New: Warren, Sanders allies scramble to find her an exit ramp

[Dennis Donovan]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/warren-to-think-through-her-future-top-aide-says/2020/03/04/bf7d20ca-5e38-11ea-9055-5fa12981bbbf_story.html

By Annie Linskey and Sean Sullivan

March 4, 2020 at 6:49 p.m. EST

DETROIT — Top surrogates and allies of Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are discussing ways for their two camps to unite and push a common liberal agenda, with the expectation that Warren is likely to leave the presidential campaign soon, according to two people familiar with the talks.

The conversations, which are in an early phase, largely involve members of Congress who back Sanders (I-Vt.) reaching out to those in Warren's camp to explore the prospect that Warren (D-Mass.) might endorse him. They are also appealing to Warren's supporters to switch their allegiance to Sanders, according two people with direct knowledge of the conversations who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss delicate discussions that are supposed to be confidential.

The whirlwind of activity reflects the rapid changes in a Democratic primary that is still very much in transition. As late as Tuesday, many Warren allies believed she would stay in the race until the Democratic convention, despite her poor showing to date in the primaries, in hopes of retaining her clout and influencing the eventual nominee.

But after Warren's bleak performance in the Super Tuesday primaries, her associates, as well as those of Sanders and former vice president Joe Biden, say she is now looking for the best way to step aside. There is no certainty she will endorse Sanders or anyone else, but the talks reflect the growing pressure on the senator from Massachusetts to withdraw.

</snip>

[turbinetree]

1. Amazing.........................her citizen allies (voters) hold the keys

and they know it and she knows it................without us they are in trouble.

[Dennis Donovan]

4. Senator Warren is sorta their "Obi-Wan" at this point

[turbinetree]

11. If the Democratic primary discussion page is an indication of her having 19%.................

then those two men have a problem one has 25% and the other has 13%...................that's 19% just on this site, and in each state depending on what she got in votes in these primary elections......................that total adds up...........................this is problem and she really does hold the keys..................

[sandensea]

16. That's all good and well - as long as they remember who the enemy is here:

[IADEMO2004]

24. eeeuuuu!!! fugly

[sandensea]

25. On the outside, and in.

A symptom of the worst in us, as someone once put it.

And of poorly-treated STDs.

[blm]

35. This story is bullshit and

Planted to pressure Warren.

[turbinetree]

48. Yepper spot on....................

[gldstwmn]

22. Yep. Yelling at her to get off the stage

ain't gonna cut it.

[DURHAM D]

2. Posted this a few minutes ago but didn't bring over the text.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/1287631098

Thanks for posting this. I am not sure that Warren is actually involved in this discussion. Looks to me like it is driven by Sander's camp.

I think Warren should remain neutral.

[Dennis Donovan]

8. She's in an unenviable position.

Sanders and Warren are more ideologically aligned than any other two candidates this cycle. But, there's Biden's momentum (and his significant backing). And consideration of her place in the Democratic Party moving forward from her decision.

Frankly, I wouldn't want to be in her position right now.

[Blue_true]

20. She truly is in a tough spot now. She missed her window by

not clearly distinguishing the differences between her and Sanders early on.

I doubt that she has any real clout left. Many of her voters voted for Biden yesterday and I don't see those people going to Sanders. She may lift him in close blue states, but there is only one of those left, Michigan. But the African American vote is going to be massive in Michigan and we already see who is most likely to pick that up.

Honestly, she should just stay in, but the issue may be that she is running out of money.

[blm]

3. "her associates, as well as those of Sanders and Joe Biden..."

Sanders supporters are pushing this story.

[pnwmom]

7. Yes, I also think this is being pushed by Sanders people. n/t

[Iliyah]

5. Members of congress? . . .

must be the House.

[Blue_true]

26. She has two House supporters, Alana Pressley and Katie Porter, but

their states voted yesterday. Also, it looks like African American voters in Massachusetts went heavily for Biden, so that creates a problem for Pressley if she supports Sanders. Porter is increasingly under the influence of Nancy Pelosi, I don't see her crossing Pelosi up to back Sanders.

[blm]

32. This didn't come from Warren's side. This story is so planted

by Sanders camp that I expect a beanstalk to sprout.

[Blue_true]

38. That figures. Real cutthroat stuff. nt

[RandySF]

6. If DU is any indication

Not every Warren supporter out there was necessarily a potential Sanders voter. People to not fit into neat lanes based on policy.

