As Momentum Continues, Bernie Sanders Shedding Dark Horse Status

[RiverLover]

As Momentum Continues, Bernie Sanders Shedding Dark Horse Status

'Sanders has captured the imagination and support of people looking for a real progressive challenger in the 2016 Democratic primary.'
June 19. 2015



Bernie Sanders has had a good day.

In the lead-up to the 2016 U.S. presidential election, the senator's campaign has been steadily advancing on current frontrunner Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination—and, as several media outlets noted on Friday, his challenge is becoming impossible for her campaign to ignore.

Beyond the overflow crowds that show up to his rallies and the growing support in voter polls, it is Sanders' very status as a dark horse that makes him "uniquely positioned" to do well in the primaries, The Hill's Jonathan Easley explained on Friday.

Easley continued:

"One of the problems that the Sanders surge poses for Clinton is that Democrats say there’s a risk in taking him head on. Doing so could rally his supporters, alienate liberals the Democratic nominee will need in the fall of 2016 and elevate Sanders as a challenger.

... Meanwhile, Sanders has begun sharpening his attacks against Clinton — and she has started to move toward Sanders on at least one issue."

The senator from Vermont also has something of a hometown advantage in the New Hampshire primaries, Easley said, quoting Democratic strategist Ben Bannon that "[a] victory in New Hampshire would scare the hell out of the Clinton people."...

Sanders' biggest challenge will be expanding his base to garner more diversity among his supporters, who are currently mostly young and male, Easley said.

And he may get them. On Friday, the grassroots political initiative Ready to Fight—borne from the now-dormant Ready for Warren campaign—officially endorsed Sanders as its candidate for president. Its founders, Erica Sagrans and Charles Lenchner, wrote in an op-ed for CNN that Sanders' progressive values make him a good fit for those who would have backed Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) had she chosen to run....

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/06/19/momentum-continues-bernie-sanders-shedding-dark-horse-status

I was one Ready For Warren voter who voted to go with Bernie, unless Warren changes her mind. (But I like O'Malley too, it was a hard choice.)

Go Bernie Go!!

[merrily]

1. Best I can tell from Boston, NH is purple, tilting to red. If he can even make a respectable

showing, there, it will be a very good and encouraging sign. If he wins, I'm throwing a party.

[RiverLover]

4. Then I hope you have one helluva party, merrily!

That would be so great.

[merrily]

6. Red, white and blue ballot theme. Dress optional, though blue or red, white and blue preferred.

I inspired myself, LOL!

Maybe I should have it BEFORE the primary, though, to send good vibes.

[grahamhgreen]

47. In 2008, I spoke to a table full of NH conservatives about to be

interviewed for national TV. They asked who I supported, when I said Bernie, every person there agreed they could vote for Bernie.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

2. I'm a Bernie supporter too, but I'm glad O'Malley is in the race.

He's had some good ideas I wouldn't mind seeing Bernie sign on to as well, such as his idea about moving off of fossil fuels entirely by 2050.

[RiverLover]

5. That's definitely in Bernie's wheelhouse...he's got the best pro-environment record in the senate.

Along with Whitehouse of RI, of course.

[merrily]

7. I would have guessed Markey. That's supposed to be his big area of focus.

[RiverLover]

8. He's good too. Here's an article re: Bernie's senate record & ranking from MoJo~

The Democratic presidential primary race got its second major candidate recently, and its first true climate hawk: Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, self-described democratic socialist. Sanders has one of the strongest climate change records in the Senate. In fact, according to rankings released by Climate Hawks Vote, a new super PAC, Sanders was the No. 1 climate leader in the Senate for the 113th Congress that ended in January.

Climate Hawks Vote measures leadership, not just voting records, tabulating actions like bills introduced, speeches given, and so forth. In the 112th Congress, Sanders ranked third behind Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). In the last Congress, he edged out Whitehouse by one point.

"Sanders is very much among the top leaders," says R.L. Miller, founder of Climate Hawks Vote. "He has a record of really strong advocacy for solar in particular." Miller notes that distributed solar, which enables everyone with a solar panel to create their own energy instead of relying on a monopolistic utility company, fits especially well with Sanders' democratic socialist philosophy. It's bad for corporations and good for regular folks who get to own the means of production.

Here are some of the highlights from Sanders' climate and clean energy record:

[daleanime]

3. Great news....

[DCBob]

9. Bernie cetainly fills a void that many Democrats are desperately seeking but..

nation wide, he is still a candidate with limited reach and appeal. There are a few states and cities where he might do well but beyond that he's got little to nothing.

