It is my understanding that Bernie Sanders has turned down the Democratic nomination...

[NCTraveler]

After winning his primary. I come to this understanding as he is already registered to be on the November ballot as an Independent.

I thought he might not turn down the nomination this year, as he has historically done. I was hoping he wouldn't turn it down.

We will still be left with one kick ass Democrat from the state of Vermont.

Patrick Leahy was elected to the United States Senate in 1974 and remains the only Democrat elected to this office from Vermont.

https://www.leahy.senate.gov/about

[marylandblue]

1. Leopard doesn't change his spots.

[Me.]

2. When Is This Nonsensical Business Of The Second Senate Seat

being rigged, going to end?

[R B Garr]

3. Rigged is what came to mind, too. The irony! nt

[Act_of_Reparation]

7. Let's be realistic.

At this point in his career, Sanders would not lose a general election to a Democrat. Running in the primaries on the Democratic ticket just to turn it down later does not eliminate a realistic threat to his reelection. Rather, it's kind of a dick move aimed at the Democratic establishment, boldly underlining his popularity within their own party. Whether it's an ego thing or an honest effort to move the mainstream Democratic party to the left is a matter of conjecture, I'm sure.

[Me.]

9. I Will Differ With You On The Matter Of Eliminating Challengers

People are of course free to run against him but it seems to me that in Vermont at least, the deck is stacked against challengers. But I will certainly agree that his behavior is a "kind of a dick move" that doesn't speak well of him.

[Act_of_Reparation]

13. I'm afraid I don't understand.

The thing keeping Bernie Sanders in power—his incumbency—is standard across all states. There's literally nothing special about Vermont.

[Hortensis]

17. One of DU's Vermonters referred to suppressed Democratic

candidates, who would have given Democratic voters a choice other than the Independent candidate in the GE, as "rat fuckers."

I took this calling Democrats "rat-fuckers" to be an illustration of the level of ethics, and for some zealotry, behind this.

I realize the suppression of Democratic competition to Sanders has become somewhat time-honored and accepted by those it works for, but it's still corruption. The VT Democratic Party should not be systematically suppressing the rights of Democrats who want choice,

[Act_of_Reparation]

22. Well, it's hard to argue with that kind of academic rigor.

[Me.]

18. So Independents Across The State

Run in the Dem primary, win, then decline the win and then choose to run in the election as an Independent?

[Act_of_Reparation]

21. I don't understand the question.

It's established a Democratic challenger poses very little threat to Bernie Sanders' incumbency. Apart from it being kind of a dick move, what about his participation in the primary qualifies as suppression?

[Me.]

24. How Would We Know If Another Challenger Would Pose A Real Threat?

It is also established that when the State Party puts its thumb on the scale for a preferred candidate there is usually a huge advantage for that candidate. I also wonder if the support of the party includes financial backing (ads, cash etc,) another candidate wouldn't receive.

[Act_of_Reparation]

33. The same way we know apples dislodged from a tree don't stay suspended in mid-air.

Statistics. Probability. Incumbency is an extremely strong predictor. As is popularity.

The experimentally-inclined, we also have primaries.

But if you don't find that convincing, let's run through your scenario. What is it you think would have happened if Bernie Sanders had not been allowed to participate in the primary election?

[Me.]

34. We Would've Had A Better Shot At 2 Dem Senators

And democracy. Don't forget the howls when claims were made that the thumb was on the DNC scale and why...because they thought it mattered. Further statistics don't know what they don't know, their predictive ability is based on what has been.

[NurseJackie]

4. That's quite the snub of the Democratic party. But...

Bernie Sanders has turned down the Democratic nomination...

That's quite the snub of the Democratic party. But I think he's made his feelings about the Democratic party well known already, so it's not that much of a surprise.

Patrick Leahy was elected to the United States Senate in 1974

I like Leahy. Thanks for mentioning him! He's a man of integrity and honor and someone that I admire very much. I like that he's respectful and honest and not manipulative. Those are the qualities that I look for in a candidate.

All I'm trying to say here is that Vermont is very lucky to have him. (Leahy, I mean.)

[dalton99a]

5. Leahy is a great senator and a great American.

And a great person, as you mentioned

[NCTraveler]

8. +1

Every word.

I'm waiting for Sanders to make his statement on Twitter or his Senate page. He should be more open about this. I can provide link after link where his most ardent Independent supporters have told me I'm full of shit when talking about him doing this.

[Me.]

