Canada LOVES Bernie Sanders!!!
5
The increasing support for Bernie Sanders is being portrayed as the appeal of authenticity and the draw of an outsider. But I see it as an another example of rhetoric over substance. First of all, the idea that Bernie Sanders is an "outsider" after 16 years in the House and almost 10 years in the Senate is ludicrous. Secondly, his proposals may be compelling, but he has practically no specifics about how he can legislate them into a reality. As far as I can understand, his plan is that we all work together to create a citizens' revolution and a rising tide of progressive ideas will inexorably become the laws of the land. It's inspiring, but not very practical. Compare that with Hillary Clinton who not only has lofty ideas, but clear, specific proposals to make them happen in the legislature. Let's not forget that, while progressive ideas from The New Deal to The Voting Rights Act were supported by social movements, but they had to be enacted by Congress. So my hope is that we, as Democrats, don't get so carried away by someone who says what we want to hear, that we lose sight of a candidate who can achieve what we hope to achieve.
3
Supporters of Bernie Sanders are those who, for so long, have been yearning for a presidential candidate whose policies aim at bettering the lives of the majority of the sons and daughters of Uncle Sam. Some commenters are thinking that the vote turnout this year will likely be the same or lower than in the recent past; I strongly disagree, because, this year, we sure have a candidate who has endeavored himself to represent the people, and whose campaign is fully supported by the little guys and gals. They will go out in throngs to cast their ballots. Feel the BERN!
9
The enthusiasm gap between Clinton and Sanders is striking. If Clinton continues to attack Sanders, as she has recently, she risks decreasing turnout, which must be high if she is to win the election. Attacks are a losing proposition for Clinton. Clearly articulated reasons for disagreement are fine. But Clinton's strategy will backfire in November.
6
Having read so many posts in support of Senator Sanders, I'd like to put in my two cents on why I support HRC. I think both candidates are excellent, and should make Democrats proud. Senator Sanders has worked all his life helping those in need, but HRC has done the same. Both have fine reputations in the Senate, but this is where they diverge. HRC is well respected by leaders around the globe, while Sanders is little known. Sanders is a self proclaimed socialist, and I believe the GOP would ride that horse home at a moment when the world is holding its collective breath watching the lead up to the primaries. There have been few such critical elections, and this one will determine the direction of this country: will we remain a Democratic Republic, or will we become a nation ruled by tyrannical means. Will we say no to those who come to our shores? Will we erode the rights of our citizens? Will we lose all the world has come to respect? I am not willing to bet our future on someone I am convinced cannot win the general election, the results of a loss would devastate this country for generations.
5
I live overseas, so possibly I see our country from a different perspective. All of those thing are already happening. Under the types of democratic socialism that Bernie talks about, I see how much better the quality of life is, how different the disposition of the people are in general is; they still struggle here, but they aren't working themnsleves to death just to get by. I had to work two fullt-ime jobs - up to 80 hours a week - just to pay my bills, and little more. Now I can work 25, pay my bills, have health care, and still have a life. I want that for my children and grandchildren; I want that for my country. Our freedoms are eroded, and secede further daily; the feeling of oppression is almost palpable whenever I step off a plane to visit home. Any esteem we had in the wider world is all but gone. It is time for real, revolutionary change.
9
I forgot to add that if my children came here, they could gop to college for free; sopme countries even provide a stipend for living expenses while you're in school. I still owe $45,000 on a student loan from 1989. When you factor in what we pauy for tuition and insurance premiums, not to mention a much higher cost of living, we would actually pay less out of pocket under an expnaded form of democratic socialism, and have a better quality of life. I would gladly pay higher taxes so my children could be debt-free and have health care, and so I could actually afford to live in the US again at some point. .
7
When Nixon got elected, I thought that was the end, for this country. Same with Reagan, Bush I and Bush II. And we survived, although the long range outlook is not great. I doubt that if Bernie gets elected that he can do anything momentous, but at least there will be a start in a new direction that our children could look forward to.
As far as Hillary helping people all her life, and the claim that "she cares about women and children", I suggest that we ask the women and children, or should I say, widows and orphans, of Iraq what their experience with Hillary's "caring" is. She's too willing to send the sons and daughters of others to war, while her own daughter lives in luxury, and will never serve in the military. Bernie Sanders has long been an effective advocate for veterans. He's made it a prime concern and action of his political life.
As far as Hillary helping people all her life, and the claim that "she cares about women and children", I suggest that we ask the women and children, or should I say, widows and orphans, of Iraq what their experience with Hillary's "caring" is. She's too willing to send the sons and daughters of others to war, while her own daughter lives in luxury, and will never serve in the military. Bernie Sanders has long been an effective advocate for veterans. He's made it a prime concern and action of his political life.
6
"It is impossible to overstate the extent to which misogyny and fear of a strong woman being president fuels this election cycle."
Impossible? I think not -- you just did.
Impossible? I think not -- you just did.
5
"Many like myself are tired of [taking] one for the team and voting for a Republican Lite with a D listed next to their name on election day- we want a traditional Liberal."
So what will you do if Hillary's name appears on the ballot in November – vote Republican? Hillary knows you won't do that – you'll vote for her.
Nothing against Bernie Sanders, but he's hardly the first "protest candidate" to come down the pike. Democrats get all worked up about such candidates, just as Republicans get all worked up about candidates like Trump. But when election day rolls around, voters from both parties revert to form. The leaders of both parties know this will happen, and count on it.
The usual expression is "Well, I guess I'll hold my nose and vote for Hillary." Practice that line – you may need it on election day.
So what will you do if Hillary's name appears on the ballot in November – vote Republican? Hillary knows you won't do that – you'll vote for her.
Nothing against Bernie Sanders, but he's hardly the first "protest candidate" to come down the pike. Democrats get all worked up about such candidates, just as Republicans get all worked up about candidates like Trump. But when election day rolls around, voters from both parties revert to form. The leaders of both parties know this will happen, and count on it.
The usual expression is "Well, I guess I'll hold my nose and vote for Hillary." Practice that line – you may need it on election day.
2
I think we are getting tired of holding our collecgive nose and voting for unpalatable candidates because they are better than the alternative... I think you may be proved wrong, and that we are finally becoming angry and fed up enough to vote for real change. At least I hope so.
8
the "threat" i've seen from bernie supporters is that if it ain't bernie, they'll sit out the election. that is so sad, because that's being willing to hand the supreme court over to the wingnuts. it's one reason i wouldn't kick bernie to the side if he's the final candidate though i think clinton is more experienced and would be able to hit the ground running. there's a whole list of democratic issues that matter more than bernie's flaws.
2
The Supreme Court 'threat' does not work on me. We've seen judges who we thooght would be progrssive go the other way, and some who I feared would be too conservative have surprised me. There are no guarantees on that score, so I will vote for real change.
4
I'd be thrilled if Sanders overtook Clinton and won the election. Except for one thing: he's 74 years old. Not intending ageism, but just thinking realistically. I know he's a "young 74" and I know Ruth Bader Ginsberg is amazing at 82. But she's not running a country, not dealing with the kinds of stress that come with the Presidency. Sanders will turn 75 before the election, which means he'll be nearly 80 after one term. Contrast this with Reagan, previously our oldest president, who left office after two terms at age 77. Even if Sanders wins, there is no way, in 4 years, we'll re-elect an 80 year old man. I'm very grateful for his impact on this election and hope he'll sway Hillary in his direction. But I'll be voting for Hillary.
3
Or, he can have one amazing term and point this country back in the right direction before handing the reins to Elizabeth Warren.
10
Oh yes, Sanders / Warren is a viable general election tandem. Warren barely squeaked by in one of the most Democratic states in the country.
You don't get extra votes for really wanting her to win. Her support is isolated.
You don't get extra votes for really wanting her to win. Her support is isolated.
1) So was Bernie's, at first 2) She is just a good example of the type of woman I would vote for.
5
It's deja vu all over again for Hillary. In 2008 it was Barack. In 2016 it's Bernie.
Should Hilary be nervous about the campaign? You better believe it.
With less than 3 weeks before Iowa voters head to caucuses, there are warning signs almost everywhere that suggest that Bernie Sanders is gaining momentum at exactly the worst moment for Clinton's chances at winning the nomination.
The new NY Times/CBS News poll shows Clinton as a significantly diminished front-runner and Sanders as the surging insurgent. The 20-point lead she held a month ago has been clipped down to single digits by Sanders.
In Iowa, the story is the same. Suddenly Hillary's big lead among likely caucus-goers has evaporated -- with a series of polls in the last few days showing that the race is a statistical dead heat.
History shows that how one state votes influences how the states that follow it in the nominating process vote. That's why losing Iowa and New Hampshire, which now seems possible if not likely, is a nightmare scenario for Clinton.
That should make her very, very nervous.
Should Hilary be nervous about the campaign? You better believe it.
With less than 3 weeks before Iowa voters head to caucuses, there are warning signs almost everywhere that suggest that Bernie Sanders is gaining momentum at exactly the worst moment for Clinton's chances at winning the nomination.
The new NY Times/CBS News poll shows Clinton as a significantly diminished front-runner and Sanders as the surging insurgent. The 20-point lead she held a month ago has been clipped down to single digits by Sanders.
In Iowa, the story is the same. Suddenly Hillary's big lead among likely caucus-goers has evaporated -- with a series of polls in the last few days showing that the race is a statistical dead heat.
History shows that how one state votes influences how the states that follow it in the nominating process vote. That's why losing Iowa and New Hampshire, which now seems possible if not likely, is a nightmare scenario for Clinton.
That should make her very, very nervous.
11
I agree.
She will lose Iowa, NH, and Nevada. The demographics do not favor her.
She also has problems on Super Tuesday.
She is roughly in the same position as 2008, perhaps a tad better, but not much. On the other hand, she didn't lose to Obama by very much, with the total popular vote being practically even.
She will lose Iowa, NH, and Nevada. The demographics do not favor her.
She also has problems on Super Tuesday.
She is roughly in the same position as 2008, perhaps a tad better, but not much. On the other hand, she didn't lose to Obama by very much, with the total popular vote being practically even.
Funny, I was just reading in another story from this issue, Hillary Clinton’s Lead Over Bernie Sanders Slipping in New Poll, that those who are now leaning toward Bernie are doing so because they've fianlly heard of him and heard his ideas for running the country, which, to me, further proves how much his compaign has been hurt by what I believe is a deliberate media blackout.
15
Reminds me of McGovern in 1972:
"And on Monday, she proposed a tax surcharge on people who earn more than $5 million per year..."
Early in the 1972 campaign, McGovern proposed a 100% tax (i.e. confiscation) on estates over $500,000 (a lot more money back then), which went over like a lead balloon and cost him many votes. I was surprised, but I haven't forgotten that reaction.
"And on Monday, she proposed a tax surcharge on people who earn more than $5 million per year..."
Early in the 1972 campaign, McGovern proposed a 100% tax (i.e. confiscation) on estates over $500,000 (a lot more money back then), which went over like a lead balloon and cost him many votes. I was surprised, but I haven't forgotten that reaction.
I'd say this is a fair point:
"If the Republicans really are going to self-destruct and nominate a Trump or a Cruz, then maybe Sanders becomes electable."
I can't imagine Cruz getting it, but Trump obviously could. If so, either Hillary or Bernie could win. My hunch, though, is that the Republicans eventually will be guided by the overarching desire that always dictates their choice: WIN THE ELECTION. That probably will give them more than one candidate to pick from, but neither Trump nor Cruz would be on the list. Rubio probably will get the nod.
"If the Republicans really are going to self-destruct and nominate a Trump or a Cruz, then maybe Sanders becomes electable."
I can't imagine Cruz getting it, but Trump obviously could. If so, either Hillary or Bernie could win. My hunch, though, is that the Republicans eventually will be guided by the overarching desire that always dictates their choice: WIN THE ELECTION. That probably will give them more than one candidate to pick from, but neither Trump nor Cruz would be on the list. Rubio probably will get the nod.
2
Closing the enthusiasm gap by getting nasty! Oh, Ms Clinton. You'll never learn.
11
OK, I'll brace myself -- promise:
"... be prepared for a historic turnout come the general election..."
I predict just the opposite: low turnout. "First-term" elections (e.g. 1992, 2000, 2008) are nearly always higher-turnout than "second-term" elections (e.g. 1996, 2004, 2012), and so 2016 will have that going for it. But that's about it. My hunch is that the contest won't be close, and that turnout will be very low for a "first-term" election.
"... be prepared for a historic turnout come the general election..."
I predict just the opposite: low turnout. "First-term" elections (e.g. 1992, 2000, 2008) are nearly always higher-turnout than "second-term" elections (e.g. 1996, 2004, 2012), and so 2016 will have that going for it. But that's about it. My hunch is that the contest won't be close, and that turnout will be very low for a "first-term" election.
People are drawn to Sanders because they are seeing a mentally ill Hillary Clinton, the bobbing of the head, the strange outburst of laughter and the complete denial of her criminal conduct.
5
Several commenters have complained that those who don't support Hillary Clinton are simply prejudiced against women in politics. I disagree, as I think most people do. That said, keep in mind that the Times yesterday published an entire article about the dress worn by Michelle Obama at the State of Union address on Monday night. The Times writer chosen to write that "dress" article was a woman. I respectfully suggest that the Times do one of two things next time:
1. Assign a man, not a woman, to write about the dress worn by the president's wife (or about the suit worn by the president's husband).
2. Better yet, don't publish such an article at all.
1. Assign a man, not a woman, to write about the dress worn by the president's wife (or about the suit worn by the president's husband).
2. Better yet, don't publish such an article at all.
8
"Ultimately, a Clinton aide said, about half of the audience signed commitment cards."
Ultimately, one can believe a Clinton aide about as much as a Clinton.
No one really believes her or her occasional husband nor her obedient daughter with the junk bond husband. Hillary will go where the money is if elected, but if nominated she will probably not be elected, because Democrats with a sense of decency won't vote.
Ultimately, one can believe a Clinton aide about as much as a Clinton.
No one really believes her or her occasional husband nor her obedient daughter with the junk bond husband. Hillary will go where the money is if elected, but if nominated she will probably not be elected, because Democrats with a sense of decency won't vote.
10
"No one really believes her or her occasional husband nor her obedient daughter with the junk bond husband."
Now she's blamed for whom her daughter chose to marry. I didn't think smears could get any lower than the Trump variety until I started reading this blog.
Now she's blamed for whom her daughter chose to marry. I didn't think smears could get any lower than the Trump variety until I started reading this blog.
2
some of bernie's supporters suffer from cognitive dissonance. they don't realize that their own overreach re clinton belies their claims about why bernie is better.
3
"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
The knives are coming out.
The knives are coming out.
5
Hillary Clinton has too much...."baggage" to become President of the United
States....and that is simply a fact ....that no amount of PAC money can erase.
and
Donald J. Trump...also...has too much baggage to become President..and...
he is an avowed xenophobe...to boot.
Money talks ....much too much ....and no amount of $$$$ can shove the
facts about Hillary or Donald....under any kind of carpet....
There will be no "magic carpets" .....especially when the people see through
the myth builders on the wrong side of democrqcy....no....magic carpets
for Hillary or Donald Trump........so ...let's see that a new broom sweeps clean ....all their hot air....Hurrah for a true Patriot...like Bernie Sanders...!!!
States....and that is simply a fact ....that no amount of PAC money can erase.
and
Donald J. Trump...also...has too much baggage to become President..and...
he is an avowed xenophobe...to boot.
Money talks ....much too much ....and no amount of $$$$ can shove the
facts about Hillary or Donald....under any kind of carpet....
There will be no "magic carpets" .....especially when the people see through
the myth builders on the wrong side of democrqcy....no....magic carpets
for Hillary or Donald Trump........so ...let's see that a new broom sweeps clean ....all their hot air....Hurrah for a true Patriot...like Bernie Sanders...!!!
4
Taking a page from Bill' run phrase It's the economy stupid! This was before HillaryCare and this election, "it's about healthcare stupid!
Having Chelsea speak about Healthcare cause fear saying "Sanders universal Medicare plan would harm Seniors" was rebutted after the SOTU when he correctly on out have the most costly system as well as the least effective one and his would save each citizen $2,500 a year and he will release the specifics before the Iowa caucus. Can't wait to read it!
Having Chelsea speak about Healthcare cause fear saying "Sanders universal Medicare plan would harm Seniors" was rebutted after the SOTU when he correctly on out have the most costly system as well as the least effective one and his would save each citizen $2,500 a year and he will release the specifics before the Iowa caucus. Can't wait to read it!
2
It's not that I don't like Hillary, it's that I ADORE Bernie.
And the more he was ignored and dismissed by the Democratic party and the media, the more it stoked the fire that is THE BERN.
When I hear people asking "What is Hillary doing wrong?..." she is doing nothing wrong. Bernie is an intelligent, kind, unique, laser focused, charismatic man with a message that can be summed up in a tweet. He is his authentic self and he provides hope. It is HIS time. I only wish that my father were alive to witness this revolution.
And the more he was ignored and dismissed by the Democratic party and the media, the more it stoked the fire that is THE BERN.
When I hear people asking "What is Hillary doing wrong?..." she is doing nothing wrong. Bernie is an intelligent, kind, unique, laser focused, charismatic man with a message that can be summed up in a tweet. He is his authentic self and he provides hope. It is HIS time. I only wish that my father were alive to witness this revolution.
8
It's funny, because if you read the comments on this board, Bernie's supporters are the polar opposite of the candidate.
Hostile, negative, insulting, stubborn, prone, with rambling and dishonest criticisms of his fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton.
Why would such a nasty bunch of people support such a nice guy ?
Hostile, negative, insulting, stubborn, prone, with rambling and dishonest criticisms of his fellow Democrat, Hillary Clinton.
Why would such a nasty bunch of people support such a nice guy ?
1
Hillary Clinton Races to Close Enthusiasm Gap With Bernie Sanders in Iowa. She might get somewhere if she would only close her mouth.
2
To the best of my limited knowledge Sanders seems to be the candidate LEAST beholden to personal or corporate donors ...........that in the poisonous and poisoned domain of money would qualify him for the nomination and the presidency.
America has nothing to fear from a man free from money gendered obligations .
He deserves the chance to show how much better America can do !
America has nothing to fear from a man free from money gendered obligations .
He deserves the chance to show how much better America can do !
11
Several commenters – probably older – have complained that Sanders supporters ignore the downside of nominating an ideologically appealing candidate who gets crushed in the general election, thus handing the White House keys to the other party.
