Not the brightest bulb on the Holiday Tree if winning the election is the objective.

Democratic lawmaker: 'Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat,' should run as an independent

(CNN) — A Democratic congressman says Sen. Bernie Sanders is not a Democrat -- and that he should therefore not be allowed to run to be the party's nominee for president.

Rep. Gregory Meeks made the comments Thursday following news that Sanders will sign a party pledge affirming that he will run for president as a Democrat in 2020 and, if victorious, serve as a Democrat -- highlighting a long-standing divide between the Vermont independent and the party establishment. Sanders caucuses with Senate Democrats.

Meeks told Poppy Harlow on "CNN Newsroom" that "we've asked (Sanders) on a continuous basis" to reconsider running as a Democrat when he is an independent.

"If, in fact, you want to be the Democratic nominee, you should be a Democrat," the New York Democrat said. "If you're not a Democrat, you should not run. He should run as an independent. He's not a Democrat. So to me, I would not allow a Republican to run as a Democrat or for the Democratic nomination."

More-> https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/21/politics ... Stories%29

I saw that yesterday also. . and could only . really hope the dems get their act together and realize this sort of thing gets them nowhere the white house - literally.

I'm not seeing a problem with this ~ what am I missing? ~

Sooz

If Bernie ran as an independent do you seriously think the Dems would have a chance at winning the White House? Sanders could potentially draw off 30-40% of the Dem vote. A mere 10% would likely be enough to re-elect Trump.

sooz06 wrote:

I'm not seeing a problem with this ~ what am I missing? ~

Sooz

Because it's setting up the same internal split in the Dems that cost them the 2016 election. Like Grabem, Bernie has his base. They'll follow him come hell or high water and, if they don't get their way, will pick up their ball and go home. Also like Grabem, Bernie's base is not strong enough to get him elected on their own but they are strong enough to cost the Dems the election if they stay home again.

I agree with you, JW, but it would take me a lot longer, and a whole bunch of obscenities to explain how "i really feel."

Look at his committee assignments:

Sanders became the ranking minority member on the Senate Budget Committee in January 2015; he had previously been chair of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee for two years. Since January 2017, he has been Chair of the Senate Democratic Outreach Committee.

That's googled from Wikipedia.

He must have been given a spot on the Democratic ticket primary out of pity. He hasn't the weight. And that's not even half of what's wrong.

having been attacked by his alleged "supporters" (I believe his "supporters" were actually Trump supporters, because they certainly served the purpose of getting trump elected) I would never support him. Fortunately, I should be extinct by the time the next election arrives, but I would not, under any circumstances ever, ever permit him on the democratic ticket again. Let's see who he can beat on his own. Joe Lieberman ran on an independent ticket. Remember?

You are going to get a battle of one kind or another about who gets the Democratic nomination. Starting to sling wild accusations at this stage doesn't help - whether its at Bernie or any other of the candidates. The more mud slinging there is the more the Republicans will cheer.

I don't actually think Bernie has got much of a chance. The Bernie supporters now have other options and I think he will realise that.

The one who could be the real spoiler is Hillary.

After all, I don't think people are pissed of at the "extremes" they are pissed off at the "moderates". That's why they voted for Trump, and that's why they would have voted for Bernie. They don't want "more of the same".

Voters realise the US is in decline but don't know why. IMO, the country is simply worn out and needs some kind of renewal.

After all, I don't think people are pissed of at the "extremes" they are pissed off at the "moderates". That's why they voted for Trump, and that's why they would have voted for Bernie. They don't want "more of the same".

The Dems have a problem the Republican's don't have. The Republican base will vote for whoever the Republican candidate is no matter what. That's why concentrating only on the weakness of Grabem's personal base is foolhardy.

On the other hand the Dem's can't rely on the unwavering support of their "base". Dem "extremes" have shown they will stomp their little feet, pout and stay home if they don't get their way. Couple that with the fact American elections are decided by the ten percent of independent swing voters who aren't too crazy about the extremes of either side and the Dems have a real problem. If they don't cater to the their extremes they lose those votes. If they do cater to the extremes they won't gain the support of the independents who are generally pretty moderate and, in fact, could lost a lot of their own moderates.

That's why I see the declared candidates as all having seats in a clown car. They're all niche candidates with specific supporters. None of them have the following or charisma to reach out and unite the entire party. I know she can't run but the last thing America needs is a match-up between an Ocasio-Cortez clone and Grabem. Folks are sure to pick the devil they know.

I somewhat both agree and disagree with this comment ~ I agree we "need[] some kind of renewal" but I don't see Bernie as that "renewal" ~ he carries too much baggage with him, including the lasting anger surrounding his behavior when he lost the primary in 2016 ~

I'm thinking the problem is not so much with specific candidates as it is with some specific voters ~ there are far too many "my candidate or I'm not voting" mindsets ~ that mindset doesn't even begin to serve we-the-people ~

Sooz

As things currently stand I'd probably vote Communist before I voted Trump.

The "Republican base that will always vote Republican" is less than 40% now I'd reckon, because quite a few of Republicans" in every other way WILL not vote for Trump. And many independent "moderates" feel the same way.

The Democrats will be less likely to vote as a block, but you seem to forget that a lot of the "stay-at-home" Democrats weren't so much saying "we'll only vote for OUR candidate", as saying "we wont vote for a candidate who used every dirty trick in the book to gain the nomination", and Hillary still beat Trump by 3 million plus votes. And a lot of them now regret they did "stay home".


I think the best way for the Democrats to go is "anyone but Trump".

Our ABC (Anybody But Conservative/Vote Strategically) campaign did the trick in Canada.

Speaking for myself and others I know well, the "anyone but ..." trope is firmly planted in our own mindset ~

Sooz

Speaking for myself and others I know well, the "anyone but ..." trope is firmly planted in our own mindset ~

That will work for the dyed in the wool Democrats. But AOC, Bernie and the sputtering clown car of candidates are like gifts of manna to Grabem and the Republicans. A lot of the independents are liable to start thinking about "the devil we know."

The "spluttering clown car" isn't the Democrats, its Trump.

What would anyone expect at this stage except a lot of possible candidates throwing their hat in the ring? Most of them wont stay all that long.

you think Bernie doesn't know that? you think he wants Trump to be re-elected?

this discussion is going nowhere. the Democratic Party is not housed with imbeciles.

Enough "imbeciles" (your word) to lose to a clown like Trump.

in a fair contest?

edit: you know what, never mind.

I stopped caring about US politics 2 years ago.

I don't think the Bernie supporters who stayed home ever dreamed Trump would be elected, nor would they support Trump in any fashion this go round. I also think Trump has lost many of the moderates who voted for him due to his extremely embarrassing ineptitude. They were willing to give a non politician a chance and it backfired.

Major political parties are pretty unwilling to give a nomination to someone who has previously lost the election at the presidential primary or election. I don't see it happening this go round especially. A third of the declared candidates are unlikely to make it through the first primary. Sanders knows that a third party challenge will put Trump back in the White House and it's unlikely he would intentionally inflict that on the world. But as we saw in 2016, anything can happen.

Sanders knows that a third party challenge will put Trump back in the White House and it's unlikely he would intentionally inflict that on the world.

....and yet he's running and I don't suspect he's doing it to lose.

there is only one logical conclusion: he is running as a Democrat.

bye, bye myth American lie...

And. if like last time, if he doesn't get the nomination he won't run at all.

It doesn't matter if he runs as a Democrat or Independent. If he runs as a Dem he's not likely to get the nomination. However, whether as a Dem or Independent his following is big enough to split the Dem vote and put Grabem back in the White House.