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Joe BidenCongratulations to our presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe Biden!
 

Disaffected

(4,998 posts)
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:06 PM Mar 2020

Just had an unpleasant thought:

Is it possible that Sanders is dragging out the Democratic Primaries to keep in the headlines and with the eventual goal, seeing that he will very likely not win the nomination, of running as an independant??

BTW, I know of no specific reason why that might happen - just worrying out loud I guess...

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
22 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Just had an unpleasant thought: (Original Post) Disaffected Mar 2020 OP
he won't go away Skittles Mar 2020 #1
Nope TheFarseer Mar 2020 #2
He's a senator. showblue22 Mar 2020 #5
He knows that if he runs as an independent, it's four more years of Trump. Jarqui Mar 2020 #3
You think he really cares though? HarlanPepper Mar 2020 #14
I do think he cares. He would not run as an independent against Joe. Jarqui Mar 2020 #18
He's not running as an Independent so he can get Democrat money. Bernie is all about Bernie. zackymilly Mar 2020 #19
He ran for the Democratic nomination because he felt that Jarqui Mar 2020 #20
Many States Have Sore Loser Laws. You Can't Run In a Party Primary... TomCADem Mar 2020 #4
This!! Besides, he doesn't want to work that hard! Thekaspervote Mar 2020 #6
Good to know, Disaffected Mar 2020 #13
I believe part of his agreement Bev54 Mar 2020 #7
Regardless of exact internal motive, it is not apparently useful for getting rid of Trump. RockRaven Mar 2020 #8
If he gives a damn, he will state at the debate that Biden is the man to beat trump. Hoyt Mar 2020 #9
With the crowd restrictions resulting from the corona virus comradebillyboy Mar 2020 #10
I doubt it! Buckeye_Democrat Mar 2020 #11
There are an abundance of things to worry about right now. SergeStorms Mar 2020 #12
Agreed, Disaffected Mar 2020 #17
No worries - He's made it clear that he will support Joe if he is the nominee. aikoaiko Mar 2020 #15
No. Turin_C3PO Mar 2020 #16
Bernie is no Joe Lieberman iwannaknow Mar 2020 #21
If he does, I'm through with him Polybius Mar 2020 #22
 

Skittles

(158,228 posts)
1. he won't go away
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:08 PM
Mar 2020

we are stuck with him

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

TheFarseer

(9,466 posts)
2. Nope
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:12 PM
Mar 2020

Just wants to push his issues for as long as possible, I think.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

showblue22

(1,026 posts)
5. He's a senator.
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:19 PM
Mar 2020

He's not some random person. He has power. Why not get to work, write legislation for his issues and make the care for his colleagues to come on board? Perhaps because it's not as glamorous and he won't have adoring crowds.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Jarqui

(10,432 posts)
3. He knows that if he runs as an independent, it's four more years of Trump.
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:14 PM
Mar 2020

The GOP are not going to vote for a socialist. And many independents won't either.

So it is like the primary: Sanders cannot win at the ballot box as a independent.

If Joe gets the virus and dies .... that may be why Sanders is taking the role of a vulture when he cannot win at the ballot box.

If Sanders gets the virus, it is very serious with his heart condition.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

HarlanPepper

(2,042 posts)
14. You think he really cares though?
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:19 AM
Mar 2020

I get an “if I can’t have it...” vibe from him.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Jarqui

(10,432 posts)
18. I do think he cares. He would not run as an independent against Joe.
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 11:59 AM
Mar 2020

He didn't run as an independent against Hillary. I would after the unfair treatment the DNC gave him in 2016, he was more justified to do so in 2016. But he still didn't.

If this virus takes Joe out and he's still competing ....

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

zackymilly

(2,375 posts)
19. He's not running as an Independent so he can get Democrat money. Bernie is all about Bernie.
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 12:50 PM
Mar 2020

He has already registered to re-run as an Independent for his Senate seat if he doesn't get the nomination.
So in other words, once he loses the Democratic nomination, it's back to being an Independent.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Jarqui

(10,432 posts)
20. He ran for the Democratic nomination because he felt that
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 01:18 PM
Mar 2020

running as an independent would split the vote and give the White House to the GOP. So I find it hard to beat him up on that since it is widely accepted as true.

