# 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:** 61
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2016, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1201 "2016-04-23T15:06:08Z")
Why? He hasn’t shaken up any of his stump speech. Or even addressed any other subject. ---
**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 23, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1202 "2016-04-23T15:57:49Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Why? He hasn’t shaken up any of his stump speech. Or even addressed any other subject. You’re right. And re-reading the quote shows that it’s just a repetition of his “extortion” and stump speech. So it’s not really an admission of defeat or really anything other than the usual. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1203 "2016-04-27T21:50:53Z")
The Sanders campaign is [downsizing](http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/27/politics/bernie-sanders-staff-downsizing/index.html), and will lay off hundreds of staff. Certainly their rationale makes sense–most of the primaries are past. Nevertheless: > [@](#): > > But it’s a blunt acknowledgment that Sanders is not preparing for the long haul and no longer needs such a robust staff. The campaign also is uncertain whether its fundraising success will continue given the trajectory of the race, and senior advisers concluded it was time to downsize back to a smaller scale. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_stamos_left_ear/32/3198_2.png) [@John\_Stamos\_Left\_Ear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Stamos_Left_Ear)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2016, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1204 "2016-04-27T23:31:22Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > You’re right. And re-reading the quote shows that it’s just a repetition of his “extortion” and stump speech. Your use of the word “extortion” is ridiculous. Hillary is the clear winner for the Democratic nod but at the end of the day 40% of Democrats voted for Bernie and that impact is not insignificant, especially since the majority of his supporters represent the future of the Democratic party, or at least they can and dare I say should. No, he won’t be able to get everything he wants but he would be foolish if he didn’t try and get issues important to him onto Hillary’s radar and the DNC platform. And guess what - Hillary would be foolish if she didn’t want them and encourage Bernie for his support by offering him things he want - which is pretty much what happens all the time. That’s not “extortion.” It’s called politics. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2016, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1205 "2016-05-02T23:08:55Z")
Everyone is seeing it’s over for Bernie, except Bernie. This article pretty much points out that the math just isn’t there for Bernie. Yet, he continues, now begging for super delegate defections. > **[Opinion | Bernie Sanders insists he can still win. The math says otherwise.](https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/05/02/bernie-sanders-insists-he-can-still-win-the-math-says-otherwise/)** > > Even if you do the math Sanders's way, he'd still lose. Other articles show that Clinton is finally taking in more than Bernie. 85% of the people polled have stated Clinton has the democratic nomination, 84% say Trump will be the Republican nominee. It doesn’t get much clearer Bernie. You’re just a speed bump in the road. Time to hike home and retire. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1206 "2016-05-03T00:30:21Z")
But if superdelegate defections is the only way he can win, and it’s available, he should stop pursuing that because… it’s impossible for him to win? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1207 "2016-05-03T01:34:39Z")
It isn’t available. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1208 "2016-05-03T01:50:51Z")
Superdelegates CAN’T defect, or WON’T? Those seem to me two different things. Sure, I get the idea: Bernie is trying to push something so vanishingly unlikely that it’s probably futile. My thought is that if he wants to be President, stay relevant, and keep his enthusiastic supporters interested in the process, what’s so bad about asking superdelegates to consider him over Hillary, as futile as it probably is? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1209 "2016-05-03T02:02:21Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > But if superdelegate defections is the only way he can win, and it’s available, he should stop pursuing that because… it’s impossible for him to win? 😕 He doesn’t have the numbers. As the article points out, even if the super delegates split per the vote of their respective states, (per his desire) Bernie still fails to get the numbers needed to beat Hillary. All he’s doing now is giving Trump a little momentum with his attacks on Hillary. I’m willing to bet that when this is over Bernie and Bernie’s ideas are forgotten quicker than yesterday’s trash. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1210 "2016-05-03T02:39:09Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Superdelegates CAN’T defect, or WON’T? Those seem to me two different things. > > Sure, I get the idea: Bernie is trying to push something so vanishingly unlikely that it’s probably futile. My thought is that if he wants to be President, stay relevant, and keep his enthusiastic supporters interested in the process, what’s so bad about asking superdelegates to consider him over Hillary, as futile as it probably is? Because the two most probable outcomes of that futility are either - 1. He keeps up, as he is so far, trying to elevate Clinton’s unfavorable perceptions with those who support him, and succeeds in doing so. Reducing the degree to which party unity occurs and weakening her and by extension downticket results in the general election. It does not lead to her accepting any more of his positions as her own than she has already decided to do. Yes, it is possible that he could hurt the Democratic team’s (the whole ticket’s) chances. Then the agenda he prefers has no chance of having any progress made. Or 1. He keeps up, as he is so far, trying to elevate Clinton’s unfavorable perceptions with those who support him, and fails in doing so, losing the next set of primaries even more resoundingly, marginalizing himself and his message both this cycle and its impact in the next as he and his claimed movement are dismissed. It does not lead to her accepting any more of his positions as her own than she has already decided to do. If he does not hurt her he proves he is irrelevant and has no seat at the table moving forward. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1211 "2016-05-03T02:44:42Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Superdelegates CAN’T defect, or WON’T? Those seem to me two different things. > > Sure, I get the idea: Bernie is trying to push something so vanishingly unlikely that it’s probably futile. My thought is that if he wants to be President, stay relevant, and keep his enthusiastic supporters interested in the process, what’s so bad about asking superdelegates to consider him over Hillary, as futile as it probably is? I guess one can ask, but let me ask, why would Sanders expect the super delegates to change their minds? On what basis? I heard Bernie Sanders (or maybe it was one of his campaign staffers) try to make the argument that he should expect more superdelegates on the basis that he dominated Hillary in certain states. That might be true, but then Hillary dominated him in others. It seems that Bernie Sanders wants it both ways, which is why people are, at best, becoming suspicious of Sanders and find him increasingly annoying. This seems to be less about his voters and his movement and more about his wanting to stay in the limelight. ---
