Bernie Supporters, you have to accept that this is an uphill battle

[AZ Progressive]

Whether it is DWS cleverly minimizing Bernie's ability to have access to the mainstream, or Hillary's super delegate lead, you have to accept that this is an uphill battle because the establishment doesn't want change, it wants to retain power, and it would do whatever it can to maintain power. You have to accept that your going to have to fight hard and be aggressive in helping to wrestle power away from the establishment, because it won't give up its power without a fierce fight. When I see some of you Bernie supporters here complaining, it irks me because your supposed to know better.

[Cali_Democrat]

1. Blaming DWS?

If Bernie is able to get outsmarted by DWS, then the GOP would run circles around him.

It's a sign that he would make a poor president.

[Armstead]

5. Outsmarted? She sets the rules. Aint no smarts involved.

[Cali_Democrat]

6. She doesn't run his campaign.

If Bernie loses, he'll have no one to blame but himself.

[Armstead]

7. In the words of my 20 year old neice..."Whatttttevvvvvvvvverah"

[tech3149]

33. Sorry Cali, not that easy to deflect the message

There is absolutely no way Sanders would have gotten into this fight without knowing the opponents and balancing that against what was at stake. The first and foremost opponent is the corporate media. They don't even give establishment Democrats an even break so a true Democrat like Bernie would be demonized and marginalized as the next incarnation of Stalin.
The next and most important is the Democratic Party power structure. All the comity and cooperation as a kindred soul while in congress and the senate mean nothing if he chooses to start the revolution that will challenge the power of those quislings that serve the financial elite.These are factors that I know were considered long before he announced.
He knew that tools like DWS and any other Democrat who relied on the party structure for their continued position would be an enemy.

Bernie didn't get "outsmarted" by anyone, he saw this shit coming years ago.

[tecelote]

43. +1

You have to ask yourself, why not more debates and why not during prime time?

When it comes to primaries, the Republicans trumped us good. They get the attention while... well, I guess everyone knows Hillary, so why bother?

[trumad]

2. Oh they accept it

You can smell their desperation.

[litlbilly]

8. NO, but we can smell ignorance

[Trajan]

10. Damnit Trumad ....

Long time DUer ....

Sighs ...

[Aerows]

26. Trumad jumping on this train

is extremely disappointing.

[restorefreedom]

12. no desperation here...

always knew it would be a helluva fight.

but many miles to go before any of us sleep....

[frylock]

25. Try and act like she has an insurmountable lead..

show us desperate ones how champions compose themselves.

[Aerows]

32. Frylock drops the mic

[JoePhilly]

3. Donkey Kong????

Oh wait ... I get it ... the Dem symbol is a ...

[AZ Progressive]

16. You didn't get it. The establishment will throw obstacles and you have to get through them

I guess you don't remember the game...

[JoePhilly]

45. Scary establishment!!!!!!!!

[Rogue Democrat]

4. Hmm...

All I see are Clinton supporters replying to you... That's weird.

[NCTraveler]

9. Remove the last sentence...

And this could be one of the best battle cries I have seen here considering its brevity. You directly tapped into what drives the energy and enthusiasm Sanders supporters have. Established underdog status while holding an optimistic tone. Enjoyed reading it.

[RobertEarl]

11. We've been fighting for years and years

It would be nice if we had some help. Instead, those of us fighting or peace and equality and all that Bernie represents, are even having to fight our own party.

We on the Left did not elect Reagan, or the Bushes. Had we had more help, neither of them would have been elected either. But no, it's been all up hill. The middlers need to join us.

[Demeter]

51. Well said! And well-noted

Democrats wouldn't be in the basement if there had been some loyalty to the party's organizing principles by the Third Way and Blue dogs, who opted to follow the money to perdition.

[RiverLover]

13. We do know it, doesn't mean we like it

or not want to call it out for the setup for corporate America's continued takeover of our Democracy that it is...third way, neoliberal politics.

[ibegurpard]

14. yeah? and?

[PBass]

15. The nomination is being won or lost right now.

"If you're not winning, you're losing"

I like Bernie (and Hillary too) but I don't see a scenario where Bernie wins. He is not running a campaign that addresses his biggest challenges, for example how to win over the black voters who have avidly supported the Clintons for over a decade. How to win over women voters who are pumped to elect the first female president.

I'm not seeing how this could play out in Bernie's favor. The debate tomorrow will be interesting. If Bernie can't change the trajectory of the race soon, I think it may be in the bag already. Hillary has been running for president since 2008 (earlier, really). Bernie is a relative unknown who's prescribing dramatic changes. Some voters might say that they want dramatic changes, but I believe that most voters prefer incremental change.

One more trite quote: "In order to beat the champ, you have to knock out the champ." (In this case, substitute "favorite" for champ). I'm unable to imagine any scenario where Bernie is able to defeat Hillary during a debate, or other scenario. Arguing about the Iraq War Resolution vote is not going to do it, that is generally considered old news. Even new info dribbling out (Tony Blair and Bush conspiring to attack, well before the IWR) has not raised the anger of voters.

[artislife]

35. Funny, I see him winning

And it is wonderful.

Go Bernie, go!

[1StrongBlackMan]

52. +1... Though I'm an O'Malley supporter, personally ...