That's exactly what will happen if Sanders gets nominated (though Hillary's chances in the general election aren't looking a whole lot better). Both parties have done that in the past – McGovern and Goldwater for two obvious examples (though I doubt anyone could have beat LBJ in 1964). It's something Democratic voters should think harder about.
On the other hand, if Democratic voters do think harder about this, or already have, it's quite possible they'll conclude that Clinton can't win the general election either. If that's their conclusion, the choice is tougher: Back Clinton, and go down to defeat, or back Sanders, cross your fingers and hope for the best.
That's exactly what will happen if Sanders gets nominated (though Hillary's chances in the general election aren't looking a whole lot better). Both parties have done that in the past – McGovern and Goldwater for two obvious examples (though I doubt anyone could have beat LBJ in 1964). It's something Democratic voters should think harder about.
On the other hand, if Democratic voters do think harder about this, or already have, it's quite possible they'll conclude that Clinton can't win the general election either. If that's their conclusion, the choice is tougher: Back Clinton, and go down to defeat, or back Sanders, cross your fingers and hope for the best.
Except McGovern and Goldwater were running against reasonable alternatives.... this cycle on the other side there is... Trump? Cruz?
Hillary Clinton is between a rock and a hard place. Her lead is slipping to Bernie Sanders, so she's trying harder to appeal to our more progressive instincts, but she's not going to convince anyone that she's more progressive than Bernie Sanders.
Bernie's description of America rings true with progressives, though he lacks the political skills that Hillary has. Hillary's political prowess is exceptional. She's learned from the best: her husband.
In any past election that would have been enough to clinch the nomination. But not this election. Americans on both the left and the right are sick and tired of the dysfunction of our corrupt government. We know in advance what we're going to get if we elect another typical politician. We're champing at the bit for change. Obama, though, in my opinion, an exceptional man and leader, tried to usher in change using traditional political means. The sense is that he achieve as much change as was possible, but not enough to satisfy this nation. So we're looking to take it a step further, which is why conservatives are rallying around extremists like Trump and Cruz, and why Hillary is running into such strong headwinds. More and more progressives are willing to give Bernie a try, see if he can at least establish what needs to be done and to awaken progressives into being more involved in American democracy.
Bernie's description of America rings true with progressives, though he lacks the political skills that Hillary has. Hillary's political prowess is exceptional. She's learned from the best: her husband.
In any past election that would have been enough to clinch the nomination. But not this election. Americans on both the left and the right are sick and tired of the dysfunction of our corrupt government. We know in advance what we're going to get if we elect another typical politician. We're champing at the bit for change. Obama, though, in my opinion, an exceptional man and leader, tried to usher in change using traditional political means. The sense is that he achieve as much change as was possible, but not enough to satisfy this nation. So we're looking to take it a step further, which is why conservatives are rallying around extremists like Trump and Cruz, and why Hillary is running into such strong headwinds. More and more progressives are willing to give Bernie a try, see if he can at least establish what needs to be done and to awaken progressives into being more involved in American democracy.
8
"people don't connect with her emotionally because of her gender."
Ah, so it's sexism if someone prefers Sanders over Clinton! I should have known!
Ah, so it's sexism if someone prefers Sanders over Clinton! I should have known!
5
"If ... Clinton and ... Sanders could unify and galvanize the Democratic party they would be unstoppable."
This would seem to suggest that whichever one gets the nomination ought to pick the other one as his/her running mate. What do suppose the odds of that are?
This would seem to suggest that whichever one gets the nomination ought to pick the other one as his/her running mate. What do suppose the odds of that are?
2
As a Sanders supporter, I must urge everyone who also supports him to make sure and vote, by write-in if necessary, when the time comes.
The Democratic National Committee has thrown their support behind Clinton. It's business as usual for them--choosing the perceived winner. The DNC has powerful contacts and allies, and its machine cannot be underestimated when it comes to calling in favors.
Coupled with the DNC machine is the sad lack of media attention to the successful Sanders campaign. Perhaps the DNC has been whispering in their ears? Nevertheless, coverage of Sanders has been low, despite his popularity, his well-funded campaign and his excellent strategies for the US.
The 5th estate is very powerful. It is tragic to see the media dictate the results of a presidential election by burying its best candidate.
Democrats do not like Hillary. Her manner is slickly polished by years of evading corruption charges and from not quite committing to any one position. She brings new meaning to the word disingenuous. Cynical shrewdness and glib remarks are not enough to lead.
However, Bernie is honest. He has a progressive voting record on the economy, war, women's rights, minority rights, education, poverty, health care, immigration and unions. He has the young American vote and is more popular than Clinton. He is funded solely through small donations so is beholden to no one.
Thanks for this article, NYT. Please balance reporting and publish more on Sanders.
The Democratic National Committee has thrown their support behind Clinton. It's business as usual for them--choosing the perceived winner. The DNC has powerful contacts and allies, and its machine cannot be underestimated when it comes to calling in favors.
Coupled with the DNC machine is the sad lack of media attention to the successful Sanders campaign. Perhaps the DNC has been whispering in their ears? Nevertheless, coverage of Sanders has been low, despite his popularity, his well-funded campaign and his excellent strategies for the US.
The 5th estate is very powerful. It is tragic to see the media dictate the results of a presidential election by burying its best candidate.
Democrats do not like Hillary. Her manner is slickly polished by years of evading corruption charges and from not quite committing to any one position. She brings new meaning to the word disingenuous. Cynical shrewdness and glib remarks are not enough to lead.
However, Bernie is honest. He has a progressive voting record on the economy, war, women's rights, minority rights, education, poverty, health care, immigration and unions. He has the young American vote and is more popular than Clinton. He is funded solely through small donations so is beholden to no one.
Thanks for this article, NYT. Please balance reporting and publish more on Sanders.
8
Half of Democrats do like Hillary. Why do you insist on lying to get your point across. Is that what Bernie preaches ?
If Bernie the candidate is anything like the people who support him on this comment board, his campaign is doomed.
He will have alienated way too many Democrats to win a general election.
If Bernie the candidate is anything like the people who support him on this comment board, his campaign is doomed.
He will have alienated way too many Democrats to win a general election.
"Bill Clinton's campaign support for his wife has nothing to do with Hillary's statements that she is not running for a third term for Bill. To imply such is sexist and demeaning to Hillary."
After Bill Clinton lost his race for re-election as Governor of Arkansas in 1980, he reportedly had just about given up on his political career until Hillary told him to stop feeling sorry for himself and whipped him back into shape. She deserves a lot of credit for that.
But that credit is credit for being a good wife. It doesn't mean she'd also make a good president. As for that, let's face reality here: Would Hillary Clinton be running for president today if she weren't Bill Clinton's wife? Would we even have heard of Hillary Clinton if she weren't Bill Clinton's wife?
After Bill Clinton lost his race for re-election as Governor of Arkansas in 1980, he reportedly had just about given up on his political career until Hillary told him to stop feeling sorry for himself and whipped him back into shape. She deserves a lot of credit for that.
But that credit is credit for being a good wife. It doesn't mean she'd also make a good president. As for that, let's face reality here: Would Hillary Clinton be running for president today if she weren't Bill Clinton's wife? Would we even have heard of Hillary Clinton if she weren't Bill Clinton's wife?
5
"Let's face facts--America will never ever be ready to elect a female president, especially you know who."
Of course America is ready to elect a female president. That's not exactly new under the sun, after all. Many countries, all over the world, have done so -- several times, in some cases.
The question is not whether a woman should be elected president. The question is whether Hillary Clinton should be elected president.
Of course America is ready to elect a female president. That's not exactly new under the sun, after all. Many countries, all over the world, have done so -- several times, in some cases.
The question is not whether a woman should be elected president. The question is whether Hillary Clinton should be elected president.
6
I am a registered Republican of 32 years who has voted independent in the last four elections, and I can't remember ever feeling as enthusiastic about any candidate as I do about Bernie Sanders. I don't recognize my country any more; going home to visit my family seems surreal, and I will do everything I can to see him elected.
23
It is impossible to overstate the extent to which misogyny and fear of a strong woman being president fuels this election cycle.
It is impossible to overstate how overdue we are as a country to have a female president.
Bernie Sanders has few of the qualifications one looks for in a president: he has absolutely no experience in foreign policy. Yet the most qualified person for the job in either party is constantly maligned and disregarded.
The craziness of making an issue out of the past scandals around Bill and women is bizarre. The hand-wringing by the press about whether Bill is an asset in campaigning or a liability is equally bizarre: none of this came up when he spoke on Obama's behalf at both conventions and none of this came up in January 2007 when Ted Kennedy campaigned for Barack Obama.
And no one doubts the value of a JFK or FDR or Ike endorsing a candidate these days if they were still with us, despite them having similar issues with women who worked for them.
We have to face facts that a great deal of the fervor for Bernie or Trump is that they might be able to stop a woman from finally winning the White House.
That is the revolution we should be aiming for in this cycle: after 44 male presidents that is the change that is needed.
It is impossible to overstate how overdue we are as a country to have a female president.
Bernie Sanders has few of the qualifications one looks for in a president: he has absolutely no experience in foreign policy. Yet the most qualified person for the job in either party is constantly maligned and disregarded.
The craziness of making an issue out of the past scandals around Bill and women is bizarre. The hand-wringing by the press about whether Bill is an asset in campaigning or a liability is equally bizarre: none of this came up when he spoke on Obama's behalf at both conventions and none of this came up in January 2007 when Ted Kennedy campaigned for Barack Obama.
And no one doubts the value of a JFK or FDR or Ike endorsing a candidate these days if they were still with us, despite them having similar issues with women who worked for them.
We have to face facts that a great deal of the fervor for Bernie or Trump is that they might be able to stop a woman from finally winning the White House.
That is the revolution we should be aiming for in this cycle: after 44 male presidents that is the change that is needed.
2
As a woman, I will say that that is absolutely false and absurd, but it isn't a difficult default position to take when you have nothing else of value to say. I will not vote for Hillary just for the sake of finally having a woman president; I will wait for the right woman to elect, and not a flip-flopping opportunist.
7
In the embryonic stages of this presidential campaign, the elites chose two presidential candidates, one Democrat and one Republican: Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush.
Then that curious and wonderful thing that is democracy began to stir. The voters, as opposed to the elites, began to make their voices heard. Among the Republicans, a front runner emerged that had many people, including the elites, worried. Trump was building his support on hate and fear.
Meanwhile, the elites felt that the threat on the Democratic side, that irascible old guy from Vermont with the ideas about a political revolution that might change the status quo in such a way as to make the elites uncomfortable - well, the way to deal with him was to ignore him. That strategy worked for a long time. But the man himself, because of his unique qualities of character, and his clear and visionary message, was able to push through the barrier meant to keep him in oblivion. Bernie Sanders not only has a powerful message, but has emerged as a courageous, tenacious, principled, and trustworthy leader, someone who is attracting increasing numbers of voters for all the right reasons. And this supporter is not one of his young followers, but is, instead, a "senior" and a woman.
Then that curious and wonderful thing that is democracy began to stir. The voters, as opposed to the elites, began to make their voices heard. Among the Republicans, a front runner emerged that had many people, including the elites, worried. Trump was building his support on hate and fear.
Meanwhile, the elites felt that the threat on the Democratic side, that irascible old guy from Vermont with the ideas about a political revolution that might change the status quo in such a way as to make the elites uncomfortable - well, the way to deal with him was to ignore him. That strategy worked for a long time. But the man himself, because of his unique qualities of character, and his clear and visionary message, was able to push through the barrier meant to keep him in oblivion. Bernie Sanders not only has a powerful message, but has emerged as a courageous, tenacious, principled, and trustworthy leader, someone who is attracting increasing numbers of voters for all the right reasons. And this supporter is not one of his young followers, but is, instead, a "senior" and a woman.
11
As a a fellow sane, and almost senior woman (I'm 50), I can say that that is one of the best summaries of the situation I've read yet, and it's exactly how I feel!
3
Bernie carries the fire. I'm with Bernie.
8
Why is the headline about Hillary when the story is about enthusiasm for Bernie?
11
Hillary Clinton is proof that a person can be widely admired without generating great passion for moving that person forward. Sanders is proof that personal passion and intense integrity (no PAC money, just donations from individuals) can ignite passion in potential followers.
13
For those of us who understand two things about Ms. Clinton, that she is a stranger to the truth and wholly owned by Wall Street backers (as was Bill), we have come to see Bernie Sanders is not only palatable to the electorate, but offers a real plan for closing the inequality gap that threatens the social fabric of our country.
Sanders can win. And as the electorate comes to understand and listen the majority will come around to that realization.
Sanders can win. And as the electorate comes to understand and listen the majority will come around to that realization.
8
WHAT doesn't Hillary get? No one likes her.......
5
Hillary will do just fine. Most of this primary frenzy is the work of the media. Grab peoples attention during the January doldrums. Gin up excitement about Iowa, a state which is not a bellwether by any imagination. Add to that New Hampshire, another anomaly. This mayhem making is the work of media trying to sustain ratings.
In 2008, Hillary made the mistake that Senator Obama could be taken out quickly. Obama's strategy was different than Bernie's. His team planned for a marathon. Does anyone, especially the illustrious pundits out there, remember Obama won Iowa and Hillary won New Hampshire?
It was then on to the South, where a larger than usual African-American vote propelled Obama onward. In spite of the Obama surge, Hillary valiantly battled on. It was literally a fight to the finish. But Obama planned for that. The battle was won in the final primaries. Now, although Bernie says he's in it for the long haul, he does not have what Barack had, an outpouring of minorities in southern states.
Hillary learned from that campaign. She is ready and prepared and heavily financed for a fight to the finish this time. Bernie will need to muster the energy and the political pros necessary to wage a nationwide campaign. It was the only Obama could beat an always formidable Clinton. A fight always makes for good ratings. What they don't tell you are the hard facts of politics. The odds, no matter the media bluster, prohibitively favor Hillary.
DD
Manhattan
In 2008, Hillary made the mistake that Senator Obama could be taken out quickly. Obama's strategy was different than Bernie's. His team planned for a marathon. Does anyone, especially the illustrious pundits out there, remember Obama won Iowa and Hillary won New Hampshire?
It was then on to the South, where a larger than usual African-American vote propelled Obama onward. In spite of the Obama surge, Hillary valiantly battled on. It was literally a fight to the finish. But Obama planned for that. The battle was won in the final primaries. Now, although Bernie says he's in it for the long haul, he does not have what Barack had, an outpouring of minorities in southern states.
Hillary learned from that campaign. She is ready and prepared and heavily financed for a fight to the finish this time. Bernie will need to muster the energy and the political pros necessary to wage a nationwide campaign. It was the only Obama could beat an always formidable Clinton. A fight always makes for good ratings. What they don't tell you are the hard facts of politics. The odds, no matter the media bluster, prohibitively favor Hillary.
DD
Manhattan
3
The work of the media has turned more than one election in the past. They are clearly gunning for another.
Posters claim Hillary gets all the press, but fail to mention that most of it is negative. Bernie gets zero bad press. It's easy to get behind a candidate that the media doesn't bash.
Posters claim Hillary gets all the press, but fail to mention that most of it is negative. Bernie gets zero bad press. It's easy to get behind a candidate that the media doesn't bash.
Don't assume that Bernie can't attract increasing voters in the South as time goes on and he gets more publicity. It's not a done deal in the South or with the African-American vote.
1
Finally! Indeed, Americans can and will respond to integrity. We are sick of the self-serving liars and tricksters in whom we have placed our trust for far too long and who claim to represent OUR interests. Americans must clean house now and do it thoroughly. We need leadership with integrity, someone whose hands are not in the pockets of Wall Street, Saudi Arabia, big pharma, etc. Our democracy has been hijacked by Citizens United and armies of lobbyists who wield enormous power over Congress. They own it - we do not. Bernie Sanders is rightfully positioned for victory and he will get my vote.
9
In my humble opinion though I am not an expert Mr. Saunders is not a rational choice for democrats. Mr. Saunders ideology and thoughts are based on socialist’s patterns and American public is not interested in such ideology. Hilary on the other hand is a viable candidate and has strength to grapple with national and internal issues. She was a senator and secretary of state and spends enough time in meeting international dignitaries and developed a rapport in tackling complex issues.
Imtiaz
Imtiaz
2
In a world fraught with chaos and a nation fractured by economic and social inequalities the background and experiences of a Clinton far exceed those of Sanders. Enough with the propensity to love every fresh face. We are talking about the leadership of a nation, not a social club.
1
Sanders has more policy experience.
Hillary was an unmitigated disaster as SoS, and would never have been elected Senator, but for her odious husband.
Hillary was an unmitigated disaster as SoS, and would never have been elected Senator, but for her odious husband.
3
I have loved the NYTimes as a paper. However, for the past months I keep wondering why the paper is not giving Bernie Sanders more credit for what he is doing and providing more coverage of him. Is the Times to be put in the same category as Wall Street and Congress and other corporations (e.g. health care) in not really hearing what the people are saying in this country? After all, the Times is supposed to be a newspaper reporting the news, not a political establishment trying to influence the nomination race.
8
I'm sorry the woman lies, cheats and smears people who we know are good and decent people. She will do anything to win. I'm a very liberal person but I would rather have 4 years of self destruction than vote for her. If the DNC wants to try to cram a candidate down our throats and is ok with taking away our right to choose our candidate then I won't be voting for her no matter what. I will write Bernie Sanders in and to heck with anyone who screams that that is a vote for trump. Maybe next time don't try to pick our candidate for us.
9
It seems to me that Sanders is turning out evangelical voters and Democrats better be careful or they will take over the party the way they did to the Republican party.
1
First of all, Michael, Bernie's appeal with evangelicals is far from clear. I'm guessing that evangelicals make up a much smaller percentage of Iowa Democrats than they do of Iowa Republicans. But if Bernie is making inroads with evangelicals, why is that a bad thing? It's not like he's suddenly going to start campaigning on a pro-life or anti-gay marriage platform. Why should Democrats just roll over and concede the evangelical vote? Aren't there some pretty important tenets of evangelicalism (not sure if that's even a word), such as serving the poor, that are not only compatible with, but would actually be better realized under, a Democratic presidency?
6
This is an interesting political climate, and many voters on both sides are responding to emotion- Trump on one side, Sanders on the other. I love Bernie Sanders and yet I feel that Hillary Clinton is uniquely posed to be the President we need for both the country and the world... if she is elected. Her past and experience both benefit and hinder her.
And a part of me wonders about if subconsciously anyway, people don't connect with her emotionally because of her gender.
And a part of me wonders about if subconsciously anyway, people don't connect with her emotionally because of her gender.
