He needs to drop out now. If he ever fancied himself as actually being some sort of leader, now is his opportunity to prove it by withdrawing; endorsing Joe Biden; starting the healing process and using these weeks to console and motivate his followers.

The window of opportunity is closing. Time is drawing short. If he waits until the convention to concede... and if he "disappears" after the convention for 6 weeks to write a book (or something) then his followers will wander around aimlessly... licking their wounds... still feeling said and mournful... resenting what happened... feeling "cheated" and believing falsely that the process was "rigged"... and their hatred and distrust of the party and desire for "revenge" will grow. (It's all just a little bit of history repeating.)

But... if Bernie acts now, then much of this can be nipped in the bud.

Yes they are.

Losing hurts, doesn't it? That's not a good enough reason to want to kneecap our party's nominee, Joe Biden. That's not a good enough reason for the smears and attacks and LIES against the Democratic party. Those lies only create negativity and distrust and resentment. It weakens the party and empowers the GOP.

Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

That's not "democracy in action"... that's called sabotage.

Going forward, the DNC needs better and more restrictive rules on who gets to run "as a" Democrat.

Actually, no more of this "as a" Democrat nonsense. The phrase "as a Democrat" clearly means that the comparison is being made with something that is NOT a Democrat. The candidate may be similar to a Democrat, but it's not actually Democrat, and therefore we cannot be assured that the best interests of the Democratic Party will be held in high regard by the "as a" Democrat contender.

I'm even suspicious of the "recently declared" Democrats who switch parties for one reason or another. I feel the same away about those politicians who believe it is in their current and immediate best interests to just-now make a party declaration of being a Democrat.

Therefore, I believe anyone who fancies a shot at becoming the Democratic presidential nominee must be a Democrat for at least ONE FULL election cycle--FOUR YEARS--before they can throw their hat into our ring and seek our party's nomination.

Being an "ally" isn't good enough. Having an 80% voting-with-Democrats record isn't good enough. Promising to "govern as" a Democrat isn't good enough.

No, it's not ridiculous.

How does it help the Democratic party (and our party's nominee) for anyone to make (or defend) DISHONEST accusations that Democrats are "ideologically bankrupt".

Exactly how is it supposed to "dedication to defeating Trump" for someone to falsely claim that Democrats are "feeble" and "corrupt"? What good purpose does it serve to proclaim that the Democratic party is an "absolute failure"?

Wouldn't you agree that it's "ridiculous" for someone to say that the Democratic party is "the party of the one-percent" and "party of the elite". Please explain to me what someone's motivation would be to say "there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans" if they weren't trying to take-down and weaken the Democratic party?

Fact of the matter is this... it's WRONG and it's DISHONEST to say that Democrats are "do-nothings"... and to say that the Democratic party "doesn't care about climate change."

It's also WRONG and DISHONEST to say that the Democrats "focus too much" on diversity and that because the Democrats "are very big into diversity" therefore we aren't "particularly sympathetic" to the working class.

What good purpose does it serve to promote this kind of dishonesty? It's divisive. It weakens us by creating resentment and suspicion. It makes new voters less willing to support Democrats if they're continually being told that "their vote doesn't matter" and that "the election is rigged" and that "both sides are the same anyway".

He hired some really deplorable people to be the faces of his campaign. He has made it clear that he considers the Democratic party to be an "enemy" that conspires against him. And in doing so, he's denigrating not only our party, but also our party's leadership, which includes some of our best and honorable politicians.

The rhetoric coming from him and from his campaign has a toxic and erosive effect. He deliberately plays that dangerous game and is fully aware that campaigning like this will turn his supporters away from the Democratic Party if he doesn't win the nomination.

No other Democrat behaves like this and it creates frustration and anger among Democrats because we've been through this before. It contributed to getting Trump elected and despite all that, BS doesn't care about it and still plays the same game.

All I'm trying to say is that it serves NO GOOD PURPOSE for his quixotic game to continue. It's divisive and it harms the party, it weakens the party. Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

Oh, FFS! Stop it. Nobody is doing that.

The primary is over. We have our nominee. The voters have spoken in sufficient numbers. There's no need to waste any more time pretending that it's still unknown or that Bernie "has a chance". He doesn't.

