# 2016 Bernie Sanders (D-VT) campaign for POTUS thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 28, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754 "2015-04-28T22:40:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 57
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1121 "2016-04-16T19:35:53Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > That accounts for Trump’s demeanor. I think Trump was an incoherent blob before the campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1122 "2016-04-16T21:50:38Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > The word the CNN reporter used wasn’t ‘met,’ it was ‘doorstopped.’ Which the Pope confirmed himself to the press. > [@CarnalK](#): > > Wow I am not a fan of this “seemless” editing of online articles the news sites do nowadays. That BBC article was titled like my link but is now titled “Pope Francis: Sanders meeting ‘not political meddling’”. And they left in the subheading “a real misstep” but took out the content that applied to (a NY commentator saying leaving NY for this was a bad move). > > Eta: as I said in another thread, was pretty sure the Pope had no intention of giving Bernie a photo op. Yes, it sounds like Bernie waylaid him. > [@](#): > > “This morning as I was leaving, Senator Sanders was there,” Francis said. “He knew I was coming out at that time, and he had the kindness to greet me.” > > “When I came down, he introduced himself, I greeted him with a handshake, and nothing more,” the pope added. “It’s common courtesy, this is called common courtesy. > > “If someone thinks that greeting someone is getting involved in politics,” he said, “I recommend that they find a psychiatrist.” ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1123 "2016-04-16T22:10:11Z")
> [@Maserschmidt](#): > > Yes, it sounds like Bernie waylaid him. I’m reminded of the episode of The West Wing where the drunk Ukrainian demands a meeting with the President and they do a drive by. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1124 "2016-04-20T10:58:42Z")
The good news is that, nationally, Bernie Sanders has never been more popular. The bad news is, he lost New York pretty badly. Still, his loss in New York, a longtime pro-Hillary state, could have been worse than it turned out to be. A little over a month ago, it looked like it might be another Ohio. But he made it at least somewhat respectable. I think next week will be telling. He will probably lose in MD, but if he can win the rest, he could surge again as the race moves Westward again. I predict Clinton wins Maryland by 15-20 points, but it’s still very possible that Sanders could win Rhode Island and Connecticut. I think CT will be harder with Clinton possibly receiving a post-NY bump, but still within reach for Bernie. Pennsylvania may be the most important race yet. Clinton is expected to win, and if she does, any realistic path left for Bernie is probably blocked. He probably needs to go 4 for 5. But if he can do it, then it could lead to another winning streak, which could be punctuated with a California win on June 7. Lots of ifs, and admittedly, the odds are very much against Sanders. But I don’t think you can write him off entirely just yet. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1125 "2016-04-20T12:55:47Z")
**asahi** , Um, she won Ohio by 13.8 and won NY by 15.8. Spinning that as “respectable” is really … odd. Seriously, dude. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1126 "2016-04-20T13:01:34Z")
Bernie is now officially Ralph Nader. He has zero chance to win now, he is campaigning only to hurt Hillary and to ‘bern’ the country to the ground. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1127 "2016-04-20T13:04:52Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Bernie is now officially Ralph Nader. He has zero chance to win now, he is campaigning only to hurt Hillary and to ‘bern’ the country to the ground. With just one minor difference. Bernie won’t be on the ballot in November, so he won’t siphon off any votes from Hillary. Hard to burn anything to the ground if you’ve run out of matches. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1128 "2016-04-20T13:19:32Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > With just one minor difference. Bernie won’t be on the ballot in November, so he won’t siphon off any votes from Hillary. Hard to burn anything to the ground if you’ve run out of matches. He’s better not even have a fantasy of displacing Jill Stein and running on the Green Party ticket ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1129 "2016-04-20T13:28:24Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > … > > I think next week will be telling. He will probably lose in MD, but if he can win the rest, he could surge again as the race moves Westward again. I predict Clinton wins Maryland by 15-20 points, but it’s still very possible that Sanders could win Rhode Island and Connecticut. I think CT will be harder with Clinton possibly receiving a post-NY bump, but still within reach for Bernie. Pennsylvania may be the most important race yet. Clinton is expected to win, and if she does, any realistic path left for Bernie is probably blocked. He probably needs to go 4 for 5. But if he can do it, then it could lead to another winning streak, which could be punctuated with a California win on June 7. > > Lots of ifs, and admittedly, the odds are very much against Sanders. But I don’t think you can write him off entirely just yet. Have you done the math? Hillary needs something like 450 more delegates to Bernie’s 1150. Write him off? He’s moved from a likable old man to a geriatric prick with his campaign. