None of the Republican candidates mentioned Bernie Sanders at all tonight.

[moobu2]

They nearly all mentioned Hillary, some several times. They criticised and attacked her and said they had what it takes to beat her in the general etc... but not anything at all about Bernie. You think they're in with the corporate media to blackout Bernie? lol just kidding. It's because none of them think Bernie has a chance in hell to win. The same reason cable news isn't all that excited about Bernie. It isn't an elaborate conspiracy. It's just reality outside the BS bubble.

Yeah, we watched the clown show for laughs.

[neverforget]

1. The Clinton name is a great fundraiser for the Republicans. nt.

[moobu2]

2. Well, they know she's going to be their only competition.

[Number23]

4. That is also very true.

[Number23]

3. That is very true.

[HerbChestnut]

5. They also echoed her views on foreign policy for much of the night.

[Live and Learn]

6. +10,000 nt

[BlueMTexpat]

27. Can you give links to how their statements

echo her views?

If not, please stop with this BS.

[valerief]

7. None of them want to go against Bernie, because he'll eat them for lunch. nt

[moobu2]

8. OMG are you in for a major disappointment when that bubble pops.

[NorthCarolina]

17. Funny that

polls show only Bernie defeats all Republicans with comfortable margins. They know who they want to run against, and they know why. They are using the same tactic as Clinton supporters, and the corporate media, carpetbomb the Hillary brand as if she is the only Democratic Party contender in an attempt to improve her lot with voters by making Bernie seem non-existent and unimportant.

I predict this lame tactic will ultimately fail.

[JaneyVee]

22. Actually, new polls show he loses to Rubio and others...

And Rubio may be their nominee.

[MADem]

9. Every single one of the GOP Clown Car passengers believes they could beat Sanders easily and that

he will not be the nominee.

They do their own internal polling, too.

The tough competitor is Clinton. She is the formidable adversary, and everyone knows it.

I watched it too--I especially enjoyed the vicious sniping and squabbling where they all started screaming at one another, amid calls for calm from the sidelines! What a bunch of petty shitheels!

[AgingAmerican]

37. They are scared shitless of him

Their internal polling tells them to hide from him

[MADem]

48. I rather doubt that. You believe that if you'd like, though. nt

[AgingAmerican]

49. Its obvious

To any unbiased person.

[MADem]

50. No, it's not. And if you believe that, that is suggestive of bias.

[Jamaal510]

10. HC serves

as a convenient boogeyman for the GOP to motivate their base. She is more well-known and has been at the forefront on the fight against the GOP for years, plus she has a much higher chance at becoming our nominee.

[bvf]

11. !

"It's because none of them think Bernie has a chance in hell to win."

Sounds like you're putting some stock in what Republican candidates have to say (even by their silence), doesn't it?

Me, I don't really don't give a fig what's on the collective mind of the Clown Car. YMMV.

[southerncrone]

12. Bernie's becoming "he whose name shall not be spoken".

[NCTraveler]

19. So no change. Nt

[Eric J in MN]

13. In the Democratic debates, the candidates didn't mention Jeb Bush

...or Ben Carson or Marco Rubio.

The early evening shows of the broadcast networks (CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, and ABC World News) gave Jeb Bush 56 minutes, Ben Carson 54 minutes, and Marco Rubio 22 minutes.

They gave Bernie Sanders 10 minutes.

Media Matters re CBS Evening News, NBC Nightly News, and ABC World News
http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/12/11/abc-world-news-tonight-has-devoted-less-than-on/207428

[Cha]

14. Wow.. you watched that?! lol.. scary stuff.

[VanillaRhapsody]

15. Cuz they don't sweat Bernie

The flames arent hot....they don't feel the Bern....

[workinclasszero]

32. "they don't feel the Bern"

Not many do it seems.

[VanillaRhapsody]

39. absolutely...

the "berners" just do not get it yet...

[restorefreedom]

16. they have come out and said they are itching to run against hillary

commentators, even the candidates themselves. they know she can't win a ge so they want to accept the msm meme that she is inevitable for the nom.

bernie will get indys and crossover votes and beat any of them. they do not want to run against him so why remind people that he exists?

[NCTraveler]

18. Give it time.

He doesn't have name recognition. They aren't familiar with him.

[Historic NY]

30. Four of his fellow Senators know him.......

Cruz, Rubio, Graham, Paul. Perhaps its his aloofness in the Senate that is part of his problem.

[JaneyVee]

20. BERNIE BLACKOUT! UNACCEPTABLE!

[99Forever]

21. Turned on a morning show to check on the road conditions...

... Crisp Crispie was on their talking how we should shoot down Russian aircraft.

Yeah, these are some brilliant minds we should listen to!

Yeah, I really give a flying fuck what those fucking bozos have to say. Sure glad you do tho.

[ismnotwasm]

23. My husband watched that shit

He said 'They keep talking about Obama and Hillary" --They even brought up the emails--Jesus you'd think they'd be embarrassed but, of course not.

