After a bitter loss in 2008, the losing candidate for the nomination

[MineralMan]

quickly endorsed the winner and went on to campaign for him to help him get elected. Now, Hillary Clinton is the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party and the President she supported in 2008 is working to help her win in 2016.

That is what Democrats do. That is the strength and character Democratic presidential candidates display and that is how we win elections. Primary races can be ugly at times, with two or more very strong personalities vying for the spot on the general election ballot. It is expected and an honored tradition that the loser in a primary race endorses and campaigns for the winner.

Losing is painful, but losing the office to the opposing party is even more painful and affects everyone. That is why Democratic candidates come together after primary elections and work to help the nominee win. That is what we do in our party. That is how we demonstrate our character, even after a defeat.

[tonyt53]

1. You betcha!

[lunamagica]

4. "March for Bernie'? "Blacks for Bernie"? What an ego! Is this what he calls doing everything to

defeat trump?

[brush]

49. He was never a party member before, doesn't get the strength in numbers maybe?

Guess that's why he won't concede, endorse and pitch in to defeat Trump.

But that's ok, we've got President Obama, Joe Biden, Elizabeth Warren, Michelle Obama, and on and on willing to campaign for our nominee.

Bernie can go back to being lone independent since using the party to get national exposure to run for president didn't work — oh wait, he already did. He announced today that he'll finish out his term as an independent.

It's unbelievable to me, after all his months and months of "for the people" and "fighting to change the party" bluster he'd pull something like that.

[DemonGoddess]

2. K&R!

[BlueCaliDem]

3. Hillary Clinton had been a class-act when she set her gripes aside and endorsed Senator Obama in

2008. She swallowed her pride and went out and campaigned hard for him, bringing her supporters along with her to unify the Party and Democrats in order to do all she could to ensure Senator Obama enjoyed a powerful win in that November. She understood this was about the Party and to ensure Republicans didn't win the White House again. This is what a strong and true Democrat does - understand that the only choices we have is either getting a Democrat in the White House or risk a Republican taking it.

Stronger Together.

[MineralMan]

5. Exactly. We are so much stronger together.

That's the whole point of creating political parties, labor unions or any other group that comes together over common goals. Unity and solidarity are essential to victory in achieving those goals.

She is someone we can trust to stand for us while in office. That is why we will work together to elect her in November.

[BlueCaliDem]

7. It's what Teapublicans and Republicans believed for a long time, but what's coming unraveled this

time around. Now more than ever, with their Party in disarray, we need to stand strong together to make sure that the 45th president will be a Democrat - especially when we consider the SCOTUS. We MUST do what we can to ensure Chief Justice Roberts is neutered, or we'll lose much more than just a presidential election.

With voter suppression laws in those crucial States going to be used for the first time in this presidential election, we can't afford to be in disarray ourselves. We'll need each and every vote we can scrape together to replace those votes that Republicans will successfully stop from happening since the Roberts Court all but shattered the Voting Rights Act and gave States with histories of racial discrimination the power to go ALL out on PoC, the impoverished, and the infirmed.

[yallerdawg]

6. There is one difference, though.

In 2008, both candidates were Democrats.

[MineralMan]

8. Perhaps you're right.

It's a pity if that's true.

[bluedye33139]

27. +1

[B Calm]

9. Don't keep fighting the last presidential primary. .

[MineralMan]

12. The primaries are over.

That's what I'm talking about, exactly. Once they're over, it is time for unity and solidarity. We've had our primaries. They're done. Now, we're facing the general election. My post is about the general election, and I used an example from 2008 to show how Democrats win presidential elections, once the primaries are finished.

This is not in any way about the primaries. They're done. Finished. Over.

[one_voice]

41. uh-huh

you're so concerned about the rules.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12512240312#post73

[mcar]

10. Indeed she did

[MineralMan]

14. I remember being very impressed with her

display of character in 2008, even though I was a solid Obama supporter. I admired that about her.

[mcar]

16. I was an HRC supporter

who happily supported Obama when he won the primary (my then college-student son volunteered for his campaign which made me very proud). I was impressed with how gracious Hillary was and how hard she fought for him.

It is the mature thing to do and she did it with much class.

[iandhr]

11. You got to be carful MineralMan.

Facts are offensive to a lot of people.

[MineralMan]

13. I am careful.

I'm careful about politics, especially. This country flips parties that are in control on very small grounds. Every election is a tenuous thing, and holding onto power is very difficult. We need all the help we can muster.

Being careful, however, does not mean being silent. I am not silent, and never will be.

[iandhr]

15. I agree with you 100%

It was a sarcastic comment about the CDS people.

