way or another."

[yardwork]

9. Imagine Bernie vs Kamala.....

[comradebillyboy]

46. She would rip him to shreds. I'd love to see it.

[SidDithers]

10. Sure. Go with that...nt

Sid

[Gothmog]

11. Why have sanders polling numbers tank?

[Honeycombe8]

12. Hmmmm. That's an interesting take on poll nos. taking a nosedive.

It was never a given that there would be a "strong estabishment candidate." I was worried there would not be. Just a group of relative unknowns that represented the spectrum from far left to center. Not that I support Biden as the nominee. I don't. But it is important that there be someone with national name recognition and gravitas to at least be represented in the group.

[stonecutter357]

13. Biden entering the race was a net positive for Biden !

[Cha]

40. LOL.. you win!

Link to tweet

[ucrdem]

43. Looks like a good team

Good luck to them!

p.s. Bernie gets cut an awful lot of slack just for being Bernie but the circus he put together is really a scandal. Sometimes being an establishment figure who knows what the h#ll he's doing isn't such a bad thing

[Cha]

44. It's actuallly a good thing..

if the opposite of BS is "establishment".. then it's an Awesome thing!

Good Morning!

[dalton99a]

14. .

[MrsCoffee]

16. Lol. Of course it was.

It’s always all about Bernie.

[Funtatlaguy]

17. Interesting hypothesis. I think we come out of the first 4

primaries in February with 3 real viable candidates heading into Super Tuesday in March.

I think those 3 will be Biden and 2 not-Biden’s.

I think one of the not Biden’s will be Either Sanders or Warren (the progressive winger).
I think the other will be either Harris or Beto (the fresh face wing).

I think Mayor Pete falters in Nev and SC failing to connect with Hispanic/black voters.

There might be a few others that will stay in the race for Super Tuesday, but they won’t be factors that day and will drop out the morning after.

So, after Super Tuesday, I think we have 3 heading to the stretch run.
My best guess right now is: Biden, Bernie, Harris.

[Partisan D]

20. Barring the unforeseen,

I think Beto's toast.

[TexasTowelie]

26. I think that Kamala and Beto will both last until Super Tuesday.

Kamala will have better opportunities in Nevada and South Carolina so if she places in the top three in either of those states then she is at least meeting expectations.

Beto has to hope that the strong campaigning that he has done in Iowa will help, but I think that he has the campaign staff and money to last until Super Tuesday which includes the Texas primary.

[zentrum]

18. Good point.

Also, if you combine the numbers of the non-establishment candidates, the number far surpasses Biden.

For example, I wouldn't imagine that Bernie supporters would go to Biden---they'd go to Harris etal.

[Partisan D]

21. Except they do go to Biden

Multiple polls have shown that Sanders is Biden fans' 2nd choice, and vice-versa.

It's rather inexplicable, I agree. But that's another instance of having to get outside the hardcore Democratic liberal wing bubble.

[Partisan D]

19. Making lemonade out of lemons...

Isn't that what this is called?

Sure Sanders is nearing his sell-by date, and in many state polls around America is starting to come in 3rd or 4th (or 5th in South Carolina!), but whatever gets you through the day!

[Amimnoch]

22. Now that is one heck of a set of rose colored glasses!

[ucrdem]

23. Yes it will give more time to spend with his family

back at the Christmas tree farm.

[Cha]

41. Meanwhile.. Biden..

Link to tweet

ucr

[DUgosh]

25. 😂😂😂😂👍

😂😂😂😊😊

[MineralMan]

29. I'm not feeling it...

[PDittie]

30. Not my take but

one I have some agreements and disagreements with:

Link to tweet

I do think Biden will gaffe his way to the sidelines, just not before the first debate. I don't think Warren's rise is temporary. And I think Kamala will be there at the end no matter what.

We're just a few days over a month away from the first debate, about nine weeks from the second.

https://www.uspresidentialelectionnews.com/2020-debate-schedule/2020-democratic-debate-schedule/

If I had to pick top 4 after two debates, I would say Bernie, Warren, Kamala, and Mayor Pete.

[oldsoftie]

37. If that scenario plays out, Trump is in the drivers seat.

God help us

[Hortensis]

31. Redgreen, as said. :) Sanders had the LW Democratic Party-hating

types sewed up already, and they wouldn't be able to (hopefully) reproduce themselves in less than a generation. They're basically it for him from the left. He's drawing some newly involved regular Dems but losing more as they look at him and their alternatives.

That's why Sanders is trying to draw back those who left him for Trump and the Republicans, plus more RW trumpsters becoming disillusioned with their pansy strongman.

Of course, Sanders' authoritarian clarion is necessarily weak compared to the RW's (authoritarianism repels liberals), but he does speak with compelling conviction in short, apparently thrilling bursts (assumed from watching his audiences). And of course, he wags that finger and clenches that fist.

[DarthDem]

32. It Was Certainly a Net Positive For All of Us

Senator Sanders included. As now we can win, of course.

[LibFarmer]

33. ...

[Amimnoch]

34. It may not look like it, but Bernie entering the race was a net positive for Biden.

Without the threat of a Bernie spoiler yet again, many who have rallied behind Joe Biden likely did so more out of not wanting to see Bernie win the nomination rather than go for it with one of the other younger candidates. I know more than a few that have made that move for that very reason. If I see Bernie even getting close to taking the lead, I'll likely go ahead and go all in for Biden myself.

[Skya Rhen]

35. Agreed - they fall into the group of not wanting Bernie and also not wanting Trump...

realizing that Bernie's nomination leads to Trump's re-election.

[Cha]

42. I had all sorts of reasons

going for Biden.. in the beginning it was in solidarity against what I saw as "hit jobs".. but the more I thought about it the more I like Biden for the job..

But, I think you're right about many of us liking Biden because we saw him beating BS right away, and right now it's only continuing to get more so.

Link to tweet

Amimnoch

[LanternWaste]

38. I s'pose people gotta tell themselves whatever makes reality more palatable

Otherwise, you'd have supported your premise with numbers and evidence rather than bumper-stickers and t-shirt slogans.

[cynatnite]

39. No, it really doesn't look like it. n/t

[highplainsdem]

45. Whistling past the graveyard.