2
Emotions on all sides. Sanders (anger/outrage - justifiable). Hillary (fear - unjustifiable). Trump plays to both anger and fear.
the polling as reported today shows hillary with a gender gap - among men. so it's a factor. on the other hand, being a woman is not a sufficient reason to be elected president. clinton, however, has presidential qualities and experience that more than qualify her. it's instructive to watch people (men, in fact) who are not american and have experience with female heads of state, point to hillary clinton as the best of the candidates. other countries do still hope for decisions and actions from the u.s. that take the rest of the world into account. the only candidate who really has extensive experience is clinton. when we get to the general election, domestic policies will not be the only issues americans care about and, while they have no say, the rest of the world will be very concerned about the quality of leadership the u.s. has to offer.
2
@ Jennifer, I think you mean 'poised' but your Freudian Slip of saying that Hillary Clinton is "posed" fits perfectly. It is a big part of why people don't connect with her, not "because of her gender".
6
In my view: Hillary Clinton is NOT ....us....she does not represent us...
same for Donald J. Trump...who also does NOT represent us...that is
neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton represent....We The People....
It is We The People ......the ones who are to be represented .....that is what
is missing in the PAC mastered campaigns of any candidate...and for Trump
it is Trump's money talking....not anything else
Bernie Sanders DOES represent ....We The People....and I hope the New
York Times...can really catch on to what Democracy was meant to be
by the founders of our Republic....time to voice the opinions Editors..of NYT
of what those looking out for We The People...are hoping for.
Obama....said so last night in his last State of the Union Address..
same for Donald J. Trump...who also does NOT represent us...that is
neither Trump nor Hillary Clinton represent....We The People....
It is We The People ......the ones who are to be represented .....that is what
is missing in the PAC mastered campaigns of any candidate...and for Trump
it is Trump's money talking....not anything else
Bernie Sanders DOES represent ....We The People....and I hope the New
York Times...can really catch on to what Democracy was meant to be
by the founders of our Republic....time to voice the opinions Editors..of NYT
of what those looking out for We The People...are hoping for.
Obama....said so last night in his last State of the Union Address..
18
CBRussell: #PhonyBernieSupporter
I have voted in every presidential election since 1972. Increasingly, over the past few presidential elections I have felt as though I was forced to pick the lesser of two evils. If Clinton and Trump are the nominees for their respective parties in 2016 this nauseating feeling will accelerate exponentially.
9
The "Lesser of Two Evils" is in the "eye of the beholder," to use two tired cliches. To Hillary supporters, Sanders vs. Cruz would seem a lesers-of-two-lessers matchup. Hillary carries the scars from two decades of standing up to the Republican smear machine as well as the scorn of certain NYT and Washington Post columnists. What has Bernie done in that time? When has he stuck his neck out on any issues until this election cycle?
Consistently, quietly, and with integrity at every vote since he has been in an elected office. He has not had to weather attacks because there is nothing to attack.
3
Hillary Clinton was a carpetbagging senator in NY. NY did not want her, but Wall Street did. The ordinary citizen in NY disliked Hillary enormously. They felt the business of Hillary was fraud, which is why she is so tight with Wall Street. Of course, Bill did sign away Glass Steagall, one of the most important laws to protect the public, ever. The Stock Market for the first day in January 2016 fell in a way that happened, historically, only once before, January 1932.
"Jan 4, 2016 - U.S. stocks closed lower, weighed by renewed concerns ... Mon, 4 Jan ' 16 | 8:00 AM PT. 04:34. Dow plunges triple digits after China market rout ... for its largest percent decline on the first trading day of the year since 1932."
"During the Democratic primary debate on CBS News, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted that she would go after big banks and financial executives who didn't play by the rules. Sanders responded by saying that malfeasance was already endemic on Wall Street."
"With all due respect to the secretary, Wall Street play by the rules? Who are we kidding? The business model of Wall Street is fraud. That's what it is," he said.
Who ARE we kidding? The business model of Wall Street is fraud. That means fraud bankers, fraud lawyers, deep and systemic fraud that is controlled by a very tight group, very small. It's the economy and it belongs to less than 1%, and Hillary is owned by them.
Bernie is owned by no one.
"Jan 4, 2016 - U.S. stocks closed lower, weighed by renewed concerns ... Mon, 4 Jan ' 16 | 8:00 AM PT. 04:34. Dow plunges triple digits after China market rout ... for its largest percent decline on the first trading day of the year since 1932."
"During the Democratic primary debate on CBS News, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted that she would go after big banks and financial executives who didn't play by the rules. Sanders responded by saying that malfeasance was already endemic on Wall Street."
"With all due respect to the secretary, Wall Street play by the rules? Who are we kidding? The business model of Wall Street is fraud. That's what it is," he said.
Who ARE we kidding? The business model of Wall Street is fraud. That means fraud bankers, fraud lawyers, deep and systemic fraud that is controlled by a very tight group, very small. It's the economy and it belongs to less than 1%, and Hillary is owned by them.
Bernie is owned by no one.
16
what's his rating with the nra?
People want a choice. In 2008 and now, Hillary was proclaimed the Democratic nominee a year before the election. Along came Barack Obama and now, the unlikely Bernie Sanders. Both Hillary and Jeb Bush have learned that having the most money, name recognition and institutional endorsements aren't a guarantee of victory. God bless America.
7
You realize that the candidate with the most money has won every election since 1980, don't you ?
And it isn't it well past time for that to change?
2
It's not enough for many of Sanders' supporters to argue on policy grounds that their candidate is better than Hillary. No, there is some primal need to demonize Hillary as essentially the worst person ever to run for office, if not the worst person ever to have trod the earth. This is Trumpism with a vengeance, and if Sanders has any self-respect he should be squirming at the thought that he is some sort of messiah figure in the eyes of many of his fans.
4
Don't be fooled.
These "Bernie" supporters are Trump supporters in sheep's clothing.
You can tell them by their hostility, their strange obsession with "WE THE PEOPLE", and their insistence that "if Bernie loses, I'm voting for Trump".
The actual Bernie supporters mention specific policy proposals of his, not oblique references to integrity and his "energy".
These "Bernie" supporters are Trump supporters in sheep's clothing.
You can tell them by their hostility, their strange obsession with "WE THE PEOPLE", and their insistence that "if Bernie loses, I'm voting for Trump".
The actual Bernie supporters mention specific policy proposals of his, not oblique references to integrity and his "energy".
2
No, she isn't the worst; she's just more of the same, and we're tired of it.
4
If the Republicans really are going to self-destruct and nominate a Trump or a Cruz, then maybe Sanders becomes electable. And my guess is, he'd be a competent president, as well as a man who really does understand and care about the basic problems with America today (it's the .01%, stupid).
7
Please stick to reporting the news and let the readers interpret things for ourselves. For instance, Bill Clinton's campaign support for his wife has nothing to do with Hillary's statements that she is not running for a third term for Bill. To imply such is sexist and demeaning to Hillary.
1
It isn't an implication, it's the truth.
3
Reporters are held to a higher standard than commenters. If the reporter has evidence that Bill Clinton is campaigning on behalf of Hillary so he can run things in her name, let's see it.
1
As an African-American woman, I feel immense pressure to vote for HIllary Clinton solely because of her gender. I voted for Obama because I truly believed that he had a vision and I saw that he brought some of us Americans together. There was an incredible sense of solidarity in the air in 2008.
Unfortunately, in 2016, the spirit of solidarity seems to have been lost. Bernie Sanders is creating excitement and he's standing up to the 1% and pointing out the problems facing the middle and working classes.
I have decided not to support HIllary Clinton because in my opinion, she comes across as disingenuous. Now she is jumping on the "tax those earning $5M+" bandwagon. She will do or say anything to get the nomination, but not so fast, Hillary. It's annoying to think that she thinks we're so stupid to not see right through her flip-flopping.
Bernie has some catching up to do with respect to appealing to black voters, but I'm contacting his campaign to volunteer and hopefully convince those willing to listen that Bernie is the one!
Unfortunately, in 2016, the spirit of solidarity seems to have been lost. Bernie Sanders is creating excitement and he's standing up to the 1% and pointing out the problems facing the middle and working classes.
I have decided not to support HIllary Clinton because in my opinion, she comes across as disingenuous. Now she is jumping on the "tax those earning $5M+" bandwagon. She will do or say anything to get the nomination, but not so fast, Hillary. It's annoying to think that she thinks we're so stupid to not see right through her flip-flopping.
Bernie has some catching up to do with respect to appealing to black voters, but I'm contacting his campaign to volunteer and hopefully convince those willing to listen that Bernie is the one!
28
it's just been announced that eric holder will be campaigning with hillary in south carolina. that's just the tip of the iceberg. it's good if bernie is able to reach minority communities. but there's no history of trust and it will be a long hard climb.
1
Then we need to remind people of his civil rights history, which extends back nearly 50 years.
2
50 years is a long time. but he didn't get it the first time he was asked about black lives matter. if he's still playing catch up now, it may end up being too little too late. i am not impressed that his supporters here don't seem to get it that for democrats to win, minority turnout is key.
1
Clinton has doesn't have an enthusiasm gap. Clinton has, in the words of Senator Sanders, been lately pointing out the differences between she and the senator. Senator Sanders has benefited from media that won't press him on the details of his plans and which seems committed to dismissing the very real support she enjoys with a good many Democrats. The headline here is a perfect example of that.
2
"Senator Sanders has beenn hurt by a media that ignores him and which seems committed to pronouncing her as the nominee, despite his unprecedented grass-roots support and showing in polls that reach more than landline-owning, registered Democrats who tow the party line regardless."
There, I fixed it for you.
There, I fixed it for you.
1
"...some polls show Mr. Sanders would also perform well against Republicans like Donald J. Trump." Some?? Also?? What polls did you have in mind, NYT? Every head to head matchup I've seen shows Sanders outperforming Clinton against Trump--and most other Republican candidates. Am I missing something? Are are you downplaying the impact of Sanders's campaign?
16
Why would anyone want to vote for a grumpy old atheist socialist who didn't ever have a real job? I tried to find Bernie's work history before he was elected to office the first time, and it just said "various employment in NYC and NH."
Bernie cannot be elected president. He and his followers can, however, ensure that a republican is elected. Much like Ralph Nader destroyed Gore and we ended up with 8 yrs of Cheney ruining our nation.
Bernie cannot be elected president. He and his followers can, however, ensure that a republican is elected. Much like Ralph Nader destroyed Gore and we ended up with 8 yrs of Cheney ruining our nation.
2
I am a volunteer Bernie organizer in Pittsburgh since June. In conformity with the article, we have found that students of all ages have been strongly for Bernie almost from day one. Our other target group has been African Americans. For months it was "Bernie who?" The mainstream media, our local papers, tv -- just would not give him any play, just like the NYTimes! BUT they were almost always willing to listen to what we had to say and talked a flyer or two. In the past month or perhaps 6 weeks we find that African Americans here already know who Bernie is and like him! Hillary had brand-name recognition. That will carry her so far -- but when a better candidate comes along and the word gets out -- it's a whole new ball game!
14
HRC and DNC, get ready for 2008 redux. When will see HRC's first teary eyed press conference? Wasserman doesn't get it. Did she really think that she could get away with anointing HRC? She should have been working like Dean did to help Dems win at the state level. Hillary has never had a platform. She does "listening tours" and then proceeds to triangulate like her husband all the while cashing her checks from the 1%ers. Despicable. The Times could be assigning staff to write informative articles that look deeper into Mr. Sanders' platform that would educate the electorate...but your coverage for 2016 is more on par with a Murdoch tabloid.
15
Bernie Sanders is winning people's hearts and mind's because he speaks the truth and he doesn't even have to pretend to play the political game. That is a person we've all been wanting forever and now we have a chance to have it. Unvarnished truth is a rarity in today's society because everything uttered has a hidden dollar bill behind it, or a political scheme. This country would be making a dasterdly mistake to elect Clinton over Bernie Sanders. You would be choosing a Corporate agenda, flip-flopping mouthpiece over a life long, record verifiable servant of human economic and civil equality. Seriously folks it's not even a dilemma. You must understand that the Corporate Media always had this woman etched in as President before Bernie ever joined the fight. And they do everything they possibly can to keep him and his messengers silent. I say let em. All that does is show that they have a truth to hide and that truth is that Hillary Clinton is just another Establishment Politician. Everyone of us that supports Bernie needs to be as vocal about it as possible. Tell your friends, neighbors, family and co-workers why you are and they should support the best chance of equality we've had in ages and the exactly opposite direction we will go in if they check Hillary Clinton in November. It's doubtful she could beat a Republican at all. But Bernie sure as hell could.
16
Those feeling the Bern should look at the Nixon Mc Govern race. Nixon won in a landslide. Nixon for heavens sake.
2
Those insistent on Hillery should think the same .
3
As a woman in America, I've felt like I've been a second class citizen all of my adult life. The enthusiasm for an old cranky white guy is reminding me all over again of my less than status.
3
I feel for what you're saying but as a woman in America I don't want to be misrepresented by someone as corrupt as Hillary Clinton. I'd rather wait for a woman who's honest and truly represents the working woman, not the big banks. Until then. I want to be represented by an honest hard-working man who is not in bed with the banks or large corporations who truly only care about their profits.
6
A vote for Sanders is a vote for Cruz.
2
Hillary will try to do plastic surgery on the American reality. Bernie wants to operate to change underlying realities. The accretion of so much of our wealth by the very top was not an accident or the unhindered and unrigged operation of the free market. Reversing the accretion will take place the same way that building it did -- by fiddling with taxation and regulation. Bernie will fiddle on the basis of a unifying vision, and Hillary will fiddle on the basis of political pressure and gamesmanship.
17
Th sad truth about Hilary Clinton as a campaigner is that the more people see of her, the less they seem to like her.
23
don't assume that isn't true of bernie, as it will be with the republican candidates.
2
"Bernie is the real deal!! Go Bernie!"
If "real deal" means he believes what he says, I agree. But a lot of people mean what they say. That doesn't mean you should vote for them for president. You should vote for them because (1) they believe what you believe; and (2) they're likely to get things done.
If Sanders actually became president, he'd accomplish nothing. All of the Republicans, and many Democrats, would oppose him right from the start (remember: he's not even actually a Democrate); he'd get no legislation at all passed, and he'd probably be voted out of office in 4 years.
In other words, nice guy, but not exactly a wise choice for president.
If "real deal" means he believes what he says, I agree. But a lot of people mean what they say. That doesn't mean you should vote for them for president. You should vote for them because (1) they believe what you believe; and (2) they're likely to get things done.
If Sanders actually became president, he'd accomplish nothing. All of the Republicans, and many Democrats, would oppose him right from the start (remember: he's not even actually a Democrate); he'd get no legislation at all passed, and he'd probably be voted out of office in 4 years.
In other words, nice guy, but not exactly a wise choice for president.
4
Interesting to read your frustrations...
You make the assumption that the Dems won't win back the house and/or senate. FYI, 469 seats are up for reelection.
In order for Bernie to win the primary he needs to get "non-traditional" primary voters out (e.g., 18-29 yrs). If he can do that, he'll win.
With that being said, be prepared for a historic turnout come the general election, which could only be good news for Dem down ballot candidates.
IMHO, the Democratic Party is in a better position with Sen. Sanders as the candidate.
Isn't democracy great?
You make the assumption that the Dems won't win back the house and/or senate. FYI, 469 seats are up for reelection.
In order for Bernie to win the primary he needs to get "non-traditional" primary voters out (e.g., 18-29 yrs). If he can do that, he'll win.
With that being said, be prepared for a historic turnout come the general election, which could only be good news for Dem down ballot candidates.
IMHO, the Democratic Party is in a better position with Sen. Sanders as the candidate.
Isn't democracy great?
7
He has already exceeded expectations. I wouldn't underestimate him.
8
Not true. You're forgetting and completely dismissing something we can call political momentum, which is going to be had with abundance for democrats, in the event Bernie is elected POTUS.
In fact, enough seats in the senate will be up for grabs on election day to give Democrsts a small majority back in the Senate, which helps to loosen the deadlock a bit in his favor, at least until 2018 which is absolutely when he would win a majority back in the house as well (granted high turnout of voters continues, which I truly suspect it will, as I feel the left is absolutely embarrassed and tired of what this current government has done to the political law making process in recent years)
You can continue to underestimate Mr Sanders and his ardent support base, but that's not going to stop the revolution from happening, sorry to say!
In fact, enough seats in the senate will be up for grabs on election day to give Democrsts a small majority back in the Senate, which helps to loosen the deadlock a bit in his favor, at least until 2018 which is absolutely when he would win a majority back in the house as well (granted high turnout of voters continues, which I truly suspect it will, as I feel the left is absolutely embarrassed and tired of what this current government has done to the political law making process in recent years)
You can continue to underestimate Mr Sanders and his ardent support base, but that's not going to stop the revolution from happening, sorry to say!
7
Oh please!
"I feel the Hillary Clinton that most of these comments construct is a wholly different person from the person who served with distinction as the Senator from [New York] and was our country's face to the world at a time of terrible economic dislocation and global uncertainty."
We all know the type: the earnest high school student council member (maybe even student council president!) who goes off to college, joins student government and rises to the top, and then goes to law school and marries some good-looking charismatic goofball who looks like he might go somewhere some day.
It's not Hillary's fault for being that person. It's our fault for believing she was ever anything more than that.
"I feel the Hillary Clinton that most of these comments construct is a wholly different person from the person who served with distinction as the Senator from [New York] and was our country's face to the world at a time of terrible economic dislocation and global uncertainty."
We all know the type: the earnest high school student council member (maybe even student council president!) who goes off to college, joins student government and rises to the top, and then goes to law school and marries some good-looking charismatic goofball who looks like he might go somewhere some day.
It's not Hillary's fault for being that person. It's our fault for believing she was ever anything more than that.
14
You forgot to add that in college she was the president of Young Republicans and that she was part of the Goldwater campaign.
3
An old saying: "Don't mistake enthusiasm for leadership."
6
Huh?
"It's actually more like '68, with Bernie being Hubert Humphrey. '68 brought us Nixon."
Humphrey in '68 could never decide whether to publicly back LBJ -- who silently but clearly demanded Humphrey's support on Vietnam as a condition to LBJ's support of Humphrey's candidacy -- or to cut himself loose from LBJ and run as his own man. To the very end, Humphrey "officially" backed LBJ's Vietnam policy, which probably cost him the election. Whatever critics of Sanders might say about him, he'd take about a millisecond to make that decision.
"It's actually more like '68, with Bernie being Hubert Humphrey. '68 brought us Nixon."
