After the debate Josh Marshall, big Bernie supporter said

[redstateblues]

"He would be cut to pieces in a general election"

[Luminous Animal]

1. Really. Josh is not a Bernie supporter.

[Ed Suspicious]

2. And he's just plain wrong.

[Peregrine Took]

32. He seemed a straight up Hillary supporter to me. n/t

[Ferd Berfel]

44. Desperate Hillary people reduced to outright lies now. and probably going forward

sad for the Party and the country

[Jarqui]

3. Bernie has been shaping & defending these ideas of his for 50 years

I wouldn't sell him short.

And he's a squeaky clean politician. They cannot rip him up much there.

They'll attack him on socialism - but many, when they find out what he means, won't run away - they're already running towards it.

They'll attack him on foreign policy because he doesn't want to carpet bomb everybody but they do that with every Dem candidate so there's nothing new there.

[EdwardBernays]

7. People want an outsider

and like every attack on Trump my the media and political elite has backfired so will the attacks on Sanders... Billionaires and multi-millionaires telling people how to vote - for their own good - is not what 2016 is about.

[Cleita]

28. Thom Hartmann said last week that people have been

underestimating Bernie his whole political career with the result that they are surprised when they lose to him.

[MoonRiver]

63. The only people who have gone up against him and lost live in Vermont,

hardly a representative sample of the American electorate.

[Cleita]

65. So it will be interesting to see what happens.

I personally have seen him on C-Span over the years mop the floor with Republicans including Gingrich and other bulldozer type Repubs. It's not like it's his first time in the ring.

[stevenleser]

4. GOP strategists are laughing themselves silly at the prospect of facing Sanders.

I know, I've talked to them.

They still don't believe there is a realistic chance we are going to nominating him and thus hand them the White House on a silver platter, but they relish the prospect.

The attack ads all write themselves and they are backed up by Sanders own words. It doesn't get better than that.

I've never seen some of these folks get bigger smiles than when contemplating facing Sanders.

[EdwardBernays]

5. These are the same people

That couldn't beat Obama, twice?

[slow clap]

[SDJay]

12. Yes. And These Are

The same geniuses who were laughing their asses off as Obama surged to take over the lead in the primaries in 08. They were gleeful at the prospect of facing a relatively unknown black man. Like Sanders, there wasn't much of anything out there to stick to him in terms of dirt.

Let them laugh. Repukes aren't exactly known for their measured introspection nor are they prone to learning from history.

[stevenleser]

13. They weren't laughing then either. nt

[zazen]

6. Yeah, I know some DNC strategists who laughed at Sanders too

They're not laughing now.

Sanders pulls his punches with Hillary because he instinctively doesn't want to verbally beat up a woman. That's why he held back last night when he could have been more confrontational. He just can't bring himself to do it. I respect him for that.

He'd wipe the floor with Trump, a fellow New Yorker his own age whom he believes is a malevolent moron, because he has no internal chivalric code that tells him to hold back with Trump.

Remember George Carlin's routine about the NYC tradition of the verbal street-fighting "dozens?" Sanders will eviscerate him.

[stevenleser]

15. Sure we are. Sanders is a joke, only his true believer supporters don't see it. Everyone else does.

He will lose by 18 points or more to any of the top three Republicans. His only chance is if they self destruct completely between August and November.

In other words, Sanders has about the same chance as anyone on DU if they were nominated. He can only win if the GOP nominee implodes.

[Kentonio]

19. What a crock.

He's not new to the game, he's competed against and worked alongside the Republicans for decades. You think he's suddenly going to be a rabbit in the headlights in a combative general? Perhaps you should watch more of his committee performances where he took great pleasure in ripping numerous major GOP figures to pieces.

He speaks in a way that normal people can relate to and understand, and he doesn't pull his punches. His straight talking, blunt approach is EXACTLY the right opposition to the nonsense and lies they'll put out. Sanders vs Trump or Cruz is fairy tale stuff for us.

[Hiraeth]

22. Sanders is anything BUT a joke. Welcome to Ignore.

[TheBlackAdder]

29. You are a DNC strategist? nt

[elias49]

36. "Sanders is a joke."

Final answer?

[bunnies]

37. Werent you the guy that said Bernies ceiling was 20% tops? nt

[kristopher]

60. Does the expression "GOP clown car" ring a bell?

You need some new folks to look up to. Might I suggest an elderly statesman from Vermont that has been in the news lately?

