Was Bernie always more of a "caucus" candidate?

[kentuck]

He never did that well in the primaries.

He gained traction by organizing his base for caucus turnouts. He was able to win several caucuses and it gave a false reading of his overall popularity? Maybe so?

Several states where Bernie won big changed to a primary system and Bernie does not do as well in a primary.

I think that is a reality that Bernie supporters should accept as a possibility.

[George II]

1. He only won two states with closed primaries. All others were caucuses or open primaries.

[LaurenOlimina]

6. He'll never do it.

...and you will never understand why.

[ehrnst]

8. I understand why he won't just fine.

He wouldn't suspend his campaign even if he was in ICU.

[LaurenOlimina]

11. Or had a heart attack...

[TexasTowelie]

12. Or a fall.

[NurseJackie]

14. Ouch!

[beachbumbob]

3. Ideologues can take over caucuses and small state primaries

and larger state if there is an apathetic democratic voter base

[Gothmog]

4. The decline in sanders turnout numbers amuses me

Link to tweet

[Thekaspervote]

9. Sanders knows this and knows he won't win... yet he continues. Why?

[ehrnst]

10. If it was about us, not him, he would.

But he won't.

[el_bryanto]

18. Hey New York Time has an interesting story this week

About how working class Americans's lives have gotten more and more tough under both Trump (who I will definitely vote against) and previous neo-liberal policies. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/03/06/opinion/working-class-death-rate.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

Worth looking at for why Sanders might want to continue his challenge.

Bryant

[ehrnst]

22. I think that if was about "Us not Him" he would have quit after his heart attack

and put his full support behind Warren.

Sanders is challenging Biden. Both are working to overturn the damage Trump is doing.

How does that article promote Bernie over Biden on anything?

What "neoliberal policies" are you referring to?

[ehrnst]

24. The ACA was a serious and successful push for health care reform. Look it up....

When a building is on fire you don't throw a few cups and call it a day - you use a firehose - while yes, Obama and Clinton were better than the people they ran against, they made few improvements - making life harder and harder for the working class.

How did Clinton and Obama "make life harder and harder for the working class?" Obama (with Pelosi) got millions covered by health care that were not previously covered or coverable. Perhaps one who is privileged enough not to have been one of those people, one might dismiss the ACA as a "Few cups of water.."

Perhaps if one is a straight white male, one has the privilege necessary that many improvements in the Obama era didn't affect you directly, but that doesn't mean they didn't exist.

Hillary (with Ted Kennedy) actually got free health care into existence for working class and low income kids with CHIP. What has Bernie done to equal that? Perhaps if one has the privilege to not have been one of those kids, one didn't see that health care reform, but that didn't mean it doesn't exist.

[dansolo]

16. You forgot VT

He got barely over 50% in his own state

[LaurenOlimina]

5. You are correct.

[DownriverDem]

7. His ceiling

is in the 30s. He's not a true Dem. His supporters prove they aren't either.

[MineralMan]

15. Yes. Almost certainly.

Since most caucuses actually have statistically small turnouts, it's much easier to flood a caucus with supporters than it is to flood a primary election. That happened here in Minnesota in 2016, when we still used caucuses to determine delegates to the Democratic convention. Sanders supporters turned out in large numbers at the caucus meetings, including the one in my precinct. I was the caucus convener and chair. The result was clear even before the vote. Many of the Sanders supporters wore Sanders campaign gear. There's no rule against electioneering in caucuses. Sanders won 60/40.

Later, at our state's primary election, presidential candidates were on the ballot, too, although it didn't count. Hillary won in that useless primary, 60/40.

Flooding of caucuses with a candidate's supporters is one of the reasons that caucuses should be eliminated for delegate selection in presidential primary races. They are unfair and inaccurate.

[OnDoutside]

28. Similar in some ways to how Jeremy Corbyn got elected Labour Party leader .... sudden influx of

members when they reduced the membership fee to about $15. The Corbynistas took advantage of the stupidity.

[Amishman]

17. Intensity of supporters does not equal depth of support

Over time that intensity can become a negative.

My choice in 2016 was Bernie. I berned out and want stability and incremental progress now.

[highplainsdem]

19. I thought that was always obvious.

[LanternWaste]

20. I think Bernie's messaging...

" fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth"

[LiberalFighter]

21. In 2016

Caucuses or Primaries won (Clinton - Sanders)

Closed Primaries (12-1)
Open Primaries (9-5)
Modified Primaries (5-4)
Closed Caucuses (4-5)
Open Caucuses (2-5)
Modified Caucuses (0-2)

[Happy Hoosier]

25. Yes....

he has a passionate, but narrow base. He was never in a position to get majority support of the party, and never will be. The Progressives had a much better standard bearer in Liz Warren, but the cult of personality around Sanders killed her run.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

26. Yes. He always attracted activists and enthusiasts, the people who

not only attended caucuses but dominated them. Fortunately, caucuses are going the way of the button hook.

[samnsara]

27. Washington state has always been caucus and BS won here last time....this year we have a primary..

...for the first time. It will be interesting to watch the results. Last time I couldnt go to the caucus cuz my fathers 90th bday party was the same day. Now we are ALL mail in..pre stamped even.. so will be interesting results.


Probably with that virus going around best not go to polling places anyway....even if we had any!