Bernie: "Why should I be surprised that establishment politicians are coming together?"

[Donkees]

Link to tweet

[HarlanPepper]

1. That's what happens when you don't play nice.

[TwilightZone]

2. 99% for the party is "establishment" to Bernie.

Remind me again how he's going to form a coalition with people he routinely attacks?

Seems like an odd strategy.

[William769]

11. +1

[ehrnst]

40. +100000.

[zackymilly]

41. Bernie is hoping everyone has a short memory. n/t

[ehrnst]

80. +1000.

[George II]

3. Sure, piss off Democrats even more than you already have. Sorry, we "establishment Democrats"....

....BUILT the Democratic Party, we didn't spend four or five decades on the outside looking in, criticizing it at every turn.

[Kerrycrat]

54. Neither he nor his supporters

have any idea how to be gracious or how to even attempt to woo the supporters who have lost their candidates.

In fact my main beef against Bernie is his supporters. They do not help his cause. At all.

[Moderateguy]

4. The mental gymnastics that Bernie must go through...

to decide that he is not "establishment" after 30 years in Congress

[LizBeth]

9. Biggest bogus statement Sanders make is attacking establishment he is cemented in himself.

Along with adopting all the Democratic policies while bashing Dems and going after Dems super pac while taking advantage of his own.

[zackymilly]

43. Is there an "Independent Establishment" that Bernie can be part of? n/t

[Moderateguy]

44. If there is one he IS IT....

[PatSeg]

64. Oh, ouch!

[True Blue American]

82. :)

[TlalocW]

5. I think there's an I after your name, Bernie

Why don't you run for president as an independent if you don't like the democratic nominating process?

TlalocW

[SiliconValley_Dem]

10. Terrible suggestion. Even as a joke. Such a move would kill Dem chances

[rzemanfl]

21. Maybe it would confuse Putin? n/t

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

74. It's INSANITY!!

Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[ehrnst]

87. It would kill his chances, and he knows it. (nt)

[mtron32]

25. Is that really what you want?

The man would get plenty of support if he did and the democratic nominee would lose. We need everybody come November no matter who manages the prevail.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

31. No doubt, it's what Russia wants... Democrats need to UNIFY ourselves under a single banner...

not divide ourselves. I hope that will be Bernie, around whom we unify, but if not, suggesting Bernie run as an Independent is foolhardy, guaran-damn-teeing 4 more years of the Fascist-in-Chief!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[ehrnst]

96. "If insanely tribal media haven't snuffed out democracy,"

That certainly doesn't sound tribal at all.

[dustyscamp]

52. 1+

If Bernie doesn't win the nomination we need to try to keep his supporters. Many will be spiteful and believe that the DNC screwed them again. Biden and the DNC will need to extend an olive branch to Bernie. We really need to come together and fight the real enemy here.

[treestar]

55. When Ross Perot did it, Bill Clinton won

The Dems can still win.

[mtron32]

65. He isn't splintering the GOP vote

He'll siphon off disillusioned democratic voters and some Independents. Add to that that you'd have a very ho hum candidate in Joe Biden and Trump slides right back into the white house.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

70. Its painfully obvious Bernie would split the Democratic vote, resulting in four more yrs of Dolt45.

Bernie is too loyal to the Democratic Party to ever do that, regardless of how some people unfairly disrespect him and his supporters. Just another reason Bernie is the most popular politician in America today!!


Bernie/Elizabeth or Elizabeth/Bernie 2020!!
Either way, they're stronger together & can't be bought!!
Jump on the Bernie Bandwagon & join The Revolution!!

[Jedi Guy]

73. If he's so loyal to the Democratic Party, why doesn't he actually join it?

And by join it, I mean remain a Democrat during the time between presidential elections.

[ehrnst]

90. Tad Devine and Weaver had to give him an ultimatum to run as a Democrat.

The biggest argument was over running as a Democrat. Over and over, Bernie Sanders said he didn’t want to. He’d spent his whole life purposefully outside the Democratic Party. He treasured his status as the longest-serving independent in Congress. Running as a Democrat wasn’t who he was. He didn’t want to do it that way.

