Will Sanders Go Third Party?

[RandySF]

Tonight Senator Bernie Sanders made a path-breaking speech stating that Hillary Clinton is “not qualified” to be President of the United States. This is a major escalation in his attacks on the former Secretary of State in anticipation of the upcoming New York Democratic presidential primary. It is the first time that he has made her personal character a part of his campaign rhetoric — in direct refutation of his promise to make this contest about issues rather than personal matters.This is potential dynamite for the Democratic Party. For it may mean that if Senator Sanders does not get the Democratic presidential nomination next summer — and he continues to argue that Secretary Clinton is disqualified from the presidency — that he will take his large progressive following out of the Democratic Party and run as an independent next Fall, figuring that he can win the presidency on his own by taking advantage of a split vote between a reactionary Republican candidate and a figure like Clinton whom, he believes, most people don’t trust. But in doing so he will risk committing a Ralph Nader-type disruption that could bring about the election of a true reactionary in the person of Ted Cruz or the triumph of a reckless right-wing gambler like Donald Trump. This thus may become a race about Sander’s hurt feelings rather than about the country’s stability and its progressive future and the continuation of the successful policies of President Obama. It is a potential act of folly that could have far-reaching adverse consequences for the nation for decades. We will have to see how this plays out. One still hopes that Sanders, as Clinton has already promised, will hold to his original position that he will agree to support the nominee of the Democratic Party no matter whom that may be. But that is no longer assured.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-schlesinger/will-sanders-gothird-part_b_9630264.html

[Agschmid]

1. I still say "No".

But I also do now think he has potential to be the nominee.

It's slim, but it's there.

[msongs]

2. he is already third party, only running as a dem because that's where the $$ is. he couldn't grab

the cash if he was running as a independent

[Bohemianwriter]

63. Taking those large corporate donations...

[revbones]

3. Pretty weak sauce

It based everything off of the assumption Hillary wins the nomination - which isn't over yet.


Very bro-gressive of you posting it though

[TheBlackAdder]

41. Isn't this like the 30th time this same OP was asked, intending to create parallelism with Trump?

.


By the same OP writer?


.

[Kip Humphrey]

51. They call it obsessive-compulsive behavior syndrome. The good news is there is treatment for this

disorder:

WIN! Bernie WIN!

[fun n serious]

4. Yes. I believe that is his plan

A lot of us are prepared to fight Bernie and GOP in the General..

[timmymoff]

11. Well if you fight like hillary

did for $15 dollars I would expect to lose bigtime

[fun n serious]

13. I bet Vermont likes that $15, eh? nt

[timmymoff]

14. or if you fight like she did the last 7 states

[pinebox]

47. Yes because Bernie has a say in state issues

and gets to vote on those and introduce legislation, right?

v

[dchill]

5. He won't have to.

What's more, you fucking know it.

[RandySF]

7. No I don't know. Please teach me.

And if possible, for once, would you Sanders supporters stop throwing around f-words. It's not impressive, just indicative of the rampant immaturity going around on DU these days.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

29. try science

it helps

[Zephyrbag]

30. Prissy much?

[Joob]

6. If he did. I would stand behind him.

Utterly disgusted on the issues Democrats, and the DNC ignore. Allow. And are simply okay with because it's "Hillary"
Take a step back and look at all of Hillary's own actions, without anyone else saying anything.

Anything against Hillary is simply dismissed, for years. All the stances she had to change.
This party is looking disgusting, either way Sanders will win. Because..

At least ALL these issues were put to light, and I'd be more than happy fighting these issues than be in a party that ignores them.

[ibegurpard]

8. Doesn't matter.

Hillary started off with negatives and has just continued to make it worse. She has completely poisoned the well for any kind of broad-based support.

[onehandle]

9. He won't, but The 'Not Hillary' Party might.

Ralph? You awake?

[Jamaal510]

21. Or Jill Stein. nt

[CalvinballPro]

49. Stein is 0-for-5 running for statewide office in Massachussetts. If you think she'll be President

then I want some of what you're smoking, because it's powerful, mind-erasing stuff right there.

[Jamaal510]

50. No, I'm saying

that's who the Not Hillary crowd would most likely support in the GE.

[awake]

10. I thought it was the Cliton's who are running "the third way"

Bernie will support the Demorcratic Party's nominee this fall he has already said it and I believe him.

