Are Warren and Merkley trying to help Bernie end his presidential bid?

[riversedge]

Discussion for the weekend.


Are Warren and Merkley trying to help Bernie end his presidential bid?

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2016/04/22/1518864/-Are-Warren-and-Merkley-trying-to-help-Bernie-end-his-presidential-bid



By motocat
Friday Apr 22, 2016 · 1:42 PM CST


Interesting bit of reporting at the Willamette Weekly published today.

On Thursday, Beltway website Politico ran an item quoting an anonymous "Democratic insider" saying that Senators were trying to "nudge" Sanders out of the race. The article named two: Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Merkley. "More likely," the item says, "is a joint effort by Senators Warren and Merkley to help Bernie 'land his plane' with dignity and maximum concessions by Hillary on issues and convention programming."

Willamette Weekly followed up with Merkley’s office who politically stated in their response:

(they) did not take issue with Politico's characterization, but emphasized that the race will continue.

..........

[Thinkingabout]

1. I like the "land his plane" with dignity.

[Hortensis]

14. I like negotiations among a group of leaders

whose principles and goals we respect. It's hard for me to imagine anything but good could come out of a conclusion satisfactory to all.

[Thinkingabout]

20. Yes, leaders negotiate.

[Vincardog]

2. Is the primary over?

[Codeine]

3. It's been over.

Some people are just slower on the uptake than others.

[Vincardog]

4. So we can all get behind Bernie now. Good.

[leftinportland]

5. I have yet to vote

So it is not over for me!

[Codeine]

9. Neither have I.

But I was taught arithmetic as a child, so the outcome is perhaps less mysterious to me than it is for some.

[leftinportland]

13. I value my vote

and the message it sends to our Democratic Party Leadership.

[seabeyond]

10. Yes. It has been for a while.

[astrophuss42]

6. Willamette What What?

The Willamette Week has been petty and trolly for the last few years, despite producing some great material before that. Losing 80% of the staff created an echo chamber. My trust in their political prowess = nil.

[Lizzie Poppet]

17. "We're Lame and Weak"

That rag's been useless for years now.

[Silver_Witch]

7. Yet another story by the HRC Supporters

I doubt that Warren is trying to help anyone "land a plane", let alone Bernie...

Warren just said in March,

"“What I’m glad to see is what’s happening right now, and that is that the Democrats are out talking about the issues,” Warren said in an interview with CBS in mid-March. “I think it makes it very distinct what happens between our side and what’s happening over on the other side. They’re doing some kind of reality show, we’re out here trying to talk about the issues that affect the American people.”

And, not only has Warren not embraced Clinton, she has been a thorn in the front-runner's side for much of the 2016 race. Her allegations that campaign contributions from the banking industry changed Clinton's mind about the need to overhaul bankruptcy laws became a talking point for Sanders during a debate earlier this year.

Why would either Merkley or Warren ask him to stop? The primary is over in June - that is soon enough to end the primary. We don't need to stop before the last primary! Thta is what WE DEMOCRATs call DEMOCRACY.

[riversedge]

12. There are so few Hillary supporters stories compared to those posted by

Bernie fans here on DU.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. Crazy talk.

For a hundred thousand reasons but the main one is:

No promise of concessions on anything coming from that source is worth the proverbial paper it's written on.

If people didn't learn anything else new this presidential cycle.... they must have at least learned that.

[CrowCityDem]

11. There is a time when the good fight becomes an ugly one. Bernie should realize this.

By next Wednesday morning, the math will be so overwhelming that continuing to fight on will not be helping the party anymore. It will be needlessly taking time and resources away from the general election. There was nothing wrong with Bernie fighting as long as he had a realistic chance. He doesn't anymore, and he needs to, as painful as it is, come to terms with it. He will do far more good for himself if he pulls back, works to make sure Hillary wins, and gains a voice in the party that will be running Washington.

[MoonRiver]

15. I can see why he stays in until after Tuesday.

He still has money and a fighting chance, albeit just barely. If, come Tuesday, he loses as badly as predicted by polls, I think he will drop out.

[CrowCityDem]

16. The time would be right.

When we're nearly three-quarters of the way through, he's trailing by a massive number of delegates, and can only point to the anomaly of Michigan to show he can appeal to the diversity of the Dem coalition, there's no good argument to be made for soldiering on. He would be able to get more of a say in the platform by letting this move on to the general election, than he would be dragging it out for another two months.

[jillan]

18. Did you NOT read the article? LOL!!! This is typical read the headline, don't read the article BS!!

The part that you left out!!

There are a number of key primaries coming, including Oregon’s, with millions of Americans enthusiastic about voting for Senator Sanders, and Senator Merkley will do what he can to help Senator Sanders deliver his message for bold approaches to tackling our big challenges. He’s confident that Democrats can continue competing over the vision and policies that are best for the country, and then come together when it’s over to support the nominee. We’re lucky to have two strong candidates, and Senator Merkley believes that the supporters of both will recognize that coming together to prevent a Trump or Cruz presidency, built on demonizing immigrants, inflaming grievances, and protecting the privilege of those who are best off, is central to our shared values and priorities.

Nice try!

[aikoaiko]

19. Bernie needs to stay in a campaign hard for every vote and every delegate.

Because there will be assholes who will use every non-Bernie vote as evidence as a failure of the ideas and goals he represents.

Bernie has 45% of the pledged votes and 43% of the popular vote. The party needs to respect every Sanders vote.