2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumI see two charges against Sanders that don't make much sense together (re party affiliation)
1. "Sanders is a Democrat come lately!"
2. "Sanders is going to mount a third party run I know it!"
I think you can realistically be outraged about one, and only one, of those.
Fumesucker
(45,851 posts)Lordquinton
(7,886 posts)But I'm not gonna be the one to flush it out.
JonLeibowitz
(6,282 posts)(Let's ignore anti-spoiler ballot provisions)
If he's a Democrat come lately then he doesn't have longtime fealty to the party. Therefore, he won't burn as many bridges if he leaves the party and runs Indy. So actually case (1) makes case (2) more likely.
Or is the argument not of whether both are simultaneously possible, but whether you can be outraged at both simultaneously? That I do agree with -- because people love to complain about Nader but then when Sanders joins the party to avoid a Nader situation he gets slammed.
If that's your point, I agree.
SFnomad
(3,473 posts)For number 2, Sanders has stated he will not do that ... I have no reason not to believe him.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)But he has two options, then, to run for President: to join the Democratic party, or to seek a third party ballot ticket (I hope we can all agree that at least practically a GOP run is not even worth looking at*).
Accepting that, if he wants to run for President, which we all agree is his right (I hope), he can either do so as a Democrat or as an independent or "minor" party candidate. It seems weird to criticize him for taking either option
* Actually now that I say that, had there been no Trump, a Sanders campaign on the GOP side would have at least been quite fascinating. I want to think more on that.
snowy owl
(2,145 posts)Aerows
(39,961 posts)Clinton supporters are looking for things to get outraged and offended about, and yes I'm a raging sexist for pointing it out.
Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)What is that worth? A big "fuck you"?
What was he called on that day?
He voted with them for 26 years, what is that worth?
These strutting, finger-pointing Dems give me a big pain somewhere. Including she who will not be President.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)It cuts both ways in the primary, but it's a fair question we should probably look at.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)IIRC (and I was at least slightly connected in '06) there were complaints and prognostications at the time, but he was considered the best chance since he pledged the caucus vote.
Oh, that elusive caucus vote... Same thing the Blue Dogs get in on.
azurnoir
(45,850 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)Solidarity. It's an amazing thing. When we stick to it.