[DURHAM D]

9. She was my second choice and BS is at the very bottom of my list.

I think the pundits have it 100% wrong that if she drops out they will turn to Sanders.

[blm]

10. Most every Warren supporter I know can't stand the Sanders campaign

And, especially, its hate-filled lie machine that lives on the internet.

[octoberlib]

13. This is my experience as well.

[DURHAM D]

14. Same. nt

[BeyondGeography]

47. I hope she stays away and makes it clear why

I agree with Bernie on many things, but the culture of divisiveness that he has done nothing to suppress is bad for the party and something I cannot support, eg. She has taken mountains of abuse just for being on the ballot yesterday; Saagar Enjeti (Krystal Ball’s water carrier) said today it proved she was a fake all along. Now that Warren’s looking to exit, Bernie says he’s disgusted with the abuse. Please don’t fall for it, EW.

[octoberlib]

12. They aren't. In my NC women's Democratic group on FB a majority supported Warren

and only a couple said they'd vote for Sanders if she dropped out. Her big mistake was allying herself with Sanders. His surrogates have been dragging her through the mud since day one.

[Blue_true]

31. She made a big mistake by not differentiating from Sanders very early. nt

[we can do it]

39. Definitely not this one.

[sheshe2]

15. She is my Senator.

I supported her. I switched to Biden, she no longer has a path. BS was never on my radar. I know many that feel the same.

[blm]

17. This story sounds planted

No doubt to pressure her.

Sounds like a pile of horseshyt, to me.

[DURHAM D]

18. Yep. Annie Linskey who broke this in the Washington Post was

just on CNN. She was slippery but did say that this story came from members of Congress who support Bernie and they have been trying to get other members of congress who support Elizabeth to join them. Annie actually said that the Warren team/staff is not talking with Sanders people.

[sheshe2]

23. The squad. nt

[Blue_true]

36. How did African American voters in Massachusetts vote?

My sense is that Pressley would be making a mistake to back Sanders. I don't see Katie Porter backing him, she is a Warren disciple, but she seems to be under Speaker Pelosi' wing now. Porter in particular would be taking a big risk to support Bernie given that she could have two shots at a US Senate seat from California (if Harris becomes VP and in 2024 when the Senior Senator from Cali calls it quits), if she backs Bernie, she alienates a lot of powerful people in Cali.

[sheshe2]

41. Pressley distanced herself from the squad when she endorsed Warren.

NO,Not Porter.

AOC, Omar and Tlaib are the ones that endorsed Sanders and were members of the 'squad'.

[blm]

42. All Talk. Not gonna happen.

[blm]

28. Just as I thought. Smelled from the headline down.

[Andy823]

19. Hello she

By son has been for Warren from the beginning. He voted for her, and he would never vote for Sanders, period! He will vote blue no matter who it is in the general, but he can see what is happening, and wants Biden now. He knows Warren can't win.

[sheshe2]

27. Hey Andy.

Breaks my heart she did not do better. Women, strong talented women get left behind. *sigh*

I hope that cycle stops in my lifetime.

Kudos to your son.

[tarheelsunc]

21. If there's really a such thing as a unity ticket, it's clearly Biden-Warren. eom

[chia]

29. That's exactly the ticket I'm hoping for

[FreeState]

30. So Bernie is interfering with the primaries to stop Warren?

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=620075

[blm]

33. These stories are SO planted.

[FM123]

34. Maybe it could be as simple for her as it is for me.....

When the time comes - as a Democrat I will support the Democrat.

[Blue_true]

37. When does you state vote? Mine is Florida on the 17th. nt

[FM123]

45. Hey Fellow Floridian!

Yep, March 17th is the date.

[Blue_true]

46. Hi

[napi21]

40. Well, let me add 2 more to the list who would go to Joe not Bern, When I heard the talking

heads all babbling about Liz leaving and joining Bernie, I yelled at the TV "just what makes you think that JA?"

[W_HAMILTON]

43. If Sanders said what Warren claims he said, she should not endorse him.

She wants to beat Trump, and I think deep down she knows that Sanders is not the candidate that will do that. She also wants to unite the party, and I think she also knows that endorsing Sanders will only further that divide.

I think her best bet is to not endorse anyone. I don't really see any upside in it for her. The only thing I can think of is her possibly getting Sanders to guarantee her a spot as the vice presidential nominee on the ticket and her believing that in doing so, she can be the one to unite the non-Sanders majority of the party.

[thesquanderer]

44. If Joe's smart, he's talking to her too. (n/t)