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1130 "2016-04-20T13:30:50Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Hard to burn anything to the ground if you’ve run out of matches. Then again, get enough “Bernie-friendly” Representatives and Senators elected, and it doesn’t really matter who the President is - especially if they can magically turn everything into “budget reconciliation” and get around filibustering the way they did with the ACA. I have a feeling this ends with the Clinton administration throwing Sanders a bone or two, and doing something it feels can actually get through Congress, like repealing the earnings cap on Social Security taxes, and possibly finding some way to buy most, if not all, of the existing student loans and refinance them at a much lower rate, maybe in exchange for compulsory community service of some sort. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1131 "2016-04-20T13:34:02Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > . > > Lots of ifs, and admittedly, the odds are very much against Sanders. But I don’t think you can write him off entirely just yet. I think you can. He’d have to win NJ and Pennsylvania BIG - about 25% of the electorate in Pennsylvania is African American or Hispanic - 30% in New Jersey. And even if he does that, and then wins California big - in California its close to 50% - although its African American population is smaller and Sanders has a smaller gap with Hispanics. Even then, he has to get the Supers to flip. And they are getting progressively pissed at him for staying in the race - and the accusations he’s making against the Democratic party in Hillary’s fundraising. There is a time when a good soldier drops out and puts their support behind the front runner so the party can point and laugh at the mess the GOP has going. Instead, he’s setting the Democrats up for a tougher general. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1132 "2016-04-20T13:38:27Z")
Sanders doesn’t care about his standing in a party he’s not a part of. That’s the fundamental problem I don’t think many Democrats really grappled with: he’s not a Democrat. I understand independent liberals and socialists and greens supporting Sanders, but Democrats who thought the party should be more left but are loyal Democrats made a miscalculation. Sanders is not Warren. He doesn’t care if he destroys the party. That would be a plus for him and his most loyal followers. It’s probably not what progressive Democrats with a soft spot for Bernie had in mind. Democrats who thought the party and the frontrunner were too conservative should have gotten behind O’Malley. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1133 "2016-04-20T14:48:25Z")
Shall we ready the fork? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1134 "2016-04-20T14:50:12Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Even then, he has to get the Supers to flip. And they are getting progressively pissed at him for staying in the race - and the accusations he’s making against the Democratic party in Hillary’s fundraising. There is a time when a good soldier drops out and puts their support behind the front runner so the party can point and laugh at the mess the GOP has going. Instead, he’s setting the Democrats up for a tougher general. Well, I don’t know about that. Nothing Sanders is throwing at the Dem Establishment is anything the GOP can use against Clinton later, their own system being even more rottener. What Sanders has done, has been to get hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of voters to register this year for the first time – and they’ll still be registered in November and they ain’t gonna vote for Trump/Cruz. So his net effect on Clinton’s prospects will be positive. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1135 "2016-04-20T15:04:22Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Well, I don’t know about that. Nothing Sanders is throwing at the Dem Establishment is anything the GOP can use against Clinton later, their own system being even more rottener. What Sanders has done, has been to get hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of voters to register this year for the first time – and they’ll still be registered in November and they ain’t gonna vote for Trump/Cruz. So his net effect on Clinton’s prospects will be positive. Ummm, that doesn’t seem to be a good read on the temperature of the party bigwigs, from the reports I’ve been seeing. Its a nice spin for Sanders supporters, but do you have any cite that says the Establishment agrees? [http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/obama-urges-democrats-support-hillary-clinton-220935](http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/obama-urges-democrats-support-hillary-clinton-220935) [http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/bernie-dems-winddown-220966](http://www.politico.com/story/2016/03/bernie-dems-winddown-220966) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1136 "2016-04-20T15:05:37Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Sanders doesn’t care about his standing in a party he’s not a part of. That’s the fundamental problem I don’t think many Democrats really grappled with: he’s not a Democrat. . That’s simply not true. Since he’s been a Senator he’s helped fundraise for the Dems and has scored committee chairs because he caucuses with them. His voting record is that of a pretty loyal Democrat. People seem to think he’s burning bridges because he hasn’t capitulated yet but I have a hard time believing his campaign is more divisive than Hillary’s 2008 run. We’ll see how he finishes off his campaign but to say he would be happy to see the Democratic party burnt to the ground is over the top rhetoric. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1137 "2016-04-20T15:12:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What Sanders has done, has been to get hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of voters to register this year for the first time – and they’ll still be registered in November and they ain’t gonna vote for Trump/Cruz. So his net effect on Clinton’s prospects will be positive. Assuming that the vast majority of them don’t think, “Trump vs Clinton? Why bother voting? It won’t make a difference.” ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1138 "2016-04-20T16:50:53Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > … We’ll see how he finishes off his campaign but to say he would be happy to see the Democratic party burnt to the ground is over the top rhetoric. I agree … we’ll see. I believe him when he says that he knows what a disaster Trump/Cruz/White Knight to be named later would be. Will he declare victory of what had likely been his original goal, to influence the conversation and to get the more likely standard bearer to commit to some positions that she’d otherwise have strayed from as she triangulated for the general? Will work with as much vigor to unify the party as Clinton did in '08? Will he specifically help in targeted downticket races as well? Or will he merely begrudgingly say “Of course she’s better than Trump.” and go home to Vermont? Will he tomorrow, when back from his deserved rest today, transition to saying: > [@hypothetical Sanders](#): > > We can still pull this off and I need your support this next Tuesday to show that we are still in this to win it, against even steep odds. I’ve fought against steep odds all of my adult life! But let me be perfectly clear: the Democratic nominee, be he named Bernie or she be named Hillary, must prevail in November. We must unify and recognize the critical importance of that, and of delivering a Congress that can work with a Democratic President to deliver real change for all of us. I know that if we prevail Hillary will work to support my candidacy knowing that. Likewise if she prevails I will work for the sake of all of us by helping work for her November victory as well. Once again, on her worst day she is heads and shoulders better than any of the GOP contenders. I hope so. And I think he’ll get more votes saying that too! ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1139 "2016-04-20T18:07:01Z")
Pretty funny that people are saying that Sanders should drop out in order to unify the party now that his chances of winning the nomination are essentially nil. Y’know, just like Hillary Clinton didn’t do in 2008. That was actually much more harmful to the party, as the Republicans had already settled on a candidate, and McCain got a few months of campaigning essentially unopposed while the Democratic race dragged on. Also, the real policy differences between the candidates are much more significant than in 2008. The longer he stays in the race, the longer Clinton has to keep co-opting him by taking positions that are more progressive than she prefers, and the harder it will be for her to flip-flop during or after the general election. Case in point: TPP. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2016, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1140 "2016-04-20T18:28:47Z")
[April 16th.](http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/DemocraticDebate/story?id=4670271&page=1) Race still in the air. Unclear if MI and FL would count in some manner and if so how. Pledged delegate count Obama up 106. (Although fewer big states left that cycle.) > [@Hillary Clinton 4/16/08](#): > > I’m going to do everything I possibly can to make sure that one of us takes the oath of office next January. I think that has to be the overriding goal, whatever we have to do. > > Obviously, we are still contesting to determine who will be the nominee. But once that is resolved, I think it is absolutely imperative that our entire party close ranks. That we become unified. I will do everything to make sure that the people who supported me support our nominee. I will go anywhere in the country to make the case. > > And I know that Barack feels the same way because both of us have spent 15 months traveling our country. I have seen the damage of the Bush years. I’ve seen the extraordinary pain that people have suffered from because of the failed policies. You know, those who have held my hands who’ve lost sons or daughters in Iraq. And those who have lost sons or daughters because they didn’t have health insurance. > > And so, regardless of the differences there may be between us, and there are differences, they pale in comparison to the differences between us and Senator McCain. So, we will certainly do whatever is necessary to make sure that a Democrat is in the White House next January. And she followed through. The longer he goes not taking that tone … and losing … the less power as a messenger he has. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=56) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=58)