Humphrey in '68 could never decide whether to publicly back LBJ -- who silently but clearly demanded Humphrey's support on Vietnam as a condition to LBJ's support of Humphrey's candidacy -- or to cut himself loose from LBJ and run as his own man. To the very end, Humphrey "officially" backed LBJ's Vietnam policy, which probably cost him the election. Whatever critics of Sanders might say about him, he'd take about a millisecond to make that decision.
4
LBJ on Vietnam: "We are not about to send American boys 9 or 10,000 miles away from home to do what Asian boys ought to be doing for themselves,"
Bernie on ISIS: This is a regional crisis. And I think the people of America are getting sick and tired of the world and the region, Saudi Arabia and the other countries saying hey, we don't have to do anything about it. The American taxpayer, the American soldiers will do all the work for us.
Bernie on ISIS: This is a regional crisis. And I think the people of America are getting sick and tired of the world and the region, Saudi Arabia and the other countries saying hey, we don't have to do anything about it. The American taxpayer, the American soldiers will do all the work for us.
2
Exactly! The 1968 Democratic Party bosses stuck us with Hubert Humphrey . That's what gave us Richard Nixon. Hillary is this year's Hubert Humphrey. Maybe that's a bit unkind to Humphrey!
1
Hillary is apparently racing, with a bucket of mud, to try to close the Sanders' gap in Iowa. For a Clinton team with a 25-year record of opportunistic cover up of such shenanigans as lying under oath, gross womanizing, renting the White House to Wall Street tycoons, doing away with banking controls, not inhaling marijuana, and the list goes on and on, this race to Iowa is a last gasp effort to hang on to public office by another family political dynasty that has worn out its welcome.
18
I found Chelsea Clinton's comments this week especially galling:
“Senator Sanders wants to dismantle Obamacare, dismantle the CHIP program, dismantle Medicare and dismantle private insurance,” Ms. Clinton said at an event in Manchester, detailing faults she found with Mr. Sanders’s health care plan. (Mr. Sanders, who prefers a single-payer health insurance for all, has denied these claims before, saying he “helped write the Affordable Care Act.”)
How can she make such statements with a straight face? Surely she understands that a single-payer system would eliminate the need for half-measures like the ACA and CHIP. And having a single-payer system would certainly not mean an end to private insurance. Look at all the "Medigap" policies purchased by seniors to cover deductibles and the like in Medicare coverage.
“Senator Sanders wants to dismantle Obamacare, dismantle the CHIP program, dismantle Medicare and dismantle private insurance,” Ms. Clinton said at an event in Manchester, detailing faults she found with Mr. Sanders’s health care plan. (Mr. Sanders, who prefers a single-payer health insurance for all, has denied these claims before, saying he “helped write the Affordable Care Act.”)
How can she make such statements with a straight face? Surely she understands that a single-payer system would eliminate the need for half-measures like the ACA and CHIP. And having a single-payer system would certainly not mean an end to private insurance. Look at all the "Medigap" policies purchased by seniors to cover deductibles and the like in Medicare coverage.
5
I'm voting for Hillary because I love supporting sociopaths whose primary goal is the destruction of the planet. I like liars, narcissists, phonies and crooks, so Hillary goes right to the top of the list. I think wealthy people should only get wealthier and the rest of us, me included, should suffer in poverty while working 70 hours per week.
I don't understand why people like Sanders. He sounds like an authentic guy who speaks from the heart and expresses opinions he actually believes. He sounds like the kind of guy who might actually try to act morally, for the greater good, than for a few rich crazy people.
Seems pretty unpatriotic, if you ask me.
I don't understand why people like Sanders. He sounds like an authentic guy who speaks from the heart and expresses opinions he actually believes. He sounds like the kind of guy who might actually try to act morally, for the greater good, than for a few rich crazy people.
Seems pretty unpatriotic, if you ask me.
30
#ifeelthebern and I've talked to my parents and coworkers. I've taken one to see The Big Short. Millennials won't be the only demographic voting for Sanders, once the public hears Mr. Sanders' message on a larger scale.
They just have to have someone to share the message because the media is doing a poor job of telling the whole story, likely because their owners are a little afraid of a Sanders presidency.
Congrats to the Times on finally becoming alarmed enough to start reporting on Sanders, but shame on The Times for failing to accurately inform the electorate on their choices.
They just have to have someone to share the message because the media is doing a poor job of telling the whole story, likely because their owners are a little afraid of a Sanders presidency.
Congrats to the Times on finally becoming alarmed enough to start reporting on Sanders, but shame on The Times for failing to accurately inform the electorate on their choices.
23
Hooray. The New York Times wakes up and notices that Sanders is running for president, that is he is really running, really talking, really attracting large enthusiastic crowds. And this despite Debbie Wasserman Schultz's best efforts to keep the whole campaign in the shadows with debates scheduled for Saturday nights. Now will she wake up too or will other Democratic powers that be replace her?
23
One indicator of the "enthusiasm gap" is that Bernie Sanders actually polls about two points better in national surveys of so-called "likely" voters. Likely-voter polls usually skew older and include a greater proportion of regular Democrats than polls of registered voters or all adults. With this campaign so generationally and racially divided, you would think Hillary Clinton's substantial margins among older voters and African-Americans would advantage her in polls of "likely" Democratic primary voters. The only explanation for this surprising result must be the greater enthusiasm and commitment among Sanders' supporters.
For details, see http://www.politicsbythenumbers.org/2016/01/11/a-tale-of-two-candidacies/.
For details, see http://www.politicsbythenumbers.org/2016/01/11/a-tale-of-two-candidacies/.
9
The Iowa caucuses are a test of organization. I worked as a volunteer in 2008 for Hillary and in 2012 for Obama. It was easy to see the problems with the Clinton campaign compared to the Obama campaign. My contacts with the Clinton campaign this time suggest that organizational problems still exist
6
Hillary does not energize people -especially younger people who see her vacillating positions as the actions of an insider political creature. I am a Baby Boomer (1961) and see the same things.
Hillary is the spokesmodel for what is wrong with our politics and Bernie is the torch bearer for what can fix it. She is the ultimate insider who long ago stopped being the change while Bernie has soldiered on with a message that resonates with traditional Progressives, independents and old line New Deal type Democrats.
Ms Clinton is a very smart, very educated, very capable and very ambitious woman. She is also grossly out of step with many registered Democrats and even more Independents that will be needed come November. Her claim to be a "progressive that likes to get things done'" rings as hollow to people who know her voting record that looks more like a Moderate Republican than an FDR Democrat.
What Bernie calls socialism is more aptly Social Democracy as in the many Social Democratic Parties of Europe and elsewhere. The policies come from values of the Progressive movement that started in the Republican Party of Theodore Roosevelt and blossomed with the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt.
Many like myself are tired of talking one for the team and voting for a Republican Lite with a D listed next to their name on election day- we want a traditional Liberal. Hillary is far closer to her Goldwater Girl roots than she is to the revolution that hit Washington in the 1930's.
Hillary is the spokesmodel for what is wrong with our politics and Bernie is the torch bearer for what can fix it. She is the ultimate insider who long ago stopped being the change while Bernie has soldiered on with a message that resonates with traditional Progressives, independents and old line New Deal type Democrats.
Ms Clinton is a very smart, very educated, very capable and very ambitious woman. She is also grossly out of step with many registered Democrats and even more Independents that will be needed come November. Her claim to be a "progressive that likes to get things done'" rings as hollow to people who know her voting record that looks more like a Moderate Republican than an FDR Democrat.
What Bernie calls socialism is more aptly Social Democracy as in the many Social Democratic Parties of Europe and elsewhere. The policies come from values of the Progressive movement that started in the Republican Party of Theodore Roosevelt and blossomed with the New Deal of Franklin Roosevelt.
Many like myself are tired of talking one for the team and voting for a Republican Lite with a D listed next to their name on election day- we want a traditional Liberal. Hillary is far closer to her Goldwater Girl roots than she is to the revolution that hit Washington in the 1930's.
31
I feel the Hillary Clinton that most of these comments construct is a wholly different person from the person who served with distinction as the Senator from my state and was our country's face to the world at a time of terrible economic dislocation and global uncertainty. Instead, Sanders' supporters rely on caricatures of Mrs. Clinton that are virtually the same as Donald Trump's, caricatures that come close to a pernicious misogyny. We have to make this choice rationally and with the realization that it is one of tremendous consequence not only for our own nation but also for the world.
6
Hillary Clinton is the most competent candidate running in this election, and I, for one, have enormous respect for all she has committed to and accomplished during her career. I will be proud to cast my vote for the first woman president.
3
bernie has no experience with foreign policy and neither does the majority of his supporters. economic equality is a fine goal, but it is not the only issue a president would have to deal with. if it were, elizabeth warren would have endorsed him by now - instead she backtracked on second thought after giving him a thumbs up on one issue. we face more than one issue. bernie needs to get up to speed or he will be like trump facing the nuclear triad question.
3
I'm actually still inclined to vote Clinton, despite my dislike for her. However, it seems Clinton and her supporters are doing everything in their power to talk me out of it.
Criticize Hillary Clinton, and it's "pernicious misogyny?" Perhaps you would care to provide some evidence of this "pernicious misogyny," because it seems to me many of the criticisms are based on her voting record, public positions, and the Clinton family's history as part of the Democratic political machine. Or could it be that the Hillary camp is quick to level the charge of misogyny for a cheap political advantage, and in so doing trivialize a genuine issue?
Being part of the machine is actually part of why I might vote for Clinton, because I do not have any illusions about how the American political system works. Victories do not go to the good and pure, and I do not want any of the Republicans in the White House. I'm inclined to want somebody who can raise millions and fight dirty like the Republicans, but at this rate I won't be able to hold down my disgust for Hillary and her advocates until my state's primary.
Criticize Hillary Clinton, and it's "pernicious misogyny?" Perhaps you would care to provide some evidence of this "pernicious misogyny," because it seems to me many of the criticisms are based on her voting record, public positions, and the Clinton family's history as part of the Democratic political machine. Or could it be that the Hillary camp is quick to level the charge of misogyny for a cheap political advantage, and in so doing trivialize a genuine issue?
Being part of the machine is actually part of why I might vote for Clinton, because I do not have any illusions about how the American political system works. Victories do not go to the good and pure, and I do not want any of the Republicans in the White House. I'm inclined to want somebody who can raise millions and fight dirty like the Republicans, but at this rate I won't be able to hold down my disgust for Hillary and her advocates until my state's primary.
3
Sanders may be becoming electable. But there's no way he'll be able to govern. He's got no network, no history, no record. Hs je's an ornery guy from a remote, rural corner of the country. His supporters are the Democratic equivalent of the Republicans who taut Trump: he says what they like to hear, but there's no way he'll be able to deliver if elected. Grow up and vote Clinton.
5
bernie would need a solid minority turnout to win a general election, especially in those purple states. obama has already signaled he is not going to support any candidate who does not get behind his gun control program. that's a major hurdle that may be extremely difficult to overcome.
Bernie Sanders has acknowledged many times that he can't accomplish everything by himself as president. Thats why he is creating a massive political movement that will bring Democrats to both the House and Senate. Just by having Bernie Sanders as president, advocating for we the people, the people will continue to be inspired to elect official who represent their interests. It's you who needs to grow up and vote for Bernie Sanders. Clinton is only interested in serving corporate interests.
11
It's funny, first the argument was a lack of minority support, then it was electability, and now it's this. We the people continue to prove the naysayers wrong. Bernie 2016!
10
There have been 44 male Presidents of the United States. Not one woman. How in any way is that equality? 43 of those presidents were White Men.
In a country that espouses greatness how does that work?
And as with the election of our 1st Black President symbols mean a great deal. Not just here but around the world.
Symbols mean everything. So now.... we are possibly go have an election again between two white men. This demo is not participating.
Forgetaboutit.
In a country that espouses greatness how does that work?
And as with the election of our 1st Black President symbols mean a great deal. Not just here but around the world.
Symbols mean everything. So now.... we are possibly go have an election again between two white men. This demo is not participating.
Forgetaboutit.
6
Are you suggesting Sarah Palin should be VP because she is a woman ? For that matter should Carly Fiorina be the republican nominee because she is a woman?
I would be proud to have a female president. But until you find a female candidate that doesn't come with Hillary's baggage I will vote for Bernie.
I would be proud to have a female president. But until you find a female candidate that doesn't come with Hillary's baggage I will vote for Bernie.
11
Yes it would be great to have a woman president. But Bernie Sanders is who we need right now. Someday a woman will be elected president and she will be a progressive who represents the interests of the American people. Not Ms. Clinton who is part of the establishment and only serves the interests of wall street and billionaires.
9
Would you vote for someone based on their haircut, or what kind of shoes they wear? How about their religion? Personally, I would be inclined to vote for the candidate who I believe would do the better job - you know like a job interview where preference based on race and gender is actually illegal. It's not about who's turn it is - it's about who can turn the country around.
10
I understand Senator Sanders intention for the ACA is to turn healthcare over to the governors of the states. This would be the death knell for universal healthcare, leaving millions uninsured. Combined with his voting record on guns, I believe those following the senator need to take another look at his policies.
6
As per Bernie Sanders " It is a 50 state plan that will cover all Americans".
3
Umm, you understood wrong, darling.
6
In the hands of the states. We have seen what Republican governors did not expanding Medicaid in their states, tying the hands of the ACA. This is a bad plan.
1
bernie has a lot to prove. he decided to run as a democrat after years of claiming to be an independent. not much different in terms of opportunism from donald trump. his staff breached a fire wall to poach the clinton campaign's voter data and there is still a court case with sanders trying to claim $600k/day from the drc for the time his campaign was kept away from their own data while the breach was being investigated. in the meantime, clinton has raised millions for the party's campaign chest besides raising money for her own campaign.
bernie makes fun of clinton's saying while she was a senator from ny wall street was also a constituency, but then expects others to overlook his own votes in support of the gun lobby; as pointed out, patrick leahy did not have a problem voting against a bill that the nra wanted. does not mean i would never vote for bernie. but he's no saint. his attempt to appeal to donald trump's base instead of focusing on broadening his appeal to minorities with a long history of loyalty to the democratic party perhaps gives an insight into his way of his thinking.
so at this point, even if clinton were to come in second in iowa and nh, that voter base is mostly white. it remains to be seen whether bernie can really connect with non-whites to any degree that would matter in a general election.
bernie makes fun of clinton's saying while she was a senator from ny wall street was also a constituency, but then expects others to overlook his own votes in support of the gun lobby; as pointed out, patrick leahy did not have a problem voting against a bill that the nra wanted. does not mean i would never vote for bernie. but he's no saint. his attempt to appeal to donald trump's base instead of focusing on broadening his appeal to minorities with a long history of loyalty to the democratic party perhaps gives an insight into his way of his thinking.
so at this point, even if clinton were to come in second in iowa and nh, that voter base is mostly white. it remains to be seen whether bernie can really connect with non-whites to any degree that would matter in a general election.
6
Wins in Iowa and New Hampshire results in massive media coverage. When minorities see Bernie Sanders winning they will switch to voting for him. Minorities always wait until an early winner before choosing who to vote for.
if that were true, trump would have phenomenal support by now. minorities are not that stupid and they're not going to just follow the crowd because of white voters in iowa and nh.
1
minorities are not going to go for the bern just because he gets coverage, and certainly not in the numbers needed to win if obama is not out there supporting him. obama has already said he will not support anyone who does not support his policy on guns.
What does America need? Go to YouTube and watch Comedy Party Platform (2 min 9 sec). Compare to Bernie's proposals. For instance, is Welfare for All better than his ideas?
Then send a buck to Bernie, invite me to speak to your group. Thanks.
Then send a buck to Bernie, invite me to speak to your group. Thanks.
4
Perhaps it's time for our Secret Services to start protecting Senator Sanders.
20
Hillary can't help it. She is a phony and a liar motivated by ambition while she lines her pockets more than most capitalists. The American people are not fools.
13
In 2008, Hillary ran a less organized campaign here than Obama. My contacts with her campaign this time suggest the same problem. I usually volunteer and have worked Democrats campaigns since 1976. In 2008, I worked on the Clinton campaign and in 2012 worked on the Obama campaign.
While Senator Sanders wants to turn healthcare over to the states, HRC was indorsed by PP. While HRC stands with the president on gun control, Senator Sanders stood with the NRA. Are you a Republican?
3
Sanders was never endorsed by the NRA, that is a falsehood. He has a D- lifetime NRA rating, something not many Republicans have.
Sanders has pledged to implement a state by state healthcare system but have fallbacks to ensure that everyone is insured, rather than the patchwork of a system the ACA leaves us with. He is talking about expanding coverage, something every Democrat has historically been for.
Planned Parenthood endorsing Secretary Clinton does not mean Sanders is in any way opposed to PP's mission. That's simply a mischaracterization.
I would suggest a greater understanding of the facts before spreading more misinformation about this campaign.
Sanders has pledged to implement a state by state healthcare system but have fallbacks to ensure that everyone is insured, rather than the patchwork of a system the ACA leaves us with. He is talking about expanding coverage, something every Democrat has historically been for.
Planned Parenthood endorsing Secretary Clinton does not mean Sanders is in any way opposed to PP's mission. That's simply a mischaracterization.
I would suggest a greater understanding of the facts before spreading more misinformation about this campaign.
12
I can't stop reading the comments; really heartening to see the support for Mr. Sanders. Makes me want to believe again in the nation we used to be.
If the election occurred tomorrow, my bet is that Mr. Sanders would win.
Come November it will be a landslide.
If the election occurred tomorrow, my bet is that Mr. Sanders would win.
Come November it will be a landslide.
23
no landslide without significant minority turnout. bernie has yet to demonstrate he can summon up such support.
1
GREAT!
No one thought we could get Obama - despite the disappointment the best alternative
And we can do it again.
Hilary too bought!
No one thought we could get Obama - despite the disappointment the best alternative
And we can do it again.
Hilary too bought!
7
The way the DNC establishment - as personified by Rep. Wasserman-Schultz has tried to rig the game for HRC is sad; Sanders is the stronger candidate, even if Wall Street and the NYT aren't his fans.
40
HaHa looks like a lot of right wing socialist loving people are playing here this evening.
2
Not sure who would be a bigger disaster for America, Clinton or Trump.
11
If you have to ask, best you not vote this time around.
4
THE WAY I SEE IT
Hillary Clinton is politically corrupt. She is an egomaniac whose sole agenda is to become the first female president of the USA. I see her as a carpetbagging, flipflopping, money crubbing, obfuscating barracuda.
She is extremely intelligent. I think she would excel using her skills representing white collar criminals. Not as president!
