Maybe Bernie should drop out...

[democrattotheend]

Last edited Tue Mar 15, 2016, 04:46 PM - Edit history (1)

and run as an independent/third party candidate in November. That's what many of you Clinton supporters seem to be suggesting he ought to do, because right now he is "hijacking" the Democratic primary and doesn't belong in it. Would you prefer that? Would you prefer that he run as an independent and at least 2% and maybe even 20% from Hillary in swing states in November?

If not, then I don't think you have any right to complain about him running in the Democratic primary. I wish more candidates to the left of most Democrats would do that instead of helping Republicans get elected and spinning their ridiculous mantra that there is no difference between the parties.

Edited to clarify: I am NOT advocating that Bernie actually mount a third party challenge. I think the results of that would be disastrous. I put this up to make the point that people complaining that he is "using" the Democratic Party should be glad that he is running to effect change from within instead of acting as a spoiler.

[Bjornsdotter]

1. I'd be good with Bernie

....running as an Independent. I don't think he will, but I would welcome it.

[democrattotheend]

10. I wouldn't

As much as I like him, I think having him and Hillary run against each other in the general would get us President Trump or President Cruz. I might be tempted to vote for him as a third party candidate because I live in New York, but I don't think he should do it given the stakes. He has said that he will not, and that he will support Hillary if she wins.

[Bjornsdotter]

12. As it stands right now

....I believe if Hillary wins the nomination it will be Trump who wins the GE.

I also said that I didn't believe Bernie would run Independent.

[pinebox]

15. Agreed 100%

[marions ghost]

30. That is how I see it

Bernie will not run independent. He's still in it for now.

Hillary vs Trump =

[djean111]

2. Funny, isn't it - the DNC welcomed Bernie to run as a Democrat.

Guess he was not supposed to do this well?
In any event, Bernie leaving the Democratic party would not mean that all of his supporters stay with the party. There is a damned good reason they support Bernie and not Hillary. Issues.

[marions ghost]

31. Definitely he was not

supposed to do this well.

The fact that he is-- has implications.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

3. The ones you are referring to use republicanesqu talking points.

Don't feed the trolls.

[Cavallo]

5. Yeah, they were defending Reagan on Aids a few days ago

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. Or TPP or NAFTA.

Take your pick.

[Samantha]

6. Bernie is a Democratic Socialist who caucused with the Dems all of his political life

while he was a Congressman, while he was a Senator. Before this primary got underway, a reporter asked him what exactly is a Democratic Socialist. Bernie responded Democratic Socialists believe in the platform of the Demoratic party but go a step farther to include the belief that the government should work for all of the people, not just corporations and the super-rich. He is a Democrat-plus in my opinion.

There was no category for Democratic Socialists in Congress, so he was just labeled as an Independent but he did caucus with the Dems.

Sam

[democrattotheend]

9. I believe Democrats ran against him in his first few Congressional races

Am I right that the first few times he ran for Congress, he faced opposition from both Democrats and Republicans?

I know that was the case when he was elected as mayor of Burlington.

[Samantha]

28. You are probably right, I just don't remember and I am too tired to look it up! (eom)

[Else You Are Mad]

8. Exactly.

The best thing that happened in this election was that Bernie ran as a Democrat. He has shown us that being a liberal/progressive isn't the political career ending position that the third way moderate democrats have tried to convince us it was for the last 20 years.

Sanders is not hijacking the party, he is taking it back from those that hijacked it from the liberals in the 90s

[marions ghost]

32. Right

and that IS how it is supposed to work, if there really was an even playing field between the Dem candidates, which there isn't.

Hillary has long been anointed. Sanders was just supposed to make it look good for the left wing. He has already done much more than that. But Clinton people want to act like it's the same old game. No surprise.

[SylviaD]

11. My personal opinion is this:

I think Bernie has brought up a lot of good points, he has inspired and energized many in our party and some from outside our party.

If and when HRC locks up the nomination, I would expect Bernie and his supporters to unite around the Democratic nominee. Or course, should Bernie win the nomination, I and 99% of Hillary supporters will unite behind him.

