# Bernie Withdraws **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [April 8, 2020, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349 "2020-04-08T15:27:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/141 "2020-04-09T02:10:07Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I’m hearing that he is strongly leaning towards… > > Hillary I don’t think she’d accept it. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/142 "2020-04-09T02:11:27Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Biden has a lot of experience with Moscow Mitch and knows all his tricks, They aren’t buddies. In fact, however, Biden has the best chance of getting stuff past Mitch, Biden knows where the bodies are buried. > > Note that Moscow Mitch is older than Biden. Eight months, FWIW. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/143 "2020-04-09T02:13:01Z")
> [@Projammer](#): > > Why does everyone keep saying Biden has early onset dementia? He’s 77. That’s prime age for dementia. Early onset is defined as before 65. I think they’re meaning early STAGE dementia. Those of you who know more about this than I do can tell me more: Some people are saying that Biden stutters off camera and his verbal gaffes are a way to avoid it in live broadcasts and rallies. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/144 "2020-04-09T02:26:39Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > You know, at first I thought there’s no way in hell that he would. But after a few seconds, you know, on some levels this choice would make a lot of sense and if managed appropriately by Joe ATPTB could form a formidable opponent. And if Biden wins, then Hillary is most likely the President in 2024 or 2028. > I think it makes a lot of sense. It is an absolutely certain election loser. Hillary Clinton had her shot, and she blew it. This truly would alienate the progressive wing. She does not deserve another chance, and she is already too old to be President. (So is Biden. So is Trump, and so was Sanders.) He needs a running mate who isn’t a fossil, isn’t a loser, and actually helps win the election, preferably one who can deliver a swing state. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/145 "2020-04-09T02:31:30Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I think they’re meaning early STAGE dementia. > > Those of you who know more about this than I do can tell me more: Some people are saying that Biden stutters off camera and his verbal gaffes are a way to avoid it in live broadcasts and rallies. You know, it’s [not difficult](https://www.stutteringhelp.org/content/joe-biden) to find info about [Biden’s stutter](https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/01/joe-biden-stutter-profile/602401/). ---
**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 9, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/146 "2020-04-09T02:47:37Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > He needs to tell his Bros to get behind Biden and not sit home and pout on election day. The Pubbies are going to do enough to make sure Dem votes don’t get counted. They don’t need help from disgruntled Bernie supporters. He needs to do it in mid-to-late October. Otherwise, it goes in one ear and out the other. IMO, what he needs to do is to explain to his supporters that what they really need to do is to vote in the Progressive candidates in the House (and Senate, if there are any). It doesn’t really matter who is President if the Congress doesn’t match the ideology. Enough Progressives side with the Republicans, and it’s, “Green New Deal, or No Deal for the One-Termer.” Of course, that assumes that they can get anything through the Senate… > [@orcenio](#): > > Nuts to that, Bernie 2024! The question is, how many Bernie supporters are under the impression that they won’t be able to primary out Biden in 2024 if he wins in 2020, so the only path to Bernie 2024 starts with Trump 2020 - and they make it a point to vote for Trump just to make sure it happens? See above for an alternative, albeit much less likely, method to get Bernie nominated by the Democrats in 2024. > [@thorny\_locust](#): > > [He’s still asking supporters to give him as many delegates as possible in the remaining primaries](https://www.npr.org/2020/04/08/814291136/bernie-sanders-is-suspending-his-presidential-campaign). (see just past minute 34 in the video, as well as a comment though not a quote in the written news story.) So I don’t suppose we’re entirely done with hearing people arguing about votes for Sanders. He says he wants as many delegates as possible so they can have some say in the platform. Refresh my memory - when was the last time any candidate felt that they were bound by their party’s platform? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/147 "2020-04-09T02:47:54Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > This is the first time I can vote Green and will consider that. And spare me “you are only helping Trump” by voting green. I’m a registered Green. What state are you in? Is it by any reasonable reckoning a swing state, one that could go for Trump or could go for Biden, depending upon how people vote? I’m not. I live in New York. If New York comes anywhere close to casting its electoral votes for Trump, Biden is very dead in the water already and New York won’t matter. If you don’t live in a swing state, you can vote Green and not be “helping Trump”. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/148 "2020-04-09T02:49:37Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Remember 2010 when the Dems had a 59-41 Senate majority and weren’t able to get much done at all? > > McConnell was minority leader then. Was he powerless? Did he resign? IIRC, the answers to both questions were ‘no.’ How did McConnell trick or scam anyone then? He followed Senate rules, just as Schumer has done but with less leverage. Is there anyone in America who thinks that Schumer therefore tricked or scammed McConnell? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/149 "2020-04-09T02:53:10Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > I’m a registered Green. What state are you in? Is it by any reasonable reckoning a swing state, one that could go for Trump or could go for Biden, depending upon how people vote? > > I’m not. I live in New York. If New York comes anywhere close to casting its electoral votes for Trump, Biden is very dead in the water already and New York won’t matter. > > If you don’t live in a swing state, you can vote Green and not be “helping Trump”. Bijou is, I think, in NC, which is possibly a swing state. Maybe you could offer to trade votes? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/150 "2020-04-09T03:02:59Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Biden has a lot of experience with Moscow Mitch and knows all his tricks, They aren’t buddies. In fact, however, Biden has the best chance of getting stuff past Mitch, Biden knows where the bodies are buried. > > Note that Moscow Mitch is older than Biden. Possibly. Possibly not. > **[Former Obama Aide Slams Joe Biden's Latest Pitch for Bipartisanship](https://www.newsweek.com/obama-aide-joe-biden-mitch-mcconnell-1444441)** > > "The fact of the matter is if we can't get a consensus nothing happens except the abuse of power by the executive," Biden said on Monday. > **[Joe Biden and the Disastrous History of Bipartisanship](https://inthesetimes.com/features/joe-biden-bipartisanship-nostalgia-centrism-2020.html)** > > Biden wants to bring the parties together. But for 50 years, that's meant the Right winning every time. > **[Joe Biden Believes in the Good Will of Republicans. Is That Naïve? (Published...](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/politics/joe-biden-mitch-mcconnell.html)** > > As he runs for president, Joseph R. Biden Jr. has trumpeted his ability to work with Republicans, including Mitch McConnell. Others in his party view that as antiquated and unrealistic. > **[Joe Biden Says He Can Work With the Senate. The Last Time He Tried, Mitch...](https://theintercept.com/2019/06/24/joe-biden-tax-cuts-mitch-mconnell/)** > > In 2012, the GOP was in trouble. Mitch McConnell turned to his friend Joe Biden for a lifeline. > [@](#): > > Reid felt like he had successfully pushed McConnell to the brink, buoyed by House Speaker John Boehner’s inability to get his unruly conference to agree to anything. It was now Sunday, December 30, and Democrats only had to hold out until Tuesday to find themselves in a dramatically improved political position, as the dawning of the new year would mean the tax cuts expired and automatically reverted to pre-Bush levels. At that point, it would be Republicans left pleading for rate cuts. > > In desperation, McConnell reached out directly to Biden, calling him on the phone and explaining that Reid was refusing to be reasonable. Over the course of the day, McConnell and Biden struck a deal. “\*\*Biden gave Republicans everything they wanted \*\*in exchange for fixing the fiscal cliff problem,” the GOP operative recalled. > > Biden, who served in the Senate from 1973 to 2009, and as vice president from 2009 until 2017, is now locked in his third Democratic primary contest for the presidential nomination. “ **The reason he has such good relationships with Republicans in the Senate is