Particularly since Sanders is not actully running for the Presidential nomination. He campaigns now not to gain the Democratic Party's nomination for President, but to weaken if not wreck the 'Democratic Establishment'. For 'Bernie', ousting Trump and ending the Republican majority in the Senate is barely an afterthought to this long-standing purpose. Once Sanders' supporters face this fact squarely, they may be able to decide honestly what their best course in this election is: voting against 'Bernie' in any future primary, and for Mr. Biden and Democrats all down the ticket to the lowest office on the ballot come November.

It is probably true that Sanders sees destroying the 'Democratic Establishment' as an essential precondition to defeating Trump et al, and so by his own lights he means it when he says he will do all he can to defeat Trump. But that belief is so self-serving and delusional it deserves not just scorn but contempt.

As with Trump, the only real cure is to deprive the man of the oxygen of worshipful attention. The effect would be that of a bucket of water on the wicked witch of Oz....





"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

As usual, we expect the primaries to end on DU when they end in the real world. That means when there is either only one candidate left standing, or when there are no more contests remaining and the delegate math indicates the presumptive nominee. If our opinion on that changes, we'll let you all know.

The 2008 primary was stopped well short of the convention. But that was a while ago, and my memory may be hazy. In any case at present there is only one Democrat remaining in the race.

I was a moderator here then, and seem to recall the contest was called here somewhat in advance of the convention, even of the final primaries. I acknowledge it was a while back, and my recollection may be too hazy to be worth much. The longer this sort of wrangle goes on, the more embittered both sides become, and the more sweeping the purge that ensues....

Hooboy, I sure don't envy you! I was posting on WaPo back then, and all hell broke loose there as well. We sure kept those moderators busy handing out cooling-off time-outs!

One thing that is striking just glancing at that 2008 Dem primary delegate map I just posted...it makes one wonder just how the hell Obama won the nomination. That just shows you what a political genius Plouffe is.

I remember very early in the Dem primaries, mighta been right after Iowa, a spreadsheet that he kept inadvertently leaked out. Trump can't think 5 minutes ahead of time, but Plouffe had mapped out the entire Dem primary race months ahead of schedule and had projected numbers for every single primary and caucus. I kept it handy and followed it closely as the months passed, and I'll be damned if he didn't nail most of them to a T.

I said it before and I'll say it again...Biden needs to hire this guy for the general election campaign. No ifs, ands or buts.

I would like to see Mr. Biden do that too, Sir, along with hiring any member of Mr. Bloomberg's media team he can get. Those people came up with a new wrinkle for disseminating propaganda that made Facebook change a rule to cope with it, and that impresses the Hell out of me.

The New York Times reported on June 5, 2008 that Hillary Clinton was dropping out (she officially ended her bid on June 7).

Skinner posted a message on DU on June 5 indicating that we were transitioning to general election season on June 11:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6285770

As I have said, I was not certain of my recollection. It was a good time back, and things got very heated. The side that is losing tends to bear the brunt of enforcement in such situations, as it becomes more heated and shrill with the deterioration of their side's prospects.

I appreciate your looking into the records.

And dramatic.

I could never do stuff like this. I think you must really enjoy it.

Thank you!

Why we celebrating red states deciding Democratic candidates?

When in 2016 'Bernie' won any number of 'red states', often with mere caucus votes.

Is it not the continual cry of "Bernie' advocates that every vote is to be cast and counted, or people are disenfranchised? The fact is those states are disadvantaged at the convention in their delegate allotments. What do you want? Do you think it would be better if only the large 'blue states' voted? The bare plurality squeaker 'Bernie' managed in California would avail him not at all, compared to Illinois and the certain result of New York. 'Bernie' would not have won anything but a caucus in Nevada, either.




"From Bernie’s perspective, dropping out of a race once you have no chance of winning is peculiar behavior that can only be explained by the work of a hidden hand. For most politicians, though, it is actually standard operating procedure. Only Sanders seems to think the normal thing to do once voters have made clear they don’t want to nominate you is to continue campaigning anyway."





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

it worked in 2008?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Results_of_the_2008_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries#/media/File:2008_Democratic_Primaries_Popular_Vote.svg

I don't think that's a big Republican demographic...

I will say that Biden seems like he is well on the way to being the nominee.

And, I've got to admit that, as much as I like Bernie's platform, and I do, I think Biden is our best candidate in the face of the pandemic and economic crash.

Now if it was Warren still standing against Biden and not Sanders, I'd be singing a different tune. But for me, between Biden and Bernie, Biden inspires more trust. I think Biden can juggle the conflicting priorities you have in a crisis like this. I do not think Bernie can. I know Warren could.

Professor Warren has what it takes to be a great President. She has shown she can get reforms through Congress, and has the rare ability to explain complex matters simply so that people with little or no background on the subject can readily understand them.