Sanders: If Clinton Wins, She'll Have To Win Over My Supporters Herself

[CentralCoaster]

Last edited Tue Apr 26, 2016, 02:41 PM - Edit history (2)

Note, the headline is not a direct quote. Read below:

What a perfect and genuine response!


"And if Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics or establishment economics, who have serious misgivings about a candidate who has received millions of dollars from Wall Street and other special interests," he said. "She has got to go out to you."

Sanders: If Clinton Wins, She'll Have To Win Over My Supporters Herself



During a town hall with MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Monday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) told a supporter that it's his choice whether to back Hillary Clinton if she becomes the Democratic presidential nominee.

A audience member who said he backs Sanders' candidacy asked the senator whether he will encourage his supporters to back Clinton if she wins the nomination.

"We’re not a movement where I can snap my fingers and say to you or to anybody else what you should do, that you should all listen to me. You shouldn’t. You make these decisions yourself," Sanders replied.

He then said that Clinton will have to court his supporters herself.

"And if Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics or establishment economics, who have serious misgivings about a candidate who has received millions of dollars from Wall Street and other special interests," he said. "She has got to go out to you."

(Clinton's interview came after she was able to watch Bernie, so she was prepared with her answer)

During a town hall with MSNBC's Rachel Maddow on Monday night, Clinton said that during the 2008 election, she did not set "conditions" for supporting Barack Obama.

Read the full article at:
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/sanders-clinton-supporters-go-out-to-you

[asuhornets]

1. That's the team spirit

And that's why he is losing. All about him...

[highprincipleswork]

2. No, it's about the principles.

[SFnomad]

34. Yes, BS's lack of them

BS expects the Democrats to welcome him with open arms .. and them when they don't .. fuck 'em.

[Peregrine Took]

52. HRC doesn't even know what they are n/t

[Baobab]

64. Clinton released a tirade yesterday basically saying she would not make ANY changes for his support

She went on and on about how "since she was the winner' she did not need to change.

If thats what she wants, so be it.

[Zen Democrat]

81. Yes, she's making her own bed, and I'm not sleeping in it!

I sincerely oppose Hillary Clinton because she's the biggest hawk amongst ALL candidates, Democratic and Republican. A Hillary Presidency will be all about ground war in Syria. And America will bear the scars of Middle East intervention for a century.

[Baobab]

121. Pray!

nt

[CentralCoaster]

82. Oh, she just jumped right on top of poor Rachel over that one... Hillary Meltdown.

[Arugula Latte]

87. A few months ago I had decided I'd hold my nose and vote for HRC in Nov. if it came down to it.

But now ... I don't think I can make myself do it. She just gets worse and worse.

I live in a blue state so it's unlikely my vote for Jill Stein will effect anything. I don't know what I'd do if I lived in a purple state.

As a lifelong Democrat, this is a very, very strange position for me to be in. I never thought I'd be one of those people who wouldn't support the nominee. But she has made it very, very difficult for me to do so.

[pangaia]

140. She is not getting worse. This is who she has always been.

[frylock]

149. Yarp.

[JudyM]

192. I feel exactly the same. I am in a purple state and it's a tough call. I did decide one thing last

night after finishing canvassing in MD for Bernie: for the first time in many, many election cycles, I am not going to volunteer in the G.E. if she is the candidate. This is a huge different attitude for me. I've been a precinct captain, staging location director, canvass captain and very active canvasser.

While I haven't decided how I'll vote, I do know that the idea of dedicating hours upon hours of volunteering into helping the democratic candidate holds zero appeal for me if our candidate is someone so corrupt. I can let her bad judgment slide, and even some of her uncomfortably conservative positions -- but the intentionally self-serving political acts that she has engaged in are, IMO, highly immoral and since I can only see her as doing more of the same, I will not waste a moment of my life supporting an immoral candidate, even if she happens to be the dem candidate.

[rock]

119. I agree strongly with her

She didn't win because of their support. Obviously she won because the people that voted for her liked what she had to say and therefore they're the ones she should keep her promises to. This is basic politics, folks.

On edit: I think this clarifies the matter

[Baobab]

122. its not a zero sum game

thats what's so bizarre. I cant think of any "promises" she made to her base-

so there is no need to break any.

Even had she made promises, the needs of her base, if anything conflict with what I know about the Clinton era agenda, and that is inflexible- its basically carved in stone - thats how FTAs work.

Did she make any promises to her base? If so, which of them would she need to "break" to respect the Bernie Sanders supporters. All in all, this situation makes no sense.

[rock]

123. So you cant think of any "promises" she made to her base

Sorry I confused you. Substitute 'allegiances' for 'promises'. (Incidentally, she made lots of promises to her followers and I'm not surprised that you did not hear any nor do I think it's the least bit bizarre.)

