# Is this Bernie's last night as a serious candidate? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 5, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623 "2016-06-05T23:00:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/1 "2016-06-05T23:00:35Z")
I strongly supported him through the primary season. But I realize it is pretty much over for him. Hillary is, as of this writing, officially 60 delegates away from the nomination and expected to win Puerto Rico in a landslide. There has been speculation that Hillary will claim all 7 supers from Puerto Rico. If she does, and the current split of 70/30 in Puerto Rico holds, she will end the night with 49 delegates. It will be over as soon as the polls close in NJ if that happens. Also, what, if anything will it mean if he does manage a huge win in California afterwards? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/2 "2016-06-05T23:45:31Z")
He hasn’t been a _serious_ candidate for quite some time, but he still won’t quit. It seems I was right all along, about his douchbaggery. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2016, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/3 "2016-06-05T23:47:30Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > He hasn’t been a _serious_ candidate for quite some time, but he still won’t quit. It seems I was right all along, about his douchbaggery. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/4 "2016-06-06T00:12:48Z")
I heard an interview on public radio with Howard Dean, who said that Sanders will support the Democratic candidate…but also that he has trouble conceding defeat in diplomatic terms. He’s gracious in victory, but ungracious in defeat. He knows he has the power to ensure a Trump victory…and won’t. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/5 "2016-06-06T00:23:35Z")
He hasn’t been a serious candidate since like super tuesday, this won’t stop him from continuing. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/6 "2016-06-06T00:44:18Z")
Continuing in what respect? After tomorrow, all that’s left is Washington DC. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/7 "2016-06-06T00:46:51Z")
Continuing as in won’t concede defeat and will likely keep fighting until the convention. ---
**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:** [June 6, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/8 "2016-06-06T00:59:40Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > He hasn’t been a serious candidate since like super tuesday, this won’t stop him from continuing. He’s never been a contender. He’s done a remarkable job at highlighting the discontent a lot of us have with the Democratic party as a whole, our desire for a better party. Truth be told I had no idea there were so many of us. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/9 "2016-06-06T00:59:52Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > He knows he has the power to ensure a Trump victory…and won’t. Mutually Assured Destruction? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/10 "2016-06-06T01:09:10Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > Also, what, if anything will it mean if he does manage a huge win in California afterwards? First off, Sanders won’t manage a “huge” win in California. He may win California, but it won’t be by a huge margin. This evening I’ve seen Twitter feeds from Sanders supporters claiming “voter suppression” in the Puerto Rico primary. I suppose if Sanders wanted to be an enormous pain in the ass, he could do state-by-state delegate challenges at the convention. Or Hillary could win about 80% of the pledged delegates yet to be elected, and then she’d have a majority even without a single superdelegate. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/11 "2016-06-06T01:30:34Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > This evening I’ve seen Twitter feeds from Sanders supporters claiming “voter suppression” in the Puerto Rico primary. The caucus system is the best example I know of making it hard to vote AKA voter suppression. On average, Sanders does better in that format. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/12 "2016-06-06T01:48:55Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > He knows he has the power to ensure a Trump victory…and won’t. If he accepts the Green nomination at their convention in August (they appear willing to give it to him), it will be harder for Clinton to win, but far from impossible. First thing that happens if Bernie goes Green is that he becomes extremely unpopular among those who don’t want Trump to win. Maybe there is only so much unpopularity to go around, so Hillary will then get a voter approval bounce. Also, the GOP effect, this coming Fall, to paint Hillary as an extreme liberal will be more difficult is there is a more extreme candidate. Would Trump probably win if Bernie goes Green? Yes. But this Hillary supporter wouldn’t give up. P.S. As for Sanders running in November other than as a Green or Democrat, I think that’s impractical due to difficulties in getting on the ballot. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/13 "2016-06-06T01:59:17Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > If he accepts the Green nomination at their convention in August (they appear willing to give it to him), it will be harder for Clinton to win, but far from impossible. > > First thing that happens if Bernie goes Green is that he becomes extremely unpopular among those who don’t want Trump to win. Maybe there is only so much unpopularity to go around, so Hillary will then get a voter approval bounce. > > Also, the GOP effect, this coming Fall, to paint Hillary as an extreme liberal will be more difficult is there is a more extreme candidate. > > Would Trump probably win if Bernie goes Green? Yes. But this Hillary supporter wouldn’t give up. > > P.S. As for Sanders running in November other than as a Green or Democrat, I think that’s impractical due to difficulties in getting on the ballot. If he did that, he would really piss off a lot of people. He would keep the Bros, but a lot of independents would not like him doing something like that. I hope he is a good enough politician to realize it would be a big mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/14 "2016-06-06T04:35:44Z")
> [@PhillyGuy](#): > > If he accepts the Green nomination at their convention in August (they appear willing to give it to him), it will be harder for Clinton to win, but far from impossible. I _really_ have to wonder at this point - why does the American Green Party still exist? This isn’t Germany, or the UK, or some other system with a sensible political system that actually allows for multiple parties. Are they all collectively stupid or something? In a more reasonable world, the Greens would have looked at Nader after 2000 and said, “Wow, we really are totally worthless, the only thing we’re good for is getting republicans elected,” then packed that shit in. Why are they still here?! Why in god’s name haven’t they realized how unelectable they are and endorsed the candidate who _is_ electable and _isn’t_ Trump? What is wrong with them? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/15 "2016-06-06T04:43:35Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > I _really_ have to wonder at this point - why does the American Green Party still exist? This isn’t Germany, or the UK, or some other system with a sensible political system that actually allows for multiple parties. Every country with democracy has a bunch of unelectable minor parties full of assorted cranks. The dropoff is steeper in the US than elsewhere, but every country has its fringe movements that get 0.4% of the vote and never achieve anything at all. If the Green Party is ever disbanded, something else will replace it. ---
**Author:** ![coremelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@coremelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coremelt)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/16 "2016-06-06T05:34:32Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > I _really_ have to wonder at this point - why does the American Green Party still exist? This isn’t Germany, or the UK, or some other system with a sensible political system that actually allows for multiple parties. Are they all collectively stupid or something? The only way the two party monopoly will ever change is for a serious third party to emerge, and eventually to have enough clout to call for reform of the voting process. Do you think the Republicans and the Democrats will dominate US politics for all eternity? They weren’t the original first two parties in the US, this kind of turn over has already happened. Anyway while Greens might siphon votes from the Dems, they are balanced by the Libertarians siphoning votes from the GOP, so it balances out. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/17 "2016-06-06T06:13:11Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > The only way the two party monopoly will ever change is for a serious third party to emerge, and eventually to have enough clout to call for reform of the voting process. Do you think the Republicans and the Democrats will dominate US politics for all eternity? They weren’t the original first two parties in the US, this kind of turn over has already happened. The only way a new party will emerge is if it splits off from one of the big two. That’s exactly the kind of turnover that already happened. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/18 "2016-06-06T07:11:43Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > Anyway while Greens might siphon votes from the Dems, they are balanced by the Libertarians siphoning votes from the GOP, so it balances out. If the Libertarians, for once, had a truly viable candidate, they’d siphon votes from both major parties. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/19 "2016-06-06T11:07:12Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > I _really_ have to wonder at this point - why does the American Green Party still exist? This isn’t Germany, or the UK, or some other system with a sensible political system that actually allows for multiple parties. Are they all collectively stupid or something? My personal political leanings are far to the left of the Democratic Party. The establishment of the Democratic Party does a pretty good job of pretending that no significant portion of the American population exists to their left. I’m not about to make that delusion any easier for them by joining their party. I do vote for Democrats when there’s a candidate I believe in. I don’t mean that the candidate has to line up with my ideas on everything just that they recognize the concerns of those to the left of the party. I’m not stubborn, I am a _gettable_ vote. I want the party to recognize that there are gettable votes on their left. The center in America is conservative. The more the Democratic Party reaches for the center, the more conservative we become as a country. > [@](#): > > In a more reasonable world, the Greens would have looked at Nader after 2000 and said, “Wow, we really are totally worthless, the only thing we’re good for is getting republicans elected,” then packed that shit in. Why are they still here?! Why in god’s name haven’t they realized how unelectable they are and endorsed the candidate who _is_ electable and _isn’t_ Trump? What is wrong with them? I have very rarely voted for a Democrat for President of the United States. I’ve been a resident in three different States since I’ve been of voting age and in every Presidential Election in which I have participated the Democrat has won my State and all of my State’s electoral votes. My vote has never put a Republican in office. Even if I had voted _for the Republican candidate_ my vote still would not have put a Republican in office. Your comments show that you have absolutely no idea how the system works. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2016, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623/20 "2016-06-06T11:33:15Z")
He hasn’t been a serious candidate since he lost Nevada. I think after he loses tomorrow, he will throw in the towel. I expect his campaign is deep in debt, he hasn’t released May fundraising numbers and his campaign has an amazing burn rate. He might be tempted to push on but I think a few phone calls will help change his mind. Clinton has treated him with the ultimate in kid gloves so as to not annoy his loud and obnoxious supporters. But if he tries to push on, he’ll be a pariah in the senate. Plus, prominent Democrats can make noise about his failure to release his taxes and his wife’s relationship with Burlington College. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-bernies-last-night-as-a-serious-candidate/756623.md?page=2)