10. But Are You Surprised?

[kstewart33]

31. So he uses the Democratic Party to be re-elected time after time after time.

But the party's not good enough to actually become a Democrat.

What a classy guy.

[LexVegas]

6. Crickets. nt

[Tom Rinaldo]

11. Vermont does not allow someone running as an Independent to accept a party endoresement

In many states one can run with more than one party endorsement. That is the case in my state of New York where Democrats, for example, are often cross endorsed by the Working Families Party, and Republicans are cross endorsed by the Conservative Party.

Like a plurality of Americans, Sanders considers his political identity to be Independent. That has been the case for his entire political career dating back to when he was Mayor of Burlington decades ago. He is not legally allowed to keep that identity while accepting a party nomination. Everyone in Vermont knows this. Democrats can always choose not to nominate Bernie Sanders - it is not like they are being blind sided by this. Sanders overwhelmingly won his Democratic primary and Democratic voters had their eyes open when they voted for him. Democrats in Vermont wisely do not want to repeat the errors made in Maine where having a well regarded Democrat running against a well regarded Independent allows a nut job Republican to be Governor. Sanders gives support to other Vermont Democrats running for election.

[NCTraveler]

12. He did not run as an Independent. He ran as a Democrat and turned down the nomination.

Earlier this week he ran as a Democrat. He has turned down the nomination.

It's actually very simple. Nothing complex. Good career mover for him as a career politician.

It's not much different than many states.

We still have one great Democratic Senator from the state of Vermont.

[Tom Rinaldo]

14. We are splicing nuances

Yes he ran "as a Democrat" in the Democratic primary - which is the only way one can run in the Democratic primary. He entered that primary with it open knowledge that he would not run in the general election as a Democrat if he won the primary. The Democratic Party in on board with this, as are Vermont's Democratic voters.

Yes we do indeed have one great Democratic Senator in Vermont, and another who joins him in the Senate Democratic Caucus.

[Adrahil]

23. Typical Sanders apologetics.

We heard no end to how things were "rigged" against Bernie from certain quarters. But apparently, these kind of shenanigans are just fine with some of those same folks.

Oh and Bernie's snub of the party means he will NEVER get my vote in a primary. He has made it very clear he is not a Democrat.

[NCTraveler]

26. No, I'm not. I outlined it just as it is.

It's very basic.

"Yes we do indeed have one great Democratic Senator in Vermont"

[JCanete]

15. I don't personally see why this is important, and frankly I think plenty here professing

that he should do this(not you) don't really want him in the party anyway. I'm sure they'd rather remind everybody every chance they get that he's "not a democrat," as if that diminishes him in some way.

[NCTraveler]

16. I always knew what he would do in the past.

I thought he might do it different this year. With some of the talk state parties and the DNC are having, along with Jane Sanders comments about the Democratic Party, I do have concerns. I was truly hoping he would run in the general as a Democrat. I understand a lot of it is based around fundraising and his base. I was just hoping he would join.

I think it's a very big deal right now. It would have been huge if he wouldn't have done what he has historically done and turned down the nomination.

[msongs]

19. the purpose of DU is to support candidates who are democrats.

if an independent of some sort intentionally creates a situation whereby a democrat will not be on the ballot that independent should not be endrsed on D U, in my opinion

[Voltaire2]

20. The VDP disagrees.

Take it up with them.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

29. It was a comment about DU..not the VDP.

Everyday the same few folks HAVE to post some Bernie stuff. Maybe start IU and have a ball w Bernie. I'll never vote for the guy again. Loved him once...not anymore. Just say'in.

[tavernier]

25. Really? Omg, say it isn't so! I'm just

[NCTraveler]

27. I love a good nap. nt

[KitSileya]

28. If he has stated clearly that he is not a Democrat

then he should be removed from protected status on DU. Only Democrats should have protection from bashing and criticism on DU. Up until now, there's been a chance that he would choose to stay on as a Democrat, the party he claimed to join in 2015, and whose nomination he sought in 2016, but if he rejects the nomination of the Democratic party of Vermont, he rejects the Democratic Party on a national level too, and he should be treated as every other non-Democratic politician.

[TEB]

30. Fuck off bernie

[dlk]

32. Bernie is Not a Democrat-By Choice

[LexVegas]

35. How deeply are certain foreign interests entrenched in his campaign? nt

[fallout87]

36. He had a chance to unite the progressives with the more moderate dems...

And he chose division, once again.

He's setting himself up for a 2020 run, and this type of division is what will re-elect Donald Trump/