[Baobab]

134. the entire "progressive liberalisation" agenda (trade agenda) and basically the WTO consists of a

promise but her base (all of us basically) are the group most likely to lose out being "indigenous workers" in a developed country.

here is the basic outline of it:

For a deeper understanding of how migration could equalize the price of labour in two trading
countries, consider figure one (from Senior Nello, 2005:145): There are two countries, Home
and Foreign. The total quantity of labour in the two countries is shown by the distance OhOf.
Before a fully free migration is allowed the distribution of labor is OhL in Home and OfL in
Foreign. The marginal product of labour is higher in Home than in foreign because the
capital/labor ratio is higher in Home. This is shown in the figure by the higher position of the
MPLh curve compared to the MPLf curve. Because of this the wage is higher in Home, at Wh
compared with the wage in Foreign at Wf. In short: Home symbolizes a developed country with
high automatization and high wages and Foreign a less developed country with abundant supply
of labour, low automatization and low wages. If migration is fully free between the two
countries and the workers are identical workers will migrate from Foreign to Home in pursuit of
higher wages. The migration will finally result in an equalized capital/labor ratio in the two
countries and thus equal marginal products of labor and equal wages, illustrated in the figure by
the wage level W' which could be seen as the world market price of labor as the world only
consists of the two countries Home and Foreign. The migration is illustrated in the figure by the
distance LL' which is the amount of workers that will move from Foreign to Home so that the
new distribution of labour becomes OhL' in Home and L'Of in Foreign.

Wages will thus decrease in Home and increase in Foreign resulting in a loss for the indigenous
workers in Home illustrated in the figure by the area a but a gain for the capital owners of the
areas a+b. In Foreign the workers get an increased income of areas c+d+e while the capital
owners lose areas d+e. The result in total is a net gain for the two countries by areas b+c which
is a gain resulting from higher efficiency in the use of the total resources of the two countries.
This simplified model of reality shows not only that there is a net gain but also that the
migration has clear redistributional effects, something that will be discussed below


--------

All these trade deals contain these labor mobility and privatization of public sector workplaces followed by globalized procurement - If anything they amount to a redistribution of wealth away from working people in developed countries who are not protected by strong unions, (i.e. EU workers are far better protected in that respect than US ones) because the pending deal is so called "negative list" that is basically "opt out" in internet commerce terms- those carve outs - need to be going in there now..

So basically these schemes hope to eliminate the wage differential between countries pushing wages to some kind of norm which will be much more influenced by the shift towards automation than we think so its possible that wages in places like the US would become a fraction of what they are now eventually- You really cannot regulate wages in the face of huge shifts in supply and demand- demand will fall and supply will soar. Currently, the regulations that prevent corporations from using their lowest paid workers preferentially everywhere are reducing their profits- this is a thorn in their side- these changes will create a level playing field for corporations not people- people have no standing-

Search terms to learn more.. economic integration is one, progressive liberalisation - basically, look at the Doha Development Agenda - the services part of it.

[Baobab]

144. Presumably her followers expect that she's not creating diversions to fake them out, right?

on important things, right?

[rock]

151. Right on this post

The previous post is way over my head. If you meant to humble me, mission accomplished (to coin a phrase).

[Baobab]

163. Do you know what "overcompensating" is in psychology?

Especially when performed by narcissists. Basically, when they are nice to you, it usually means - watch out.

That said, I seem to be having a problem communicating the root problem on this site, there seem to be some network issues..

[rock]

166. I'm going to interpret that

as you've had enough conversation with me. OK, see ya.

[Baobab]

168. no, I didn't mean that. I'm very sorry if it seemed as if I did.

nt

[rock]

179. Not at all

And it would be OK if you did. If you want to try again on any particular point please do so.

[highprincipleswork]

54. He didn't say "fuck em", those are your words. Probably the words of Hillary towards all

Bernie supporters, more is the shame.

He never promised to be a party hack. He has principles, and he stands for them, for decades sometimes.

He is not promising to get his supporters to subvert the principles they hold dear, to vote for someone or a party that does not represent them. I am fine with that.

I wonder if Hillary or any of her supporters get it. We are really tired of selling out and being sold. We do not go for Reaganesque economic policies or endless wars. We either refuse or are on the verge of refusing to sell out for that.

Why is it so hard for the Democratic Party to embrace the principles that Bernie is fighting for? For us, it's simple FDR style Democratic politics. Even Donald Trump sounds more Liberal or Populist than the Democratic Party sometimes.

No, Bernie is holding out for principles, and the higher the better. This has been one of the differences described between Bernie supporters and Hillary supporters. We believe that you start with principles, and then you build your movement and your policy and your actions around that. Hillary and her supporters seem to try to figure in advance "what can be done", what is "realistic", etc. In my experience, that is never a very good way to achieve a great result. The result will always be compromise.

Bernie is not promising he will ask his supporters to compromise, and particularly not if the Party doesn't actually reach out to them in some way.

I believe that if she is the nominee Hillary and the Party should reach out in a big way to include the Bernie Supporters and all the Independents and even the Republicans who lean towards his point of view. This can only be done through words, actions, the platform, the VP choice, etc. For instance, assure us that you will fight the TPP, and we will be more with you than now. This is the way to get maximum party unity and a true juggernaut that will steamroll the Republicans in November.

Or you can choose to do the same old tired Third Way thing, trying to pick off a few Republicans and abandoning the Populist view to anyone who wants to take up that mantle in even some small way.

[bvf]

99. Sanders expects his supporters

to make up their own minds.