[ThePhilosopher04]

12. I'll be with him all the way!

[Beacool]

15. I have said in the past that I didn't dislike Sanders.

Tonight I'm finally done with him. He will not be the nominee, but he sure as hell is trying hard to tarnish the person who will represent the party in the GE.

Hillary not qualified???? She's the most qualified candidate in decades.

[ibegurpard]

17. No you haven't

You've been one of the worst all along.

[Beacool]

19. Typical Sanders supporter.

I really don't care what you think.

[ThePhilosopher04]

34. That's what Hillary says to the little people

[napi21]

26. Pay back is a b++++, huh? I heard Hillary and it surely sounded to me like

she said the same thing about him during an interview.

Bernie won't go 3rd party because that would be like handing the election to a Pub, but I think this all started because the Hillary team is getting nervous. They didn't expect Bernie to get as popular as he has. When one side junps into the mud, sometimes to fight them, you have to jump in too.

[ThePhilosopher04]

33. #HillarySoQualified she has upside down approval numbers.

40% of America agrees with you.

[PufPuf23]

16. Sanders has said he would not run 3rd party.

Hillary Clinton wants the Democratic nomination so bad that she and her supporters do not care if they destroy the Democratic Party and lose the general election.

I have been registered and voted Democrat all my voting life, starting with McGovern but was probably most overtly politically active but not of age to vote in 1968. I did register GOP to vote for John Anderson (against Reagan) in the 1980 California primary.

Hillary Clinton is unsuited to be the Democratic nominee for POTUS because of policy and character.

She is a neo-liberal and neo-conservative and this is the great divide in the Democratic Party.

She reminds me of Richard Nixon in policy and manner and pals with Kissinger and Kagan.

Does this person have the character to be POTUS?

[Jitter65]

18. Well after tonight, if Hillary wins the nomination and loses the GE we can pretty much ID

when and where it happened.

[basselope]

65. Yep. The day she voted for the Iraq war.

[jeepers]

20. You better pray

That Bernie is making a third party run should Hillary be indicted after "winning" the nomination.

[geek tragedy]

22. Signs point to yes, his criteria for being qualified for the office

all favor Trump over Clinton.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

53. Huh? I dont know what you mean, sincerely. But I can guarantee everyone here

Bernie Sanders wont even consider running 3rd party.

[geek tragedy]

55. has he reconfirmed this recently? nt

[Jackie Wilson Said]

57. Doesnt have to. Bernie is a true patriot and as much as he dislikes Hillary's politics

he is not suicidal and would never risk the unthinkable if he could help it.

This is where you will see the stark difference between Bernie Sanders and many of his supporters.

[geek tragedy]

58. I thought that difference was where he said he would run a positive campaign.

But he turned out to be just like his supporters, ranting in very personal terms based on a headline he read on the Internet.

Color us not convinced until he walks it back.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

62. It was a big mistake to say she isn't qualified and he will walk it back like they all do.

My concern is with the millions of voters who will not be allowed to vote and millions more votes which will be switched.

This is already in place, will happen.

[frylock]

23. No need to.

[AgingAmerican]

24. You obviously didn't watch Sanders speech

Because your conclusion is wildly out of contest.

The more you guys push cherry picked nonsense like this the more crybaby-ish her campaign looks.

[Blue_In_AK]

25. No.

[Ken Burch]

27. Of course not. And you know perfectly well he won't.

If he loses he'll support HRC.

And he could still be nominated.

[killbotfactory]

28. He's been clear about how he won't help the gop

He's pushing Dems to the left. That's what the panic is about. Money.

Happens to anyone who promises to give a shit about the poor.

[Barack_America]

31. Don't know, but he could win if he did.

Particularly given the GOP is poised to screw Trump over.

Voters gotta vote.

[HughLefty1]

46. I think he could win too..

Especially if the GOP elite dumps Trump. There will be a huge block of Independent, Anti-establishment Repubs, Non Third Way type voters looking for a candidate in November. Trump could have 20 million raw votes by the end of the primary that the GOP would be throwing away in order to nominate an establishment guy. Where do all those angry voters go? Do they stay home?

Bernie wouldn't run if he thought it would ensure a R in the WH though.

[Betty Karlson]

32. Why would he go third party when he is going to have the Democratic nomination?

[MFM008]

35. you have to change a lot of delegates minds

over 200 delegates then the super delegates.
My sons girlfriend is a HRC delegate. I guarantee you she will not change her mind.

