Bernie Sanders Says He's Staying In And It's 'Good For The Democratic Party'

[Playinghardball]

Bernie Sanders is staying in the race until the last primary and the nation will be better off for it, he told NPR's Steve Inskeep in an interview that will air Thursday on Morning Edition.

Inskeep, passing on questions he had invited on Twitter, asked Sanders if he is "threatening [his] revolution" by continuing to run, potentially scaring some voters away from supporting Hillary Clinton — the likely Democratic nominee — in November.

"I think we are perpetuating the political revolution by significantly increasing the level of political activity that we're seeing in this country," Sanders responded. He added later, "I think it is good for the United States of America, good for the Democratic Party, to have a vigorous debate, to engage people in the political process."

Sanders elaborated, noting that by staying in the race, he is energizing voters and, therefore, in fact boosting the Democratic Party to victory in November. He contended that Democrats do well when turnout is high and that Republicans do poorly when turnout is high.

"So I'm going to do everything I can to stimulate political discourse in this country and get young people, working people, involved in the political process," he said.

That means he will stay in the race "until the last vote is cast" after Washington, D.C.'s Democratic primary June 14.

But Can He Win?

The Vermont independent senator also stressed that he thinks he can still win, despite Clinton's massive delegate lead.

"We think we have a path toward victory — admittedly it is a narrow path," Sanders said.

A very narrow path: He would need 65 percent of all remaining pledged delegates for a pledged majority and 82 percent of all delegates — including remaining superdelegates — to pull past Clinton overall, according to NPR's Domenico Montanaro.

But Sanders said he believes if he is able to win by large margins in upcoming states like Oregon and California, as he has in Washington (with nearly 73 percent of the vote) and Utah (79 percent), he can pull ahead.

More here: http://www.npr.org/2016/05/04/476766494/bernie-sanders-says-hes-staying-in-and-its-good-for-the-democratic-party

[StayFrosty]

1. Zombie campaign

The best thing Hillary can do at this point is to just ignore him and focus on Trump

[metroins]

5. This.

Nothing else to say

[Demsrule86]

8. He is pretty much being ignored.

Sad for him to go out this way desperate and bitter.

[farleftlib]

11. So going out the way he always said he would

and the same way Hills did in '08 is desperate and bitter.

The voting isn't over.

[Demsrule86]

14. It is over

Hillary worked her tail off as did Bill to get Obama elected in 08 and 12. The primary is over...voting often continues after the nominee is clear. He is desperate and bitter...if i had not come to dislike him so much I would feel sorry for him...actually I kind of do feel sorry for him... The news is interviewing Clinton and Trump...Bernie who? they don't care.

[farleftlib]

15. No it's not over

and your snarky comments about him being desperate and bitter reflect badly on you
and not at all on him. Hillary hasn't got the delegates yet. You sound desperate to have
him out because you know by comparison your candidate looks like the paid shill she
truly is. Get used to the idea of President Trump. Hill is toast in the GE.

[StayFrosty]

16. Looks like you might have to cross your fingers

Hillary is looking stronger and stronger and the investigation will probably be finished by October

I'm sure you'll have your fingers crossed though

[pat_k]

2. And from his press conference after Indiana:

Another reason staying in is good for the Party: two candidates bashing Trump is better than one.

...
Unless we create an economy that works for all of us, and not just the one percent, their kids are going to have a lower standard of living then they do, and we're going to see the end of the American Dream -- and we are not going to allow that to happen. And the American people understand that in this great country we can do what every other major industrialized on earth is doing and that is guaranteeing health care to all people as a right, and to guarantee paid family and medical leave -- and by the way, to demand, that when we have so much income and wealth inequality, that Donald Trump and the billionaire class start paying their fair share of taxes.

While the path is narrow, and I do not deny that for a moment, I think we can pull off one of the great political upsets in the history of the United States. And in fact become the nominee for the Democratic Party, and once we secure that position, I have absolute confidence that we're going to defeat Donald Trump...