Clinton expects her supporters to fall in line at the slightest whisper of "Trump," "SCOTUS," or "Woman."

The funny thing is: They do.

[Demsrule86]

182. principles of what?

Helping the GOP win? I think it is just anger and disappointment at losing.

[CentralCoaster]

4. Bullies run in packs. Leaders lead by example.

That is all.

Integrity and blind allegiance can't live under the same roof.

[NWCorona]

5. No he's speaking the truth

Hillary fell behind Obama and got with the program and some pumas still voted for McCain.

[Armstead]

21. She was most likely rewarded with Sec of State

[NWCorona]

28. No doubt. Obama had to make a deal with the Clinton's to gain her support

And I'm actually perfectly fine with that.

That deal didn't work out to well for Obama tho.

[dsc]

33. you realize you are accusing our first black President of a crime

it is literally a crime to promise a presidential appointment in return for support.

[Ed Suspicious]

49. How again did his skin color creep into this conversation? Very weird.

[Baobab]

66. that is how it works a lot of the time

unfortunately

[NWCorona]

50. Are you saying that isn't how the game is played?

Also your racial jedi mind tricks don't work on me.

[840high]

55. Grow up.

[CentralCoaster]

39. Obama considers the appointment of Clinton to Secretary of State as his greatest and gravest misstep

IMVHO.

Very very unfortunate, what number of lives were lost on different continents due to bad moves by state under her watch we will never know.

Central America, the Middle East, Northern Africa, for starters.

[Zen Democrat]

86. I personally know six Hillary supporters in 2008 who voted for McCain/Palin.

So raw was their hatred of Barack Obama, that had been established during the primary. Personally, I am an Obama First Democrat - and I'll really never forget the things she said about him on the campaign trail in 2008. She had the sensitivities of a pit viper. I doubt time has changed that for the better.

[NWCorona]

88. I remember what was said in the Hillary for president forum in 2008 as well

Terrible stuff was said.

[Downwinder]

15. I only voted for Berie, I didn't swear a fealty oath.

[morningfog]

18. It is not about him at all, that is the fucking point.

He recognizes that his supporters think for themselves. It's up to Hillary to win them over. We aren't authoritative lemmings.

[beedle]

38. ^^^ THIS ^^^ nt

[Ferd Berfel]

130. authoritative lemmings will never grasp this point

it's too subtle for 'em

[SusanCalvin]

155. Yep. nt

[Jackie Wilson Said]

29. Never been about him, the undeniable proof of that is who else can

you point to who has spent this much time in DC and has personally profited not one penny.

And when he leaves public service he will not be a lobbyist.

Guaranteed.

[JPnoodleman]

94. The Clinton Dynasty isn't entitled to my support.

[AirmensMom]

137. How did you get that wrong?

Did you hear Hillary's answer? Abridged version: "I I I I I I I ME ME ME ME ME."

[BreakfastClub]

153. Agree. He's an asshat. nt

[PyaarRevolution]

169. Wait, wait.

We're suppose to follow what he says in lockstep and you are with Hillary?! What are we?! Republicans? Give me a break.

[noretreatnosurrender]

177. No Wonder You Support Hillary

You see this statement backwards. Bernie is not an authoritarian where his supporters are all expected to fall in line just because he says so. Bernie doesn't own his supporters and he knows it. We vote on the ISSUES not for a personality. If she isn't right on the issues she will not get our votes. Bernie was telling the TRUTH. She will have to Deal with it.

[Rockyj]

190. Its been all about Queen Hillary...

...from the get go. She has proven she will do anything to win and has done so. From voter suppression to spreading lies, hiring trolls, saying she believes what Bernie believes, but wait until she's actually is in office. However, she won't make it to office as she can't win against Donald, so prepare yourselves for a Trump Presidency.

[Autumn]

3. Very true. I chose who to vote for based on my values and needs

and any candidate has to win me over. I don't vote based on someones endorsement.

[loyalsister]

22. Like respect, votes should be earned

I'm glad we have a candidate who understands that and I hope he sets a precedent.

[Autumn]

60. It's stupid to vote for the lesser of two evils, it's stupid to vote

for a candidate based out of fear of what an asshole from another party will do. You vote for the person who represents you.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

65. That is perfectly said, my dear Autumn! So right on.

You vote for the person who represents you.

YES.

[Autumn]

89. I know that I and I'm sure others have voted that way for years and I believe that

is why we find ourselves in this horrible position we are in. It's time to break the cycle, which is always a difficult thing to do when you consider the unknown. But it's past time. Our future, our grandchildren future depends on it. Incremental change will take too long and while we are waiting for that, we slide back in other things.

[Fairgo]

105. People who mistake politics for board games cannot fathom

what will happen next.

[MoonRiver]

6. What a jerk. That is all.

[brush]

31. Agreed. Seems he was never really a Dem, just borrowed the term for name recognition

[MoonRiver]

43. I have lost all respect for him.

If I lived in Vermont, I would want him primaried by a real Democrat.

[egalitegirl]

70. Who is a Real Democrat?

Someone who is funded by Goldman Sachs and is a warmonger and works with the Bush family to make profits using money collected in the name of charity?