**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:** [May 3, 2016, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1212 "2016-05-03T03:01:06Z")
His argument is that he does better in Trump head to heads than she does. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1213 "2016-05-03T03:39:17Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > … > > It seems that Bernie Sanders wants it both ways, which is why people are, at best, becoming suspicious of Sanders and find him increasingly annoying. This seems to be less about his voters and his movement and more about his wanting to stay in the limelight. I’m noticing that too. People aren’t listening to Bernie as much as they are shaking their head at him and telling him to get out of the way and let Hillary concentrate on beating Trump. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1214 "2016-05-04T02:42:12Z")
Ugh as much as it pains me, with Trump confirmed for the GOP nomination, now is the time for Bernie to suspend and throw unqualified support behind Clinton. No making demands for support, just do it. Clinton is corrupt as they come, but I sincerely hope the Bernheads will get behind her, if only for the sake of the Supreme court nominations. As well as the current open one, statistically theres likely to be at least one more in an eight year period. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Ace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/6bbea6/32.png) [@Johnny\_Ace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Ace)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1215 "2016-05-04T03:42:12Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > I guess one can ask, but let me ask, why would Sanders expect the super delegates to change their minds? On what basis? He has to keep hope alive to maximize votes coming and the number of delegates he gets, so he can make his specious superdelegate argument that won’t win him the nomination anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1216 "2016-05-04T10:10:49Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Clinton is corrupt as they come, but I sincerely hope the Bernheads will get behind her, if only for the sake of the Supreme court nominations. As well as the current open one, statistically theres likely to be at least one more in an eight year period. Frankly I’m surprised RBG has lasted as long as she has. She hasn’t looked well for a long, long time. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1217 "2016-05-04T19:34:33Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Ugh as much as it pains me, with Trump confirmed for the GOP nomination, now is the time for Bernie to suspend and throw unqualified support behind Clinton. No making demands for support, just do it. Clinton is corrupt as they come, but I sincerely hope the Bernheads will get behind her, if only for the sake of the Supreme court nominations. As well as the current open one, statistically theres likely to be at least one more in an eight year period. I would settle for his just giving up the attempt to convince people that she’s evil incarnate. He could stay in and talk about how bad Trump would be for the country. He could stay in and talk about his own programs and policies. He could stay in and talk about the importance of participating in the democratic process. That way, he would ensure a positive legacy for himself and his ideas. But he’s not going to do that. He’s going to continue to focus on ginning up his followers to commit to “Never Hillary.” > [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > He has to keep hope alive to maximize votes coming and the number of delegates he gets, so he can make his specious superdelegate argument that won’t win him the nomination anyway. I think he really does believe he’ll be the nominee. It’s delusional. Maybe it’s attributable to a weakness in the wiring of our species–maybe standing in front of a huge cheering crowd would short-circuit the brain of most humans. But even so, if he goes down in history as the man who enables a Trump Presidency, I hope he will, with time, eventually regain enough perspective to feel at least a _bit_ of shame. ---
**Author:** ![FightMyIgnorance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71e660/32.png) [@FightMyIgnorance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FightMyIgnorance)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1218 "2016-05-05T20:46:23Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > I would settle for his just giving up the attempt to convince people that she’s evil incarnate. No such thing has occurred. Granted, a segment of his supporters are on the toxic Bernie or Bust platform, but to say he is actively inciting it is to make a statement bordering on neurotic. > [@](#): > > He could stay in and talk about how bad Trump would be for the country. He could stay in and talk about his own programs and policies. He could stay in and talk about the importance of participating in the democratic process. > > That way, he would ensure a positive legacy for himself and his ideas. > > But he’s not going to do that. He’s going to continue to focus on ginning up his followers to commit to “Never Hillary.” Examples of his “ginning up” of his followers to commit to “Never Hillary”? > [@](#): > > I think he really does believe he’ll be the nominee. I think you’re letting your personal dislike for the man cloud your judgment of his motives. You’re attributing the worst motives to his actions. Do you have any evidence that Sanders is apparently so unhinged as to believe he has a shot at the nomination at this point? > [@](#): > > But even so, if he goes down in history as the man who enables a Trump Presidency, I hope he will, with time, eventually regain enough perspective to feel at least a _bit_ of shame. No such thing will occur. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk ---
**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:** [May 5, 2016, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1219 "2016-05-05T21:12:09Z")
> [@FightMyIgnorance](#): > > Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337Z using Tapatalk Good to know! Always very curious what model of phone and browser people are using!! To your other points, Sanders brings up money in politics and how evil it is s every damn speech. He brings up how Hillary is beholden to the banks every time he talks about her. It is disingenuous in the extreme to say Sanders isn’t describing her as “part of the problem”. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1220 "2016-05-05T21:19:23Z")
> [@FightMyIgnorance](#): > > No such thing has occurred. Granted, a segment of his supporters are on the toxic Bernie or Bust platform, but to say he is actively inciting it is to make a statement bordering on neurotic. Obviously, he hasn’t said the words that she’s “evil incarnate.” But [he has sent a fundraising email trying to tie Trump and Clinton together](https://twitter.com/bykowicz/status/725029426841440256), and after Sanders called Clinton unqualified, [Trump thanked Sanders and repeated the statement](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/04/21/trump-on-sanders-clinton-brawl-id-like-him-to-keep-going/). Sanders should be saying how terrible Trump is, and that the most important thing is that Trump is beaten, instead of going after Clinton for specious reasons and saying that Trump and Clinton are basically the same. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=60) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=62)