His longtime consultant Tad Devine and the rest of the group came down hard: this is never going to have a chance of working unless you get over it. Suck it up, they told him.

[ehrnst]

88. Sanders: "I don't consider myself a Democrat"

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said Tuesday night that he still does not consider himself a Democrat despite taking part in a Democratic National Committee (DNC) unity tour with the party's new chairman, Tom Perez.

"No, I'm an Independent," Sanders said when asked by MSNBC's Chris Hayes whether he now identifies as a Democrat.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/329418-sanders-i-do-not-consider-myself-a-democrat

[treestar]

75. Not everyone thinks he is a "ho hum" candidate

Why do people need so much drama and excitement? We are picking someone for a job. Our lives will go on the same.

Bernie does not convince me he can get any of his promises - never talks about how the Senate is going to vote for them or how that will be possible.

[ehrnst]

92. Interestingly, his colleagues in the Senate also don't talk much about him.

They didn't come rushing to his defense to contradict HRC when it was made public she said his colleagues didn't like him.

Well, Klobuchar did, and now accusing her of plotting against him with "the others."

[True Blue American]

86. Those disillusioned Voters

Have already become Trumpsters. Back in 2016!

[sheshe2]

71. To late for him to do it now.

You are suggesting he run again in 4 years as an I? He will be 82.

[TlalocW]

38. My Point Is

He should join the democratic party.

TlalocW

[KPN]

78. Be careful what you wish for.

[LizBeth]

6. What did Sanders and HRC say about Sanders not able to work with any of the party?

Not being liked? We reap what we sow.

[apcalc]

18. +1

[jmg257]

7. Hmm...3rd party run, anybody?

He has GOT to be pissed.

[SiliconValley_Dem]

13. We are dead if he runs as third party

[TheCowsCameHome]

23. We are dead if he gets the nomination.

Think about that.

[TwilightZone]

24. He's not going to run third-party.

He's said so insistently and he never changes his mind, right?

Joke aside, it's not going to happen. He really can't, because directly leading to another four years of Trump would kill his entire movement and probably forestall the progressive movement for years. Or decades.

[ehrnst]

42. Tad Devine talked him out of that....

[treestar]

56. Why? How would he get any electoral votes?

Why would he get enough in swing states to give the states to Dotard?

[SiliconValley_Dem]

57. He would siphon votes from Dem candidate and flip state to Trump

[treestar]

76. Seems he does that either way

His supporters don't vote or vote for Green or the like candidates.

But maybe we should be thankful he did not do it this way. He would not have access to the Democratic debates. Would he have enough to qualify to debate Dump and the Dem. candidate?

[TwilightZone]

14. He won't run third-party and he knew this was going to happen.

He was just hoping it would happen a little later. I think he might even have thought he had the nomination in the bag. The rapid response probably surprised him.

[helpisontheway]

19. Yeah..try it Bernie. Let that be your legacy.nt

[Uncle Joe]

8. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread Donkees.

[relayerbob]

12. Because we're the majority?

Even many of us who prefer Warren, don't think you're up to the task, dude

[blm]

15. We are not surprised at the bile being aimed at Warren by TeamSanders.

[TheCowsCameHome]

16. "The usual table for one tonight, Mr. Sanders?"

[Codeine]

37. . . .

[W_HAMILTON]

47. LMAO

[oasis]

17. When many still aren't buying what you're selling, of course it's no surprise.

[apcalc]

20. You shouldn't be surprised. It's called the Democratic party.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

22. Maybe it's because the so-called "establishment" represents the majority of Democrats?

All of those "establishment" Democrats were elected by actual people; they didn't seize power in some sort of coup. A majority of the people in their districts or states voted for them. Apparently a lot of people like the "establishment" well enough to keep voting for it.

[msongs]

26. IMO it's the height of hypocrisy for bernie to pretend to be outside the establishment nt

[world wide wally]

27. Bernie... You have been in office for about 30 years now.

Aren't you part of the establishment?

I haven't used that word in about 50 years personally

[frazzled]

28. Continually berating "establishment politicians" is precisely the reason

They are coalescing around someone else. You can’t continuously berate the party whose banner you chose to run under and expect fealty.

