# Bernie Sanders makes it official. How far will he go in 2020? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 19, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821 "2019-02-19T13:11:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/241 "2019-02-25T20:07:56Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > I actually think Bernie would be among one of the worst Presidents ever elected? I’m not a liberal or a leftist. I think Trump is probably the worst President aside from a couple of mid-19th century ones who basically were pro-Confederacy during the Civil War; but I also have more of a sober view of politics than is typically seen around these parts. There were only two Presidents during the Civil War, and even that’s just barely, due to the fact that the war started one month before Lincoln was sworn in. Did you maybe mean during the run up, or during reconstruction? On the OP: I think Sanders stands a decent shot of winning the Democratic primary. Certainly he should be in the top 3 or 4 candidates. As far as the general, I am extremely skeptical. I just don’t see this country electing someone who is a self-proclaimed socialist. On the other hand, Trump is a pretty soft target. I would probably not vote for Sanders over a “normal” Republican, but I would definitely vote for him over Trump. So, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![DavidChou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@DavidChou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidChou)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/242 "2019-02-25T20:20:18Z")
> [@DavidChou](#): > > Hmm, that’s a good idea!! > > I gotta be more “entrepreneurial-minded”…damn this socialism! 😉 So I was interested in comparing Bernie’s policies to Andrew Yang’s but wound up with accusations of “hijacking” this thread. Then it was very helpfully suggested by “iiandyiiii” that I start a separate compare & contrast thread. Folks, please clue in me why Bernie might be better than Andrew here: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=871453](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=871453) Thank you! ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/243 "2019-02-25T22:47:43Z")
Trump is like a thug mob boss. I don’t see a 78 year old college professor type beating him. Trumpers don’t mind the thuggish stuff, they love it which is why he won. ---
**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:** [February 25, 2019, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/244 "2019-02-25T23:06:39Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Trump is like a thug mob boss. I don’t see a 78 year old college professor type beating him. Trumpers don’t mind the thuggish stuff, they love it which is why he won. In fairness, the Trumpers probably won’t go for any possible Democratic nominee. The only exception I can think of is if it were revealed that Putin had been born in Alaska, and the Democrats nominated him…plenty of Trumpers would find Putin to be the bigger, more confident, more successful bully. He’d win. The odds of that are pretty poor, though. Also possible: someone who’s a hero to a large portion of the Trumpers—I don’t know, Blake Shelton, maybe? The Rock? I don’t know the politics of either but I wouldn’t bet that either is a Democrat. Bernie will be utterly despised by the Trumpers, of course. He’s a complete joke to them. But they’ll feel pretty much the same about all the others in the ring so far. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2019, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/245 "2019-02-25T23:40:15Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Trump is like a thug mob boss. I don’t see a 78 year old college professor type beating him. Trumpers don’t mind the thuggish stuff, they love it which is why he won. I wouldn’t really describe Bernie as a “college professor type.” I guess for certain values of “college professor”, but that description implies a kind of mannered scholarly speaking style that I’d associate more with Elizabeth Warren. Bernie sounds like what he is, a tightly-wound activist filled with righteous indignation. No matter how much conservatives will hate him, and despite his age, there’s _energy_ in that persona, there’s excitement, partly because he is such a wild card and so different from other politicians. (Something that also applied to someone who recently won a presidential election.) I am still skeptical of his chances; I haven’t “drunk the kool-aid”, I’m not saying he’s a sure thing by any means. But I’m starting to see the same enthusiasm for him among my peers that I saw in 2016, the same enthusiasm which was SO obviously lacking for the one who did in fact become the nominee. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/246 "2019-02-26T01:08:18Z")
The knives are out for Sanders. This politico article discusses Sanders love for private jets. Sanders going scorched earth on Clinton in 2016 is really going to hurt him this primary season. > **[Ex-Clinton staffers slam Sanders over private jet flights](https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/02/25/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-private-jet-flights-1182793?