Question: After tonight is seems that Donald Trump is going to become the likely GOP nominee. Will you commit now to saying whether or not he is a racist?

Sanders:
Look, I don't have to label him. I think he, virtually every day, has insulted one group of people or another, whether it's Mexicans and Latinos, whether it is Muslims, whether it is women, whether it is veterans, whether it is African Americans. Let us never forget that before Trump became a candidate for president, he was one of the leaders of the so-called "birther" movement. A movement which tried to de-legitimize the presidency of the first African American we have ever had. I'll let the American people decide the appropriate label. But this is a man who does not have the demeanor, does not have the policy background, or the ideas to become president of the United States.
I would love to run against him, and I'm absolutely confident that not only would we beat him, but we'd beat him by a pretty large number...

Question about how win in Indiana changes race.

After discussing influence of momentum on upcoming races, he goes on to say:

"...We are going to make the case to the superdelegates, many of them by the way came on board Hillary Clintons campaign even before I was an announced candidate. They were there way back when. Well the world has changed in the last year. And I believe we will be able to make the case to many of those superdelegates that what is most important is not whether Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders is the nominee; what is most important is that we do not allow someone like a Donald Trump to become president of the United States.

And I think that according to every poll I have seen in the last month, Bernie Sanders beats Donald Trump in the national polls by greater margins then does Hillary Clinton, and Bernie Sanders beats Donald Trump by greater margins than Hillary Clinton in battleground state after battleground state. In other words, the objective evidence is that I am the strongest candidate to prevent Trump from becoming president...

Question: Today Donald Trump has been called the presumptive nominee, they report they are ramping up for the general election. Any concern that by extending the Democratic primary that it's going to set Democrats at a disadvantage come July?

Not at all. If you look at the polling -- there was a polls that came out just yesterday -- and they asked the American people "Has the Democratic primary process invigorated the Democratic party? Is it good for the Democratic party? By very large numbers the American people say yes.

What we are doing in this campaign -- and I'm extremely proud of it -- we are literally bringing millions of people into the political process. And the way you bring people into the polical process is you engage in a serious, issue oriented campaign. They hear Hillary Clinton's point of view. They hear my point of view. They get involved. And you know what, those people then vote in the general election. So I have no doubt; zeri doubt, that what we have done in this campaign, what we are doing now, and what we will do in the next 6 weeks is good for the Democratic Party, and it will result in a higher voter turnout.

Let me conclude by saying this. Democrats and progressives win elections when the voter turnout is high. Republicans win elections when the voter turnout is low, and when people are demoralized. I'm going to do everything that I can to make sure that in Novemeber we have a very high voter turnout.

[Demsrule86]

9. Bernie bashes her and the Democratic party

But I think only his ardent supporters care.

[rhett o rick]

3. The Movement is more important than this election. We will not back down

especially when the conservatives of our party demand it. LOL. If this were the 1770's they'd be backing the British. Afraid to fight for freedoms and liberties. Afraid to fight to protect those among us struggling. Siding with the Wealthy winners is paramount.

[AuntPatsy]

4. If he thinks he stands a chance he has a duty now to his many followers to see it to the end..

I understand why some are so adverse though to his continuing his run,

it's pretty much the Super Bowl effect for many and waiting for the end of the game can be super stressful do perhaps meditation techniques might be if some help....

[pat_k]

17. Ommm

[Renew Deal]

6. Like a spanking

[AgingAmerican]

7. He needs to stay in until November

Or until the FBI investigations against Hillary are dropped, whichever occurs first.

Why? Because if she in indicted, Trump automatically wins.

[Demsrule86]

10. In November

It will be Bernie Who?

[AgingAmerican]

12. Or Trump

If we stay the present course...

[Waiting For Everyman]

13. K&R

Go Bernie!

And go remaining states!