If you don’t like the Democratic Party then don’t use them as a platform for your candidacy. Run as an Independent if you think the people love you so much you can get elected without Democratic support.

Trump ran against the Republican Party and its “establishment” and look what happened. Democrats don’t want that scenario, and are not going to fall in line behind you like the spineless Republicans.

[Mike Nelson]

29. I thought I was for the anti-establishment...

... candidate when I was for Pete? He was young and not Washington DC establishment... however, the most important thing is to get Crooked Donald out of office!

[NYMinute]

30. "Establishment" as Bernie means doesn't have a vote

The longtime Democrats, farmers, factory workers, school teachers, nurses, small businessmen, office workers, union members -- THEY are the "establishment" and dissing them is not a good look - even to save face.

[nolabear]

32. Reminds me of a rebellious kid living off their parents.

Sitting in an establishment Senate seat. Taking establishment pay. Eating establishment meals. Claiming the establishment name when it suits him and rejecting it when it doesn’t, all because that establishment is secure and has all the respect and credibility he both attaches to and attacks as it suits him.

If it wasn’t for that establishment he’d be nobody, and they tolerate him because they’re actual liberals who believe people have a right to vote for whom they choose.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

34. Yup. Entitled white boys cosplaying Che Guevara

while snarking on Twitter from Mom's basement. Juicebox revolutionaries, as Charles Pierce put it.

[nolabear]

35. Charlie's kind of weird right now.

I think he’s a Warren fan and that’s fine but he is snarking on Joe in a way that doesn’t make sense to me today.

[ehrnst]

91. Someone who sleeps on your couch, then complains about the food in the fridge

and wants you to buy new furniture.

[SergeStorms]

33. This is the party that allowed Bernie to....

use their infrastructure and platform to even have a chance to run for president. Twice.

If your message was palatable to more people you'd be more accepted, Bernie. You're almost as big a baby as Trump. You don't know how difficult it is to keep a civil tongue in my head. If I said what's really on my mind........

[Demsrule86]

36. That is called Democrats...party unity Sen...I understand that you don't get it.

[ehrnst]

39. It's up to the voters, Bernie... Democratic voters.

[Pisces]

45. Boo hoo

[JudyM]

46. Not surprised they dropped out now.

But disappointed in how short sighted this is. Not the dropping out, that’s their prerogative to be strategic, but the express endorsements that play right into trump’s painted scenario of a lack of neutrality and fair play.

It feels good to folks now, but Sanders’ supporters see this as a similar situation that alienated so many from the party last time. We could’ve done this much less oppositionally, because until today it still seemed like a fair election process for the most part, even if contentious. Trump is playing us.

People who think he wants to run against Sanders should think again. It’s all about discord. And bashing Sanders and folks who like him is the last thing Dems should be doing if we want his passionate voters.

[Turin_C3PO]

48. How is it not fair?

People still have the right to cast a vote for who they want. They don’t have to choose based on endorsements.

[JudyM]

68. Good question. Maybe this is subtle, but what trump's saying is what

many, many Sanders supporters are feeling, with the present generating a resounding echo from last time. It’s the starkly obvious unification against Sanders. It’s an aggregation of factors that have been raised here and brushed off so many times, reaching this crescendo when it appeared he had a chance to win.

Is that feeling justified? How would anyone know who is dismissive of him and his supporters right out of the gate.

This is one time the party should’ve held on just a little longer to take the high road. But emotions have been too high, apparently, to see and think as clearly as the situation deserves. The us-vs-them is directed against the wrong guy and the party likely won this battle, but the war is actually against trump and Sanders is on our side. I hope the convention is run in a way that is inclusive enough to assuage this.

[W_HAMILTON]

49. Sanders conspiracy theorist supporters will see absolute anything as """rigging."""

That's par for the course for them. They can't accept the reality they are faced with, therefore they invent conspiracy theories to explain it all away.

And Sanders is the one bringing discord here -- the other Democrats stepping aside and endorsing a candidate are the ones promoting unity.

[JudyM]

58. Yeah. No.

[W_HAMILTON]

72. Yeah. Yeah.

We now have ~five years of evidence to go by.

