NBC: Bernie Sanders hasn't played his hand well -- at all

[brooklynite]

NBC News:

Well, the 2016 primary season came to an end last night with Hillary Clinton beating Bernie Sanders in DC, 79%-21%. And it came to an end without Sanders conceding or endorsing Clinton, although the two met last night and released positive-sounding statements.

Here's the reality: Sanders hasn't played his hand well. Many of his demands from yesterday (wanting Debbie Wasserman Schultz out of the DNC, ending superdelegates, having more open primaries) seem small. By not conceding a race he trails by every measure possible, he seems even smaller. And smaller still is the real leverage he holds, especially after losing eight out of the last 11 contests, after Obama and Warren have already endorsed Clinton, and after polls show Clinton increasing her lead over Trump.

The irony here is that Sanders already won -- he performed better than anyone imagined, and he already effectively moved Clinton and her campaign to the left. But one of the arts in politics is declaring victory after you've already won. But Sanders continues to march on… Here's the delegate math after last night's DC primary:

In pledged delegates, Clinton is ahead by 392 delegates

Clinton 2,217 (55%)
Sanders 1,825 (45%)
In overall delegates (pledged + super), Clinton leads by 925 delegates

[HumanityExperiment]

1. good thing these types of posts stop here after 16th....

n/t

[auntpurl]

14. In what sense?

This is a legitimate source discussing Bernie's course of action. It's not attacking any Democrat. Why would it be banned after tomorrow?

[HumanityExperiment]

17. So it's not attacking Bernie is your premise?

you sure you want to press that after tomorrow?

[auntpurl]

18. I mean, I didn't post the OP.

But yes, it's clearly not an attack on Bernie, it's a discussion of his course of action and whether it's wise or not.

[HumanityExperiment]

21. yay.. sure... press that perception after tomorrow and see what happens

n/t

[auntpurl]

23. Ok. nt

[Tarc]

42. You're certainly free to try, but

if you think this sort of post is going to be out-of-bounds tomorrow, prepare for some bitter disappointment

[HumanityExperiment]

45. not 'bitter' nor 'disappointed'...

just noticing a trend by HRC supporters and their posts on DU today...

[leftofcool]

53. Bernie is not a Democrat

[HumanityExperiment]

56. Is that your defense? is that the loophole you wish to exploit after tomorrow?

n/t

[Red Knight]

19. Because Hillary may want Bernie supporters to vote for her

Bashing Bernie doesn't help that cause. It just creates more anger and people may well just say, "screw it."

But if you don't care, at least don't say you weren't warned.

[auntpurl]

22. I wasn't saying whether I thought this kind of OP is the best course of action for my candidate

I was replying to the other poster who said this kind of post would be banned after tomorrow. I don't think it will be.

[stonecutter357]

38. GDP will be closed after the 15..

[auntpurl]

40. Yes, I know that.

But we will still have GD: Elections, and I believe these sorts of posts will still be allowed.

[LoverOfLiberty]

20. They don't stop

You don't get to censor what a major news source says just because you find it uncomfortable.

[HumanityExperiment]

24. 'comfort' isn't the isue now is it... but feel free to press this type of post after tomorrow

n/t

[LoverOfLiberty]

27. I don't understand you

Criticism of any Democrat (or any other politician) isn't what is the problem here. It is the slander, innuendos, outright lies, CT, and Republican talking points about our candidates that is the problem.

[HumanityExperiment]

34. feel free to press posts you feel don't cross the line in your perception...

after tomorrow, I'll let the reality of the new rules clarify the new 'understanding'

[LoverOfLiberty]

36. Indeed I will

[leftofcool]

54. We will and it will be acceptable.

[HumanityExperiment]

58. no it won't there was explicit instructions presented by Skinner...

you are looking for a loophole in what Skinner posted... you won't fare well after tomorrow if you try to exploit a 'loophole' that's not there

[Lil Missy]

65. It's a news article. We won't have to stop posting news articles. n/t

[HumanityExperiment]

66. How you frame them and how you post will be monitored and shut down if you cross that line...

n/t

[HumanityExperiment]

67. BTW...

interesting to know that you want to dance on that line...

[tonyt53]

2. Very, very amateurish. He has zero leverage left.

[JonLeibowitz]

4. LOL.

No. But I'm sure you wish he had none.

