# 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:** 92
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1821 "2016-06-29T04:37:07Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > John McCain observed that the only cure is embalming fluid. Didn’t seem to work for him. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1822 "2016-06-29T04:40:27Z")
I’m very disappointed in Bernie’s behavior so far, but hell, even good people get tired and crabby. Got some time, think it over, betting that he’ll come around. The Return of the Prodigal Grandfather. Besides, he isn’t going to just stand there and let Lizzy Warren become Ass-Kicker in Chief. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1823 "2016-06-29T06:29:57Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Do you think DWS had the magic ability to ungerrymander districts? Does she have a super-science age ray that matures underage Hispanics into voters? > > It seems to me that 2014 was largely the continuing effects of 2010’s census. Well, that and people, once again, hating Obama and the dimwit GOP voter wanting to [droolingsouthernaccent]_Get 'er country back!_[/droolingsouthernaccent] Gerrymandering is responsible for some of but not all of the Democratic Party’s problems. The fact that the Democrats (for example) lost the Florida gubernatorial race against a deeply horrible incumbent governor that year speaks volumes. Of course, your last line is another very good reason why the Democrats lose but I digress. > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Considering how little attention Sanders has paid to congressional races and how few of these candidates he has actually supported, yes, “petty” does seem to be an appropriate descriptor. I agree he should have endorsed more candidates and otherwise paid more attention to Congressional, state, and local races (for example in Pennsylvania he should actively campaigned for Fetterman) but that doesn’t make it bad that he’s endorsed some candidates. And it’s not “petty”-I doubt he’d be endorsing DWS’s primary opponent if he was some LaRoucheite for example. > [@elucidator](#): > > I’m very disappointed in Bernie’s behavior so far, but hell, even good people get tired and crabby. Got some time, think it over, betting that he’ll come around. The Return of the Prodigal Grandfather. > > Besides, he isn’t going to just stand there and let Lizzy Warren become Ass-Kicker in Chief. This basically. ---
**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:** [June 29, 2016, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1824 "2016-06-29T10:49:00Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Gerrymandering is responsible for some of but not all of the Democratic Party’s problems. The fact that the Democrats (for example) lost the Florida gubernatorial race against a deeply horrible incumbent governor that year speaks volumes. This is an excellent point, which can’t be understated. Conservatives, be the in the form of the republican or democratic party, figured out long, long ago that the Constitution gives them enormous political leverage at the local level. They have deftly used that power to build local coalitions, county by county, state by state. Democrats are so bad at playing this game that they lose governorships that they really ought to win easily. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1825 "2016-06-29T11:27:56Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I’m very disappointed in Bernie’s behavior so far, but hell, even good people get tired and crabby. Got some time, think it over, betting that he’ll come around. The Return of the Prodigal Grandfather. > > Besides, he isn’t going to just stand there and let Lizzy Warren become Ass-Kicker in Chief. No sign of such a change of heart so far. The lofty self-image and disdain for cooperation in advancement of a higher goal are long-time behavior traits. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1826 "2016-06-29T12:10:17Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Besides, he isn’t going to just stand there and let Lizzy Warren become Ass-Kicker in Chief. Too late. He’s already let it happen. What looked like it was going to be the “Sanders wing” of the party has now pretty clearly become the “Warren wing.” ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1827 "2016-06-29T12:42:50Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > I agree he should have endorsed more candidates and otherwise paid more attention to Congressional, state, and local races (for example in Pennsylvania he should actively campaigned for Fetterman) but that doesn’t make it bad that he’s endorsed some candidates. And it’s not “petty”-I doubt he’d be endorsing DWS’s primary opponent if he was some LaRoucheite for example. Well, I still stand by “petty,” as his support of the challenger seems highly driven by personal considerations. And while I agree that Sanders would not have endorsed a LaRouchie, I suspect that almost any left-of-center challenger would have gotten the senator’s support. The endorsement seems much less an endorsement _of_ a particular candidate than an endorsement \*against \*Wasserman Schultz. He’s entitled to do that, of course–hey, he’s entitled to endorse anyone he wants for any reason on earth–but you bring up Fetterman in PA, and Fetterman’s a good example of the problem here. For a guy who didn’t get around to endorsing Fetterman against Katie McGinty, one of the most mainstream, establishment Senate candidates possible to imagine, in a primary being run at the same time as Sanders was making lots of PA appearances, Sanders’s interest in this particular House race seems…well, petty. “Take that!” he seems to be saying. “Now it’s payback time!” Obviously your mileage varies, but I don’t think it’s a good look. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1828 "2016-06-29T15:40:21Z")
The candidate Sanders endorsed, Eric Kingson, got crushed in the primary yesterday. Bernie continues his descent into Cindy Sheehan territory of 15 minutes of fame, followed by desperate attempts to remain relevant. > **[Results: 24th Congressional District Democratic primary](https://www.syracuse.com/politics/2016/06/live_results_24th_congressional_district_democratic_primary.html)** > > Deacon, Kingson, Williams in race for November ballot against Katko ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1829 "2016-06-29T15:47:33Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The candidate Sanders endorsed, Eric Kingson, got crushed in the primary yesterday. Bernie continues his descent into Cindy Sheehan territory of 15 minutes of fame, followed by desperate attempts to remain relevant. > [Results: 24th Congressional District Democratic primary - syracuse.com](http://www.syracuse.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/06/live_results_24th_congressional_district_democratic_primary.html) Well, to be fair, he also endorsed Zephyr Teachout in NY’s 19th district next door to me, and she did win her primary. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1830 "2016-06-29T15:57:10Z")
Very true , but Teachout had numerous endorsements including the Sierra Club and New York Times. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1831 "2016-06-29T16:15:38Z")
Teachout was also running for an open seat, so it isn’t that comparable to other situations. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2016, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1832 "2016-06-29T16:21:54Z")