[MineralMan]

24. I know. Thanks!

[iandhr]

37. Other folks might not have gotten it though

[NWCorona]

17. Et tu, MM?

I understand the frustration of the single point of him not falling in line behind Hillary but posts here have covered this already.

People want to make it about his ego but I haven't seen anything yet in regards to the policy changes he's working for that would be a negative for the party or country.

[Adrahil]

18. The primaries are over. When does he stop attacking the nominee from the left...

And start attacking the OTHER party's candidate? We are in full GE mode, and Sanders is not actually doing anything to defeat the other guy.

[NWCorona]

19. We obviously see it differently.

Also, If you are in full GE mode you why even bother with Bernie?

[Adrahil]

28. I'm not particularly...

I think he is making himself irrelevant, but I would have preferred that he become an actual player in Democratic politics.

[NWCorona]

29. Irrelevant? Time will tell

I'm confident that history will be good to Bernie.

[MineralMan]

38. Perhaps. Or he may be remembered much as Harold Stassen

is remembered as a Republican presidential candidate multiple times. Hard to say.

[Exilednight]

20. I find it amusing that some people on this board, like the OP,

are so frustrated that Bernie sees a different vision for this party and is willing to fight for it.

Is it because he's winning some of the platform fights like minimum wage and college tuition?

[MineralMan]

21. One election at a time, thanks.

And I am not "like the OP." I am the OP. You replied to me.

It's time for Bernie to focus on the general election, I think. The primaries are over now. Does he support the Democratic nominee or not? Will he endorse her or not? Simple questions.

[HumanityExperiment]

23. supporting liberal / progressive ideals

that's the fight Bernie has going on, is that so difficult to understand?

the platform battle is proving this point out about fighting for ideals...

[Lord Magus]

50. Yes is IS so difficult to understand.

Refusing to accept that the primary is over and refusing to endorse or even congratulate the winner does nothing to suppose liberal/progressive ideals. Quite the opposite, that makes it seem like it has nothing to do with ideals at all and everything to do with bitterness.

[Exilednight]

55. Simple questions that I ask

Why must he endorse her? Why aren't you more upset that people who have been long time elected Democrats still have not endorsed Hillary? (Yes, they are out there)

In a simpler form: why single out Bernie?

[Silver_Witch]

56. He has said repeatedly he will vote for Hillary...

He has repeatedly said that Trump would be a disaster for America!

[HumanityExperiment]

22. it shows that their power can be eroded...

spot on with your reply!

[uponit7771]

32. No, it shows the PUBs ability to waste precious resources

[HumanityExperiment]

34. Power

Principles over party... Bernie and his supporters and scaring the establishment DEMs, how do I know this for a fact?

THIS: http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/politics/hillary-clinton-college-plan-bernie-sanders/index.html

[uponit7771]

36. No, unicorns ... its unicorn thinking to believe party platforms mean a damn thing and even more

... unicorn thinking to believe that's a good reason to not concede and endorse the dem candidate.

I don't trust this about him, he can endorse and campaign for her and fight for the platform at the same time.

usually when someone proffers a false dichotomy they're full of shit

[HumanityExperiment]

39. POWER

http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/06/politics/hillary-clinton-college-plan-bernie-sanders/index.html

Clinton's campaign, by updating her plan, hopes to win over Sanders supporters, even while the Vermont senator declines to drop out of the presidential race.
Sanders lauded Clinton's plan in a news conference Wednesday in Washington, saying it represents the best principles that both Democrats advocated.
"This proposal combines some of the strongest ideas which she brought forth during the campaign with some of the principals that I brought forth," he said.
Sanders told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that he is working with Clinton's campaign on further proposals that would blend the ideas both have advocated. "We are working on other ideas, as well," he said.
Clinton's also proposing a three-month moratorium on all student loan repayment on federal loans, allowing students a window to consolidate their loans with the Department of Education. And Clinton is pushing a year-round Pell Grant that would cover summer tuition.
It increases the cost of Clinton's original college affordability plan, which was $350 billion and paid for by limiting tax deductions and expenditures for the wealthy to 28%.
To foot the bill for her new plan, Clinton proposes "closing additional high-income tax loopholes -- focusing on loopholes available especially to Wall Street money managers, like hedge funds and private equity firms," an aide said.
When Clinton and Sanders met in Washington, D.C. last month, college affordability was an issue they focused on, according to aides. The two spoke about how to promote the issue in the party's platform and ensure it remains at the core of the Democratic Party.
"We will continue to ensure that Hillary's proposals don't add to the debt over time, just as she has throughout this campaign," the aide said.
Education was a key difference between Clinton and Sanders in the Democratic primary. Clinton regularly said that her education plan was "more comprehensive" than Sanders', a fact that that the Vermont senator vociferously pushed back on.
Clinton had argued that Sanders' education plan, while admirable, would be difficult to implement.
"I think my plan is ... more comprehensive because I am aiming at getting costs down, not just putting more money in the system so costs keep rising," Clinton said in 2015.