[highprincipleswork]

98. Do you folks even know what a "real Democrat" is? It surely must be some newfangled kind of Democrat

than I am used to.

Curious. What to you constitutes a "real Democrat"?

[angrychair]

100. ROFL

You do realize that he has been running campaigns against Ds and Rs for 30 years, right?
Despite the fact that he caucuses with Democrats, that has not stopped them, in the past, from running a Dem against him. He is the longest serving Independent in the history of Congress.
You also realize he has one of the highest voter satisfaction rates in Congress and so dominated HRC in the primary in Vermont that she wasn't even viable.
That seat is Sanders seat for as long as he wants it, not because of his money or power but because he went to DC to do the business of the people that elected him, not line his pocket with cash.

[karynnj]

128. Well, you might remember he got over 86% of the vote here and he is not up until 2018.

Do you really want to potentially get a Republican in that seat -- if you find a Democrat popular enough to win the Democratic line? Sanders won the line last time ... and declined it - and won as an Independent.

By the way, he has the HIGHEST approval rating of anyone in the Senate.

[MoonRiver]

147. My guess is that he doesn't have such a high rating now.

All I know is that I really liked him before this primary. Not so much now.

[karynnj]

173. I live in Burlington.

Recently I went to a Democratic event and I can tell you you are wrong. In fact, one party official, spoke of not taking a slot at the state convention because he had endorsed HRC. He then spoke of how much growth he has seen in his former mayor in the last year.

Now, this was someone for HRC and it was not because he disliked Bernie, but like many across the country, respected HRC and though he easily could have taken a slot he thought it would be better for a Bernie supporter to take it.

Not to mention, many here were shocked at the attacks, not on Bernie, bur on beautiful Vermont. I lived in Indiana and I lived in NJ. Neither have the attachment people have for Vermont here. Frankly, there are red states that are treated better. For instances, Arkansas DESERVES far more criticism than Vermont but no one attacked it.

[frylock]

150. Yeah, good luck with that.

[Zen Democrat]

90. He's an FDR Democrat. Hillary is a Neo-Liberal Democrat.

Neo-Liberals are joined at the hip with Neo-Conservatives. Like Hillary is with her best friends the Bushes and the Kissingers. Key to both: WAR!!!!!

[Demsrule86]

183. Nope

Bernie Sanders is no Democrat;no sir.

[morningfog]

36. That JERK! Recognizing that his supporters think and act for themselves!

WHat a poopy head jerk.

[Jitter65]

48. His only condition for his supporters is to demean and be against Hillary at all costs. nt

[morningfog]

77. According to whatever you pulled out of your ass.

[840high]

58. lol - right?

[beedle]

45. If Hillary told you to jump off a cliff

... well you know the saying.

Bernie can tell me to support Hillary until he's blue in the face, that would only make me lose respect for him.

My support, my choice.

Whose decides for you who you support?

[stevenleser]

112. Nope, it's Sanders refusing to tell you "Don't jump off the cliff" thats the analogy. nt

[hollysmom]

158. that makes no sense to me.

[TM99]

164. Wow, Steve

we are in agreement finally.

If I vote for Clinton it would be like jumping off the cliff!

But Sanders respects us as mature adults and won't even tell us not to do that.

[uponit7771]

125. +1

[demwing]

7. Bernie does not set conditions for my support

I set my own conditions, and I have only 1 - earn my trust.

Unfortunately, I don't see a path for Hillary to earn my trust, the math just isn't there.

[VulgarPoet]

14. "the math just isn't there" +1

[lumberjack_jeff]

19. +1 n/t

[pengu]

8. I agree with Bernie

Everyone is going to have to decide for themselves whether they can stomach a vote for Clinton.

[Kalidurga]

9. #HeIsWithUs

I have been wondering just what it was that I liked about Bernie more than Martin O'Malley. Bernie and MO'M are both excellent choices for President, so what's the difference. That right there is the difference and I am sure I sensed that all along. He is on our side, but doesn't say I'm the leader you should do what I tell you to do. He says you should do what is right and I hope you think my ideas are the right ones.

[yourpaljoey]

62. I am pleased he said this.

[robbedvoter]

10. Oops! I took a 💩 all over your nice carpet

Get the woman to clean it up. I have more important things to do.

[CentralCoaster]

72. Wow, OK.

I imagine you don't get a lot of visitors to your place.

J/K.

[Maedhros]

79. Now THAT'S the kind of insightful commentary I've come to expect...

...from people on my ignore list.

/bye.

[dana_b]

114. omg... really?

goodbye

[Sparkly]

11. Nice.

But then he's not a Democrat.

[dinkytron]

13. What is a democrat? Unconditional allegiance to a brand?

[Sparkly]

26. It's a political party.

Big "D" Democrat.

[beedle]

51. Right, so does your dictionary also include the word 'integrity'?

or 'principles' .. both of which come before labels ... even ones that start with a 'Big D".

Were one of the 'cool kids' in school looking down at those who were not in your cool kid group? Or were you one of the wannabe who told them self "As soon as someone lets me join their group I am going to look down on anyone who isn't in the same group as me"?