We need a leader with integrity who will represent all Americans. Bernie Sanders is that candidate.
Hillary Clinton is politically corrupt. She is an egomaniac whose sole agenda is to become the first female president of the USA. I see her as a carpetbagging, flipflopping, money crubbing, obfuscating barracuda.
She is extremely intelligent. I think she would excel using her skills representing white collar criminals. Not as president!
We need a leader with integrity who will represent all Americans. Bernie Sanders is that candidate.
27
People here are being a little rough on Ms Hillary. Nobody has won anything yet. She still may get the nomination. I will vote for Sanders here in New Jersey, but there's lots of other states beside Iowa and New Hampshire. I think Sanders is just better, that's all. I believe Ms Clinton would make a good President, but I want to turn this country on it's head, and only Sanders can do that. In some ways she has way more experience than Mr Bernie, esp. foreign policy. I also think she won't take the Republican attacks without going right back at them. And there are many Republicans who will vote for her if Trump or pretty much any of the Reps gets it, but esp Trump. Bernie has already pushed her more to the left with policy proposals... Don't forget, the first thing she tried to do as First Lady was get Universal Health Care, and she was raked over the coals. In my view it would be very foolish not to vote for her over any of the Republicans. Some of them are very dangerous ... scary. And think about the Supreme Court.
10
Biden had some interesting comments about Bernie and Hillary.
He correctly pointed out that if Bernie didn't label himself with the European style label of "Democratic Socialist", he wouldn't really be considered outside of mainstream, based on his policies.
He also correctly pointed out that Hillary has less economic populist credibility (my characterization), since she has come to these positions only recently.
What Biden failed to mention, was that Bill and Hillary's ties to Wall Street make it very difficult for her to be seen as a credible challenger to the status quo - which banks will fight very hard to maintain. Perhaps that is because Biden himself has ties to Wall Street which are just as strong? Is he unaware of how unpopular the banks are among voters? Does Biden not realize that continued banker control of our economy, is incompatible with an economy that works for the rest of us?
He correctly pointed out that if Bernie didn't label himself with the European style label of "Democratic Socialist", he wouldn't really be considered outside of mainstream, based on his policies.
He also correctly pointed out that Hillary has less economic populist credibility (my characterization), since she has come to these positions only recently.
What Biden failed to mention, was that Bill and Hillary's ties to Wall Street make it very difficult for her to be seen as a credible challenger to the status quo - which banks will fight very hard to maintain. Perhaps that is because Biden himself has ties to Wall Street which are just as strong? Is he unaware of how unpopular the banks are among voters? Does Biden not realize that continued banker control of our economy, is incompatible with an economy that works for the rest of us?
37
Clinton will not be nominated. Too many people dont trust her.
26
Fewer people trust Trump.
3
Hillary Clinton has enthusiastic supporters. She rates particularly well when judged on the merits of her positions, her overall record, and her accomplishments. Climate change is the most important issue of our time since the future of our planet is at stake. In the AP fact check she scored higher than any other candidate. This is why:
"To try to eliminate possible bias, the candidates' comments were stripped of names and given randomly generated numbers, so the professors would not know who made each statement they were grading. Also, the scientists who did the grading were chosen by professional scientific societies.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had the highest average score at 94."
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3e946f29fa534a0b9c1d064b16e06b61/ap-fact-...
"To try to eliminate possible bias, the candidates' comments were stripped of names and given randomly generated numbers, so the professors would not know who made each statement they were grading. Also, the scientists who did the grading were chosen by professional scientific societies.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton had the highest average score at 94."
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3e946f29fa534a0b9c1d064b16e06b61/ap-fact-...
4
Yet one more reason to support someone else.
6
Thanks. But many statements by Hillary don't mean anything, but lots of Wall St funding for strategy.
It's not just the NY Times that insists on deciding the race in advance for Clinton. An NPR reporter said today that the goal of the President's State of the Union this evening will be to establish his legacy to be carried on by Hillary Clinton.
Didn't she get the message that the voters get to speak first? That we the people -- registered Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans -- might have someone else in mind?
Didn't she get the message that the voters get to speak first? That we the people -- registered Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans -- might have someone else in mind?
52
I just read the speech , I do not see any hidden endorsement of Hillary in it. Do you mean to say that the reporter from NPR is trying to endorse HRC?
Bernie is right about opposing lawsuits against gun sellers or manufacturers. Unless there was a law broken, a background check that failed to take place etc., why would the seller or manufacturer be liable for anything? Would a car manufacturer or dealer be liable if you kill someone on the road? Of course not, unless there was a manufacturing problem with the car. The same goes for guns.
27
I caught a snippet of Ms. Clinton on the evening news tonight as she was making her case for your vote being cast for her instead of Sanders. Her tone was strident, rising in volume and, it has to be said, off-putting. What it was not is convincing, assuring or reassuring. She is in trouble; she knows it; she is terrified of reliving 2008.
Finally the race for President is getting truly interesting.
Finally the race for President is getting truly interesting.
48
Hopefully, in her zeal to close this "enthusiasm gap," Clinton and her camp don't pull the same kinds of dirty tricks that they did with then-senator Obama in 2008, kindling the birther rumors that gained traction later on with Republicans. As an African immigrant myself highly sensitive to this kind of rhetoric, I have a long memory of her team releasing photos of Obama in Kenyan gear (her campaign manager calling it "Somali clothing") and Clinton promising to "take Obama at his word" about his birthplace "as far as [she] knew" (http://www.politico.com/blogs/ben-smith/2008/03/taking-obama-at-his-word....
For these reasons and more, I am loathe to support Clinton over a candidate like Bernie Sanders who has never sunk to dirty tricks, no matter how desperate the polling situation, no matter how many points he trailed his opponent. If his policies weren't sound enough, his character is refreshing.
For these reasons and more, I am loathe to support Clinton over a candidate like Bernie Sanders who has never sunk to dirty tricks, no matter how desperate the polling situation, no matter how many points he trailed his opponent. If his policies weren't sound enough, his character is refreshing.
41
Citation of Hillary inventing the birther movement, please.
Ann Coulter myths are not facts.
Ann Coulter myths are not facts.
3
fran
Archie didn't say she "invented" thee birther myth; he said she fostered it. As did her campaign surrogate, Bill, with his comparisons to the Jesse Jackson campaign. Nobody who was paying attention to the 2008 race would disagree. Denial is not a strategy, fran
Archie didn't say she "invented" thee birther myth; he said she fostered it. As did her campaign surrogate, Bill, with his comparisons to the Jesse Jackson campaign. Nobody who was paying attention to the 2008 race would disagree. Denial is not a strategy, fran
15
Ugh, really ?
OK, citation of Hillary FOSTERING the birther movement.
OK, citation of Hillary FOSTERING the birther movement.
Enthusiasm, perhaps. But if one reads enough comments, then one cannot help but observe that for a candidate who runs such a supposedly "positive" campaign, his supporters' remarks about Hillary Clinton are very often negative, offensive, vicious, sexist and just plain inaccurate.
In fact, if you just put their comments side by side, Bernie Sanders's supporters' discussion of Hillary Clinton would be almost indistinguishable from those of Donald Trump's supporters. I can't help but wonder why underlying ugliness is fueling some of this "enthusiasm"?
In fact, if you just put their comments side by side, Bernie Sanders's supporters' discussion of Hillary Clinton would be almost indistinguishable from those of Donald Trump's supporters. I can't help but wonder why underlying ugliness is fueling some of this "enthusiasm"?
8
Hint: they are the same people. The same exact people.
3
This may be difficult to hear but Ms. Clinton is not a likable politician.
21
Show me the vicious and sexist comments, please. The truth hurts, but it is not necessarily vicious.
10
Once Hillary Clinton starts suddenly ripping apart Bernie Sanders, who she treated lightly just a short time ago, she loses the cuddly-feely woman of the people persona she spent so much time cultivating over the last few months. The triangulation and political strategy will be all too obvious, which is the last thing she wants to seem in the end -- a consummate manipulator and opportunist. If she wants the voters to like her, she has to remember like a good movie or sausage, you want to enjoy the end result without knowing all the dirt that went into it. Meanwhile, the FBI keeps investigating. And the guy she hired to set up her private server for cash, pleaded the Fifth under questioning. Tick, tick.
39
"That will depend on Sanders' running mate."
Rule #1 in presidential politics: Running mates don't matter. At all.
Remember Bill Miller (Goldwater's running mate)? How about Dan Quayle? Remember who ran with Walter Mondale (I don't -- I'm hoping you can remind me).
The one possible exception in my lifetime was when Bill Clinton picked Al Gore in 1992. It struck me as stupid at the time, since a southern Democrat was expected to pick a Northeastern liberal to "balance" the ticket back then, but I soon recognized it was a wise move. It gave the Democrats renewed hope in the South (which had been slipping away to the Republicans ever since Nixon and Reagan), and Clinton probably knew the Democrats had a lock on the big industrial states anyway.
But setting aside Gore, and what have running mates added to the mix? (We can continue this discussion if anyone can remember who ran with Mondale in 1984.)
Rule #1 in presidential politics: Running mates don't matter. At all.
Remember Bill Miller (Goldwater's running mate)? How about Dan Quayle? Remember who ran with Walter Mondale (I don't -- I'm hoping you can remind me).
The one possible exception in my lifetime was when Bill Clinton picked Al Gore in 1992. It struck me as stupid at the time, since a southern Democrat was expected to pick a Northeastern liberal to "balance" the ticket back then, but I soon recognized it was a wise move. It gave the Democrats renewed hope in the South (which had been slipping away to the Republicans ever since Nixon and Reagan), and Clinton probably knew the Democrats had a lock on the big industrial states anyway.
But setting aside Gore, and what have running mates added to the mix? (We can continue this discussion if anyone can remember who ran with Mondale in 1984.)
1
Geraldine Ferraro, no?
6
The VP candidate might not help, but they can certainly harm a candidate's chances, i.e. Joe Lieberman, the warmongering friend of John McCain and loyal representative for the State of Israel, running with Al Gore.
Gore couldn't carry his own state of Tennessee in the Presidential election and Lieberman couldn't win his own state of Connecticut in a re-election bid for Congress. And people still have the nerve to blame Ralph Nader instead of those two losers.
Sanders should run with Elizabeth Warren - For the Common Good
Gore couldn't carry his own state of Tennessee in the Presidential election and Lieberman couldn't win his own state of Connecticut in a re-election bid for Congress. And people still have the nerve to blame Ralph Nader instead of those two losers.
Sanders should run with Elizabeth Warren - For the Common Good
8
Running mates don't matter. At all.
============
Tom Eagleton.
============
Tom Eagleton.
1
I'm very reluctant to jump on the Bernie Sanders bandwagon because I'm tired to death of being disappointed by fantasy candidates whose primary goal to play the spoiler by making all sorts of grandiose promises they'll never be able to fulfill if they're elected. To me 2016 is shaping up to be a repeat of 2008 where the female front runner was derailed by a glib, fast talking Senator who had this catchy slogan about Hope and Change. Also in what universe can Bernie Sanders ever hope to persuade these fundamentalist Red State Bible Belt yahoos to elect him the 45th president? Let's face facts--America will never ever be ready to elect a female president, especially you know who. It's as simple as ABC--Anybody But Clinton.
So, you think "Red State Bible Belt yahoo's would vote for Hillary Clinton? Those votes are never going to go Democrat. Ever.
10
As a "doubting Thomaa" it might help if you watch his speech at Liberty University, a staunch conservative school. He had people cheering and admiring his speech and ideals. Never underestimate Bernie Sanders according to your own mental capacity to judge.
4
Just curious--No they wouldn't vote for Hillary Clinton. But by the same token there's no way they're voting to elect Bernie Sanders either.
This just in from Senator Sanders:
Ellen -
Earlier today, Hillary Clinton’s campaign unleashed a series of vicious and coordinated attacks against Bernie’s universal health care plan. They falsely claimed Bernie’s plan would end the Children’s Health Insurance Program, dismantle Medicare and strip millions of people of their coverage.
Here is the truth: Bernie’s plan would guarantee health care as a right for every man, woman, and child, and it would be implemented in every state in the country regardless of who is governor.
We have made tremendous gains in Iowa, but if we lost because Hillary Clinton’s campaign scared voters into thinking Bernie’s plan would cost them their coverage, it could set our vision for universal health care back at least a generation.
We simply cannot let that happen.
Bernie Sanders 2016
Feel the Bern.
Ellen -
Earlier today, Hillary Clinton’s campaign unleashed a series of vicious and coordinated attacks against Bernie’s universal health care plan. They falsely claimed Bernie’s plan would end the Children’s Health Insurance Program, dismantle Medicare and strip millions of people of their coverage.
Here is the truth: Bernie’s plan would guarantee health care as a right for every man, woman, and child, and it would be implemented in every state in the country regardless of who is governor.
We have made tremendous gains in Iowa, but if we lost because Hillary Clinton’s campaign scared voters into thinking Bernie’s plan would cost them their coverage, it could set our vision for universal health care back at least a generation.
We simply cannot let that happen.
Bernie Sanders 2016
Feel the Bern.
56
Bernie’s plan would guarantee health care as a right for every man, woman, and child, and it would be implemented in every state in the country regardless of who is governor.
----------------
Yeah that will be popular.
----------------
Yeah that will be popular.
3
How did the democrats end up without a single Black, Hispanic, gay or handicapped candidate? Just these 2 senior citizens from another era. Hillary seems unpopular and her support is soft like the emperor with no clothes.
7
Obama endorsed Hillary when he selected her as his Secretary of State. She served him well and kept us safe.
Do you recall Romney mention ISIS in 2012 ? No ? Remember why ? Because it didn't exist until after Hillary left.
Do you recall Romney mention ISIS in 2012 ? No ? Remember why ? Because it didn't exist until after Hillary left.
2
Hillary kept us safe? In your imagination only. The Republicans have pounded her endlessly on Benghazi attack, even though it was their budget cutting that left our embassies less safe. Hillary's supporters continue to pull "facts" about her "brilliance", "experience" and ability out of thin air, without any apparent evidence in history.
5
Independent
A lot of words from you, but I asked for ANY EVIDENCE of Romney or GOP convention address speaker, Mr. Terrorism Chris Christie mentioning ISIS during the 2012 Presidential election.
Find the Romney 2012 ISIS comment, and I'll apologize.
A lot of words from you, but I asked for ANY EVIDENCE of Romney or GOP convention address speaker, Mr. Terrorism Chris Christie mentioning ISIS during the 2012 Presidential election.
Find the Romney 2012 ISIS comment, and I'll apologize.
2
I've seen this before in 1976... The big difference that I'm hoping we see is that because Bernie knows the side streets of DC he will be able to do the right things for the American people just as Jimmy Carter wanted to but because he was an outsider was unable
6
I think you mean '72. McGovern had momentum, excitement, Rolling Stone interviews and he got hammered. I hope he does get nominated.
2
WHY is this article not headlined something like: "Bernie Sanders surges ahead in Iowa"? Why is the emphasis on Hillary, instead of what is actually happening?
For months now, social media and the huge crowds and enthusiasm at Bernie's rallies have been showcasing the support that he has. I wish the NYT had been paying more attention. But better late than never.
For months now, social media and the huge crowds and enthusiasm at Bernie's rallies have been showcasing the support that he has. I wish the NYT had been paying more attention. But better late than never.
53
Good point. The headline doesn't even mention Sanders' name. But, as Sanders supporters have been saying for a long time, what else is new?
24
I think Ms. Clinton would make a formidable President. I also have nothing but great respect and admiration for Bernie Sanders. But the media (and this includes you NYT) and the DNC have played this very wrong, by minimizing what the lost voice of the average Democratic leaning American is thinking. We may be drowned out, we may not have big money and influence, but this is where Bernie scores. He listens, he cares, he values our concerns (they are clearly his too). He is a man of true integrity, and when given the opportunity he will take action and do (what he can), despite the powerful mechanisms working against him (and us). This man represents America and Americans. He's running on conviction, hard work and truth. We are told this is the American way, but our current political and judicial system have severely corrupted this. He offers promise in an environment that is so polluted and tarnished. I'm grateful he's running, and people are paying attention.
39
In tonight's broadcast of Hardball with Chris Matthews, on MSNBC, he seemed puzzled as to why the latest mega-polls show white male Democrats turning away from Hillary Clinton and favoring Bernie Sanders - a Democratic Socialist! It occurred to me that this could be economically driven, at least in part. It has become increasingly challenging to provide for a family - to house, clothe, provide health care and education for one's children - salaries have not kept up. If the government provides more support for families, especially in the ultra-costly arenas of healthcare and education, it could relieve some of the enormous economic pressures families are facing today. Something to consider as the political tide turns....
25
Chris kept going on and on about that tonight.
1
The DNC; The 1% and Decidedly dismissive Main Stream Media's surprise reflects how out of touch they are with the real issues facing the majority of Americans.
36
Their biggest surprise was learning that the lyrics are 'it's a Grand Old Flag," not "It's a 300 Grand Old Flag."
1
Why not? Bernie is the most generous guy in the world. No, not with his own inflated earnings, with everybody else's. I can't imagine who would support a man whose primary claim to fame is an exaggerated willingness to give other people's wealth away. But what do I know? I'm just an idiot who pays my own way and expresses generosity with charitable contributions from my own earnings.
3
Because he's understands that you either pay me now or pay me later.
4
I dunno, jrd, the Republicans seem pretty good at giving away my money to sleazy defense contractors, Wall Street, and the oil companies.
21
Potential voters may see Bern as truthful., big difference. His baggage is small. Nation can work around issues with bern but like me they fear Clinton
19
If middle calls republicans just took a few minutes out of their day to actually listen to Berine Personally, the political revolution would be complete.
16
Perhaps. But that is unlikely to happen because unlike most Sanders supporters, the middle class Republicans have jobs, and have to go to work, instead of debating at the faculty lounge, or chatting over organic soy chai teas at Starbucks after yoga class.
GMooG
That's funny. Trump said that there are no middle class Americans with jobs. Is Trump lying ?
PS - your Republican stripes are showing ( #PhonyBernieSupporter )
That's funny. Trump said that there are no middle class Americans with jobs. Is Trump lying ?
PS - your Republican stripes are showing ( #PhonyBernieSupporter )
1
What's it like to live in a cartoon world? Does that fairy tale come replete with easy listening elevator music?
Loose Iowa, loose New Hampshire, loose um all - Hillary has the money and organization to go all the way to the convention. In 2008, Obama had support of the party elite, led by the Kennedy’s, and Hillary was forced out. Not going to happen this time. Bernie will not get the Party elite support because he is unelectable in the general. If Hillary twists past the convention she loses the election for the same reason she is losing now, her negatives are too high.