Accept that we have our nominee. This contest is over. Joe Biden is the winner. Bernie Sanders is the loser. Everyone knows it.

No more debates. No more smearing of the Democratic party. No more slash-and-burn. No more scorched-earth. No more kneecapping our nominee. No more accusations of rape. No more accusations of senility. No more accusations of being "corrupt".

Bernie isn't trying to win the nomination. He's trying to take down the Democratic party.

Bernie first. It's his move to make. Does he withdraw and endorse? Or does he continue to smear and denigrate and divide? Does he continue to create distrust and resentment?

As long as he's attacking, you can count on loyal and stalwart Democrats like me and many others to continue to push back and call-out what's really going on. We won't remain silent while the attacks continue. We won't go away because we're called "haters". What we are, is fiercely loyal to the Democratic party and 100% dedicated to defeating Trump.

Exactly. The hiring of JILL FUCKING STEIN supporters to run his campaign was an obvious middle-finger directly squarely at the Democratic party. No other candidate campaigns against the Democratic party, just Bernie.

He hired some really deplorable people to be the faces of his campaign. He made the Democratic party (our leadership and some of our best politicians) his enemies who "conspire" against him.

The rhetoric coming from him and from his campaign has a toxic and erosive effect. He deliberately plays that dangerous game and is fully aware that campaigning like this will turn his supporters away from the Democratic Party if he doesn't win the nomination.

No other Democrat behaves like this and it creates frustration and anger among Democrats because we've been through this before. It contributed to getting Trump elected and despite all that, BS doesn't care about it and still plays the same game.

All I'm trying to say is that it serves NO GOOD PURPOSE for his quixotic game to continue. It's divisive and it harms the party, it weakens the party. Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.

I'm reminded of the TV gag where the loser of a "best two out of three" coin-toss makes a demand to change the rules to "okay, how about: best three out of five".

The reason it's funny on the TV show is because it shows that the loser who wants to change the rules AFTER THE FACT is someone who lacks integrity but believes that nobody notices and it's a character who somehow believes that he (or she) is "deserving" or more opportunities beyond that upon which was originally agreed. It also plays to comedic effect because the loser shows the audience an irrational belief that somehow he (or she) will manage to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat if he (or she) can somehow manage to defy the odds and get three consecutive wins that will miraculously satisfy the new conditions of the challenge.

Joe has the upper hand. He's showing Bernie his place. He's taking control and being a leader. Joe Biden is the winner. Bernie Sanders is the loser. Losers don't get to set the rules or make the conditions. Losers don't get to make demands.

Joe Biden doesn't need any more debates to come out on top... he's already won. It's Bernie Sanders who NEEDS the debate. Joe doesn't owe him anything. It's time for Bernie to go home and let the WINNER get on with the business of defeating Trump.

You're holding us back, Bernie. You're a distraction, Bernie. Your rhetoric and smears are divisive, Bernie.

Stop it.

After the convention he got busy "writing a book" and was absent for that crucial period in which he could have promoted unity... he could have stepped-up and been a leader... but he said nothing. He just disappeared and left his flock to wander aimlessly. Rather than giving them guidance and purpose and motivation, they simply licked their wounds and grew resentful. This is fact.

You know what else is "not right"? No other candidate campaigns against the Democratic party, just Bernie.

He hired some really deplorable people to be the faces of his campaign. He made the Democratic party, their leadership and with that some of their best politicians his enemies who conspire against him.

The rhetoric coming from him and from his campaign has a toxic and erosive effect. He deliberately plays that dangerous game and is fully aware that campaigning like this will turn his supporters away from the Democratic Party if he doesn't win the nomination.

No other Democrat behaves like this and it creates frustration and anger among Democrats because we've been through this before. It contributed to getting Trump elected and despite all that, BS doesn't care about it and still plays the same game.

All I'm trying to say is that it serves NO GOOD PURPOSE for his quixotic game to continue. It's divisive and it harms the party, it weakens the party. Negativity generates apathy. Apathy discourages voter turnout. Low voter turnout gives Republicans a chance to steal the elections.