[Sparkly]

170. Wow.

You folks are just hostile.

Have a good night!

[Fuddnik]

57. Bernie is a Democrat. Some others are closet Republicans and Frauds. Capital "F".

[frylock]

154. What did it take for you to become a Democrat with a big D?

Was there some ritual involved?

[djean111]

127. A candidate who stands for war and fracking and the TPP and increased H-1B visas and

cluster bombs and means-testing Social Security is not a Democrat. And if the Democratic Party now stands for those things, then many of us will just leave.

[Zen Democrat]

93. Funny, I don't think Hillary is a Democrat. How can a Democrat be a warmonger in 2016? They can't!

She's a Neo.

[dana_b]

116. neither am I

so there is absolutely NO loyalty to them. We like to think for ourselves.

[jpmonk91]

12. Well said Bernie

[NewImproved Deal]

20. Very well said.

[link:|

[jpmonk91]

53. I have no plans supporting HRC

[COLGATE4]

101. When she hears that I'm sure she's going to be crushed. nt

[frylock]

156. Oh she'll be crushed alright.

[COLGATE4]

189. Yep. Saw that last night.

[Land of Enchantment]

78. LOL. You might be the tread winner! nt

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. Fully agree.

This pisses off Clinton and her supporters because he can't be bought in the traditional way; i.e. a cabinet post, and the traditional mechanisms of bribes, payoff and quid pro quo are the only tools in the Clinton arsenal.

Clinton doesn't do policy. She does ingroup favors and outgroup ostracism.

[Armstead]

27. Bingo

[noretreatnosurrender]

180. You Got It

You hit the nail on the head.

[Baitball Blogger]

187. That's right. The man won't sell us out.

Old school is to buy the leader and assume their followers will step in line. Not sure why people keep thinking that works. Truth is, it doesn't. People just feel disenfranchised.

[wendylaroux]

17. Lol! love it!! you go Bernie!!!!

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

23. Poor Hillary, it's not going to be like 2008

Keep it real, Bernie!

[NurseJackie]

24. Translation:

[BernieforPres2016]

25. Bernie has at least one of his supporters pegged

What Bernie has to say about Hillary if she's the nominee will have no influence on me. I'm not voting for her under any circumstances regardless of what's in the platform, who runs with her as VP, or who the Republican nominee is. The Clintons are a corrupt plague on the United States and the world.

[Bleacher Creature]

30. Getting really tired of his sanctimonious crap.

He's really been coming off as a jerk lately,

[aikoaiko]

32. The words of a politician who can't be bought with a cabinet position or anything else.

Truth.

[KingFlorez]

35. And she will not have trouble doing that

Most Sanders voters are not the my way or the highway type and know the stakes of this election.

[JPnoodleman]

135. Right? I mean think of the sacred Clinton Dynasty?!

If we don't back her, the Clinton Family will not found its dynasty!

[felix_numinous]

37. K&R!!!!!

It's been obvious that compliance is more important than consent, which is not a democracy. Either people have forgotten, were never taught, or disagree with what a democracy is.

[Lil Missy]

40. Poor sport and sore loser. He's tripping over his ego.

[reformist2]

110. He's just saying he can't hand us over to her on a silver platter. Because he can't.

[ieoeja]

41. His entire campaign was "we", not "I".

So "vote for Hillary because 'I' want 'you' to" would be highly inconsistent with this campaign.

[BeyondGeography]

42. Great photo

[november3rd]

44. Ha ha ha

Ha ha ha haha ha!

[Orsino]

46. Fake quotation.

Please edit.

[CentralCoaster]

59. "And if Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people...."

Removed the quotes in subject line, leaving the phrase as accurate to the article headline.

Actual words:

"And if Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics or establishment economics, who have serious misgivings about a candidate who has received millions of dollars from Wall Street and other special interests," he said. "She has got to go out to you."

[Orsino]

63. That's the real quotation...

...and not the one invented for headline spin.

EDIT: thanks to the OP.

[CentralCoaster]

85. Yup, and thank you for the heads-up.

I shouldn't have added the quotation marks, so edited to reflect the article headline which was not a quote but a, well, headline.

[Eric J in MN]

83. It's a misleading headline from 'Talking Points Memo.'

The headline is designed to make it seem like Bernie Sanders is planning to do nothing if Clinton gets the nomination.

In reality, he's signalling that he's going to negotiate on policy matters with her to benefit ordinary people.

The website "Talking Points Memo" is owned by Joshua Micah Marshall. On Twitter, he ridicules Sanders supporters. If he wrote that headline, then it was to make Sanders look bad.

[Zorra]

47. That is the 100% correct answer. We think for ourselves. Bernie's status as our

candidate rests solely on his merits as an aware, and capable, human being.

We are not cult of personality sycophants in any way, shape, or form.

[apcalc]

56. That is an amazing sentence...

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

61. Any candidate has to win voters. It's not like they "owned" their supporters

and could just hand them over to another candidate. There are plenty of reasons people have been supporting Sanders instead of Clinton, and Clinton is going to have to prove to them that she won't ignore or betray the concerns that caused those people to support Sanders and not her. She is going to have to make a convincing argument that she's not in the pocket of Wall Street and the pro-corporate establishment, and I don't know how much pivoting is even possible to make that happen.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

69. And even if she did pivot towards Bernie's positions...

Would she stay there, once she got in the White House?