[dustyscamp]

53. 1+ Trump isn't as dumb as people make him out to be

[Codeine]

59. Oh good grief.

They’re free adults with agency; how is dropping out “not fair”?

[JudyM]

69. That ain't what I said.

[kcr]

97. Then you may want to massively edit and revise, because

That looks exactly like what you said.

[LizBeth]

83. Who says anyone has to be neutral? Endorsement is going on all over the place.

People of influence who prefer one persons policy and capabilities over another. That is the very essence of a political race. Ridiculous.

[ehrnst]

94. "a lack of neutrality and fair play." Did you say that about AOC's endorsement of Bernie?

Klobuchar was the only Senator who came to his defense, and said that she liked him after HRC's comments about him in that interview went public.

And now you (and he) are accusing her of ganging up on him?

People who think he wants to run against Sanders should think again.

I have a hard time figuring out what Trump actually thinks from day to day, but the GOP sure as hell wants him to run against Sanders in the General....

The team that rigged the GOP primaries accuses Democrats of rigging Iowa against Sanders


Republicans claim Nancy Pelosi is intentionally helping Joe Biden and hurting Bernie Sanders by delaying the Senate impeachment trial

Trump and His Aides Focused for Now on 2 Rivals (Neither Is the Front-Runner)

Republican strategist Karl Rove says Bernie Sanders could beat Donald Trump in 2020

Republicans pray for Bernie as Democratic nominee

[honest.abe]

50. Well then he shouldn't be surprised when they don't vote for him if we get to a brokered convention.

Considering all his insulting and sarcastic remarks targeted at these good Democrats.

[Aaron Pereira]

51. Establishment Dems are uniting against Sanders and consolidating for Biden.

We've heard the argument it's Sanders vs. everyone else and everyone else actually winning.

Now we're going to get a chance to test that theory on Super Tuesday. Joe Biden should win a sweeping victory tomorrow if the experts who patiently explained this idea on CNN and MSNBC are correct.

[Kingofalldems]

60. I'm a Democrat.

WTH is an establishment Democrat? You mean Pelosi? Schiff? Van Hollen? Joe Kennedy?

I resent attacks on our party.

[MineralMan]

61. Bernie: If I am not the nominee, it's rigged!

[PatSeg]

67. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?

If I don't win, the system is rigged. Not a very flattering picture.

[Tweedy]

62. Not helping, Senator Sanders

[Under The Radar]

66. This is a Trump 2016 argument about the Republicans

Why is he acting like this? Why the division and sourpuss attitude? Even with the knowledge that he is aided by Russia.
I swore that I would support Bernie if he won the nomination but now I am not sure if that.

[ehrnst]

77. Now THERE's a demonstration of one's prowess in building coalitions....

If he thinks that he's showing confidence that voters can think for themselves, he's mistaken.

If thinks he's making some kind of case to Warren supporters, he's sadly mistaken.

[DonaldsRump]

79. Grow up, Bern

It's not always about you. For goodness sake, you ain't even a D! Why are you so petulant when folks support someone besides you? That's life: you win some, and you lose some.

You sound a lot like Trump right now.

Upon reflection, maybe it is about you...

[Gothmog]

81. From the Hoarse Whisperer

Link to tweet

?s=20

[bearsfootball516]

84. That's what happens when your supporters spend the previous year...

Berating and insulting any candidate and their supporters that aren't your own.

[betsuni]

85. Why should I be surprised that establishment politician Bernie isn't coming together with anyone?

[LizBeth]

89. Harris to endorse Biden in Oakland this morning. And another Dem backs our Democrat.

[beachbumbob]

93. its called having real democrats come out and support a TRUE democrat for president.

A person who can actually have alliances and make corroborative efforts

[ehrnst]

95. Considering Klobuchar was the only Senator who contradicted the claim that "no one likes him"

turning around and accusing her of 'ganging up" on him with "the others" really makes him sound childish.

[PubliusEnigma]

98. Bernie doesn't like it when Democrats work together.

[duforsure]

99. Establishment

When it should be moderate Democrats, and no I want a candidate that's more progressive, instead of another four years of Democrats promoting their idea of the. Status quo,like Biden would do. Even if he gets elected he'll suffer from that and get weaker like we got before from their moderation.