[Thinkingabout]

28. Good point, no emails.

[whatthehey]

24. Prediction: None of the Dems will mention Kasich on Saturday.

If any Reps are mentioned it will be either Trump or Cruz. The reasons being the same. It's nothing to do with respect or fear or oppo research or preference. It's the same reason you don't see the Patriots talking about the Kansas City Royals.

[jeff47]

25. Yes, Clinton is a fantastic motivation to get out their base.

They have spent 20 years building her up as Satan incarnate to their base. Of course they're going to mention her.

And it's also why almost every single Republican and Republican-leaning independent will vote in November if she's the nominee...against her.

She's fantastic for motivating the Republicans.

[kenfrequed]

35. Exactly.

She has been the Republicans paper-boogie woman since 1994 at least. The hate they have generated for her is literally multi generational.

Who would be easier to run against?

With Bernie they can't as easily rally their base and it will take longer to get them motivated against them. Also some of those that listen to him might change their minds about who is responsible for what is wrong with the country and switch.

Additionally the Republican candidate is garaunteed to be a ridiculous clown that moderate conservatives are going to roll their eyes at. If they have the Hillary hate going on they will justify voting for a moron by saying "Im voting against Hillary."

Of course trying to explain it to Hillary supporters here is like trying to explain what was wrong with Lieberman.

[beam me up scottie]

44. Only the op could spin hatred for Hillary into a good thing for Hillary.

[think]

26. There is no motivation to discuss single payer healthcare, climate change, & income inequality.

Unless they are forced to....

[Thinkingabout]

29. They tried to ditch her foreign policy, the only one who can be in the same

Category as Hillary is Lindsey Graham and they are not letting him on the stage with the big clown show. He would wipe the stage on the subject of foreign policy.

[workinclasszero]

31. Why mention a non-factor?

Hillary is the one democrat the rethuglicans fear and loathe.

Deep down in the lump of coal they have for a heart, they know she is gonna kick their asses nationwide in the GE!

[kenfrequed]

33. They don't want to run against him.

They all want to desperately run against Hillary. They have seen the polling numbers and they all know she would be easier to beat than Bernie.

[MoonRiver]

34. That's because he is no threat to them.

I love Bernie but he's going no further than the esteemed Senator from Vermont,

[AgingAmerican]

36. They are scared of him

As is the corporate world

[kenfrequed]

38. The same reason Democrats mention Donald Trump all the time

He is the person that most Democrats consider the easiest to defeat. Pump up his numbers with name recognition and keep the conversation on Trump. If he wins the nom then he is easier to defeat. If he loses then you have painted the entire party in shades of Trump.

It is remarkable to me that the supposed reasonable pragmatists that are supporting Hillary because they say she has the best chance seem completely unable to see this basic campaigning strategy.

[moobu2]

40. I thought it was more telling

that they didn't even mention Bernie Sanders one time.

[kenfrequed]

41. Did you read what I just said?

Or were you just going to repeat your OP without interfacing with what I posted?

You name drop the person you want to run against in the opposing party or you name drop the person that you think will rile up your base the most.

[moobu2]

43. Or you dont mention someones name you know isn't going to be any competition.

[kenfrequed]

45. Wow...

You aren't even here to discuss it are you?

You just plan on repeating the same robotic talking point ad infinitum right?



As a Democrat I am more than happy to paint the GOP with the Don-Don broadbrush (since they are xenophobic, homophobic, sexist, trickle down, plutocratic bastards in their heart of hearts).

It is basic strategy. Somehow though, you seem to be of the opinion that they don't do it. Let me tell you again.

*spoken loudly though a megaphone*
The republicans do not want to run against Bernie Sanders
*microphone off*

If they did they would be mentioning his name a lot because they would want to increase his name recognition and media profile.

[moobu2]

47. They dont bother to mention Bernie Sanders name because

Bernie's very close to a non-issue. That's why the republicans never mentioned him last night and is why the media isn't fawning all over him like they were at one time. The Republican candidates know who they'll be running against and it ain't Bernie...get it now? You can make up any wild story you like in order to continue living in denial if you want to but facts are facts.

[comradebillyboy]

42. First the news media boycott Bernie and now

the Republican candidates are so afraid of Bernie they all conspire to not mention him in their debate. They all mentioned Hillary but not Bernie, how suspicious is that? It's a conspiracy I tell ya.

[kenfrequed]

46. No...

It is basic strategy.

You mention and name drop the candidate you want to run against in the generals. You do it because you want them to have the most hits on search engines and the most media prominence. You always talk down the person on the opposite side that seems craziest or who excites your base. You get to paint your opposition with that candidate.

No one really thinks that Donald Trump is going to be the republican candidate we are up against but we try to pump him up and paint the republicans with his excremental fascistic ramblings because it further damages their ludicrous party.

Basic. Campaign. Strategy.

Not a conspiracy.

[Thinkingabout]

51. Ann Coulter is pulling for Sanders, I wonder why.