Can someone give me a serious answer: How does Bernie Sanders win?
I worked on my first political campaign at the age of 8. I became a Ward Committeeman in Philadelphia at the age of 20. I have worked on different political campaigns for people I believed in for decades. And most of them lost.
Now, that didn't blunt my enthusiasm for causes I believed in, but it did teach me to separate my hopes and dreams from my view of reality. And now that I provide funding for a LOT of candidates, I've taken to looking at their prospects in a harsh light: do they have a realistic chance of winning? Because it might make me feel good to support someone who agrees with me on everything, but if the choice is a candidate who agrees with me on most issues who can win, and a candidate who agrees with me on all issues who cannot, I'm going to go with the realistic choice.
Here at DU, we've apparently lurched into a full-on discussion about the prospects for the 2016 Presidential nomination, which currently seems to boil down to Clinton vs. Sanders (despite the hopes of a few, the reality that she really doesn't want to run seems to be sinking in).
As a supporter of Hillary Clinton, I could point to a number of factors which I think support her ability to win the nomination, and to win against most if not all the likely Republican candidates: the 17 million votes she racked up against a very popular and well-known opponent in 2008, her ability to win against Republicans in the 2000 and 2006 Senate races in NY (reminder that NY kept a Republican Senator in office until 1998 and a Republican Governor until 2006), her profile as a US Senator from a major State and as Secretary of State for the Obama administration, and preliminary polling match-ups between her and the Republicans.
Now, I've met and had dinner with Bernie Sanders. He's a nice guy, and I'd be hard-pressed to point to an issue he supports that I oppose. But when I study him as a candidate, I don't see the same strengths. He is:
-Untested: Bernie gets re-elected with about 250,000 votes in one of the most liberal States in the nation. To win the Primary, he will need to prevail in more moderate States with a more conservative bent to the local Democrats. To win the General Election, he will need to win a host of Purple battleground States. We have an electorate which is right now approximately 23% liberal, 34% moderate and 38% conservative (http://www.gallup.com/poll/166787/liberal-self-identification-edges-new-high-2013.aspx). Democrats win by grabbing for Liberals and Moderates; Republicans win by grabbing for Conservatives and Moderates. The more to the fringe the Republican or Democrat is, the more voters the other side can reach for. Now it's possible that the Republicans will nominate Ted Cruz or Ben Cardin, in which can any Democrat might be able to win, but I'm not prepared to go out on that limb. So, what abilities does he have to appeal to enough voters in enough States to pull together 270 EV?
-an self-described socialist: Maybe Americans should be more informed about political labels, and maybe they should have greater awareness of European Social Democracies, but they don't. The more time Bernie has to spend explaining what this means and what it doesn't, the less time he has to take on the Republicans.
-Old (76 on election day): Yes, Hillary is getting up there as well, but Bernie LOOKS old in a way Hillary doesn't and quite frankly in a way Reagan didn't. Doesn't bother me personally, but a lot of voters make decisions on very subjective and peripheral issues.
All that said, I have no objection to his running in the Primaries (and I think you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone else here who does). If he wins the Primary, I'll support him. But I truly don't see a path that show's he's electable. So, what am I missing?
= new reply since forum marked as read
Is quite the hurdle.....do you think the real Democrats will just get out of the way and the entite constituency will overlook that fact?
they are NOT dependable...and just fair weather friends....and that is why I don't make friends with them...unless they like Bernie Sanders....pledges to vote for whomever wins the Primary.
Do you think Bernie won't vote for Hillary Clinton???
truth 
Keep pushing that Third Way corporate propaganda. 
wouldn't want to reveal that now would ya?
ANY true Democrat would answer yes.....
that say we can't say what we really want to say. 
You have to read between the lines or in this case behind the word.
if one bit you.
that is not an oath....that is a promise...
both my Grandparents were lifelong Democrats after voting for FDR!....they would BOTH make that pledge...
I am not bitten sorry....and you are STILL a Left Leaning Independent
want to take that bet?
Holidays, be back later. We can chat then
I just said we will chat later girl friend. Did I misunderstand? I thought we were both girls and good friends, because you constantly talk to me. I mean it's almost like you look for me. Wait, do you have EVERY BODY on DU on ignore except for me? That explains a lot. This is why we can't be best friends. By the way as a recovering gambling addict I don't make bets. Of any kind. 
Please don't respond to me again.
I'll be back in a bit my dear cruel ex best friend.
for whomever wins the Primary.....why can't you get that through your noggin? And no I do not want a date with you either.....but thanks for asking!
then you are not one....you are Indpendent...simple as that...
By the way...I am a Socialist Democrat!
I see no reason for people that like Sanders to throw the towel in just yet.
I wasn't 'ready for Hillary' a year and a half ago, and I still am not.
Is admin asleep at the wheel or what?
Hey you!
I wonder why? How are things with you?
A number of very Serious Responses have been offered, looks to me....
Bernie Sanders vs HRC? Sanders of course, no question! 
well said
Progressive candidates suck.
Blahblahblah.