Somehow I doubt it.

[Fuddnik]

71. Likewise.

She's an opportunist, and will say anything. And given her track record, I won't believe any of it.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

139. Yep. At this point I don't believe a single word she says

I don't know how anyone could, given how often she changes positions or pretends to support something for the benefit of her current audience.

[SusanCalvin]

157. Nope. nt

[CharlotteVale]

67. Yep. And Hill's idea of winning us over is insults.

[Sivart]

68. Why would any Democrat have a problem with......

Why would any Democrat have a problem with the idea that each voter should make up their own mind?

[d_legendary1]

73. I agree with his response

She wants my vote she's gonna have to convince me that she's gonna get it. But based on what she said last night she doesn't need my vote:

"I've got 10.4 million votes. I have 2.7 million more folks, real people, showing up to cast their vote, to express their opinion than Senator Sanders. I have a bigger lead in pledged delegates than Senator Obama when I ran against him in 2008 ever had over me. I am winning. And I'm winning because of what I stand for and what I've done (APPLAUSE) and what I stand for."

http://info.msnbc.com/_news/2016/04/25/35464658-full-transcript-hillary-clinton-says-im-winning-in-an-msnbc-town-hall-tonight

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

141. Another 40 million and she might be on to something

You don't win the general election with 10 million votes, and you don't earn the rest by insulting and dismissing a huge percentage of the voting public.

She needs to remember that a lot of the people who didn't vote in the primary are independents in states with closed primaries.

[d_legendary1]

193. Yup

but if she thinks that 3% of Americans who voted are going to carry her into the election she has a rude awakening coming.

[beachbum bob]

74. Since sanders has only been for sanders this is no

Surprise... But I do expect he will soften his view in a digified matter to be sure a trump or any other conservative won't be in the Whitehouse....right now it's just coming to terms with Hillary's impending nomination...

[Ferd Berfel]

75. It's her job to EARN votes - Bernie is correct yet again!

Don't expect Bernie to lie to his supporters for the benefit of the corporate elite. That's her job

[procon]

76. I keep expecting Sanders to shout, "Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!"

Seriously, if he's denying the revolutionary movement that he started, and not taking any leadership role in securing victory for the Democratic nominee, what's next? Is he just going to abandon all the young people who were attracted to his ideas, throw them under the bus and leave it to Hillary to try to pick up the mess he leaves behind.

[Land of Enchantment]

97. What you fail to understand is she is the antithesis of what half the party wants.

Nobody knows what is going to happen and ANYTHING can happen.

I will never vote for her. I first voted in 72 for McGovern and have towed the line for dems and held my nose in election after election. If the Party has decided it does not want my vote by doing everything they could think of to disqualify Bernie then they will not get my vote. I'm done.

As for your Hillary, be prepared to watch her go down in flames again--those of her own creation. She is a terrible candidate, a war mongering neocon and it would not surprise me one bit if she goes after Iran should she win the thing. Are you prepared for that? I didn't think so.....
?1

[procon]

103. What I'm not prepared to do is stick my nose in the air and hand the election to Trump

because I think my stanctimous notions of ideological purity is more important than keeping a Democrat in the White House. If you've decided you're not a Democrat, and you can't even bring yourself under control long enough to vote for the leading Democrat, then just go away.

Sulk, rant, whine, rage, I couldn't care less. Either you're a Democratic voter, or you are not, in which case DU may not be the most appropriate place for you after today. I want to see Democrats who are still in the game, dynamic people with positive attitudes who share one goal; to win the GE. And that ain't you, yeah?

[ibegurpard]

132. get a better candidate

Preferably one who hasn't sold out the Democratic Party to corporate money.

[procon]

145. The average voter doesn't even list that as a concern, let alone a deal breaker.

C'mon, you know that as well I do. If you really, honestly and sincerely want to change the political climate then agree to start somewhere, anywhere. If you miss the round, stay in the game work to elect better Dems the nest time, or the next time, or the time after that, if that's what it takes.

Even though he had been campaigning for only a few months, Bernie fans had a lot enthusiastic idealism, but they seemed to lose sight of the big picture and the ultimate goal of keeping the WH in Democratic hands. Sanders got his foot in the door, he got the ball rolling, but it was unrealistic to ever think that was enough to completely reshape the entrenched nature of the current political system. More work needs to be done, and while I don't know who's going to pick up the torch and carry on from where he leaves off, the path is wide open for the right person.