[ladjf]

26. Out of curiosity, how many people were in the group "them" ?

[Peregrine Took]

33. Who would care what "GOP strategists" think....

that's an oxymoronic term if ever I heard one.

[Flying Phoenix]

40. Like you did in 2008?

You know, being an anti-Clinton then and pro-Clinton makes you a big flip-flopper, Steve. It's not pretty, and you're still getting beaten for it.

That's the consequences of writing stupid articles in 2008. It just might bite you back

[stevenleser]

41. Refer to my signature line. nt

[Flying Phoenix]

43. Your endorsement is worthless to me. n/t

[stevenleser]

45. Of course, which is why you keep bringing up my opinions.

[Flying Phoenix]

48. Your opinions in 2008 doesn't reflect your opinions of 2016

Therefore, worthless.

[stevenleser]

50. Of course, which is why you keep bringing up my opinions. nt

[frylock]

42. And these fools have been correct so often that you find them to be credible.

[LexVegas]

47. Perfect matchup for them. How else would a Trump or Cruz win? nt

[stevenleser]

49. And it would be like watching a slow moving train-wreck if it Sanders gets the nom.

By July he would be behind 10 points and by September at least 15 points. He finishes out down 15-25 points and loses at least 43 states if not 45-47 states.

[LexVegas]

51. Agree. nt

[pengu]

53. I'm glad they're underestimating him just like Clinton

It won't work for them either.

[kristopher]

59. So these GOP strategists have their fingers on the public pulse, do they?

ROFLMAO

[R B Garr]

62. You nailed it. His OWN WORDS are enough to bury

him. But these BS fans are just thrilled with anything remotely anti-Hillary, so he's their latest chew toy. They can't even handle the mildest of Bernie vetting by Chris Matthews, which even that is months overdue. Sanders has had a Cakewalk.

[MoonRiver]

64. It's truly horrifying, and not just because we would lose the WH for 4 to 8 years.

We can win that back. But it's the Supreme Court that frightens me. Those new, right wing, replacements could be in place for decades.

[rhett o rick]

69. I have talked to them myself and got a completely different response. They like

Sanders and not so much H. Clinton. The attack ads for HRC have already been published right along.

I've never seen some of these folks get bigger smiles than when contemplating facing Clinton.

[winter is coming]

8. Oh? What attack would the GOP use that Hillary hasn't? n/t

[SDJay]

14. IMHO They'll Just Go Farther

in completely making shit up. There is absolutely, positively no shame on the dark side of Repukes. That's about it - and the only people that will sway are people who would never vote for Sanders anyway. Dealing with the Clinton machine is a good test for Bernie and will serve him well if he wins the nomination.

[Fawke Em]

9. Josh is a Hillary supporter. eom

[Ichingcarpenter]

18. Yet the OP still keeps his fabrication of an untruth.

in the title and holds title like a Pseudologist

[earthside]

10. A lot of Democratic pundits just don't get the Sanders phenomenon.

It is very hard for longtime conventional political thinkers to wrap their heads around how average people are feeling right now.

We don't care a wit about "the first woman President' ... not one wit.

We haven't had a raise since before the Great Recession; our health care insurance premiums are up and so are the deductibles; we can't afford to send our kids to college; local and sate governments are raising our taxes and fees. At the same time we see local governments giving Walmarts millions of dollars to help build stores; billions of dollars wasted on a non-working F-35; billionaires still getting tax breaks; etc.

Folks like Marshall and the Democratic Party establishment are still basing their political analysis on fear ... fear that the country is just so conservative that Democrats better move to the right as fast as possible.

But they are missing the anger and frustration that a huge part of America is experiencing right now; we don't care if you call it socialism or purple-polka-dot-ism ... just do something to help us!

And the only one who is doing that is Bernie Sanders.

[madfloridian]

11. I know 4 Republicans in this area who would vote for him over a GOP candidate.

They would not vote for Hillary. They like his economic message, they like his energy and honesty.

[stevenleser]

17. Great. Sanders would get 41% plus four votes in the G.E.

Which is about what my prediction is if Sanders is nominated. Minus the four votes.

[Schema Thing]

24. What part of "Bernie polls better for the general than Hillary"

...do you not understand, Steven Lesser?

[TheBlackAdder]

35. Funny, talking to Rutgers-Eagleton folks, this is an event never seen before--hard to predict.

.