5
You really make yourself sound naive and hard-headed when we continue to espouse this "unelectable" nonsense?
What polls or factual data are you basing this assumption of unelectability on? Oh, that's right. None.
What polls or factual data are you basing this assumption of unelectability on? Oh, that's right. None.
11
fortunately, we-the-people, have more votes than the Party "elite."
12
MKM, you say that Bernie is unelectable (even though he fares better than Hillary in head-to-head against most if not all of the Republican candidates), but then also say that Hillary will lose in November? Using that logic, the Democrats should nominate Bernie; if they're going to lose anyway, they might as well lose with someone who better represents their principles and ideals. Nominating Bernie would offer one other advantage; with him, the Democrats would not have to worry about the possibility of any post-convention bombshell that would nuke his chances. This could happen with Hillary if the FBI investigation, which has recently expanded to include the Clinton Foundation, reveals any damaging information post-Philly. The Democrats can withstand any such revelation prior to her nomination, but if anything damaging comes out after she is nominated, the party is toast.
1
It would be wonderful to believe that Sanders' supporters would show as much enthusiasm for the party's nominee if it isn't the Senator of Vermont.
They won't. They'll be off with what's left of Nader's kamikazes ensuring the election of a Republican President and a right wing Supreme Court that will endure for decades.
Go Bernie, Go!
They won't. They'll be off with what's left of Nader's kamikazes ensuring the election of a Republican President and a right wing Supreme Court that will endure for decades.
Go Bernie, Go!
3
A modestly pro gun Dem who is right on the economic disparity issue? Right on unions and right on bringing our troops home? He supports the middle class like no other and never got rich in politics. (Clinton gets $300,000 per speech).
He is a candidate who would probably pull 30-40 % of the Rep. vote, including mine.
In comparison, Hillary is still releasing e mails...claiming (1) not to have deleted e mails, (2) not to have deleted relevant e mails, (3) not to have received Top Secret E mails, (4) not to have received Top Secret e mails before after they were considered Top Secret, (5) to instructing her staff how to delete the words Top Secret before sending her an a mail.
What's the heck is next?
He is a candidate who would probably pull 30-40 % of the Rep. vote, including mine.
In comparison, Hillary is still releasing e mails...claiming (1) not to have deleted e mails, (2) not to have deleted relevant e mails, (3) not to have received Top Secret E mails, (4) not to have received Top Secret e mails before after they were considered Top Secret, (5) to instructing her staff how to delete the words Top Secret before sending her an a mail.
What's the heck is next?
24
A great fact to point out:
Bernie Sanders net worth: $300,000
Hillary Clinton earnings from one speech: $300,000
Bernie Sanders net worth: $300,000
Hillary Clinton earnings from one speech: $300,000
23
~HRC was 1st Lady for 8 years.
~HRC was a NY Senator for 6 yrs.
~HRC was Secretary of State for the Unitied States for 4 years.
Are you serious.
~HRC was a NY Senator for 6 yrs.
~HRC was Secretary of State for the Unitied States for 4 years.
Are you serious.
1
She was advised to travel more as SecState as it would look good for her image, so she burned up the atmosphere and taxpayer money in jet fuel--in anticipation of this POTUS run. Her "Hard Choices" as SecState were what to have for desert at all those state dinners and her "experience" was as a saleswoman for the defense (war) contractors and military equipment makers, which experience has proven, does not "keep us safe". There are more myths about Hillary's ability and competence than the Grimm Brothers could have produced.
4
As we know - it's not the number of votes that count - but who counts the votes. And for The Hillary Brand® with her lock down of the DNC, it means that any chances of losing in Iowa must be eliminated. So we're back to the future of 2000 Florida with Diebold machines (if still in use) that are easily hackable and can flip votes from Mr. Sanders to The Brand® offsite when the tallies are made. Won't happen, you say? Don't count on it. The consequences to the Deep State, the Military Industrial Complex, Big Pharma, Wall Street, Corporate America, the Prison Industrial Complex are huge if Bernie gets in. The passion of the voters, their mistrust of The Hillary Brand®, the anxiety of having Bill back in the saddle (so to speak) are irrelevant when compared to how the voting margins can be controlled. All it takes is a few percentage points that can be moved from one district or voting block to another with the flip of a switch. What was a 52% to 48% Sanders lead, suddenly becomes a 51% to 49% Hillary lead - despite the exit polls showing a voter preference for Sanders throughout Iowa. Expect to see a last minute surge for The Brand® at the same time some crisis is manufactured to offset Sanders' popularity - all of which will be the result of some quid pro quo that a quiet backroom meeting with Bill facilitates. Further those "donations" to the Clinton Trust and those contracts you were interested in - are yours. Such is the "democratic process" these days…Yes. Call me a cynic.
19
Hillary has two major problems:
(1) The more people see of her, the more they turn to Bernie...
(2) The more people see of Bernie, the more they turn to Bernie
No wonder corrupt DNC Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz rigged the debate schedule to minimize exposure to both.
(1) The more people see of her, the more they turn to Bernie...
(2) The more people see of Bernie, the more they turn to Bernie
No wonder corrupt DNC Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz rigged the debate schedule to minimize exposure to both.
52
If things didn't appear that Waserma Shultz rigged the debate schedule from the begining Hillary Clinton would have one less real credibility problem. Most of the questioning of her honesty and integrity has been implanted by the Republicans. Personally I will vote for Bernie Sanders in the primary. If he doesn't win Hillary Clinton gets my vote. Bernie Sanders will give her his full support.
1
I'm sick of dynasty presidents.
Hillary and Jeb both represent more of the same once they get in office.
Hillary and Jeb both represent more of the same once they get in office.
33
I would be curious as to how Bernie is polling among African and Latino Americans. Any Democratic candidate will need to mobilize these two groups of voters to win in the general election, and I'm interested to see how much Bernie Sanders's message has made headway with those voters.
More than thr pageantry of Iowa, support among those large minority voter groups will be the key test.
More than thr pageantry of Iowa, support among those large minority voter groups will be the key test.
7
Cornel West has been campaigning with and for Bernie now for several months. He's also gotten some great endorsements from African American pop icons such as Killer Mike and many others, and based on what I've seen across the web on social media, he's got a pretty strong backing from black millenials. The question is going to be whether he can reign in the evangelical black democrats in the south.
Don't underestimate people power. Bernie undoubtedly has that on his side!
Don't underestimate people power. Bernie undoubtedly has that on his side!
16
I do not underestimate people power at all, but how to harness people power into votes is always the big question.
I hope Bernie chooses Elizabeth Warren as his running mate.
Go Bernie!
Go Bernie!
33
Now we're talkin'!
6
I've been watching Bernie Sanders for years as a frequent guest on the Rachel Maddow show. He is a great guy and works hard for the middle-class and the poor. Unfortunately the country will never vote for him because he calls himself a socialist and he is. Remember how the right wing media tried to call Obama a socialist? They might have just called him the devil. Hillary will be our next President.
2
Yes, I remember when the right wing called Obama a socialist. I also remember Obama being elected twice.
20
If you think Bernie is the best candidate, vote for him. Vote for the America you -YOU- want, not the America somebody else wants.
13
Obama never called himself a socialist. There's a real difference there.
Just curious:
I thought the NYT's policy was to refer to all men as "Mr. _" and to refer to all women as "Ms. _", so that the Times could choose to discuss the candidate's spouses (or not), rather than allude to them or make their marital status an issue in an election.
Did this change?
I thought the NYT's policy was to refer to all men as "Mr. _" and to refer to all women as "Ms. _", so that the Times could choose to discuss the candidate's spouses (or not), rather than allude to them or make their marital status an issue in an election.
Did this change?
2
Incorrect:
"This will be the election where American people on both sides of the aisle take back their country. Liberal or conservative, big changes are in the wind."
Changes are NOT in the wind. No matter who wins, very little will changes. What you write here has been said many times, and I used to believe it (for example, in 1968 and 1992, and more recently in 2008). But those "big changes" never seem to happen. Don't get your hopes up: This time won't be any different.
"This will be the election where American people on both sides of the aisle take back their country. Liberal or conservative, big changes are in the wind."
Changes are NOT in the wind. No matter who wins, very little will changes. What you write here has been said many times, and I used to believe it (for example, in 1968 and 1992, and more recently in 2008). But those "big changes" never seem to happen. Don't get your hopes up: This time won't be any different.
3
Does anyone know how many senate and congressional races there are this year? Not only do we have to support Bernie Sanders, it's imperative that we support and elect democratic senators and congressmen.
24
A third of the Senate and all of house will be up for re-election. It the same thing every two years. You could try reading the Constitution.
@ Michael F... But I have you to tell me! Thanks, by the way.
People understand she just is not honest. It is that simple. Her own server with top secret information on it that we know the Chinese, Russians and maybe even the Iranians( and the Israelis) hacked into, but she thinks there is nothing wrong with it!! And, the Clinton foundation seeking 10s of million of dollars and at the same time she is voting on what the contributors are seeking. It is the very definition of influence peddling but the US in being hurt. He votes resulted in the Russians controlling some US uranium. You have to blind and deaf not to know what Ms C has done. Bernie is gaining votes for a reason.
20
As of a moment or two ago, Sanders is now down only 7 nationally, 48-41. The revolution is beginning, folks. Join us!!!
29
The Times is reporting that Sanders is closing up Hillary's lead in the polls. Shades of 2008. For once, Democratic voters have an alternative to the Republicans and the DNC, corporatized "New Democrats".
27
I've read too many negative posts about people liking Bernie Sanders, but are "afraid" he will not win in the general. NONSENSE. If people show up to vote, no excuses, especially young people, Bernie Sanders CAN win...no doubt about it !! The only way Bernie doesn't win is if we don't show up to vote !! Its not complicated.
33
Wow, finally the NY Times is forced to cover Bernie. Those of us who've been following him since the beginning have been appalled at your lack of coverage. We are not dreamy hippies. Just US citizens who fear for the future of our country if the status quo which Hillary seems determined to push, continues. And he's getting huge crowds in spite of virtually no media coverage by you or the networks. Think about what that means.
41
"Ever since Reagan's victory in 1980, a faction of largely Southern Democrats, ... has insisted that the electoral failures of the 1980s were due to the [Democratic] party's being "too liberal."
It's conventional wisdom that the major shift of southern Democrats to the Republican Party occurred when Reagan ran (hence the term "Reagan Democrats"). But Republicans recognized much earlier than Reagan that the Democratic Party base of northern liberals and southern conservatives didn't make much sense. Nixon, for example, courted the southern-Democrat vote, and got quite a bit of it.
It's conventional wisdom that the major shift of southern Democrats to the Republican Party occurred when Reagan ran (hence the term "Reagan Democrats"). But Republicans recognized much earlier than Reagan that the Democratic Party base of northern liberals and southern conservatives didn't make much sense. Nixon, for example, courted the southern-Democrat vote, and got quite a bit of it.
3
MyTwoCents, I have to admit that heading into the 2008 Democratic primary, I thought that John Edwards would win the party nomination and would probably be elected president because by that time, the "Southern Strategy" era had become so entrenched that the only way Democrats had been able to win the White House was by nominating a Southerner of their own (Carter and Clinton). It's probably too soon to tell on this, but Obama's ultimate political legacy (as opposed to his policy legacies) may very well be to represent the end of the "Southern Strategy" era.
Hillary reminds me of the TV commercial where the old guy in the office says to his younger assistant, "We're gonna stick to the man!" And the assistant says, "Um, sir, you ARE the man."
Hillary, you are the man.
Hillary, you are the man.
13
What was that comment in the last election? If Hillary wins, Bill Clinton gets to wander around the White House with nothing to do. Thanks, but no thanks. I'd rather have Bernie with a moderate view on gun control.
27
It seems that Ms. Clinton is making some of the same mistakes as she did in the campaign of 2008.
Then, as now, she underestimated her opponent.
Then, as now, she demonstrated entitlement, elitism and at times, even a cocky attitude.
With her resumé and her experience, I would have expected that she would have self-corrected not be making the same mistakes.
This tendency, as well as her penchant for calculating her support for or against proposals and policies only after she sees which way the proverbial 'wind is blowing' convince me that Bernie Sanders is the better choice.
It is heartening to see the race tightening as many voters listen to Bernie Sanders.
Then, as now, she underestimated her opponent.
Then, as now, she demonstrated entitlement, elitism and at times, even a cocky attitude.
With her resumé and her experience, I would have expected that she would have self-corrected not be making the same mistakes.
This tendency, as well as her penchant for calculating her support for or against proposals and policies only after she sees which way the proverbial 'wind is blowing' convince me that Bernie Sanders is the better choice.
It is heartening to see the race tightening as many voters listen to Bernie Sanders.
52
That's who she is. A centrist candidate.
Obama ran a Sanders like campaign and then he governed like Hillary Clinton.
She really oughtn't change who she is and who she'll be when she governs.
Sanders, like Obama, will have no choice.
Obama ran a Sanders like campaign and then he governed like Hillary Clinton.
She really oughtn't change who she is and who she'll be when she governs.
Sanders, like Obama, will have no choice.
1
and she still voted for th iraq war, and sanders didnt
19
If you can give me a rundown of all of Sanders' votes I'll listen to you. As it is, you sound like you are cherry picking your votes like Cheney cherry picked intelligence.
This is it in a nutshell, isn't it?
"Hillary is old news. Her excitement was back in 2008."
2008 was Hillary's time, and she lost. Simple as that. She may feel that Obama stole the nomination from her (and she hung around long after it was clear she'd lost), but that's life. All that matters is:
1. 2008 was her time.
2. She lost.
3. Her time has come and gone.
"Hillary is old news. Her excitement was back in 2008."
2008 was Hillary's time, and she lost. Simple as that. She may feel that Obama stole the nomination from her (and she hung around long after it was clear she'd lost), but that's life. All that matters is:
1. 2008 was her time.
2. She lost.
3. Her time has come and gone.
39
I keep reading and reading the Readers' Picks starting from the most popular. Dozens later and I've yet to see even one in favor of Hillary.
Go Bernie! He's my choice, too.
Go Bernie! He's my choice, too.
44
So you let the NY Times comment board editor validate your choice.
Sigh.
go trump ...
Sigh.
go trump ...
2
Things are not looking good for HC.
But her fall from grace is bad for the Democratic Party too. Either she recovers and wins the nomination (likely), but is so weakened by the ordeal that she gets beat bad in the general, or she fades even worse and Sanders gets the nomination and gets crushed in the general.
I know, I know -- Sanders will beat any of those Republican clowns. But pause for long enough to take a "reality pill," and you'll realize that an avowed socialist will never get elected president. If Sanders gets the nomination, the Republicans can win with just about anyone (OK, maybe not with Sarah Palin).
But her fall from grace is bad for the Democratic Party too. Either she recovers and wins the nomination (likely), but is so weakened by the ordeal that she gets beat bad in the general, or she fades even worse and Sanders gets the nomination and gets crushed in the general.
I know, I know -- Sanders will beat any of those Republican clowns. But pause for long enough to take a "reality pill," and you'll realize that an avowed socialist will never get elected president. If Sanders gets the nomination, the Republicans can win with just about anyone (OK, maybe not with Sarah Palin).
6
Not what the polls say... Thanks for the laugh.
2
So what you're saying is that if Sanders wins the primary all of Clinton's supporters will either stay home on Election Day or vote republican. Not likely. Far more likely is that if Clinton wins the primary many Sanders supports will feel the contest was rigged against him by the DNC and not support Clinton.
8
That will depend on Sanders' running mate. If he were to win the nomination and was able to enlist Elizabeth Warren as his VP candidate, it could turn the tide nationally.
12
"I guess Ben Franklin never bothered to read the "age matters" memo."
Who knows? Maybe he did. Maybe that's why he never ran for president.
Who knows? Maybe he did. Maybe that's why he never ran for president.
2
Just we the U.S. needs: a race for President between some ultra conservative, right wing, woman-hating, unqualified extremist for the GOP and an ultra fiscal extremist for the Democrats, if Sanders gets the nod. No wonder the civilized world (and I do not include the U.S. in that group) sees the U.S. as a bunch of fools. Bring back voter tests; those responding to the polls seem to lack both any common sense as well as understanding of what is at stake. The only qualified candidate on either side is Hillary.
1
Thank you for your comment. You could not have express better the vibe Clinton throws off to the people. Thats why Hillary is losing.
17
I think this sums it up:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/us/politics/hillary-clintons-lead-over...®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
It is now not just Iowa.
Ms. Clinton is losing support. Mr. Sanders is gaining support, mostly among the fastest growing age group, in the US, millenials. Also, among the more educated.
Mr. Sanders message is r4sonating with people who hear him speak, know others who saw him speak, or found a media outlet (not this newspaper) who reports his message.
What is Mr. Sander's message? He is an outsider, concentrate on America, work on income disparity, trade disparity, paying one's fair share of taxes, fix our infrastructure, reign in Wall Street and single payer healthcare. The things virtually every American talks about at the kitchen table,
On the other hand, Ms. Clinton looks more and more like a rehash of Bill Clinton; complete with the same faults of arrogance and privilege. Not to mention she has said that she has earned to be president. And like her husband, caught in lies and half-truths.
While many expect her to win the nomination; it unfortunate that it is possible we will have another bad choice between two evils.
So, in the end, I do include myself among the millions who cannot support anyone but Bernie Sanders. The others who are running are effectively no different from each other.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/13/us/politics/hillary-clintons-lead-over...®ion=top-news&WT.nav=top-news
It is now not just Iowa.
Ms. Clinton is losing support. Mr. Sanders is gaining support, mostly among the fastest growing age group, in the US, millenials. Also, among the more educated.
Mr. Sanders message is r4sonating with people who hear him speak, know others who saw him speak, or found a media outlet (not this newspaper) who reports his message.
What is Mr. Sander's message? He is an outsider, concentrate on America, work on income disparity, trade disparity, paying one's fair share of taxes, fix our infrastructure, reign in Wall Street and single payer healthcare. The things virtually every American talks about at the kitchen table,
On the other hand, Ms. Clinton looks more and more like a rehash of Bill Clinton; complete with the same faults of arrogance and privilege. Not to mention she has said that she has earned to be president. And like her husband, caught in lies and half-truths.
While many expect her to win the nomination; it unfortunate that it is possible we will have another bad choice between two evils.
So, in the end, I do include myself among the millions who cannot support anyone but Bernie Sanders. The others who are running are effectively no different from each other.