[tonyt53]

28. I live in the real world. Bernie will get a smile and a handshake and that is it.

He has zero leverage. By not conceding now, the lost most credibility and it is very apparent that he is a bitter person. Of course, he might need to keep raising funds to pay his campaign debt.

[metroins]

31. Name a few things

He'll get accomolished.

Bernie outlined 3 things. Which of them will his leverage get done?

He played poorly.

[JonLeibowitz]

51. You assume the corporate wing ever had an intention of brokering an honest deal with the left.

I do not believe they ever did, so I reject the premise of your question. The only way to make progress is to force concessions (unless you won -- and then you govern)

[metroins]

59. He's lost his leverage nt

[JonLeibowitz]

3. NBC doesn't spend any time considering whether Clinton is amenable to a center-left agenda

That too when she is a centrist candidate. Sanders has done a lot already by succeeding with placing progressives on the platform committee. Last night's meeting was about what issues Clinton would personally embrace (since the platform is a piece of paper).

I see this NBC "analysis" as fairly myopic.

[GeorgeGist]

5. Why so bitter?

[MoonRiver]

61. I think it is something in Bernie's personality few were aware of until this primary.

Now the world knows.

[DCBob]

6. Similar to what I was commenting on last night..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512186270

Bernie seems to have blown his chance to actually make a difference by dragging this out to the bitter end and becoming increasingly irrelevant.

[Armstead]

41. But when Clinton is persistent, it's a virtue?

And when her ambition is criticized it's sexist?

But Bernie fighting make sure that 43 percent of the primary voters will continue to be represented and fought for it is a bad thing?

He has toned down his personal campaigning against Clinton to almost nothing. He is pressing for the points he made in his campaign on issues and the need for political reform.

I think even a lot of Clinton supporters don't disagree with him that DWS has not done a good job, and should be replaced at some point.

[DCBob]

43. I and others are beginning to lose interest in Bernie and his demands.

Its time to focus on the general election and Trump. Bernie is increasingly becoming a distraction.

[Armstead]

46. There was never any interest from the beginning in the institutional party

And, i guess, among many individuals.

But 43 percent is a substantial number of people who were and hopefully will continue to care about what Bernie has been fighting to inject into the larger political dialogue.

Yes the GOP has to be stopped....Always. But there is a lot more at stake and a lot more issues involved than just the Bad GOP.

[MoonRiver]

7. After the first convention vote count, when Hillary wins the nomination by a landslide,

I suspect he'll be pretty much ignored. People will be polite of course, but that's about it.

[hollysmom]

8. OH look a negative article about Sanders from NBC

it is like reading the Washington Post.

this will so help in unifying the democrats and encourage getting money out of politics.

[charlyvi]

15. As if negative articles about Bernie are the rule, huh?

http://shorensteincenter.org


A new report from Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy analyzes news coverage of the 2016 presidential candidates in the year leading up to the primaries. This crucial period, labeled “the invisible primary” by political scientists, is when candidates try to lay the groundwork for a winning campaign—with media exposure often playing a make or break role.

The report shows that during the year 2015, major news outlets covered Donald Trump in a way that was unusual given his low initial polling numbers—a high volume of media coverage preceded Trump’s rise in the polls. Trump’s coverage was positive in tone—he received far more “good press” than “bad press.” The volume and tone of the coverage helped propel Trump to the top of Republican polls.

The Democratic race in 2015 received less than half the coverage of the Republican race. Bernie Sanders’ campaign was largely ignored in the early months but, as it began to get coverage, it was overwhelmingly positive in tone. Sanders’ coverage in 2015 was the most favorable of any of the top candidates, Republican or Democratic. For her part, Hillary Clinton had by far the most negative coverage of any candidate. In 11 of the 12 months, her “bad news” outpaced her “good news,” usually by a wide margin, contributing to the increase in her unfavorable poll ratings in 2015.

The Shorenstein Center study is based on an analysis of thousands of news statements by CBS, Fox, the Los Angeles Times, NBC, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. The study’s data were provided by Media Tenor, a firm that specializes in the content analysis of news coverage.

[CorkySt.Clair]

29. He was babied by the media for months.

[floriduck]

55. Ignored = babied? Which dictionary states that?

[floppyboo]

9. Not playing into your hand is not playing well for you

And aside from endorsing 'Not Trump' you should perhaps not expect anything else. 43% of primary voters likely feel you shouldn't. Anything more you have to earn. A certain attitude is required when making friends. Plenty of self-help books out there.