__twitter_impression=true)** > > The Vermont senator’s 2016 travel as a Clinton surrogate became “a running joke in the office.“ ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/247 "2019-02-26T02:09:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The knives are out for Sanders. This politico article discusses Sanders love for private jets. Sanders going scorched earth on Clinton in 2016 is really going to hurt him this primary season. > > [https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/02/25/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-private-jet-flights-1182793?\_\_twitter\_impression=true](https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/02/25/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-private-jet-flights-1182793?__twitter_impression=true) So, this ex-Clinton staffer is grousing about Bernie taking private planes to go stumping FOR Clinton after she clinched the nomination?? Talk about gratitude having a short half-life… Does anybody REALLY expect a 75-year-old man to walk everywhere on the campaign trail? ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/248 "2019-02-26T02:14:54Z")
Question for those of you who are backing Bernie for the nomination: Do you think Bernie would be an effective executive? Would he hire people who would efficiently translate his broad strokes vision into day-to-day governance? Would his veep be in charge of sweating the details? Or are you not concerned with that part of the job? ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/249 "2019-02-26T02:20:39Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > The knives are out for Sanders. This politico article discusses Sanders love for private jets. Sanders going scorched earth on Clinton in 2016 is really going to hurt him this primary season. > > [https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/02/25/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-private-jet-flights-1182793?\_\_twitter\_impression=true](https://www.politico.com/amp/story/2019/02/25/bernie-sanders-hillary-clinton-private-jet-flights-1182793?__twitter_impression=true) People who operate at that level fly around on private planes. All they need to do to spin this is say that it helps keep pilots and aircraft mechanics employed. Does Bernie need to be traveling on the back of a mule for people to believe that he’s not authentic? ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/250 "2019-02-26T02:38:54Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > People who operate at that level fly around on private planes. All they need to do to spin this is say that it helps keep pilots and aircraft mechanics employed. Does Bernie need to be traveling on the back of a mule for people to believe that he’s not authentic? Lol, your planet sounds nice. On this one, no you can’t hand wave a love for private jets as a trickle down largesse to mechanics and still be a man of the people. Not that I buy this hit job but come the fuck on. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/251 "2019-02-26T03:51:55Z")
Everyone already hand waves everything to fit their political narrative. _That’s_ the planet we’re on. ---
**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:** [February 26, 2019, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/252 "2019-02-26T05:17:37Z")
> [@Lamoral](#): > > Everyone already hand waves everything to fit their political narrative. _That’s_ the planet we’re on. And you think “tooting around in private jets helps the economy” fits Sanders’ political narrative? Of course not. That’s why, at least according to the linked article, the response is that they had a heavy schedule to places with insufficient commercial coverage. You know, rather than proclaim himself a limousine liberal. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/253 "2019-02-26T13:57:41Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Question for those of you who are backing Bernie for the nomination: Do you think Bernie would be an effective executive? IO’m not a Bernie backer, but he has been in Congress for forty years and achieved nothing much to push the US in a socialist direction. He is no LBJ in terms of legislating. President Sanders wouldn’t be any more effective than Congressman Sanders. > [@](#): > > Or are you not concerned with that part of the job? I am very concerned about this part of the President’s job, which is the most reassuring thing about contemplating a Sanders Presidency. He ain’t gonna be able to do shit. Thank God. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/254 "2019-02-26T15:27:25Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > So, this ex-Clinton staffer is grousing about Bernie taking private planes to go stumping FOR Clinton after she clinched the nomination?? Talk about gratitude having a short half-life… > > Does anybody REALLY expect a 75-year-old man to walk everywhere on the campaign trail? Nope. It doesn’t mean a thing to me. But, I’m not a wide eyed millennial worshiping Bernie. I was pointing out the politics are going to be very different this time around. Sanders got the ultimate in soft kid gloves treatment last time. It won’t be the case going forward. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/255 "2019-02-26T19:52:27Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > Nope. It doesn’t mean a thing to me. But, I’m not a wide eyed millennial worshiping Bernie. Neither am I. In the spirit of full disclosure, though, I appear to be the father of one. :o > [@](#): > > I was pointing out the politics are going to be very different this time around. Sanders got the ultimate in soft kid gloves treatment last time. It won’t be the case going forward. Perhaps. OTOH, given what we now know about foreign interference in our political process, anybody slinging attacks on Bernie (or anyone else) without proper documentation or using sketchy identification is going to have to tread carefully. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/256 "2019-02-26T20:54:06Z")
survey of party activists in early states and who they might support. Sanders and Biden are not at the top of the list. Harris leads for now. [The 2020 Democrats Being Considered By Early-State Activists | FiveThirtyEight](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-2020-democrats-being-considered-by-early-state-activists/) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2019, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/257 "2019-02-27T03:10:39Z")
> [@CaptMurdock](#): > > Neither am I. In the spirit of full disclosure, though, I appear to be the father of one. :o > > Perhaps. OTOH, given what we now know about foreign interference in our political process, anybody slinging attacks on Bernie (or anyone else) without proper documentation or using sketchy identification is going to have to tread carefully. Still, the private jet article doesn’t sound like Russian dirty tricks, it’s the typical Washington cocktail party circuit chatter. It’s quite reasonable to assume someone in charge of scheduling for the Clinton campaign wasn’t exactly feeling the Bern for Sanders and it’s reasonable to see how someone from the Sanders campaign might have rubbed them the wrong way. ---
**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:** [February 27, 2019, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/258 "2019-02-27T03:54:24Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > survey of party activists in early states and who they might support. Sanders and Biden are not at the top of the list. Harris leads for now. > > [The 2020 Democrats Being Considered By Early-State Activists | FiveThirtyEight](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/the-2020-democrats-being-considered-by-early-state-activists/) Read that too. As emphasized a small and not necessarily representative sample, but consistent with what they’ve been otherwise noting. Sanders leads in the number committed to him but not so many more than that are considering him. IOW that \*high floor low ceiling \*concept. More than 70% of the activists would not consider Sanders as their choice. That can serve him well early while the field is broad. Twentysomething (his floor) may be enough to be in first then. But twentysomething (his ceiling) will not be enough to win as the field quickly narrows. FWIW Biden may be in the same boat. Also of note is that the activists are somewhat like us in who they would consider (except they consider Booker more). Harris is up there yes, but so is Brown, despite not polling worth crap. 45.7 would consider him (compared to that only 28.6 for Sanders). ---
**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:** [March 4, 2019, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/259 "2019-03-04T19:42:13Z")
> [@iamthewalrus\_3](#): > > There were only two Presidents during the Civil War, and even that’s just barely, due to the fact that the war started one month before Lincoln was sworn in. Did you maybe mean during the run up, or during reconstruction? > > On the OP: I think Sanders stands a decent shot of winning the Democratic primary. Certainly he should be in the top 3 or 4 candidates. As far as the general, I am extremely skeptical. I just don’t see this country electing someone who is a self-proclaimed socialist. On the other hand, Trump is a pretty soft target. > > I would probably not vote for Sanders over a “normal” Republican, but I would definitely vote for him over Trump. So, maybe. You misunderstood–I wasn’t referring to sitting Presidents but former Presidents Franklin Pierce and John Tyler (Tyler who actually was a member of the Confederate House of Representatives but died before he could start his first legislative session.) ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821/260 "2019-03-09T21:44:50Z")
Backbench Bernie is still up to his old routine. He was rallying against superdelegates and Hillary Clinton in Iowa City, in 2019!!! I’ll be so glad to see this scum out of the race. Your 15 minutes are up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-sanders-makes-it-official-how-far-will-he-go-in-2020/829821.md?page=14)