Just had an unpleasant thought:

[Disaffected]

Is it possible that Sanders is dragging out the Democratic Primaries to keep in the headlines and with the eventual goal, seeing that he will very likely not win the nomination, of running as an independant??

BTW, I know of no specific reason why that might happen - just worrying out loud I guess...

[Skittles]

1. he won't go away

we are stuck with him

[TheFarseer]

2. Nope

Just wants to push his issues for as long as possible, I think.

[showblue22]

5. He's a senator.

He's not some random person. He has power. Why not get to work, write legislation for his issues and make the care for his colleagues to come on board? Perhaps because it's not as glamorous and he won't have adoring crowds.

[Jarqui]

3. He knows that if he runs as an independent, it's four more years of Trump.

The GOP are not going to vote for a socialist. And many independents won't either.

So it is like the primary: Sanders cannot win at the ballot box as a independent.

If Joe gets the virus and dies .... that may be why Sanders is taking the role of a vulture when he cannot win at the ballot box.

If Sanders gets the virus, it is very serious with his heart condition.

[HarlanPepper]

14. You think he really cares though?

I get an “if I can’t have it...” vibe from him.

[Jarqui]

18. I do think he cares. He would not run as an independent against Joe.

He didn't run as an independent against Hillary. I would after the unfair treatment the DNC gave him in 2016, he was more justified to do so in 2016. But he still didn't.

If this virus takes Joe out and he's still competing ....

[zackymilly]

19. He's not running as an Independent so he can get Democrat money. Bernie is all about Bernie.

He has already registered to re-run as an Independent for his Senate seat if he doesn't get the nomination.
So in other words, once he loses the Democratic nomination, it's back to being an Independent.

[Jarqui]

20. He ran for the Democratic nomination because he felt that

running as an independent would split the vote and give the White House to the GOP. So I find it hard to beat him up on that since it is widely accepted as true.

He doesn't have that issue running for his Senate seat. Arguably, it helps him to run as an independent senator in Vermont.

[TomCADem]

4. Many States Have Sore Loser Laws. You Can't Run In a Party Primary...

...then take a second bite at the apple by running in the general election as an independent or for another party. Part of it is to protect the primary process. So, you can either run as an independent. Or, you run as a party nominee. Once you choose a path to the general election, you cannot call a mulligan, since it also will confuse voters regarding the role of a primary versus a general election.

[Thekaspervote]

6. This!! Besides, he doesn't want to work that hard!

[Disaffected]

13. Good to know,

thanks.

[Bev54]

7. I believe part of his agreement

to run under the dem banner he had to agree in writing not to run as a third party.

[RockRaven]

8. Regardless of exact internal motive, it is not apparently useful for getting rid of Trump.

What is the priority, getting rid of Trump or fulfilling Bernie's internal motivations? Every Bernie supporter must answer this, in light of the following 2 data points (which admittedly I've seen posted on DU and provisionally accepted as plausible, but have not personally investigated myself):
1) to win the nomination on the the first ballot, Bernie needs a 10% margin of victory in each remaining state, or the equivalent.
2) Bernie is not projected (by 538) to win a majority in any of the remaining states.

So what's the point? Bernie and his supporters will say advancing various policy points.... Sounds good on the surface. What is the COST? Disillusioning Bernie supporters from Biden by repetition over time, encouraging them to sit out the general because their guy didn't get the nomination. That path leads to 4 more years of Trump, and a generational, multi-generational, or permanent deviation of reality from the ideals which Bernie claims to aspire to.

If Bernie wants any Americans, ever, to experience the ideals he espouses, his best chance is to do everything to remove Trump in favor of Biden first, and second do everything he can to move winning-Biden towards his personal agenda/ideals.

But that means subsuming "Bernie" to "Bernie's ideas done in another person's name." Can or will he do that?

[Hoyt]

9. If he gives a damn, he will state at the debate that Biden is the man to beat trump.

If he needs to, he can say he hopes Biden does what he can to support programs Sanders’ has been espousing for years.

I don’t see how anything else helps beat trump.

[comradebillyboy]

10. With the crowd restrictions resulting from the corona virus

Bernie can no longer perform for adoring throngs. The limelight has gone away. The thrill is gone. What will Bernie do without his adoring fans to cheer him on? What will be the consolation for the looming humiliation in Florida and the rest of the March 17 primaries?

[Buckeye_Democrat]

11. I doubt it!

After seeing numerous complaints about him in recent weeks for not being a Democrat unless he’s running for President, I considered posting a message that more people here should be thankful that he doesn’t run as an Independent! It would probably guarantee another 4 years of Trump!

Bernie isn’t THAT crazy, for crying out loud.

[SergeStorms]

12. There are an abundance of things to worry about right now.

If I spend all my time being consumed by worry I will get sick, one way or another. Take things as they come. Change things that you have the ability to change, and let the rest go until it's absolutely necessary to act. Worry leads to stress, and stress is a killer.

[Disaffected]

17. Agreed,

I hesitated for that reason before posting but hadn't seen the possibility mentioned here before and was m/l I guess looking for some reassurance that he won't do it. As others have said, splitting the vote would probably give the win to Trump which would be a calamity we all don't want to contemplate.

The best thing he could do now is drop out after the next debate, if not before (and throw his full support to Biden).

[aikoaiko]

15. No worries - He's made it clear that he will support Joe if he is the nominee.

[Turin_C3PO]

16. No.

I do take him at his word that he won’t do that. Plus, most states have sore loser laws which prevent losers of primaries from getting on the general election ballot.

[iwannaknow]

21. Bernie is no Joe Lieberman

[Polybius]

22. If he does, I'm through with him

I'll be all-in for Joe.