[Betty Karlson]

36. There are quite a few delegates still up for grabs, and the superdelegates

would be utterly foolish to give the nomination to a candidate who is likely to be both behind in pledged delegates at the convention, and distrusted by 57% of the American voters. It would be 1968 all over again.

[Waiting For Everyman]

37. If the party wanted him to do just that

it couldn't do a better job of making it happen.

I at least expected a no-interference, level-field, fair primary from them, not favoring one Dem candidate over the other. But then, I didn't know as much as I do now about HRC's arrogant sense of entitlement, and the arm-twisting and bribery that is so pervasive in the party, thanks in large part to the Clintons' influence for so many years. This has been a JOKE, a sham of an election, as far as the party elites' and HRC's behavior.

If he chose to run third party I wouldn't blame him at all, but I doubt that he will do that. That is, unless the situation becomes worse from this point.

Remember one thing, Bernie hasn't even yet brought up her email server pay-to-play scandal and the ongoing FBI investigation into it. ANYBODY else would have done so. The Repubs most certainly will. You would think there would be a little bit of gratitude for that, I don't know in what form, but something. I see no indication of the slightest lingering awareness that a huge good turn was done by him at all.

So you know what, I hope he does start bringing it up.

I have been a registered Dem for a very long time. But unless the Dem party cleans house ferociously to end what is obviously the pervasive practice of corruption within it, gets rid of the DINOs/DLCers, and finds and runs candidates who are real FDR progressives, the party is over for me.

I can tell you one thing right now: I will not ever knowingly vote for any politician who sells our law. I don't care who the fuck it is. Or what the stakes are. That is a deal breaker. I'm looking at you, Hilly.

[pat_k]

38. no

[mhatrw]

39. scorch fail

[jfern]

40. "Obama gave a speech in 2002" - Hillary

[LWolf]

42. No.

But many of his supporters may if forced to choose. And that's a choice Democrats are making right now at the polls.

[NurseJackie]

43. At one time, I'd have answered "no" to that question.

[Jitter65]

44. Well, he should have been man enough to do that from the start instead of trashing the

Democrat party.

[Tarc]

45. No, I still don't think so

As Sanders' campaign faces the reality of no viable path to the nomination, the rhetoric ramps up significantly, largely on the advice of Tad Devine.

Everyone who is smart enough to see the big picture cools down eventually and comes back to the tent.

[hellofromreddit]

48. No.

[Hoyt]

52. Alway felt that is a possibility despite him supposedly saying no. He can claim his rabid fans

have forced him into it. He ,like Trump, can say they were treated so badly by the mean old Democratic Party that past promises are irrelevant.

[AgerolanAmerican]

54. I'm sure he'd be happy to

add additional ballot lines in addition to being the Democratic nominee

[HassleCat]

56. Will Hillary go third party?

If Sanders wins the Democratic nomination, Clinton might respond to the inevitable calls to go it alone.

[geek tragedy]

60. She supported Obama in 2008 and helped bring her supporters along

for the general election.

So, there's no doubt she'd do the right thing.

St. Bernard the Sanctimoniously Pious, not clear what his values really are.

[HassleCat]

66. If she feels as you do

St. Bernard the sanctimoniously pious? Not clear what his values really are? If Clinton shares your opinion, she would have to do something to prevent the huge disaster that would be President Sanders. She would have to rush in and save the country, rescue democracy, make the world safe from democratic socialism.

[geek tragedy]

67. she'll save us in NY and PA. Or, rather we Democrats in those states

will help fend off the third-party impostor

[Trust Buster]

59. He should go third party at this point. Anyone foolish enough to give the Republicans a

sound clip calling Hillary unqualified should not be considered a Democrat. The President should feel free now to endorse Hillary and campaign with her. Sanders disqualified himself as a Democrat this morning and the Republicans couldn't be happier.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

61. Of course she's "qualified". So was Reagan and Nixon. "Unfit" would be more apt.

I don't know if Bernie will run as Third Party candidate. In either case, Hillary wouldn't lose my vote. She just wouldn't get it.

[basselope]

64. Sadly, he will not.

So Sanders voters will have to find a 3rd party candidate to vote for.

[MineralMan]

68. Nope. He won't.

If he doesn't get the nomination, he'll endorse Clinton. Count on it.