He doesn't have that issue running for his Senate seat. Arguably, it helps him to run as an independent senator in Vermont.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

TomCADem

(17,719 posts)
4. Many States Have Sore Loser Laws. You Can't Run In a Party Primary...
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:16 PM
Mar 2020

...then take a second bite at the apple by running in the general election as an independent or for another party. Part of it is to protect the primary process. So, you can either run as an independent. Or, you run as a party nominee. Once you choose a path to the general election, you cannot call a mulligan, since it also will confuse voters regarding the role of a primary versus a general election.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Thekaspervote

(34,414 posts)
6. This!! Besides, he doesn't want to work that hard!
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:21 PM
Mar 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Disaffected

(4,998 posts)
13. Good to know,
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:16 AM
Mar 2020

thanks.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Bev54

(11,891 posts)
7. I believe part of his agreement
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:27 PM
Mar 2020

to run under the dem banner he had to agree in writing not to run as a third party.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

RockRaven

(16,146 posts)
8. Regardless of exact internal motive, it is not apparently useful for getting rid of Trump.
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:30 PM
Mar 2020

What is the priority, getting rid of Trump or fulfilling Bernie's internal motivations? Every Bernie supporter must answer this, in light of the following 2 data points (which admittedly I've seen posted on DU and provisionally accepted as plausible, but have not personally investigated myself):
1) to win the nomination on the the first ballot, Bernie needs a 10% margin of victory in each remaining state, or the equivalent.
2) Bernie is not projected (by 538) to win a majority in any of the remaining states.

So what's the point? Bernie and his supporters will say advancing various policy points.... Sounds good on the surface. What is the COST? Disillusioning Bernie supporters from Biden by repetition over time, encouraging them to sit out the general because their guy didn't get the nomination. That path leads to 4 more years of Trump, and a generational, multi-generational, or permanent deviation of reality from the ideals which Bernie claims to aspire to.

If Bernie wants any Americans, ever, to experience the ideals he espouses, his best chance is to do everything to remove Trump in favor of Biden first, and second do everything he can to move winning-Biden towards his personal agenda/ideals.

But that means subsuming "Bernie" to "Bernie's ideas done in another person's name." Can or will he do that?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Hoyt

(54,770 posts)
9. If he gives a damn, he will state at the debate that Biden is the man to beat trump.
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:43 PM
Mar 2020

If he needs to, he can say he hopes Biden does what he can to support programs Sanders’ has been espousing for years.

I don’t see how anything else helps beat trump.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

comradebillyboy

(10,424 posts)
10. With the crowd restrictions resulting from the corona virus
Fri Mar 13, 2020, 11:50 PM
Mar 2020

Bernie can no longer perform for adoring throngs. The limelight has gone away. The thrill is gone. What will Bernie do without his adoring fans to cheer him on? What will be the consolation for the looming humiliation in Florida and the rest of the March 17 primaries?

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Buckeye_Democrat

(15,026 posts)
11. I doubt it!
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 12:16 AM
Mar 2020

After seeing numerous complaints about him in recent weeks for not being a Democrat unless he’s running for President, I considered posting a message that more people here should be thankful that he doesn’t run as an Independent! It would probably guarantee another 4 years of Trump!

Bernie isn’t THAT crazy, for crying out loud.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

SergeStorms

(19,289 posts)
12. There are an abundance of things to worry about right now.
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 12:26 AM
Mar 2020

If I spend all my time being consumed by worry I will get sick, one way or another. Take things as they come. Change things that you have the ability to change, and let the rest go until it's absolutely necessary to act. Worry leads to stress, and stress is a killer.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

Disaffected

(4,998 posts)
17. Agreed,
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:22 AM
Mar 2020

I hesitated for that reason before posting but hadn't seen the possibility mentioned here before and was m/l I guess looking for some reassurance that he won't do it. As others have said, splitting the vote would probably give the win to Trump which would be a calamity we all don't want to contemplate.

The best thing he could do now is drop out after the next debate, if not before (and throw his full support to Biden).

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

aikoaiko

(34,201 posts)
15. No worries - He's made it clear that he will support Joe if he is the nominee.
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:19 AM
Mar 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Turin_C3PO

(15,505 posts)
16. No.
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:20 AM
Mar 2020

I do take him at his word that he won’t do that. Plus, most states have sore loser laws which prevent losers of primaries from getting on the general election ballot.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Joe Biden
 

iwannaknow

(213 posts)
21. Bernie is no Joe Lieberman
Sat Mar 14, 2020, 10:54 PM
Mar 2020
If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
 

Polybius

(17,353 posts)
22. If he does, I'm through with him
Sun Mar 15, 2020, 12:01 AM
Mar 2020

I'll be all-in for Joe.

If I were to vote in a presidential
primary today, I would vote for:
Undecided
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