Not looking for a fight: serious Bernie question. I'd vote for him with glee. But

[lindysalsagal]

I am wondering if you think he really believes he can get the candidacy at this point and also if he thinks he can win in the general.

Now, I'd LOVE to live in a country where Bernie were potus. Please, no attacks. I'd be totally thrilled. I will vote for the dem candidate, no matter who it is and I'm not kidding. I'm not trying to be divisive and I certainly hope they won't bruise each other tonight.

So, please, I'd love to know if you think he's campaigning to change or impact the dialogue, or if he thinks he's the male candidate to beat Biden.

[Kurt V.]

1. his message hasn't changed much in a long time. biden has nothing to do with it. imo

[lindysalsagal]

2. Does he really think he can win?

[Kurt V.]

3. no idea but don't all the candidates? he does poll solid

[wasupaloopa]

4. I have no idea why Bernie runs for President

When ever he talks about a solution to a problem, it is so over the top yet he never explains how it will happen or what it costs.

Then my other mind bender is why so many people follow him and never ask him to explain how or how much. It’s like s fantasy world he lives in.

I have been listening to Bernie for many years on Thom Hartman show and elsewhere and he has the same stump speech he always had. “Today I am introducing a bill to ...... “

[Perseus]

5. My two cents

First, I think anything you have to say it is OK with me. DU is a Democratic website where we are supposed to express our opinions without being attacked, it doesn't happen that way all the time, but for the most part I believe the great success of DU has been the healthy interchange of ideas and opinions.

OK, having said that, my two cents now. I don't think anyone who runs for the candidacy does it to only impact the conversation, it is part of it because they want to make sure their ideas can work to guide whomever becomes the candidate, but I do believe Bernie believes he is the best candidate of the lot, and that he will beat the creature.

I happen to like many of our candidates, that is why I am undecided, but if anything Bernie has going for him is that he won't let anyone put words in his mouth, he won't let anyone bully him, and like during one of the debates when Tim Ryan said "You don't know that" and he came back with a great line "of course I do, I wrote the damn thing!", left Ryan with his mouth open, I believe he will do the same to the creature, he will not allow the creature to get away with any of his bullshit.

Anyway, to finally answer your question...Yes, I believe he believes he is THE candidate to do it, and if he is, like you I will vote for him or any of the Democrats. Last, I do believe that Bernie's ideas have had a great impact on the conversation, and how we move forward as a Democratic country.

[lindysalsagal]

6. Thank you. I agree that he's been very important to us to wake us up out of this GOP scorched-earth

zero-sum nightmare. America is much better because of him.

I did not mean to say that he was or was not the best candidate, only whether or not he can win.

I would be absolutely thrilled to see him run the country.

[aikoaiko]

7. Like most candidates its both.

And I would add in the opportunity for self-promotion to help with their agendas and next election.

I think its fair to ask this question of Bernie, Warren, and the others.

[JudyM]

8. From everything I've seen I think he'd be the best candidate for fighting trump.

I can’t envision Biden getting actual leverage against trump, particularly in a debate. Trump knows how to score, how to hit and hit again. He knows how to speak in catchy turns of phrase, which can put him on top unless Biden has an equally quick retort. Bernie can bat down one hot air attempt after another with missing a beat. Just my two cents.

[Garrett78]

9. I don't know how Sanders could possibly think that, but ego is a powerful thing.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, unless he's going to somehow do much, much better than he did in 2016 among Black voters, Sanders will essentially be done after New Hampshire. Does anyone seriously think Sanders will do well enough in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday to remain viable? Anyone? Anyone at all?

2016 was tailor-made for Sanders. He was *the* alternative to the polarizing Clinton. O'Malley was done after Iowa and it was basically always a 2-person race. Even so, Clinton had it wrapped up on Super Tuesday. 2020 is not tailor-made for Sanders. He's fortunate in that we continue to start off with 2 states that don't remotely reflect our electorate, but he's done by the time we get to South Carolina.

The big question regarding the first 2 states isn't so much about who wins but about whether Biden doesn't win. If Biden doesn't win Iowa or New Hampshire, then he's in trouble. That opens the door for another candidate to win South Carolina and do well on Super Tuesday. And, yes, I realize that Nevada votes before South Carolina does, but the Black vote is key to determining who our nominee will be.