[RiverLover]

10. I think the point of the article is to say to people with your stance, not so fast. Turns out he

has a real shot here.

Even my conservative sister in TX who saw Bernie in an interview on the news liked him, quite a bit! He has greater appeal than what most people would think because he has something most all other candidates lack: AUTHENTICITY.

You can't fake that.

[DCBob]

12. I agree with the article to a point but what I am saying his appeal is limited to certain areas...

which will ultimately result in Hillary winning by a landslide.

[AnnieO]

45. That authenticity is definitely appealing

I know other folks who would be best described as moderates who love Bernie. I'm a moderate who loves Bernie, as well. He definitely hasn't raked in the dough since being in DC, unlike so many others. I think his focus on economic issues is important. People are worried about decent wages, being able to support their families.

[merrily]

14. Then you have no reason to worry, no reason to make sure you post that way whenever you see his name

[DCBob]

16. Who's worried?? I thought this was a discussion forum.

You appear to be the one freaked out.

[merrily]

17. Lively imagination there.

[RufusTFirefly]

26. In case you missed it, today's talking point is

"limited appeal"

From the same people who brought you "bad optics." (Collect and trade 'em!)

[merrily]

27. On the bright side, at least it's not anti-Semitic shit.

[RufusTFirefly]

42. Not yet at least

Prick up your ears for the dog whistle. I'm sure it'll be blowing before long.

[merrily]

43. We've seen it. the Diane Rehm quizzing on dual Israeli and American citizenship.

Translation: Hey, America, have you noticed that this guy with the WASPy sounding surname is a JEW? And not only a Jew, but a Jew with DUAL CITIZENSHIP---ISRAEL--where there are more JEWS than almost anywhere else. Can you really trust him to put America first when ISRAEL is involved?



And, after he told her he does NOT have dual citizenship, she kept asking anyway.

[RufusTFirefly]

44. You're absolutely right. I'd momentarily forgotten that despicable smear. n/t

[sabrina 1]

33. That's true of all of the candidates. But Bernie has the message and the record to show he means

it that all polls show, is the message supported by a majority of Americans, across the political spectrum. Hillary eg, is only appealing to part of the base of the Dem Party. She is unlikely to attract cross over voters, Independents (many of whom left the Dem party BECAUSE of the STatus Quo she represents, Wall St, War etc) AND non-voters, a huge Bloc that Bernie supporters will be going after. She will not get many of them either, for the same reason she won't get the Indy vote.

AND Bernie has a huge, enthusiastic, passionate following over hundreds of thousands of volunteers who will be, and are, going after those demographics for him. So far, it appears to be working and we are only in the first month.

[Yo_Mama]

11. Sanders has a lot of support from non-progressives.

I think he has a lot of potential to make the 2016 presidential race far more politically meaningful.

I am so glad he is doing this.

[sabrina 1]

34. Bernie is getting the support of registered Independent Progressives, who left the Dem party after

2008, approx 10% of what was the base of the Dem Party, plus long time Indies who didn't feel either party represented them.

AND non-voting progressives who simply gave up on a system they felt did not represent them. I'm having success with them once they learn about Bernie. It's actually so easy to volunteer for him because people love his positions on the isssues.

And the base is showing signs of moving in his direction with many front runner supporters now showing up at his rallies, as they realize they have a choice.

He is the most Progressive candidate we've had for a very long time AND with the long, long record to prove it. THAT is the part that is important, due to the disappointment of voters in candidates who SEEMED progressive in the past but turned out not to be once elected.

[Yo_Mama]

38. I have heard conservatives express a lot of support for some of his statements.

At least people who have been voting conservatively.

I think Sanders has a chance in the general election, but even if he never won one state primary cycle, he will still end up affecting politics in this country for the better, because he is talking about broad themes with which a WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE AGREE.

And yes, I agree with your statement about the importance of his long record. Sanders represents a piece of politics which has been dropped out of the mainstream, but WHICH USED TO BE MAINSTREAM.

The policies and theories behind the policy suggestions outlined in this article are not deranged or bizarre - they used to be virtually the underlying consensus, and a big chunk of the underlying consensus between the Republicans and the Democrats in Congress:
http://mic.com/articles/119860/these-are-the-bold-policy-ideas-driving-bernie-sanders-campaign

Neither the average voter on the left nor on the right likes the corporatization/financialization of the economy and the government. It has proven lethal to the interests of the average citizen.

