# What would it take for Bernie Sanders to get the nomination? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 21, 2016, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813 "2016-03-21T23:55:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/201 "2016-04-08T05:41:31Z")
Dagnabbit the editing time ran out. Fixed the link: [http://www.mediaite.com/online/bernie-lied-hillary-clinton-actually-refused-to-call-him-unqualified-three-times/](http://www.mediaite.com/online/bernie-lied-hillary-clinton-actually-refused-to-call-him-unqualified-three-times/) ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/202 "2016-04-08T05:46:06Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Speaking untruths seems to be becoming a knee jerk response for Sanders, even when there is likely no good reason to. > > [Tax returns.](http://www.factcheck.org/2016/04/sanders-evades-tax-question/) Really, I highly doubt there is anything juicy in Sanders tax returns. But why not only _not_ release your full tax returns but also make the demonstrably untrue statement that you have in the past? > > No it is not in the same ballpark as the oil and gas industry lie, let alone this last false quote, but the triviality of it, the likely lack of any reason to not be forthwith and honest about it, is all the more damning. It demonstrates that being truthful and accurate is just not something that is of significance to him. Depends on your definition of “juicy”. What I think he is trying to hide is that his charitable giving amounts to bupkis. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/203 "2016-04-08T10:53:56Z")
Everyone’s talking about how ‘nasty’ things are in the democratic race, but I just don’t see it yet. There have been some cutting remarks but most of the punches have been above the belt - certainly when you compare the ugliness of the republican races. Hillary is naturally trying to exploit a potential weakness in Sanders, which is fair game. Sanders isn’t as smart as he thinks he is. In return, Sanders is naturally trying to fight her off and turn the tables. That, too, is fair. As I’ve said previously, I think Clinton probably doesn’t have to worry about losing the race to Sanders. But she should worry about losing Sanders’ voters. That’s a tricky line to walk. She will definitely lose some of them no matter what, but I’d say a clear majority of Sanders’ supporters are rational and responsible voters who will can be convinced to hold their nose and follow through with a vote against the republican party, even while not really voting for Hillary. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/204 "2016-04-08T13:51:18Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > … Sanders is naturally trying to fight her off and turn the tables. That, too, is fair. … He’s been trying to exploit her perceived weaknesses, which is “fair”; lying, making up quotes, declaring the highly likely standard bearer for what you claim is now your party, as not qualified for the job … no, none of those is “fair.” ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/205 "2016-04-08T15:27:14Z")
Jeff Weaver is such a weasel. I just caught an interview of his with CNN and saw the most begrudging admission ever that a candidate (Hillary) _is_ qualified. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/206 "2016-04-08T17:10:24Z")
Before someone comes back again with “The GOP will say much worse about her”, that is not how it is supposed to go in a nomination contest! Hillary doesn’t share the same voter pool with the GOP, doesn’t need the vast majority of GOP voters to unite behind her in November. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/207 "2016-04-08T17:31:16Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > **YES.** This is really despicable and unacceptable on his part. Yet when I complained about this on Facebook, a Bernhead friend insisted that I was making much ado about nothing. He even asked, “if you take out the ‘quote-unquote’ part”, is it really so inaccurate? I was like, WTF: you can’t “take out” that part unless Bernie takes it back! When you use that verbiage, you are making a point of saying to your listeners, “check it out–these were her EXACT WORDS”. He just shrugged it off, as though using “quote-unquote” followed by something she didn’t say is no big deal. > > The friend in question is my age and has spent his entire career, since graduating college, as a newspaper copy editor. :smack: Talk about drinking the Kool-Aid! You guys sound like a couple of Fox News talking heads beating a gotcha! to death. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/208 "2016-04-08T17:32:51Z")
She’ll get enough of them as it is. No matter how many BernieBros clutter your Facebook feed with promises never to vote for her, in fact most of them will anyway in November, and the ones who don’t will be greatly outnumbered by the NeverTrumps on the Rep side who _will_. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/209 "2016-04-08T18:54:45Z")
It’s true, but I’m not sure we can count on gifts like Trump and Cruz every time. If we had a united GOP behind Romney and Ryan this time, it might be a different story. Whereas I’m concerned this dynamic may only be gaining momentum on our side, especially the next time we don’t have an incumbent Democrat running. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/210 "2016-04-08T19:19:45Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > Depends on your definition of “juicy”. What I think he is trying to hide is that his charitable giving amounts to bupkis. Possible, but I don’t think he cares especially about how his level of charitable giving will be perceived. I don’t think worrying about that is in character for him. He knows that a large percentage of his supporters will follow him just about anywhere he goes and will forgive him an awful lot more than being a skinflint. Indeed I kind of suspect that being a skinflint about charitable giving plays into the narrative–“he doesn’t have oodles of money to give away! he refuses to deduct his used socks and underwear! He’s a man of the people, he’s one of us!” No, I think the real reason is that he thinks he shouldn’t \*have \*to release his taxes. In his world, it’s only the billionaires and the candidates funded by Wall Street who should have to release their taxes. They’re the only ones with something to hide. It fits into his narrative of running a different campaign, a shoestring campaign, what amounts to a kitchen-table campaign: “my wife does our taxes, we don’t have money for fancy Wall Street accountants, and asking me to release my taxes is just a distraction from the real issues.” The rules, he’s saying, SHOULD be different for him. (Personally, I think he SHOULD follow the same rules as everyone else. But a number of things he’s been doing suggest otherwise. To me, this fits right in.) Which doesn’t explain why he’s lying about it… I really don’t get that at all. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/211 "2016-04-08T19:34:57Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s true, but I’m not sure we can count on gifts like Trump and Cruz every time. If we had a united GOP behind Romney and **Ryan** this time, it might be a different story. … Some are seeing a video Paul Ryan just released as a stealth ‘I can be the savior of the Republican party’ campaign ad: > [@](#): > > House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), a man who’s definitely not running for President, put out a swelling, optimistic video laying out his policy plans on Thursday. > In the video, dubbed “Politics These Days,” Ryan bemoans the polarized state of American politics. … [This Paul Ryan Video Sure Looks A Lot Like A 2016 Campaign Ad - TPM – Talking Points Memo](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/paul-ryan-video-definitely-not-a-campaign-ad) So, there’s that. ---