Kingson wasn’t running against an incumbent either, as the seat in the 24th is held by a Republican. ---
**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:** [June 29, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1833 "2016-06-29T16:39:16Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Too late. He’s already let it happen. What looked like it was going to be the “Sanders wing” of the party has now pretty clearly become the “Warren wing.” Well it had been the Warren wing before this cycle. She’s just stepping back up to the driver’s seat as he fades back to fairly immaterial. Don’t get me wrong he can still play a positive role (or a negative one if he wanted) but his chance to leverage what he accomplished into something of lasting impact is pretty much past and becoming a smaller and smaller spot in the rearview mirror. > [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Well, to be fair, he also endorsed Zephyr Teachout in NY’s 19th district next door to me, and she did win her primary. Track record so far - Teachout, who was an overwhelming favorite before Sanders endorsed her, won. Flores, who had been leading in polling before his endorsement, lost. Kingson, who had been behind before the Sanders’ endorsement, stayed behind and lost by 16 points. So so far he’s backed one winner, two losers, and given that Teachout had already been the overwhelming favorite has made at best no impact. Jayapal and Canova are both to come. Jaypal already has major support of many of those that Sanders has derided as “establishment.” It’ll be tight between her and Walkinshaw, another well regarded progressive Democrat. (Unless Joe McDermott pulls out a win possibly on the basis that his name is so similar to the departing incumbent Jim McDermott - no relation.) Sanders is at least helping Canova raise lotso money. But impacting the choices that voters make by virtue of his backing? It seems his impact there is minimal. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1834 "2016-07-05T17:04:18Z")
Even with today’s Clinton news, this asshole still refuses to concede. He’s still got his secret service detail as well. I guess he’s still bickering over the irrelevant party platform but I think he just can’t get over the euphoria of being in the limelight and doesn’t want to go back to being a backbench gadfly, known for YouTube rants delivered to an empty senate chamber. > **[Sanders: FBI decision won’t affect my campaign](https://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/286497-sanders-fbi-decision-wont-impact-campaign/)** > > Sanders has refused to concede the Democratic presidential nomination. ---
**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:** [July 5, 2016, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1835 "2016-07-05T19:51:34Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Even with today’s Clinton news, this asshole still refuses to concede. He’s still got his secret service detail as well. Costing $40,000 per day, according to CNN. > **[Sanders’ campaign is over, yet Secret Service remains | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2016/07/04/politics/bernie-sanders-secret-service-protection/)** > > Bernie Sanders is back to his old day job, trading campaign rallies for the Senate. But a vestige of his presidential campaign remains: a Secret Service detail. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1836 "2016-07-05T21:03:55Z")
I expected better of him, and I’ve given up even trying to talk with some of his supporters. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1837 "2016-07-05T21:19:08Z")
I think he’s largely out of the limelight, his visibility is just intensely lower, and likely to get more and more so. The thing now is when he finally does endorse Clinton he’s not likely to get much of an attention bump in doing so, and the value of that endorsement is also lower. Most of the non-hardcore Bernie Bro types have essentially moved on from his campaign now–and those hangers on likely were weird “outside the political mainstream” types who have probably always voted for Green Party or other irrelevant candidates and thus were never a serious factor in the election to begin with. It looks like literally all he’s gotten by refusing to endorse is some modest changes to the platform–which, in itself, is a 100% meaningless thing since Presidents aren’t bound by platforms (and regular voters have such little knowledge of the formal party platform that they don’t even know when Presidents ignore them, which is always.) ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1838 "2016-07-06T00:11:11Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > … > > It looks like literally all he’s gotten by refusing to endorse is some modest changes to the platform–which, in itself, is a 100% meaningless thing since Presidents aren’t bound by platforms (and regular voters have such little knowledge of the formal party platform that they don’t even know when Presidents ignore them, which is always.) Bernie will go to the convention, expect red carpet treatment and be butthurt when it isn’t forthcoming. He’ll rant, the election will go without a backwards glance and his supporters will mostly vote Democratic anyway. Has been, washed up, angry old fart. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1839 "2016-07-06T01:20:22Z")
I am eagerly looking forward to the campaign books coming out about this election. I can imagine Clinton was biting her lip wanting to rip into Sanders from New York on, but was told by her advisers to focus on Trump and that Bernie had lost, but to let him run out the clock going down to the last primaries. The schedule had a lot of Bernie friendly small states after Clinton cleaned his clock in the mid-Atlantic primaries in April. 85% or or so of Bernie’s supporters have come over to Clinton, and she wasn’t going to get the Greens/Libertarians/Anarchists types that were so loud on social media earlier in the year. Sanders is almost invisible on mainstream media and even on political blogs, he’s barely covered. Most of the comments sections are harshly critical of him. Today, Obama and Clinton campaigned in North Carolina together while Sanders still insisted he wasn’t getting out of the race even after there’s no indictment coming. If Sanders and his die hard activist supporters still want to battle over the platform, I could care less. Put all the unicorns and pixie dust you want into the platform, it’s an irrelevant piece of paper designed to keep the activists busy while the adults plan the campaign. I won’t join in the pit threads when the Republican platform calls for gays to be executed or other absurd nonsense. Now that the convention is getting closer, someone needs to tell Sanders to endorse and get a nice speaking slot or else his seat at the convention will be in the men’s room, 3rd stall on the left. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754/1840 "2016-07-06T01:23:21Z")
His shitty behavior having lost the nomination validates my skepticism of Bernie as a valid candidate. There is not half the integrity as claimed by his supporters. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=91) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-bernie-sanders-d-vt-campaign-for-potus-thread/718754.md?page=93)