[uponit7771]

44. There's are only 8% of Sanders holdovers, Obama had 40% around the same time and won in 08...

... there's little leverage he has.

Another reason why he was booed by senate dems.

[HumanityExperiment]

45. POWER

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=2239531

[uponit7771]

46. More unicorn thinking, the rally meant littlle then and mean little no in regards to leverage he has

... to change anything.

But I see, like most who hold this position...

You ignore the false dichotomy of him not endorsing Clinton cause he's "fighting" for little to nothing tangibly.

[HumanityExperiment]

47. POWER

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2016/07/06/democrats-are-booing-bernie-sanders-but-his-movement-is-succeeding/

"Dem even accused Sanders of “squandering” his movement.

But if Sanders is squandering his movement, it is odd that he continues to rack up meaningful victories in the battle to transform the Democratic agenda, if not the country.

Today Hillary Clinton announced that she was moving dramatically in the direction of one of the most important pillars of Bernie’s agenda. She substantially expanded her proposal for improving access to a college education so it ensures that families below a certain income level will not pay tuition at in-state public colleges and universities.

This, taken with other recent Sanders victories, basically means that Sanders’s movement is succeeding."

[Lord Magus]

52. As a commenter there noted, Hillary adopted Warren's college plan & the writer credits Bernie. -nt-

[HumanityExperiment]

54. then the facts blow that outta the water...

http://www.warren.senate.gov/files/documents/FactSheet-ChangingIncentives.pdf

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/06/clinton-student-loan-reform-plan-has-warren-stamp-118865

and here's the current plan from HRC

http://www.wsj.com/articles/hillary-clinton-expanding-college-plan-to-offer-free-tuition-to-millions-1467813602

"In a bid to win over rival Bernie Sanders and his supporters, Democrat Hillary Clinton is expanding her plan to offer free college tuition to millions of families, a modified version of what Mr. Sanders pushed in his presidential campaign.

The new Clinton proposal would offer free tuition at public schools to students in families earning $85,000 a year or less, at first, with that threshold increasing to $125,000 by 2021"

this is POWER... I'm sure you'll ignore the facts, hopefully you'll change and you won't but I won't be holding my breath

"At a closed-door meeting with House Democrats Tuesday morning, Democratic lawmakers shouted “timeline, timeline” and said “answer the question,” when Mr. Sanders was asked when he would endorse Mrs. Clinton, according to a Democratic aide.

“He took a little bit of heat, and did it with grace,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D., Va.) “He was certainly pressed—‘When are you going to endorse? What is the timeline?’ ”

A Clinton aide said that she made the decision to modify her college plan after a meeting last month with Mr. Sanders, where the pair discussed their respective plans and “strategized” about the best way to promote the issue in the party’s platform and fall campaign.

The Democratic platform committee is meeting this weekend to consider recommendations from a drafting committee."

[uponit7771]

31. Calling what Sanders is doing "Fighting" is not reality at all... not even close... he wasting time

... and energy on a document that no one pays attention to and its not binding.

It's good people can see his judgement for what it is ... lax and unicorn brigaded

6 months from now few if any will remember the document he's claiming he wants to change.

[one_voice]

42. Which party would that be?

The Democratic Party? The one he used--his words---to gain recognition? The one whose platform he wants complete control over but needs his OWN victory rally in Philly.

Seems he's only part of the party when it suites him. The rest of the time he's busy crapping on it AND all EVERYONE that didn't vote for him.

It's not his ideas/platform that are the problem...

[obamanut2012]

25. No separate "Victory Statement" rally in 2008

The fact there will be one in 2016 is mindblowing.

[MineralMan]

26. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around that one.

I don't even begin to get this "Victory Statement" thing. Is that anything like a concession speech where he congratulates the winner? If so, the name seems wrong, somehow.

[MineralMan]

35. Are you saying that you won't vote for Clinton in November?

Why on earth not? That makes exactly zero sense.

[MillennialDem]

40. I told you exactly why already. This primary loss was too painful.

[LongtimeAZDem]

43. From the TOS:

"Do not state that you are not going to vote, or that you will write-in a candidate that is not on the ballot, or that you intend to vote for any candidate other than the official Democratic nominee in any general election where a Democrat is on the ballot. "

[Hekate]

48. KnR

[revmclaren]

51. K and R!!!

Sanders could have been up there with Clinton and Obama making sure a fascist never gets in the White House. Very sad and getting sadder every day.

[grossproffit]

53. Hillary has class. eom