[w4rma]

37. 45%

Clinton 2,217 (55%)
Sanders 1,825 (45%)

[floppyboo]

44. Happily stand corrected!

[w4rma]

50. Also, the delegate difference should close a bit, after California is done counting in 3 weeks. (nt)

[TwilightZone]

57. "primary voters" /= "delegates"

This isn't difficult.

[workinclasszero]

10. He seems like a bitter man

He should have bowed out gracefully a long time ago.

[CrowCityDem]

11. They're right. Looking at the news, trends, etc, why do they need to accede to Bernie?

[floppyboo]

47. yes, those trends showing Hillary the most dis-liked democrat EVER? Those ones?

Even the 'party faithful' are holding their noses.

[hobbit709]

12. Hard to play a hand when the dealer is using a cold deck.

[auntpurl]

13. What were the pledged delegate totals, in the end?

[Protalker]

16. Newly minted Democrat

He used the party rather than run third party. I am cool with that, but selecting our nominee is a decision for party faithful. If you register Democrat you have a say. His views are beliefs I share, but without support just air.

[floppyboo]

25. I'm curious about this 'party faithful'

I thought one of the goals of the party was to expand its base?

[geek tragedy]

26. Bernie who? nt

[stonecutter357]

39. +1000

[Logical]

30. Why do hillary supporters continue to post rude stuff about bernie???

[Triana]

32. Corporat media:"woohoo! We helped get rid of the socialist!"

It's not so much a slam on Sanders is it is self-contratulatory on the part of the media which much preferred Clinton (whom we know won't force them to pay/pay their fair share of taxes once in office since she is a big proponent of corporate welfare and he isn't).

Just some perspective on that.

So yea, keep celebrating your entrenched Oligarchy like blinkered sheep to slaughter. It's unfortunate the rest of us get dragged along too. Everyone loses. Except GE of course. And the Koch bros. And Wall St and the MiC and PiC and Big Pharma, Big Insurance, Big AG and the Saudis. All of them win. And win BIG. ...except We the People.

Yee ha.

[geek tragedy]

49. tick tock one more day nt

[JCanete]

64. Hehe, I like that you actually comment proudly about how you don't have to be confronted with

inconvenient truths anymore after tomorrow. Cognitive dissonance is painful. Best to just live in the bubble of your own narrative. But whatever will you do after you can't post such thorough, and so very thought provoking comments about Sanders and the Sanders camp? What will we do without all that wisdom?

[Octafish]

33. Maybe if he had some more corporate consultants?

You know, the kind who know how to buy lots of advertising on COMCAST?

[aikoaiko]

35. Lots of politicians promise to stay in until the end, but few do. Bernie is doing fine.

This is what it looks like when a liberal behave as a sheepdog for the more conservative wing of the party and its terribly inconvenient for them.

[arcane1]

62. You're late to the party. These talking points are stale.

No bonus!

[floriduck]

52. Less than one full day left. Have at it until then.

[Orsino]

60. Self-contradictory story contradicts itself.

It's probably not easy to grasp what Sanders is fighting for, but this story manages to fuck it up even after identifying the most significant victory: cleaner campaign financing and the demonstrable success it yielded without celebrity or a party's Establishment defaulting support to another candidate.

"By not conceding a race he trails by every measure possible" is another contradiction, and merely shows us the edges of a writer's comfort zone.

[JCanete]

63. This is not a story. This is propaganda.

Just the Main Stream Media continuing to rewrite the context of Sander's campaign and its purpose. "he won by moving Clinton to the left." First of all, what fucking fantasy is that shit? He didn't move her to the left. He forced her to alter her rhetoric some. And for the favor, her surrogates and the media did everything they could to tarnish the man's history and record, painting him as a candidate for white voters so as to diminish every early win, talking out the sides of their mouth about how he wasn't a "real democrat" even while they supposedly "welcomed him with open arms," and twisting his votes on the auto-bailout and the gun lawsuits.

What Bernie has done, and is continuing to do, while he has the resources to do it, is to bring his message to people across the United States who would otherwise not hear it. What the media is doing, because it hates his message, is trying to discredit the man. Discredit the man, discredit the message.

So kudos brooklynite, for continuing to do your part to support the corporatocracy.

[Doctor_J]

68. I can't believe the right wing corporate media is disrespecting Bernie!

They've been in the bag for Hillary since before she announced that she was a candidate