2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Come on, be honest, how many laughed out loud as I did when they heard a Black man named [View all]unblock
(52,196 posts)shrub was such a disaster that many know that another republican was simply *not* going to win in 2008.
this influence a lot of things, such as the massive money that poured into the democratic primary, because that was the only race that mattered. it effectively became *that* presidential election; the general became little more than a formality. it also helped determine how mclame became the republican nominee, and uninspiring figure who won largely on the "it's my turn" train and because other, perhaps more serious candidates, sat it out, having no great desire to win the nomination only to lose the general.
such situations come around very, rarely, and 2016 is not remotely one of those situations. the general this time is very much in play.
that's not to say sanders can't win, but it is saying that 2008 is not at all a useful comparison.