**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 8, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/212 "2016-04-08T19:53:45Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > (Personally, I think he SHOULD follow the same rules as everyone else. But a number of things he’s been doing suggest otherwise. To me, this fits right in.). There’s no rule about releasing your tax returns. Personally I find the practice of demanding candidates release them quite distasteful. What rules are you thinking of? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/213 "2016-04-08T20:28:03Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > It’s true, but I’m not sure we can count on gifts like Trump and Cruz every time. If we had a united GOP behind Romney and Ryan this time, it might be a different story. Whereas I’m concerned this dynamic may only be gaining momentum on our side, especially the next time we don’t have an incumbent Democrat running. If your point is that “this dynamic” might lead to a Sanders-like progressive getting the Dem presidential nomination at some time in the future, you’re right. If your point is that that would be a bad thing, you’re wrong. If your point is that such a candidate could not beat the Pub in a more normal year than this one, you’re wrong,. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/214 "2016-04-08T20:30:32Z")
> [@CarnalK](#): > > There’s no rule about releasing your tax returns. Personally I find the practice of demanding candidates release them quite distasteful. What rules are you thinking of? Rule or no, it’s common practice, and the natural question for a candidate who doesn’t is Why? ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/215 "2016-04-08T20:51:43Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Possible, but I don’t think he cares especially about how his level of charitable giving will be perceived. I don’t think worrying about that is in character for him. I think this is ignoring that such decisions are likely made not by Bernie but by Tad Devine, who is almost certainly not so sanguine about the charity issue. And saying he doesn’t have enough money to be giving to charity will definitely not fly, since even his House salary was well above the average American’s income. Furthermore, studies show that low income people give a higher percentage of their income to charity than wealthy people do. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > If your point is that “this dynamic” might lead to a Sanders-like progressive getting the Dem presidential nomination at some time in the future, you’re right. If your point is that that would be a bad thing, you’re wrong. If your point is that such a candidate could not beat the Pub in a more normal year than this one, you’re wrong,. I take your point that we need to move left with the party in 2024 (did you see the Pew graphic I posted?) to avoid open revolt. But we need to look for someone who has consistently inhabited the “social-democratic” left wing, not someone who was over in Trotskyite land and then wandered back into the Democratic left after age 50. ---
**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 8, 2016, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/216 "2016-04-08T21:19:17Z")
> [@Johnny\_Ace](#): > > Rule or no, it’s common practice, and the natural question for a candidate who doesn’t is Why? Well Sanders did release his 2014 form 1040; what exactly has he failed to do? > **[Tax History Project | History of U.S. Taxation | Tax Notes](https://www.taxnotes.com/tax-history-project)** > > Explore the Tax History Project to learn about the history of U.S. taxation. Browse the Museum, 1040 archive (1913 to 2022), presidential tax returns, and more. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/217 "2016-04-08T21:25:36Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I take your point that we need to move left with the party in 2024 (did you see the Pew graphic I posted?) to avoid open revolt. But we need to look for someone who has consistently inhabited the “social-democratic” left wing, not someone who was over in Trotskyite land and then wandered back into the Democratic left after age 50. Don’t see why. Whatever might be holding Sanders back from winning this, it ain’t his Trot past. ---
**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:** [April 8, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/218 "2016-04-08T21:48:21Z")
> [@Evil\_Captor](#): > > You guys sound like a couple of Fox News talking heads beating a gotcha! to death. Character matters. Being in the habit of telling untruths, as Sanders has established himself to be in this, his first and likely only national level experience, and how you behave when called out on it, are issues of character. Do you take responsibility when you make a mistake or try to shift responsibility? When you are called out for divisive statements you and/or your management have made so you blame the media for gossip-mongering by asking you about it and insist that despite having said those things you really only want to "talk about the issues … [transition into standard campaign talking points, Make America Great Again or whthaveyou] Meanwhile after his false quote and claim of Clinton not being qualified, and his repetition of the lie the next day, he has walked it back some today - on [TODAY](http://www.today.com/video/bernie-sanders-of-course-hillary-clinton-s-qualified-let-s-focus-on-issues-661563971799). Of note to the character issue - given a softball set up that assumed he had made an honest mistake about what she had said, he still does not admit to any error, even over-reaction, or take any responsibility for his lie. Nope, the problem was that the Clinton campaign has changed their tone and Washington Post ran a headline and “we responded” [blah blah] … but, when pressed “on her worst day she will be, she _would_ be, [quick correction :)] an infinitely better president than either of the Republican candidates.” And finally when pressed “She’s qualified?” “Of course.” Weak sauce but let’s move along until his next “untruth” anyway. Doubt we will need to wait long with his current tempo. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/219 "2016-04-08T21:54:10Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > Character matters. Being in the habit of telling untruths, as Sanders has established himself to be in this . . . If so, what of it? He’s still the most honest candidate running, i.e., the skinniest guy at fat camp. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2016, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813/220 "2016-04-08T22:02:52Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > He’s still the most honest candidate running, i.e., the skinniest guy at fat camp. That statement is, of course, up for dispute. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-would-it-take-for-bernie-sanders-to-get-the-nomination/749813.md?page=12)