24
If you want to see voting participation sink to its lowest level ever, pit JEB/ against HRC. Then watch the pundits castigate Americans for not coming out to vote. Bet you dollars to donuts, Trump vs Sanders would have huge voter turnout.
9
A candidate has to have and show passion to have others feel passionate about him or her. As much as Obama has been falsely accused (by M Dowd and others)as being cool and detached, he showed passion in his campaign speeches, and from time to time in other contexts. Bill Clinton did, even GWB did(see his post 9/11 speech about Islam is peace), Bernie does, but Hillary just comes off as too calculating. For example, she would resonate more on the gun issue disparity if one could actually believe that she would truly draw a line in the sand , but one does not get that impression with her. Bernue's more pragmatic stance is just fine in comparison. She is also attacking Bernie lately with false accusations on health care, hard for us to get passionate about lies.
17
I suspect that some of the Republicans that have grown disenchanted with their party (see a previous Times article from last week on this subject) and are ready to change it up would be more likely to vote for a populist candidate like Sanders than another establishment candidate like Clinton, who in many ways is largely indistinguishable from the few moderate Republican presidential candidates.
New Hampshire lets unaffiliated voters register for either primary. Watch the numbers in a few weeks to see just how many independents cast their vote for Sanders. It isn't just disenchanted Republicans upsetting their party's apple cart in 2016 - there are plenty of Independents out there, and I'll betcha a sizable block will pick Bernie this time around, despite what the DNC and the Democratic establishment want.
The difference? Bernie has never taken any voters for granted, nor does he believe he's entitled to the presidency. Rather, he's working hard to earn their votes. And the electorate appreciates that.
New Hampshire lets unaffiliated voters register for either primary. Watch the numbers in a few weeks to see just how many independents cast their vote for Sanders. It isn't just disenchanted Republicans upsetting their party's apple cart in 2016 - there are plenty of Independents out there, and I'll betcha a sizable block will pick Bernie this time around, despite what the DNC and the Democratic establishment want.
The difference? Bernie has never taken any voters for granted, nor does he believe he's entitled to the presidency. Rather, he's working hard to earn their votes. And the electorate appreciates that.
29
If Clinton tries to be who she is not, she will lose support. That is what happened with Gore in 2000. Voters these days are looking for "genuineness" more than substance, thus the support for Sanders and Trump. Hillary needs to be Hillary, not palm herself off as a warm, fuzzy grandmother, an image that will fool precisely no one. If she sells out herself to get a victory in the Iowa caucuses, she will suffer ten-fold nationally.
12
I agree. She needs to be the centrist candidate.
If America wants an election between a Socialist and a Fascist, they'll get it.
If America wants an election between a Socialist and a Fascist, they'll get it.
1
For me, the difference between Sanders and Clinton is crystal clear:
Hillary, like every other candidate, has been hungering to be President all her career.
Bernie is running because somebody has to do what needs to be done. And there is no doubt he means every word he says when it comes to the core problems facing our county; the conversion from democracy to oligarchy. Period. He truly speaks to the middle class.
When HRC insists she will tell Wall St. to "cut it out" I laugh.
Hillary, like every other candidate, has been hungering to be President all her career.
Bernie is running because somebody has to do what needs to be done. And there is no doubt he means every word he says when it comes to the core problems facing our county; the conversion from democracy to oligarchy. Period. He truly speaks to the middle class.
When HRC insists she will tell Wall St. to "cut it out" I laugh.
47
Obama was the first democrat in a long time, whose first campaign generated excitement & passion ... other than healthcare, not much has been done to warrant that initial enthusiasm from bail outs to bush-like war mongering ...
Hilary is just more of the same old same old ... reliable and steady ...
Bernie brings life to the democrats ... what we need now is to have those legislative candidates across the country to endorse and carry that message across the land ...
Hilary is just more of the same old same old ... reliable and steady ...
Bernie brings life to the democrats ... what we need now is to have those legislative candidates across the country to endorse and carry that message across the land ...
22
If Yale Hirsch's Stock Trader's Almanac is correct, the stock market performance in January predicts its performance for the rest of the year. Isn't the market is forecasting that Bernie is going to win by the year end. Wall Street, watch out! You are not going to like it when Bernie becomes the President.
12
Many here speak of Hillary's vast "experience." Certainly, she has an impressive political resumé. That's why I find it all the more puzzling that she has been so reticent about entering additional debates -- and at times when those debates are likely to be widely seen -- with her primary opponents. One would think she would relish the opportunity to make a verbal display of that vast experience every chance she got!
8
Please cite her hesitation to participate in more debates... oh, right, she never actually said that. It was just a nice soundbite for you to make up. She runs town hall style discussions which display her intelligence and vast experience regularly on the campaign trail. She answers any and all questions on the spot. It's Bernie who reads from the same scripted, tired speech.
Hillary's relaxed, quiet air of "Don't worry, we'll get there together" just doesn't cut it. She doesn't seem establishment - she IS ESTABLISHMENT. Her specifics on only "softening" the sting of college debt is her calling card. She supports only easing the pain of structural afflictions on the middle class - not meeting them head on. Hillary is an accommodator to those who nearly have title to this country. And young people see it, especially. Now if they'll only show up at the polls.
26
She should worry.
I heard her give a talk on health care as first lady, must have been 1993. She was dynamic, organized, in complete command of facts. She is now buried under layers of marketing, or what her people think she needs for marketing.
Bernie is for real, and progressive as well. Decades of Bill, GWB, and Obama leave me w/ zero appreciation for the Democratic Leadership Council and its fallout.
I heard her give a talk on health care as first lady, must have been 1993. She was dynamic, organized, in complete command of facts. She is now buried under layers of marketing, or what her people think she needs for marketing.
Bernie is for real, and progressive as well. Decades of Bill, GWB, and Obama leave me w/ zero appreciation for the Democratic Leadership Council and its fallout.
24
If he is so "for real", why he is running in the primary for a party that he doesn't even belong to ?
Is that you Huma?
Please stop, fran. You are not helping your cause. These pathetic "everyone who says they support Sanders is really a Trump supporter" posts sound ridiculous, and are probably driving more supporters over to the Sanders camp.
Please stop, fran. You are not helping your cause. These pathetic "everyone who says they support Sanders is really a Trump supporter" posts sound ridiculous, and are probably driving more supporters over to the Sanders camp.
10
GMooG.
I didn't say "everybody", I said enough to make a difference in open primary states and on comment boards.
If you look, you just might find find that pro-Bernie posts are from very same people who post pro-Trump messages.
I've looked, and I have a point. You should too.
I didn't say "everybody", I said enough to make a difference in open primary states and on comment boards.
If you look, you just might find find that pro-Bernie posts are from very same people who post pro-Trump messages.
I've looked, and I have a point. You should too.
This will be the election where American people on both sides of the aisle take back their country. Liberal or conservative, big changes are in the wind.
16
I hope so! We did it in Alberta and Canada... you can too!
10
The Establishment Democrats did this to themselves. Ever since Reagan's victory in 1980, a faction of largely Southern Democrats, including Bill Clinton and Al Gore, has insisted that the electoral failures of the 1980s were due to the party's being "too liberal."
If they had limited their criticism to saying that the party emphasized racial justice and sexual rights more than some voters felt comfortable with, they may have had a point, but they doubled down on these issues and ignored the political and economic issues that were dragging ordinary Americans into poverty and frustration.
The Clintons were part of the problem with their trade deals, their "welfare reform," and their overall coddling of the wealthy in the 1990s, and today, they socialize with the Bush family and have a hedge fund manager as a son-in-law.
The only people who are enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton are those whose dearest wish is to see a woman president. Her supporters' other argument is that "it's her turn."
We were supposed to support John Kerry just because it was his turn, too, He seemed to be just going through the motions in his campaign, had a wonkish, impenetrable website, and conceded before the polls closed nationwide. The only people who voted for him were those who hated Bush, and even they were not enthusiastic, as I found when I door knocked in one of the most liberal parts of the liberal city of Minneapolis.
Have the Dem leadership learned nothing since then?
If they had limited their criticism to saying that the party emphasized racial justice and sexual rights more than some voters felt comfortable with, they may have had a point, but they doubled down on these issues and ignored the political and economic issues that were dragging ordinary Americans into poverty and frustration.
The Clintons were part of the problem with their trade deals, their "welfare reform," and their overall coddling of the wealthy in the 1990s, and today, they socialize with the Bush family and have a hedge fund manager as a son-in-law.
The only people who are enthusiastic about Hillary Clinton are those whose dearest wish is to see a woman president. Her supporters' other argument is that "it's her turn."
We were supposed to support John Kerry just because it was his turn, too, He seemed to be just going through the motions in his campaign, had a wonkish, impenetrable website, and conceded before the polls closed nationwide. The only people who voted for him were those who hated Bush, and even they were not enthusiastic, as I found when I door knocked in one of the most liberal parts of the liberal city of Minneapolis.
Have the Dem leadership learned nothing since then?
21
I've said it before a million times and I'll say it again: If Hillary is the nominee, I'm either staying home, or writing in Bernie Sanders. HRC is as inspiring as a dead person. Sort of like the equivalent level of inspiration for Jeb! Bush on the republican side. But Bernie? You'll see a groundswell heading to the polls. Sad thing is that Debbie Wasserman Schultz doesn't care. She'd rather lose the general election just to make sure HRC is nominated. If Wasserman-Schultz ignores us, I'm done with the democratic party. I've voted straight ticket dem every election since 1988. No more. Establishment dems are no better than establishment republicans.
30
"commitment cards" certainly has a whiff of desperation about it. HRC is the New England Patriots of NFL. not too many people get excited about them or her. Both seem to be heartless execution machines with no principles which can't be stepped over. Sanders is genuine, committed, authentic, empathetic. He is also horribly wrong on his proposed "solutions". Alas, his re-heated socialism strategies are obscured by all of the personal positive qualities he exhibits. There are some parallels in that between him and Mr. Obama. He also benefits from a great deal of support from the young voters who are simply not old enough to remember his past ideological statements or sufficiently uneducated about the economics of his believes. The sorry state of the Democratic primaries is only eclipsed by the horror of Trump's leadership of the Republican one.
5
Clinton's $4 million dollar idea is a great idea. The problem is, it's Bernie's idea and, Clinton would have NEVER raised this idea unless she felt threatened by Bernie in the primaries.
She's overtly tactical, and this is why many Democrats not only don't trust Clinton, but her overtly manipulative nature makes them dislike her.
She's overtly tactical, and this is why many Democrats not only don't trust Clinton, but her overtly manipulative nature makes them dislike her.
35
WOW. The NYT FINALLY reported on the absolute biggest national story of the fall and winter. Thanks for the newsflash!!!
20
Hillary is old news. Her excitement was back in 2008. That being said, she'll be an effective President because she'll be able to fight back against Congress.
On the other hand, I would love to see Bernie Sanders kick butt against Hillary this year. Why? Because this should not be a coronation. For instance. I'm now hearing about a. "Black and Brown Forum." I'm biracial. Why wasn't this heavily publicized? I would have loved to hear the candidates hear from and respond to Black folks. Debates and forums are being held on weird times (Saturday nights) or channels most of us don't have on basic or even premium cable. For instance, apparently this was on "Fusion" TV. What channel is that?
The DNC needs to get real. We know that the fix is in for Hillary. We voters aren't having it. We want to hear from the candidates in a forum that everyone gets to see. NETWORK TELEVISION. On weekday prime time, not Saturday night.
I may very well vote for Hillary (but will be voting for Bernie in the primary) but I want her to EARN it.
On the other hand, I would love to see Bernie Sanders kick butt against Hillary this year. Why? Because this should not be a coronation. For instance. I'm now hearing about a. "Black and Brown Forum." I'm biracial. Why wasn't this heavily publicized? I would have loved to hear the candidates hear from and respond to Black folks. Debates and forums are being held on weird times (Saturday nights) or channels most of us don't have on basic or even premium cable. For instance, apparently this was on "Fusion" TV. What channel is that?
The DNC needs to get real. We know that the fix is in for Hillary. We voters aren't having it. We want to hear from the candidates in a forum that everyone gets to see. NETWORK TELEVISION. On weekday prime time, not Saturday night.
I may very well vote for Hillary (but will be voting for Bernie in the primary) but I want her to EARN it.
10
I would enjoy seeing Sanders square off against Trump in the general! Must-see TV. 2 candidates with no deep ties to special interests. Hillary has one foot in her political grave.
22
Pipped at the post again...I couldn't be happier for the Nation.
11
I love Sanders as a candidate, but I worry about how he will fare against whatever snarling, bull-in-a-china-shop opponent the GOP throws at him. Can his campaign give a rapid response to any dirty, negative campaign tricks that the GOP are certain to try? That's what I worry about.
Gore and Kerry took the high road against the GOP and lost. I am worried that Sanders might do the same thing.
At least we know that Hillary knows exactly how to fight back.
Gore and Kerry took the high road against the GOP and lost. I am worried that Sanders might do the same thing.
At least we know that Hillary knows exactly how to fight back.
12
Knows how to fight back? And yet she can't win without rigging the nomination.
4
Does Bernie have the power of AIPAC behind him. If so, what is his attitude towards the policies of the Government of Israel. Does he believe that the actions of the Israeli Government are the greatest threat to US standing and acceptance in the rest of the world, and may well be the cause of the "downfall of the American empire"?
5
You'd have to look at his website. The nooz certainly doesn't report candidates' policy stances, just their hairstyles and shoe height.
5
ontheroadagain: I doubt very much that AIPAC would back Bernie, as Bernie has made it very clear that we have no business fighting wars in the Middle East for special interests including Israel; Hillary is the clear candidate of AIPAC and Wall Street, of that there should be no doubt whatsoever, you want more of the same vote for Hillary you want real change and an end to the mess we are in vote for Bernie!
11
Bernie Sanders is a straight-ahead, common-sense supporter of the New Deal. In the eyes of most media -- including the NY Times, alas -- that makes him a wild-eyed radical lunatic. I support Sanders but suspect Hillary will come out on top. [Insert here another Alas.]
10
If it comes down to Bernie and the Donald, now that will be "some" choice....
But the cliche says "you get the government you deserve"......
But the cliche says "you get the government you deserve"......
1
I am a banker myself and since I heard Mr. Sanders speak for the first time, he is the only candidate I would consider voting for. Early on, I thought my vote would be wasted on a good candidate who would inevitably lose, but as I canvas my friends, all of them say the same thing (I'll vote for him even though he is unlikely to win). Could it just be that we (me, my friends and many Americans) have drunk the same spiked NYT kool-aid that makes us think the winner has already been determined?
51
It's great for people to be enthusiastic about either Senator Sanders or Hillary Clinton. However, unless the people also throw out a large number of GPO House and Senate members, a Democrat President would result in a replay of the last 8 years. The GOP hates President Obama, and would feel the same about a President Sanders or Clinton. Either would struggle to get any of their initiatives passed into law. That being said, at least having either one as President would make the veto pen available to counteract the radical bills that a GOP Congress would be certain to pass. I think the Democratic Party has failed miserably in shoring up the party at the state and local levels. That is why the GOP hold both houses of Congress and 30 of the Governors. More focus needs to be put at the state and local level - otherwise while the Democratic Party may continue to win the Presidency, they will fail to enact their policies because they cannot get them through Congress, and Republican controlled states will do everything they can to obstruct federal programs and policies put forth by either Sanders or Clinton.
18
I wish I could recommend your post more than once. The Democratic party has got to get better at the state and local levels. Also, the party needs to tell their candidates to stand with the President.
7
Supreme court, supreme reason to vote DemocratIC.
7
You can thank Debbie Wasserman Schultz's inept leadership for the failure to shore up Democratic wins at the state and local level.
8
I've got plenty of enthusiasm and passion about Pantsuit. Enthusiasm and passion for ANYONE ELSE!
11
A bully from Queens is not who we need
nor a tin man from Texas with no heart to bleed
we don’t need a no-show Floridian youth
and please no more Bushes, this does not take a sleuth
New Jersey can keep their doublewide chief
let’s not choose a doctor, a banker or thief
we know who is two faced and short, on the truth
who knew that a rich man would lack so much cooth
One man holds our ticket and that's who we want
Bernie Sanders from Brooklyn, by way of Vermont!
nor a tin man from Texas with no heart to bleed
we don’t need a no-show Floridian youth
and please no more Bushes, this does not take a sleuth
New Jersey can keep their doublewide chief
let’s not choose a doctor, a banker or thief
we know who is two faced and short, on the truth
who knew that a rich man would lack so much cooth
One man holds our ticket and that's who we want
Bernie Sanders from Brooklyn, by way of Vermont!
49
Eloquent.
8
Reposted, with attribution.
You can ask me to take it down if you want, but I hope not.
You can ask me to take it down if you want, but I hope not.
1
Clinton: "... pledging to help Central American countries stem the violence that people there flee.: The height of hypocrisy! She pushed hard to depose Zalega in Honduras stting up hte displacement of thousands of small farmers, just as her neo-liberal husband did by flooding Haiti with sugar. Clinton is a dyed in the wool neo-liberalm, i.e., free trade advocate, and is not going to change no matter what she says publicly now. She supported NAFTA, and every other free trade agreement that forced millions into inner city slums or to seek refuge in the US. Hypocrite!!
21
With 50% of Americans not paying any taxes and the perception that those who pay taxes are not paying their "fair share" to give a better free ride to the non-payers, America is in trouble and slipping down the socialist road.
Bernie Sanders is a socialist and will get lots of votes from the poor, the needy, the retirees who have saved no money and those who prefer a 52 week a year vacation on welfare.
Bernie Sanders is a socialist and will get lots of votes from the poor, the needy, the retirees who have saved no money and those who prefer a 52 week a year vacation on welfare.
5
@SoCal Observer: "With 50% of Americans not paying any taxes ... "
Source, please.
PS: Please don't conflate not paying income tax with not paying *any* tax. Thanks.
Source, please.
PS: Please don't conflate not paying income tax with not paying *any* tax. Thanks.
21
Yes, I meant income taxes. But you missed my point. You get A+ for picky, D- for understanding.
1
It finally dawns on me: silly woman.
If there is such rampart misogyny in the Sanders supporters, what is the difference, really. anyway.
Might as well vote for the Donald.
At least he an open misogynist.
Not like these "pseudo liberals."
With the donald, we will at least know where we grovel.
If there is such rampart misogyny in the Sanders supporters, what is the difference, really. anyway.
Might as well vote for the Donald.
At least he an open misogynist.
Not like these "pseudo liberals."
With the donald, we will at least know where we grovel.
3
I don't see rampant misogyny in Sanders supporters. And I'm a woman too.