So, either the the poli-sci folks at Rutgers are stupid or you are talking crap!


.

[frylock]

46. bookmarked

[Goblinmonger]

16. "big Bernie supporter"

You forgot the thingy when you typed that.

[Eric J in MN]

20. I'm a regular reader of TPM and I never saw Josh Marshall say he was voting for Sanders.

Anyway, this is what Josh Marshall wrote last night:

10:29 PM: I will put my cards on the table. I think Sanders would be cut to pieces in a general election. I think he's great. I'd support him like crazy if he were nominated. But I think he'd be cut to pieces.

[Oilwellian]

21. I would be embarrassed if Josh really did support Bernie

He's been a Third Way shill for years. Either you change the title of your OP or you lose any credibility you may have (which I doubt is very little.)

[cali]

23. Wow. What a disgraceful, blatantly FALSE claim. He is a big Bernie detractors.

He's a prime member of the "I like Bernie, BUT..." pundit club.

[Gothmog]

25. Sanders would be a bad general election candidate

Karl Rove is running ads to help Sanders for a good reason

[Gore1FL]

30. Karl Rove has done so well politically post-2004. n/t

[cali]

55. Hill is just as bad or worse. That is so no brainer

[Gore1FL]

27. Hillary has tried to make that argument too.

It doesn't seem to be catching on. They should try something more believable.

[jillan]

31. Oh NO! A political pundit said something about Bernie. Stop the Presses!

[Cleita]

34. Aww. Josh thinks he can't stand up to the big, mean Republicans?

He has been beating Republicans in his very red home state for 25 years. Chew on that Josh.

[TeddyR]

39. Are you saying Vermont is a red state?

It is one of the most liberal states in the Union. http://www.ijreview.com/2015/02/250771-states-self-identify-conservative-rather-liberal/

[Cleita]

57. Not anymore. But it seems like the same people who voted for GWB

back then also voted for Bernie. I know Vermont has a lot of party affiliations but all those years before Obama, when Bernie was running for and winning offices, it leaned very conservative. One former Vermonter tells the tale of driving around the countryside and seeing Bernie lawn signs alongside Bush lawn signs.

[Flying Phoenix]

38. He would be wrong.

It's the R's that'll get cut into ribbons, pureed, and then buried in concrete.

[Mike Nelson]

52. Easy prediction...

...Republicans play rough - they bypass mud and sling the real stuff.

[pengu]

54. He is NOT a Sanders supporter

[TheFarseer]

56. Even if you think Sanders is a weak candidate

You have to acknowledge two things. First, the GOP field is weak with the possible exception of Rubio. Second, Bernie has proven in the debates that he won't back down and will stay on message. Personally, I think he more than held his own last night despite a brutal and personal attack.

[kristopher]

61. There is a strong potential ticket for the GOP

Kasick and Rubio. That would be worry me very much if our candidate is Hillary.

If it's Bernie, I believe he'd not only keep all the liberal leaning voters, but he'd also steal 25% of the GOP's normal voter base.

[TheFarseer]

68. I think Kacisich is a good candidate also. Almost certainly their best

But I don't think he will be anywhere close to getting the nomination. Maybe VP

[Live and Learn]

58. False headline. Please remove it. Shame on you! nt

[ljm2002]

66. I will give you the benefit of the doubt...

...and assume you have not been following Josh Marshall during the primaries.

He most certainly is NOT a "big Bernie supporter". On the contrary, he has expressed support for Hillary.

He has as always tried to be fair and I give him great credit for that.

But you should change the title of your OP, as it is at best mistaken, and at worst...

[in_cog_ni_to]

67. Bernie was elected Mayor of Burlington, VT.

and re-elected THREE times and each time he was re-elected, he got even more votes!
U.S. News and World Reports named him one of 20 BEST MAYORS in 1987!

He served in the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES in the United States Congress from 1991-2007.

He was then elected to the SENATE in 2006 and re-elected with 71% of the vote! How many politicians have had that many votes?

Vermont is now a Hammer and Sickle state? Would Vermonters elect a Stalin Socialist to the United States Congress for 25 years? I don't think so!

Bernie's political record is waaaay too long for any Red Baiting to stick in the Primary OR the GE!

He'll be fine. I don't think a Stalin socialist would be allowed in the U.S. Congress and certainly wouldn't be voted to serve on these:

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What are they going to cut him to pieces over?

PEACE
LOVE
BERNIE