he never hesitates to put aside the highest priorities of his base in the interests of compromise** ,” the Republican operative said. “That’s also how you make life difficult in a primary.” According to that, McConnell played Biden like a chump in 2010 when Harry Reid had McConnell in a vulnerable position. I see no reason this won’t just keep happening over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/151 "2020-04-09T03:09:53Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > You know, at first I thought there’s no way in hell that he would. But after a few seconds, you know, on some levels this choice would make a lot of sense and if managed appropriately by Joe ATPTB could form a formidable opponent. And if Biden wins, then Hillary is most likely the President in 2024 or 2028. > I think it makes a lot of sense. Please no. She had her chance. Its going to be hard enough to get the progressive wing behind Biden. Biden would be better off picking a female progressive. Warren is nice but with this virus her age is an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/152 "2020-04-09T03:17:04Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Possibly. Possibly not. > > [Former Obama Aide Slams Joe Biden’s Latest Pitch for Bipartisanship: ‘You Can’t Shame’ Mitch McConnell - Newsweek](https://www.newsweek.com/obama-aide-joe-biden-mitch-mcconnell-1444441) > > [Joe Biden and the Disastrous History of Bipartisanship](https://inthesetimes.com/features/joe-biden-bipartisanship-nostalgia-centrism-2020.html) > > [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/politics/joe-biden-mitch-mcconnell.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/us/politics/joe-biden-mitch-mcconnell.html) > > [Joe Biden Says He Can Work With the Senate. The Last Time He Tried, Mitch McConnell Picked His Pockets Badly. - The Intercept](https://theintercept.com/2019/06/24/joe-biden-tax-cuts-mitch-mconnell/) > > According to that, McConnell played Biden like a chump in 2010 when Harry Reid had McConnell in a vulnerable position. I see no reason this won’t just keep happening over and over. Just to add to this, reading the fourth article is a good piece of info. Democratic senators were pretty upset with how incompetent and submissive Biden was in doing McConnells bidding in extending the Bush tax cuts. > [@](#): > > As details of the deal [that Biden worked out with McConnell] began leaking out, progressive Democratic senators were floored. A large group of them — including Sanders, Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Al Franken of Minnesota, and Tom Harkin of Iowa — stormed over to Reid’s office. > > The deal was awful, they told Reid, and it had to be stopped. Reid told them what had happened, that it was out of his hands and that McConnell had gone around him to Biden. He said he was working on improving it and would be in touch throughout the day. > > Years later, Reid still regrets how it went down. “If we’d have gone over the cliff, we’d have had resources to do a lot of good things in the country — infrastructure development — but it didn’t work out that way,” Reid said. Letting all the tax rates go back to pre-Bush levels would have yielded the Treasury around $3 trillion over 10 years. Instead, the deal ultimately brought in around $600 billion (or would have, if taxes hadn’t been slashed again by Republicans in 2018). Without the deal, taxes on dividend payments to the rich would have been set at 39.6 percent. Under the terms of the deal, they would be set at 20 percent, meaning that the super-wealthy would be paying lower tax rates on their passive dividend income than some working people would pay on their salaries. > > I asked Reid how Biden defended the strategy that day. > > “It wasn’t one that I agreed with,” he replied politely, “so you’d have to ask some of his people.” > > His people declined to comment. This behavior is going to continue. The republicans will scam Biden like the gullible, naive chump he is and he will sell out his voters in the name of ‘bipartisanship’, even if it pisses off and alienates democrats in congress and likely democratic voters. I mean, he is still better than Trump by a huge margin. But I wouldn’t expect him to accomplish much. McConnell scammed Biden when the GOP only had 41 senators. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/153 "2020-04-09T04:07:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > It is an absolutely certain election loser. > [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Please no. She had her chance. You guys might be right, but I think it is an idea that has some merits. We’ll see who he picks. And you’re probably right, he probably won’t pick her. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/154 "2020-04-09T04:08:15Z")
> [@That\_Don\_Guy](#): > > The question is, how many Bernie supporters are under the impression that they won’t be able to primary out Biden in 2024 if he wins in 2020, so the only path to Bernie 2024 starts with Trump 2020 - and they make it a point to vote for Trump just to make sure it happens? > > See above for an alternative, albeit much less likely, method to get Bernie nominated by the Democrats in 2024. Well Bernie 2028, then. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/155 "2020-04-09T04:10:20Z")