[Ferd Berfel]

136. so we finally come back to it

the old lesser of two evils shit again.

vote for the corporate shill or the boogie man'lll getcha. Forget about the anti-democratic shit that has been happening with her DNC buddy, the coin tosses, etc,etc because the boogie-man

[Land of Enchantment]

176. I don't take remarks of this nature seriously. I'm a grown up. I have been a Democrat for over 45

years. I have donated thousands of dollars to the DNC. I have canvassed, made phone calls, served as state volunteer corrdinator for more than a few campaigns. I voted and worked for Clinton the First even though I REALLY wanted Jerry Brown to get the nom. Same with Dukakis, Carter and Dean. You confuse sulk, rant..etc with the Party deciding for me. I have a long and distinguished history supporting the Democratic Party. They do not get to decide for me again. What exactly have you done? Not much I suspect. I neither have the time nor inclination to debate POLICIES with you because it is like trying to nail jello to the ceiling. My main issue? Global Warming. My spouse is a physicist and researches and writes about it. Unless something happens SOON to radically slow it (it cannot neither be stopped nor reversed) it won't matter to which party you belong or how you vote. It will be OVER. Now you get to join your 'friends' on Ignore. 'Bye

[procon]

184. When you can't make up a successful rejoinder,

why would you think I wanted to know your C.V., let alone include your spouse's resume? This is a new exercise in desperation. That said, now let me add my own bragging rights of the day, oh nothing like some unsolicited claim of heraldry, derring do, or sterling accomplishments that can only be attributed to fictitious cosplay characters. But, I swear, the best thing I've accomplished today was to bake some very tart Lemon Sugar Cookies... nom-nom!

[CentralCoaster]

191. This progressive thanks you for the reply.

I love loved Jerry Brown, and remember clearly how creepy I found Clinton to be, and how disappointed that he, among all the others, somehow rose to the top.

I will not reward the party for continually turning their backs on the people and on the planet.

Not this time. Not with this candidate.

[Beowulf]

113. +1

I think Trump and Hillary both would do serious damage to the country albeit in different ways. I do think it would be easier to organize resistance to Trump to keep him from doing damage, Hillary presents a greater challenge.

I won't be voting for either.

[Blue Owl]

80. K&R for critical thinking

[cwydro]

84. I've never had anything bad to say about Bernie.

But I think I definitely had misjudged the size of his ego

[Eric J in MN]

91. It's a misleading headline. What he actually said wasn't egotistical at all.

He said that he doesn't control his supporters. He'll do whatever he can to stop the Republican nominee. But if Hillary Clinton wants to win over his supporters, then she'll need policies which appeal to his supporters.

[CentralCoaster]

96. The article headline is a bit of an exaggeration, please read the excerpt in the OP:

Here:

"And if Secretary Clinton wins, it is incumbent upon her to tell millions of people who right now do not believe in establishment politics or establishment economics, who have serious misgivings about a candidate who has received millions of dollars from Wall Street and other special interests," he said. "She has got to go out to you."

[The Midway Rebel]

92. I'm listening.

So far, I'm less than impressed.

[onecaliberal]

95. Sorry, I don't vote for serial liars.

[tonyt53]

102. The real Bernie has stepped out

This is one of the reasons that Bernie can never win over any superdelegates and may actually lose some of the few that he has. He is not a team player and evidently has no idea that a President alone can get nothing done.

[TheKentuckian]

108. He also knows Clinton has to sell herself and her agenda to those that supported him

What do you guys think that we have some fealty to Sanders and that he can command our votes?

Bernie can preach, cajole, plead, and beg till the stars fall from the sky and it won't sell Clinton to me only she can do that and seems disinclined to make such an effort at this time.

Why are you upset the man is smart and honest enough to know he isn't a magic sheep dog that can wrangle me up

Is this really your thought process? Clinton can sell you folks on another and you would just roll with it, no independent thought process just must obey her Ladyship in all things?

[SusanCalvin]

160. So you think if Bernie snapped his fingers I'd be sure to vote for Hillary?

Riiiiiiiiight.

[Blue_In_AK]

104. He's exactly right.

It isn't his responsibility to assure that his supporters go to Hillary in the event she is the nominee. It's her responsibility to prove that she would be a better president than her Republican, Green or whatever rivals.

[CentralCoaster]

107. It's basically how a runner up negotiates getting their planks in the platform at the convention.

The funny thing, Hillary fans would probably call him weak if he offered blind support.

Damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

Honesty has it's price, I guess.

[djean111]

131. Like Hillary gives a flying fuck about the planks in the Democratic platform.

She is busily replacing those planks with war and fracking and ruinous trade deals and other favorites of the Third Way and the RW.

[CentralCoaster]

143. I was reading some State Department materials about "State Crafting"...

...something along the lines of:

"Our new foreign policy will pivot to economic rather than military tools and strategies"

She described Iraq as a great economic opportunity.

It is sickening.

[polichick]

106. He's right - those who want him to win don't believe in establishment politics...

or establishment economics. it's as simple as that.

[hollysmom]

109. I am an independent thinker, no one can give me to anyone else.

How exactly do you turn over supporters? It is not as if we are in a binder of women.
I also do not want my personal information to be turned over to anyone, Privacy, you know.
If they are just looking for donors, go back to wall street, they like to give you money. Why as a measly me? I don't recall anyone ever saying my information can be bought or sold. and I feel it is rude to expect that.

[pa28]

111. Correct answer!

[pnwmom]

115. Proving once again he's only been posing as a Dem -- and why we should have all closed primaries.

[Unicorn]

117. Go Bernie!

Don't support the corporate warhawk. Stick to the revolution. It's bigger than this election.

