I Think It Was Wise for Sanders to Not Drop Out Today

[Doctor Jack]

If you look at it from a party unity standpoint, dropping out right now would have likely caused many Sanders supporters to pack up, go home, and give up on the general election. He is much smarter to slowly wind things down and to prep his supporters for becoming a part of the democratic party and integrating into the clinton campaign effort. When he says he is going to keep fighting, I think that means for his values and for influence of the democratic platform, not for him to become the nominee. The meetings he has on Thursday with Obama and other meetings with party leadership this week will likely be about how to make Sanders supporters an influential part of the democratic party going forward and how to get them comfortable with being in that position.

If what I am inferring from the speech is correct, he is playing this all very well.

[upaloopa]

1. He needs to say what his need to go to the convention is. He lost the primary there is nothing to

fight for there. He is so far behind in delegates he could not possibly get enough supers to flip.

Hillary won the popular vote, the majority of pledged delegates and the majority of states.

There is nothing primary wise for Sanders to win.

So who the hell is he fighting?

[lunamagica]

2. Right. His tone was veery combative and negative. The convention is a time for unity

Not to fight. The enemy is TRUMP. We need to fight him.

[Tom Rinaldo]

13. We are not yet at the convetion. Now begin the behind the scenes meetings

It is part of the process. Don't prejudge the outcome, the convention is still over a month away.

[QC]

3. Perhaps the party platform? You know, the document

that lays out the party's priorities and positions for the coming campaign.

Not everyone sees politics as a game where they root for their team and throw shade at the other one.

If a person who is not addicted to poutrage and hoping to see the humiliation of the opposing team listens to that speech, he or she might notice some things like the following:

1. Sanders said he knows how math works.
2. Sanders did not say anything along the lines of "when I am president."
3. Sander waves down the crowd when they booed Clinton. (That's not enough for the more emotional types here, but he did it.)
4. When the crowd called his name, Sanders said it's not about him but above the ideas that brought everyone together and the fight for them continues.

All that points in one direction. It's over and he wants to keep pushing for those policy changes that he's been advocating for years.

[Jackilope]

5. Who the hell is he fighting .... for. (Fixed it for you)

The answer is us. His vision is for US, not the corporate and oligarchy masters.

There are a massive amount of first time voters, youth, and those who for the FIRST TIME felt optimistic about his candidacy to volunteer and contribute. He ran solely on we the people donating and not private elitist four to five figures a plate fund raising gatherings.

People are fed up and tired of politics as usual. Chill out and realize that he is a man of integrity.

[pat_k]

4. Yes. People just don't appear to listen.

He said he'd spend some time in VT after today to determine next steps. He's doing that.

Take a breath. Believe what the man says. His course is uncertain. It will remain that way for at least a few days. Wait and see what he decides to do, and then applaud, or complain, or whatever.

I am tired of all the "If he this" "Unless he does that..." "He'd better do such and such"... "It will be horrible if...."

All the angst reminds me of that scene in Ghostbusters "... Human sacrifice. Dogs and cats living together. Mass Hysteria..."

[Skink]

6. As one poster said earlier today. Keep shoveling.

[Cheese Sandwich]

7. You described it right. He's sheepdogging his voters into the Democratic Party

He really genuinely doesn't want to help Trump, even accidentally.

If he dropped out now, his supporters will drift away and they could end up with the Green Party or something along those lines.

Green Party is greatly suffering at this moment because of Bernie Sanders. They are losing volunteers and money, and starting to miss ballot access deadlines because of these shortages.

Bernie is helping the Democrats a lot.

[NurseJackie]

12. Good post.

[Lord Magus]

8. He should've been making that transition sooner.

Instead of telling his supporters he was still winning when that was obviously not the case, thus giving them the impression that he must have been cheated when the promised victory didn't happen.

[Agschmid]

9. Yup.

[uponit7771]

11. +1, Instead he started claiming the system the long shot black guy won with in 08 is "rigged"

[democrattotheend]

10. I think you are probably right

He also probably didn't want to give his big farewell speech at 1:30 am when few people were watching.