Obama Can't Win The General Election!

[XemaSab]

It's true! Hillary's top strategist said so!

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22can+obama+win+the+general+election%22&oq=%22can+obama+win+the+general+election%22&aqs=chrome..69i57.8727j0j1&sourceid=chrome&es_sm=91&ie=UTF-8#q=%22obama+can%27t+win+the+general+election%22

[madaboutharry]

1. Remember that!

[jfern]

2. A 1 term black Senator from Chicago

with a name that sounds like Osama? No way can he win!

[XemaSab]

4. With the middle name HUSSEIN

[hifiguy]

3. Gads, that was all over DU in early '08.

Couldn't swing a dead cat w/o hitting a post claiming that.

[wyldwolf]

5. When a groundswell of socialists are identified in key battleground states... and...

.... Sanders follows a very unpopular Republican, let us know.

[artislife]

15. He is following a very unpopular candidate

her name is Clinton.


When you look at the whole voting age public.

[wyldwolf]

17. Not nearly the same thing

[JoePhilly]

6. Now ... for the win ... how did Obama get past that?

What did he do on the ground to win the primary?

By how much did he win the primary?

How does Bernie demonstrate that he would beat anyone the GOP puts forward?

These are important questions.

The fact that Obama was able to overcome that view and win the primary, does not mean anyone can do it.

[wyldwolf]

8. Let's start with...

1. Immensely popular with African-Americans and Latinos.
2. A disastrous Republican presidency behind him.
3. A primary rival who didn't prepare herself for early caucus races.
4. Incredible charisma.

[brooklynite]

11. Add...a hell of a lot of money

...and a fair number of political endorsements.

[JoePhilly]

24. The most important thing he did ... I think ...

... is that during the primary process, he was able to convince people, including lots of folks who liked and supported Hillary, that he would beat any candidate the GOP put forward, just as Hillary would.

With that settled, he was able to eek out the win.

And then from your list, I think #3 was the crucial mistake for Hillary. If she'd have taken those seriously, she'd have won.

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. Damn, I have to take my yard signs down now.

[sadoldgirl]

9. Oh shame, my bumperstickers are stuck!

I suppose I have to paint over them.

[Gothmog]

10. Bernie is no Obama

[artislife]

16. But Hillary is Hillary

and we know there is plenty of time for her to sink her own boat.

[Fumesucker]

18. Yeah, I think Bernie actually means what he says

For instance Bernie has already found his comfortable shoes...

[99Forever]

23. Boom!!!!

[arcane1]

26. Exactly. Bernie actually wears his comfortable shoes, and walks the walk n/t

[brooklynite]

12. Barack Obama raised $778 M in 2008...

...realistically, how much will Bernie Sanders raise?

[restorefreedom]

14. this time is different

social media is taking the place of bullshit ads

this is a revolution. its not about the $, its about the votes.

that is the whole point. money will no longer rule.

[brooklynite]

19. I'm not thinking about ads; I'm thinking about field staff

However well-intentioned a voter is, you don't just assume that they'll show up on election day.

[restorefreedom]

20. he has an army of mobilized people

the are volunteers, so they probably don't officially count as "infrastructure." but they are smart and passionate. i believe gotv will be and has been a big part of his effort.

[Gothmog]

21. I keep asking for an explanation as to how Sanders will be viable in the general election

Sanders does not appear to be viable in a contest where the Kochs will be spending $887 million and the likely GOP nominee will be able to raise another billion dollars. This article had a very interesting quote about the role of super pacs in the upcoming election http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/jul/03/bernie-sanders-grassroots-movement-gains-clinton-machine

Harvard University professor Lawrence Lessig, who founded a Super Pac to end Super Pacs, said Sanders’ renouncing Super Pacs is tantamount to “bringing a knife to a gunfight”.

“I regret the fact the Bernie Sanders has embraced the idea that he’s going to live life like the Vermont snow, as pure as he possibly can, while he runs for president, because it weakens his chances – and he’s an enormously important progressive voice,” Lessig said.

President Obama was against super pacs in 2012 but had to use one to keep the race close. I do not like super pacs but any Democratic candidate who wants to be viable has to use a super pac, The super pacs associated with Clinton raised $24 million and so Clinton raised $70 this quarter.

[restorefreedom]

25. it is not about the money

this is happening by social media and networking.

romney had money too and he lost.

this is a people's revolution. we should not expect it to conform to typical election behavior.

he gets the votes, he wins. period.

[Gothmog]

27. I live in the real world where money is still important

Good luck in selling this concept to voters who understand how elections works. I do not believe in magical twitter accounts and magical youtube videos that can offset $400 million of negative ads using poll tests terms such as socialist and socialism. The terms "socialist" and "socialism" test poorly already in polls and these terms will be radioactive after $400 million of negative ads.

[restorefreedom]

29. the socialist bugaboo is over

and as far as whether or not money is important, just look at the success Bernie's had so far and so quickly without any debates or advertising. After the debates and if he's gonna start spending some of his money on ads, it's only going to get better. Plus hillary keeps sinking and once she debates Bernie, her number is going to drop like a stone.

[Bonobo]

13. Polling shows an Islamic name is the LEAST likely name to win a general election!

"It's not that I have a problem with him being a black, muslim socialist who may not have been born in America, but I don't think America will vote for him!"

[SouthernProgressive]

22. I have seen many here say the same about Clinton. It's simple posturing.

One person who is on a timeout said it about Clinton four or five times a day. Political posturing is what it is. Sanders can't win in the general. There you go. Does that make me any different than those saying Hillary can't win in the general? Advisors posture. It's not even close to new.

[stevenleser]

28. 92% of Americans at the time said they would vote for a black candidate. 50% now say no to Socialist

candidate.

That's the empirical data regarding the point you are trying to make.