[dana_b]

118. Why should he help her or ANY of the establishment Dems

when they have done nothing but put up roadblocks all over his campaign, bad mouthed his supporters AND him, and now they hire thugs to stomp on many of the supportive websites and thereby censor those that are Pro Bernie?

Nah... we're not the type to accept this treatment and then say "please sir (or madam), may I have some more?" It's on her to act like a real President might instead of a bully.

[B Calm]

120. I'll vote, but not for her. The office of president on my ballot will be blank.

[Nanjeanne]

124. Well of course she will. Why would anyone blindly vote because someone else told them to. My vote is

sacred to me. I CHOOSE who to vote for. I voted for Sanders in the Primary because I wanted to. He can't get me to vote for or against Hillary. For anyone to suggest he has that kind of power is insane. Hillary is the only person who can sway me. So far she hasn't. Ball's in her court if she is the nominee.

[ibegurpard]

126. She will

Bernie saw a voter base that no one on the Democratic side is speaking for anymore and addressed them. They're not going to fall in line behind someone else who isn't interested in anything other than arrogantly demanding their vote.

[2banon]

129. Wrong Answer, Hillary. Wrong Comparison. But you don't want our vote anyway, so there's that.

Actually, you should just say so, straight up.

For once in your life, be honest with us. . it'll be a good soul cleansing experience.

[closeupready]

133. Well sorry, but yes, that IS her job. Not his.

[merrily]

138. His supporters have been saying the same thing. It's about issues and positions, not about doing

whatever Bernie Sanders tells them to do. He cannot deliver them, like delivering so many cartons of milk to a supermarket.

Everyone knows this is so, but they'll pretend he is saying something controversial and awful, just as they always do.

As a separate issue, after what the DNC and state parties have been doing, he owes them nothing. Just the reverse.

[silvershadow]

142. I approve this message.

Right now? Fuck em.

[quantumjunkie]

146. K&R

[Cheese Sandwich]

148. Of course. It should be taken for granted politicians have to earn people's votes

[DianaForRussFeingold]

159. Hi! I agree!

Welcome back..I missed you!

[Cheese Sandwich]

171. ..

thanks!

I'm going to make a sincere attempt to be more careful and not get posts hidden.

[grntuscarora]

152. I love it!

Don't tell me to vote for her, tell her to win it!
Thank you, Bernie, for treating me like an intelligent individual and not like a drone.

[RedCappedBandit]

161. Pragmatically speaking, what other response is there?

It goes without saying that she'll have to win over those voters who chose not to vote for her. That everyone is outraged by such a blatant truth is ridiculous.

His endorsement won't make people support her. That's magical thinking. People want unicorns and rainbows, apparently.

[Metric System]

162. Whether she wins (2016) or loses (2008) it's always Hillary's job.

[NurseJackie]

165. 100% Pure Vanity

"Theeeese are mmyyyy supporters!"

Don't get saucy with me Bernaise!

[PyaarRevolution]

172. I don't get this.

He doesn't own us, he recognizes this. If he started backpedaling on certain issues, he knows we'd leave him in a heartbeat. We don't march in lockstep, period. What makes you think if he said we should go and support Hillary that a giant wave of us would just embrace Hillary and assault her for a giant hug. Like the motto of RT-America..."Question more", this is what we do.

[amborin]

167. doubt she'll try, and she wouldn't succeed

[randome]

174. Sorry, but petulant wannabes don't really add much.

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-most-important-poll-you-didn-t-see

Take all that together and you come away with pretty clear evidence that over the course of the Democratic primary young voters have become more attached to progressive politics and the Democratic party. One read of this is that the primary process itself - as divisive as it has sometimes seemed - has deepened young voters' identification with the Democratic party.

It turns out that Independents are no more special than anyone else. What a let-down, eh?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]All things in moderation, including moderation.[/center][/font][hr]

[Tarc]

175. It's going to come as a bit of a shock someday

when Sanders' DU contingent finally realize that they aren't the base they think they are.

[dubyadiprecession]

178. They can stay home on election night and watch trump win the Presidency..

But i don't believe they would do that.

[lumberjack_jeff]

181. Then it's up to Clinton to give them a reason to vote.

But maybe condescending and bullying them will work this time. Maybe.

[Pastiche423]

186. Watch us.

[mountain grammy]

185. Sometimes I think Hillary really doesn't want the votes of liberals..

When she said Megyn Kelly was a "superb journalist" I figured she was going for the fox watchers. When she praised Nancy Reagan's work on the AIDS epidemic, I figured she was going for the Reagan zombies. When she hedged on a woman's right to choose, I figured she's going for the pro forced birth bunch. I will always believe she voted to give Bush the power to go to war because she believed in the war because she's about regime change. Convincing liberals to vote for her doesn't seem to be on her agenda.

I voted for Bernie in our caucus and plan to vote for him again in November. This primary isn't over yet.

[eridani]

188. Smart enough to not even try to herd cats n/t

[quaker bill]

194. Said because ..... it is true?

Hillary admits freely that she did not get all the PUMAs to support Obama. She only says the "vast majority" did.

So is Bernie to be trashed for admitting that he has no more power over his supporters than Hillary did in 2008?