I don't see a scenario where Bernie wins. He is not running a campaign that addresses his biggest challenges, for example how to win over the black voters who have avidly supported the Clintons for over a decade. How to win over women voters who are pumped to elect the first female president.

But Bernie supporters will be quick to tell you: First, it's just a matter of "research" ... once Black folks (and Latino(a)s) learn what's best for us, we will fall in line; then, they will tell you we are intellectually defective, and they don't need us; rather than, consider the possibility that the campaign is missing the mark.

Some voters might say that they want dramatic changes, but I believe that most voters prefer incremental change.

Great point ... speaking for THIS Black man ... incremental change, while frustratingly slow, is lasting change.

[brooklynite]

17. There's one more reason it's an uphill battle...

Voters like Hillary.

Think about it.

[reformist2]

19. More like voters have settled for Hillary.

[brooklynite]

20. Convince yourself that voters don't REALLY like Hillary...

It won't be true, but it might make you feel better.

[reformist2]

21. Dems merely dislike her. Average Americans hate her. If she's the nominee, she will lose.

[pinebox]

48. BINGO!

That's what I've been saying

[Rogue Democrat]

22. Apparently the DNC has not checked in with the millennials intentionally

Bernie outpolls Clinton with them by a margin of 4 to 1.

The revolution, as they say, will not be televised. It'll be tweeted, Facebooked, Instagrammed, and basically on the Internet, with the raw footage.

I watched the first debate live, and I distinctly remember that Bernie was sick and tired of the damn emails, and wants the media to discuss the issues. Guess which part was edited out for your sanitary view. That is why CNN shut down Bernie2016.tv so they could not air the raw footage, not because it was owned by CNN - hell, they allowed a livestream of the debate as well.

I intend to DVR the damn debates (as I have other plans for tomorrow night) and hope that the major network that it's airing on do not alter it.

[Godhumor]

28. Care to back up the 80% to 20% margin you've decided on for millennials?

I'm curious to know.

[Codeine]

34. Citation, please. nt

[Godhumor]

50. I think we can go ahead and stop waiting

He gave us "statistics of the heart" not "statistics".

Think there is a lot of that going on right now, unfortunately.

[artislife]

36. YES!!!

[Comrade Grumpy]

46. Democratic primary voters like Hillary.

I imagine we'll see about the rest of the electorate a year from now.

[reformist2]

18. WTF? People are playing games with our democratic process. We have a right to complain about it.

We will work to overcome all the unfair and unjust obstacles being thrown at us, but we're certainly not going to be happy about it.

[LuvLoogie]

37. Jesus, you guys sound like fans of an Indy band

complaining about Taylor Swift.

[Ken Burch]

23. I'm pretty sure we all accept that. n/t.

[Aerows]

24. Doesn't matter a bit to me

I'll know I voted for Bernie and rest easy at night then face myself in the mirror on the following day.

[Thinkingabout]

27. Accepting change, interesting in light of reading over and over here where Sanders never changes.

Perhaps if he changed the message it would go over better.

[floriduck]

29. You might be right.

He should conduct focus groups and see which way the wind is blowing and then react. That's been the not so secret Hill method. Or maybe if he had some positive corporate media coverage, more voters would back him. And if he threw some weight around to strong arm some endorsements, that would help too.

That's the proven and disrespected method used by leading candidates.

[artislife]

39. Yes, and then there would be a choice of

Beige, cream, ecru and ivory...all very inspiring.

[LuvLoogie]

40. But that would take work.

And he would have had to have started years ago, building relationships outside of Vermont. But while the Instagram Revolution tweets and clicks, Hillary runs her campaign face to face, door to door, decade to decade.

[Thinkingabout]

42. So now the strong arm movement is occurring by Sanders supporters.

[GoneFishin]

30. The entrenched powers clinging to the status quo is no surprise there. It's worth the fight.

Go Bernie!

[840high]

31. ...+1

[tblue]

38. Abolition was an uphill battle

Suffrage for women was an uphill battle.

Desegregation was an uphill battle.

Civil Rights & Voting Rights for black folk were an uphill battle.

Ending the Vietnam war was an uphill battle.

From beginning to end, none of these were easy, but fighting these uphill battles was the right & arguably the ONLY right thing to do.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I am not in this because it's easy or because it's fun or because I have nothing better to do. Despite the odds, the criticism, and the doubters, I just feel a level of commitment that I guess is incomprehensible to someone who doesn't share my resolve. None of that will deter me.

Sounds like you want us to fold our cards and go silent. It's okay if you want that, but it will not change what I'm going to do. I don't give up that easily. Not on something this important.

As Malala said, "That's what I want to tell you, now do what you want.'"

GO BERNIE!!!

[LuvLoogie]

41. Your equating Bernie's presidential candidacy

with epic struggles for justice is a stretch. The campaign will be hard work indeed, especially when you consider that no groundwork was laid, no network of like-minded individuals with decades of history.

All those struggles you listed took years and years, spilled blood, bashed teeth and incarcerations. You need to start looking realistically at the legislative strategy versus the electoral strategy.

[Comrade Grumpy]

47. The Sanders candidacy is part of an on-going struggle.

He has tapped into the concerns of millions and millions of people. Those concerns aren't going away after next November.

[mmonk]

44. The fight for justice preceeded the Bernie candidacy.

Win or lose, the fight remains.

[Bread and Circus]

49. It is absolutely an uphill battle.