Too old. Way too old. ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/156 "2020-04-09T04:29:24Z")
That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons even death may die. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/157 "2020-04-09T05:16:45Z")
In wake of Bernie dropping out, [Jill Stein is now calling upon progressives to leave the Democratic Party.](https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1247921024080973827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247921024080973827%7Ctwgr%5E393535353b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theblaze.com%2Fres%2Fcommunity%2Ftwitter_embed%2F%3Fiframe_id%3Dtwitter-embed-1247921024080973827%26created_ts%3D1586362532.0%26screen_name%3DDrJillStein%26text%3DBernie%2BSanders%2Bran%2Ba%2Bgood%2Brace.%2BNow%2Bit%2527s%2Bclearer%2Bthan%2Bever%253A%2Bestablishment%2BDems%2527%2Btop%2Bpriority%2Bis%2Bsabotaging%2Bprogress%25E2%2580%25A6%2Bhttps%253A%252F%252Ft.co%252FHLILvnB3Lk%26id%3D1247921024080973827%26name%3DDr.%2BJill%2BStein%25F0%259F%258C%25BB) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/158 "2020-04-09T06:28:24Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > In wake of Bernie dropping out, [Jill Stein is now calling upon progressives to leave the Democratic Party.](https://twitter.com/DrJillStein/status/1247921024080973827?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1247921024080973827%7Ctwgr%5E393535353b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theblaze.com%2Fres%2Fcommunity%2Ftwitter_embed%2F%3Fiframe_id%3Dtwitter-embed-1247921024080973827%26created_ts%3D1586362532.0%26screen_name%3DDrJillStein%26text%3DBernie%2BSanders%2Bran%2Ba%2Bgood%2Brace.%2BNow%2Bit%2527s%2Bclearer%2Bthan%2Bever%253A%2Bestablishment%2BDems%2527%2Btop%2Bpriority%2Bis%2Bsabotaging%2Bprogress%25E2%2580%25A6%2Bhttps%253A%252F%252Ft.co%252FHLILvnB3Lk%26id%3D1247921024080973827%26name%3DDr.%2BJill%2BStein%25F0%259F%258C%25BB) The #demexit people would be funny if they didn’t have a chance to be truly dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/159 "2020-04-09T09:30:31Z")
Biden supporters please get cracking with the reasons why Biden is good. The lesser of two evils stuff is not going to cut it. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2020, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349/160 "2020-04-09T10:09:21Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > How did McConnell trick or scam anyone then? He followed Senate rules, just as Schumer has done but with less leverage. Is there anyone in America who thinks that Schumer therefore tricked or scammed McConnell? Look, I’m only responding to what you said about McConnell having no power once the GOP is in the minority. He has the power, just as he did in the minority from 2010-2014, to bring the Senate to a halt, to make sure not a damn thing gets through, no matter how badly the Dems want it. This is why Harry Reid got rid of the filibuster for lower court appointments in 2013: McConnell was blocking their confirmation, wholesale. Only killing the filibuster for this particular purpose restored the Dems’ power to put judges on the federal District Courts and Circuit Courts of Appeals. The filibuster is still in place for regular legislation. As long as that’s true, a Minority Leader has a great deal of power. Other than for judicial appointments, he can grind the Senate to a halt, and make sure none of the legislation the majority party wants can get through. The difference between Schumer and the Democrats and McConnell and the GOP is that the Dems aren’t going to threaten to blow up the whole system just to get their way, the way McConnell did with the debt limit, for instance. This isn’t a criticism, btw - _neither_ party should be willing to do shit like that. But if one party is and the other isn’t, it gives a tremendous negotiating advantage to the party that **is** willing to blow shit up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bernie-withdraws/851349.md?page=9)