This is what I expect, hopefully this is what we will see, because some of the rhetoric coming from Sanders supporters is a bit troubling.

There is no need for a Nader-style independent run. It would only benefit the Republican nominee, most likely the ghastly Trump.

[democrattotheend]

13. I agree with you

I can't speak for other Bernie supporters, but I am fully committed to supporting Hillary if she is the nominee. Bernie himself has said many times that he will support Hillary if she wins the nomination, and that he believes she would be a much better president than anyone on the GOP side.

I am not actually advocating that Bernie run as a third-party candidate. I wrote this in response to those who are peddling this new narrative about him "using" the Democratic Party for media attention. Even if I did not support him, I would be glad to see him running in the Democratic Primary rather than acting as spoilers and helping Republicans get elected like the Greens.

[ScreamingMeemie]

21. I'm not going to "support" her because she doesn't "support" me, but I'll vote for her.

This wallet stays closed until Democratic ideals come back in the picture. It will be a football game where I vote for D.

[OhioBlue]

33. I agree to a point..

I will definitely support HRC, and I know many of my friends that have voted dem for years but supported Sanders in the primary will support HRC.

However, Bernie has brought many more people to his campaign than just progressive dems. Not all will vote for Hillary, it depends on what their driving force was to make them support Senator Sanders. If they live in an area that has been decimated by outsourcing, they may look to Trump as sad as that is. Local news said a lot of Mahoning and Stark County dems voted for Trump for that reason. I'm not condoning. Just stating the facts as I see them. Young people that see themselves and their peers graduate with crushing student loan debt, wonder why? Maybe Hillary can make the case that she will make it better for them. I hope so.

Personally, I voted for Bernie because I think he is the better candidate in the general and his positions are closer to mine. If Hillary is the nominee, I'll absolutely vote for her rather than Trump or Cruz and would never sit it out. The SC is at stake.

[SylviaD]

34. Really, Trump over Hillary? That boggles the mind.

If this is true we need to reach those voters and stop them from making a horrendous mistake.

[jillan]

14. Since the DNC & the MSM has made it very clear they do not want his supporters - maybe he should.

Bernie has enough money and momentum to do what he wants (of course he wouldn't do it) but
it would sure send a message to all this constant crap we are having to put up with from the Hillary campaign and it's supporters.

[mvd]

16. He just can't win with some

He runs as a Democrat, and he's somehow running only for his ego. If he runs independent, people will blame him for possibly hurting the Democratic chances in the GE.

[nadinbrzezinski]

17. Here is a hint

he said he would not run as an independent, and he also said he would stay until the convention in Philadelphia...

It is what it is... and myself, I expected a boring primary... I am getting a hell of a show on one side an da horror show on the other. You should celebrate democracy. (At least in the dem side)

[Deadshot]

19. No.

if he runs as a third party candidate, it'll take the votes away from Hillary and it'll mean a Trump victory.

[democrattotheend]

20. That was my point in posting this

I don't want Bernie to run as a third party candidate. I posted this in response to Clinton supporters complaining about him "using" the Democratic Party and what not.

[dana_b]

22. sure! do it!

I would love to see his name on the ballot


I am not advocating it though. Just my little dream.

[NCTraveler]

23. He is much smarter that that. Nt

[NurseJackie]

24. Agreed.

[NCTraveler]

25. Happy Tuesday NurseJackie!!!

[NurseJackie]

27. <3 :-D

[beaglelover]

26. No, he should just drop out period. It's over for Bernie!!!

[brooklynite]

29. No, he shouldn't....

Bernie Sanders has run a respectable, policy oriented campaign (the same cannot be said for some of his supporters). I have no problem with his staying in; I think we can see where the Primary is going.

[NurseJackie]

35. Mostly. Not entirely.

That database thing still irks me. I'd also like to know what's going on with the FEC's concerns about donations.

In any case... I'm confident that he'll drop out when it makes the most sense form him so to do. In my opinion, regardless of whatever benefit he sees in staying in the race, it will not be enough to overtake Hillary's lead and her inevitable nomination. (Yes, I said "inevitable"... because it's true.)