We ought, at a minimum, to reinstate Glass-Steagall, which would involve breaking up the vast banking holding companies.

Many of Bernie's ideas have appeal to 60-70% of the electorate, he's not a flash in the pan, and he has the legislative background and institutional experience to know that these ideas are not crazy.

[90-percent]

13. Bernie resonates with the bottom 99%

We have all become so used to the tepid and self serving DC bubble-speak that when a national politician merely speaks some well reasoned truth's it feels almost revolutionary.

And, unlike hope and change, Bernie has a thirty year track record that substantiates he's the real deal and stands for the interests of both Democracy and the needs of the bottom 99%.

I think Bernie will be the next President of the United States! And he should be!

-90% Jimmy

[merrily]

15. To me, it feels like a well of ice water in the Sahara in August.

It also feels like humanity among thousands of carefully crafted mannequins.

Like honesty in the midst of calculation.

Like common sense.

Like populism.

Like traditional Democrats.

[ctsnowman]

19. Exactly!

[KoKo]

24. .....!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

23. Yes

Bernie is not a one minute wonder he is the real deal!

[Thespian2]

18. My hope for a President Sanders

is quite simple...I think without him in the White House, America is toast...

[Enthusiast]

21. Me too. On the toast thing.

[Enthusiast]

20. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

Thank you, RiverLover!

[RiverLover]

22. Hey Enthusiast!! Thank you for the kick!

It would just be so AMAZING if we could manage to get President Sanders in the WH!!! Someone Standing Up for People again in the WH. Its been a very long time since we've had that...

"Good bye Neoliberals, you've done enough damage. Go away!" is what i want to say in this upcoming election.

[Enthusiast]

46. That's the goal!

[MissDeeds]

25. The news keeps getting better and better

for Bernie.



K&R

[Adrahil]

28. Other than 2 polls in NH, where is this "momentum?"

Im looking over the polls, and other than those two NH polls, Bernie seems exactly where he was before... somewhere in the low-mid teens mostly. I think this "momentum" is mostly spin.

I could be wrong; I've been wrong before, but i just don't see all this supposed momentum.

[RiverLover]

29. Please see

"the overflow crowds" referenced above.

http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/06/01/bullish-bernie-populist-presidential-platform-draws-overflow-crowds

He also has union support.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/06/18/bernie-sanders-draws-union-support-pressing-pensions-issue/

And don't underestimate MoveOn, DFA, & WFP who are now supporting Bernie, with Warren not heeding the call.

[Adrahil]

31. When he cracks 20% nationally, maybe that begins to matter, IMO.

Drawing large enthusiastic crowds doesnt nevcesaarily translate into votes either... Ron Paul always had large, enthusiastic crowds.... Didn't help.

[sufrommich]

41. And Ron Paul charged $17.76 for tickets to his rallies.

He sold 10,000 tickets at the Target Center in Minneapolis and gave another 1000 tickets away for that appearance.

[A Simple Game]

32. Don't let the national polls fool you. Most think of Presidential elections as

National elections, they are not. Presidential elections are actually 50 state elections.

National polls are meaningless.

Bernie wins Iowa and New Hampshire and there will be no stopping his momentum.

[cantbeserious]

30. I Will No Longer Settle For The Lesser Of Two Corporate Evils - Go Bernie Go

eom

[Generic Brad]

35. Sanders appears to want it more than Clinton

He comes off to me as authentic, unfiltered and caring. She seems manufactured, calculated, and aloof. I am not saying that's how they are, but in the early months that is how I am seeing them.

I have no problem with either candidate and I do not question their integrity or ability to do the job. But the Clinton machine is going to come to a grinding halt if she doesn't break away from appeasing focus groups and advisers. It feels to me that Bernie Sanders is leading his campaign and Hillary Clinton is being led by hers.

[azmom]

36. Bernie is changing the game.

We may not have $$$$$$$, but we have the vote. Go Bernie

[RiverLover]

37. Exactly.

If he can stay in the media, that's like free advertising. Who needs $$$ for the fancy slick ads most people can see through now anyways, if they see them at all. Most people DVR & zip right past annoying commercials.

[Yo_Mama]

39. We have the internet, and the $$ will follow. Talk to another person about his ideas

each week. Show that person a couple of things on the internet.

In the last month I have convinced two Republicans to donate to his campaign. Even conservatives think that some of what he is saying is very, very important.

[azmom]

40. Grassroots, that's how we win this thing.

[L0oniX]

48. K & R

[pacalo]

49. K&R.