17
Laura, I'm adapting my response to LuckyDog below here because it's just as applicable. What exactly has Bernie does to make you regard him as a misogynist, other than having the nerve to challenge Hillary for the party nomination? I take it from your comment that you have an interest in what many would term "women's issues", including the right to choose and pay equity. As far as I know, Bernie's record on these issues is pretty good, certainly better than any Republican, including Trump. If Bernie gets the nomination, I just don't see how voting Republican will help on the issues that I'm guessing matter to you. It would be tantamount to cutting off your nose to spite your face.
13
I am a woman, and have been an ardent (some would say militant) feminist all my life. I support Bernie Sanders because I like his policies better and because he walks the walk of campaign finance reform (as opposed to just talking the talk). Voting for a candidate because I believe that candidate is the best person for the job, as opposed to voting for the one who has the same reproductive organs as me, doesn't make me a misogynist. I am voting based on policies, and I'd advise you to do the same, because there is a vast chasm between the policies of Sanders and Trump where the reproductive rights of women in this country are concerned.
16
Hillary Clinton Races to Close Enthusiasm Gap with Bernie Sanders” speaks to potential Democratic voters. I respect Ms. Clinton’s career accomplishments and potential in politics. I’d love a female Commander-in-Chief. I’m liberal or perhaps more importantly, disagree with post-Reagan Republican conservatism (exclusively Christian, neoconservative internationally and fiscal hypocrites) promoting dreadful national candidates.
That said, Hillary seems favored or “pushed” upon potential Democratic voters by a DNC mirroring disliked RNC methods. Big (single donor) special interest money commands American electoral politics since Citizens United but candidates need not accept that dictum. Bernie openly favors small money and for that alone attracts Americans hungering for honest democratic representation. Bernie tackles risky issues whereas Hillary’s bland platform assumes a guaranteed win but Americans tire of casting “lesser of two evils” votes in a monotonous two-party system.
That said, Hillary seems favored or “pushed” upon potential Democratic voters by a DNC mirroring disliked RNC methods. Big (single donor) special interest money commands American electoral politics since Citizens United but candidates need not accept that dictum. Bernie openly favors small money and for that alone attracts Americans hungering for honest democratic representation. Bernie tackles risky issues whereas Hillary’s bland platform assumes a guaranteed win but Americans tire of casting “lesser of two evils” votes in a monotonous two-party system.
13
"Don't talk to me about standing up to corporate interests and big powers," Clinton said. "I’ve got the scars to show for it, and I’m proud of every single one of them.” - Hillary Clinton.
Funny thing for Hillary to say. Considering she was for years a member of the board of directors for Walmart.
Funny thing for Hillary to say. Considering she was for years a member of the board of directors for Walmart.
30
Walmart is Arkansas based. They are a major player in the state where she was the wife of Governor Clinton. Y'all want politicians to be saints-saints get crucified.
3
Y'all may want to look into something called conflict of interest. Politicians don't have to be saints, but they also don't have to take every opportunity presented to them because of their position.
8
Hmmm. Yale law degree holder Hillary could have done pro bono advocacy legal worked against Walmart. Or she could have joined the board of directors and accept tens of thousands dollars in payment for attending four or five board meetings a years. Let's see which is more profitable???? Why joining the board. Money is everything to Hillary.
13
Though I've always that of HC as a mediocrity -- and a too-old mediocrity this time around -- I disagree with this assessment, with some basis since I'm married to a strong HC supporter and am the parent of three "millennials" who probably will vote for her too:
"Millennials would rather stay home than cast a spurious vote. ... Even the female vote seems split in their appraisal."
Quite to the contrary, my impression is:
1. Many millennials will prefer to cast a spurious vote rather than stay home.
2. HC has strong female support (at least from my wife and her friends). Many women want a female president, period, and their support of HC hasn't wavered much.
I doubt either of those groups will be enough to push HC over the top. But I do think she still has that support. The same thing will happen this time that always happens: Sanders will make a splash but HC will get the nomination. Sanders supporters will grumble, and some of them will vow never to vote for HC in the general election. But, come election day, they'll do what they've always done and what HC knows they'll do again this time: walk into the voting booth and pull the lever for HC.
"Millennials would rather stay home than cast a spurious vote. ... Even the female vote seems split in their appraisal."
Quite to the contrary, my impression is:
1. Many millennials will prefer to cast a spurious vote rather than stay home.
2. HC has strong female support (at least from my wife and her friends). Many women want a female president, period, and their support of HC hasn't wavered much.
I doubt either of those groups will be enough to push HC over the top. But I do think she still has that support. The same thing will happen this time that always happens: Sanders will make a splash but HC will get the nomination. Sanders supporters will grumble, and some of them will vow never to vote for HC in the general election. But, come election day, they'll do what they've always done and what HC knows they'll do again this time: walk into the voting booth and pull the lever for HC.
5
Republicans are the only ones happy with this shift. The prospect of a Sanders-Trump 2016 election is terrifying to most of America outside of the demographic anomalies if Iowa and NH. Neither candidate is experienced enough at government management (Nordic-socialistic weak government vs. dictatorship), both are extremely self-righteous and self-satisfied, and both profess plans that are truly unworkable without major social re-engineering (massive taxes vs. deportations, for example). When faced with this kind of choice in the past, fear of change rules. As much as Sanders appeals to the heart of some, so did McGovern in '74 - and he was beaten in an electoral landslide by fear-mongering Nixon. We're still dealing with the social reverberations of those Nixon Supreme Court nominees today. When 4 SCOTUS vacancies in the next presidential term are appointed by Trump, Bernie's "heart and soul" crowd will hide in Vermont and Cambridge and Berkeley and Brooklyn, away from the fray, but ready to complain loudly when ACA is repealed, when taxes are reduced on the rich, when women's health is pushed back into the 1950's, when LGBT rights are reversed, and on and on.
When will California, the most populous and diverse state, get even a partial say in who runs this country? Where's the poll data from CA? A nationwide primary would be better than this amateur theater playing out to entertain two under-representative electorates.
When will California, the most populous and diverse state, get even a partial say in who runs this country? Where's the poll data from CA? A nationwide primary would be better than this amateur theater playing out to entertain two under-representative electorates.
5
Bernie has been polling consistently stronger nationally than HIllary against any of the potential GOP nominees.
26
My thoughts exactly.
2
In answer to your question re: California. Senator Sanders has tremendous support here and after hearing Clinton & daughter LIE about Senator Sanders Medicare for All plan to dismantle the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid etc., she's being lambasted by policy experts & activists. Her tactics are misguided & appear desperate at this stage of the game.
15
Although HC seems to be fading fast in Iowa and NH, it doesn't matter for the nomination: she'll get it. What's more significant about HC's "fade" is how she's polling in match-ups against various Republicans. Several would beat her, according to the polls, and the margin is creeping up to double digits in some match-ups (Rubio, for example).
Things are not looking good for HC.
Things are not looking good for HC.
11
It is astounding how far Bernie Sanders has come with virtually no coverage from the media. Image if ABC NEWS, for example, had given Bernie Sanders 81 minutes of coverage and Donald Trump only 20 seconds. Ms. Clinton, after thirty years in the public eye has had by far more media coverage than Sanders and has run $14,000,000 worth of advertising since August. It's apparent to many of us, Ms. Clinton's numbers have been falling since day one while Sanders' have been steadily rising. If Bernie Sanders doesn't win,the Democrats won't win.
44
It is still hard for me to believe that "America" will select a socialist president. America is so far behind in terms of forward-thinking polities (that has accepted different forms of government whether that was socialist, capitalist or communist) in other countries, I am finding it more and more intriguing that people are actually truly excited about this. I donated to the Bernie Campaign today, if not for anything, for the mere fact that he has shown a face of the US (People) that I have never seen before.
12
One thing to keep in mind is that there is now an entire generation of voters for whom the word "socialist" has few, if any, of the negative, propaganda-fed associations that it has for those of us who are over the age of, say, 45 or so.
21
As much as it pains Iowans and New Hampshire voters, the Iowa Caucus and even the primaries result for New Hampshire will not determine the election. The Super Tuesday will! An initial set back may actually help the Clinton campaign to work harder and more effectively.
2
"In 2015, Donald Trump received 234 minutes of coverage from the mainstream media. That is more than the all of the Democratic candidates received combined." Bernie received less than 5% coverage in 2015 by the mainstream media.
http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2016/01/12/bernie-sanders-is-more-fav...
This makes Bernie Sanders' rise in support all the more remarkable, perhaps heroic. Bernie did it the hard way by himself with his team--with not only with no help from the mass media, but little-to-no help from the Democratic Party.
Voters have been left to "discover" Bernie on their own. But when they do and hear his common sense, his genuine concern for middle- and working-class Americans, and his determination to fix what the establishment political parties broke, many voters come away impressed and convinced.
No surprise to me Hillary has trouble competing with the "real deal."
http://www.nationofchange.org/news/2016/01/12/bernie-sanders-is-more-fav...
This makes Bernie Sanders' rise in support all the more remarkable, perhaps heroic. Bernie did it the hard way by himself with his team--with not only with no help from the mass media, but little-to-no help from the Democratic Party.
Voters have been left to "discover" Bernie on their own. But when they do and hear his common sense, his genuine concern for middle- and working-class Americans, and his determination to fix what the establishment political parties broke, many voters come away impressed and convinced.
No surprise to me Hillary has trouble competing with the "real deal."
27
I know one thing, if Bernie wins the nomination, I will vote for trump
1
Go ahead. You can't threaten us.
2
That you know one thing is beyond doubt.
6
DS
Are you saying you would prefer Hillary? Or are you saying "If Hillary wins the nomination, I will vote for Trump"?
And why should we care?
Are you saying you would prefer Hillary? Or are you saying "If Hillary wins the nomination, I will vote for Trump"?
And why should we care?
1
So, does this mean the Times will finally treat Bernie as a serious, viable candidate??
28
American voters, which does not include me, have a real opportunity to affect a real change in American life....not that that thas always been there.
Sanders seems to have the courage of his convictions and of whatever he says and that, for America will mean a real change away from market econonomics to people:s economics,away from celestial bonuses of failed corporations CEOs to taxes commesurate with what an average American wages earner pays and basic services that America can well afford but would rather leave the private sector regulate what is best for the private sector.
Sanders seems to have the courage of his convictions and of whatever he says and that, for America will mean a real change away from market econonomics to people:s economics,away from celestial bonuses of failed corporations CEOs to taxes commesurate with what an average American wages earner pays and basic services that America can well afford but would rather leave the private sector regulate what is best for the private sector.
10
I wish Hillary Clinton didn't attack or criticize Bernie Sanders. That would make her much less appealing. People love Sanders, but fear that he might not win.
Clinton's popularity is because she is an exceptionally competent person. But she has always been not a likable person. If she does these little things, and not infrequently appear tone-deaf, people may not vote for her. If she loses both Iowa and NH, it is difficult for her to catch up.
Like many democrats, I would like Bernie to win the nomination if he could win the general. He might pull it off both. But that's not easy. He will be 75 next September, before the general election. That's not a minor concern. He should announce an younger man like Martin O'Malley as his VP choice. That may help a lot, as a hedge.
Hillary also should announce the same man. What they should do is negotiate between them and pledge not to criticize each other, no matter what. If one breaks the pledge, the other should not return the favor.
They should together announce the same VP choice, if either one gets the nomination. Such expression of mutual respect would comfort the Democrats. This new path would also be a winning strategy.
Hillary also will be 69 next year, before the election; Trump will be 70! Age does matter, sometimes a lot. Gender matters equally. It would be hard for women, unless she is poised and serious. It's not sexism or prejudice. It's just a fact.
Clinton's popularity is because she is an exceptionally competent person. But she has always been not a likable person. If she does these little things, and not infrequently appear tone-deaf, people may not vote for her. If she loses both Iowa and NH, it is difficult for her to catch up.
Like many democrats, I would like Bernie to win the nomination if he could win the general. He might pull it off both. But that's not easy. He will be 75 next September, before the general election. That's not a minor concern. He should announce an younger man like Martin O'Malley as his VP choice. That may help a lot, as a hedge.
Hillary also should announce the same man. What they should do is negotiate between them and pledge not to criticize each other, no matter what. If one breaks the pledge, the other should not return the favor.
They should together announce the same VP choice, if either one gets the nomination. Such expression of mutual respect would comfort the Democrats. This new path would also be a winning strategy.
Hillary also will be 69 next year, before the election; Trump will be 70! Age does matter, sometimes a lot. Gender matters equally. It would be hard for women, unless she is poised and serious. It's not sexism or prejudice. It's just a fact.
6
I guess Ben Franklin never bothered to read the "age matters" memo.
2
And yes, I do realize Franklin was never President. Still, for a man in his 70s and 80s to shuttle back and forth across the Atlantic as ambassador to France, and then, at age 83, to assume the Presidency of Pennsylvania (it wasn't yet called "governor") for three years . . . as I said in my previous comment, I guess he didn't read the "age matters" memo!
4
Mark P. Kessinger, I love your comments.
1
If only Michael Bloomberg would run and save us from the misfortune that is a Hillary Clinton presidency.
6
Right, we don't have enough luxury apartment buildings.
9
Michael Bloomberg isn't beholden to Wall Street; Michael Bloomberg IS Wall Street. If he extends his polling outside his boardroom, His Excellency might discover out how completely out of touch he is.
8
Instead of "Sanders worries Clinton" you should start with "Sanders is beating Clinton". It make him the active and her the passive player. A little editing makes all the difference.
I believe Bernie will win the primary and then defeat trump. What does the nyt believe?
I believe Bernie will win the primary and then defeat trump. What does the nyt believe?
35
I really think Bernie is the answer. HIllary is not viable.
30
I think the people going for Bernie Sanders need to look at his record and experience gap. Why in the world would you vote for this guy over Hillary? One say she represents the past, well that's all Sanders has. Hillary is a forward thinker and always has been. He is a part of the political establishment, it is the nature of the business they are both in.
4
Sanders is part of the establishment and Hillary is the progressive. My, but that's rich!
20
Sarcasm?
1
Bernie would be well advised to hire a food taster...
20
Yes, I agree, and several really good bodyguards.
Trust no one, especially the anointed one, and her handlers.
Trust no one, especially the anointed one, and her handlers.
12
If the misogynists get the misguided and unelectable Sanders the nomination, we will vote for anyone else. Bloomberg, Trump - ANYONE but Sanders.
2
Misogynists? What has Sanders done to women I don't know about?
18
LuckyDog, isn't that the exact same tactic that Hillary's supporters fear from Bernie's supporters if their man doesn't get the nomination? What exactly has Bernie does to make you regard him as a misogynist, other than having the nerve to challenge Hillary for the party nomination? I take it from your comment that you have an interest in what many would term "women's issues", including the right to choose and pay equity. As far as I know, Bernie's record on these issues is pretty good, certainly better than any Republican. If Bernie gets the nomination and enough voters follow your lead to elect a Republican who then pushes through a repeal of the Ledbetter Act, federal legislation which eliminates Planned Parenthood funding and/or the Supreme Court nomination(s) which overturns Roe v. Wade, then I can say one thing for sure: you'll have done all that to yourselves.
15
Passions are always inflamed during the primaries - most voters will come home during the general election.
Bernie wants to serve. Hillary wants to be crowned. It's that simple.
50
Bernie's now pulled ahead 49-44, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll, released a few hours ago. You can smell Hillary's fear all the way here in NYC.
33
Those "commitment cards" that Hillary wants people to sign--they remind me of the way car salespeople will ask undecided buyers to put down a deposit on a vehicle "to keep it from being sold to someone else". If the car is sold to another buyer, it's the dealer's problem. If a voter chooses another candidate, it's Hillary's problem. Asking people to take a position, when there's no advantage to them in doing so, is pushy and is intended to pre-empt the buyer/voter's own decision-making process. Too bad nobody is surprised that Hillary is doing this.
33
Not true! I said pretty much the same thing and for me, that was the final turn-off. I am definitely not voting for a flying sales(wo)man.
It also sort of tells me how she would govern when in office. Forget it. We only need to look to Angela Merkel to see where that leads. She is treating her citizens like children who need to be lectured, but never listened to.
We need Bernie to save us from Hillary.
It also sort of tells me how she would govern when in office. Forget it. We only need to look to Angela Merkel to see where that leads. She is treating her citizens like children who need to be lectured, but never listened to.
We need Bernie to save us from Hillary.
11
Hillary is the typical lesser of two evils candidate. People want her because she's (perceived to be) a safer bet against whatever lunatic the Republicans throw into the ring and people are (rightfully) terrified of that lunatic.
People who want Bernie actually *want* Bernie.
People who want Bernie actually *want* Bernie.
27
Or Trump
2
Looks like it's gonna be a race between Bernie and the Donald. At least we'll know once and for all whether Americans are mostly "Blue" or "Red". Oh, wait. The great majority of the voting public would have to turn out and vote in order to be able to draw a conclusion along those line. What's the likelihood of THAT?! Oh, well, it would still be lots of fun.
5
While it's good to see Bernie rising in the estimation of the nation ...
Nothing will change unless we change Congress.
Nothing will change unless we change Congress.
15
While (mostly) resisting my impulse to gloat at the times for being so wrong on Bernie, let me just say, this is inspiring and fun. I hope he keeps up the momentum.
21
It is no coincidence that the Democratic Party debates have been on Saturday and Sunday evenings to minimize the viewing audience. I am sure that DWS and the DNC are deathly afraid of the American people being able to see Bernie and Hillary on one stage and risk having the American people feel the Bern.
44
They have been on Saturday nights so people without cable can watch-Saturday is the only night offered.
1
umm, no. just not true
3
The real question is whether Sanders can bring African Americans and Latinos on board. If so, he is unstoppable.
14
Why don't you check out these prominent Black leaders who are supporting Bernie, such as Sen. Nina Turner of Cleveland Ohio, Rapper Killer Mile, Cornel West. You can watch the rallies on You Tube.
5
Bernie is the real candidate and I wonder how Ms. Wasserman Schultz would treat him after he beats her candidate Hillary in Iowa? It would only be fair for her to resign now.
Bernie is seeking justice for the real middle class not the ones who make over quarter million each year.
Bernie would ensure we move towards a single payer healthcare system,
Berniew would ensure that our infra structure that has been crumbling since the ill advised GWB war of choice on Iraq (no hijackers were Iraqi, Irani, or Afghani, just Saudis) and we keep spending our money on MIC items used in killing humans to be diverted in constructing and repairing our country.
Go Bernie go, now even NYT is coming around.
Bernie is seeking justice for the real middle class not the ones who make over quarter million each year.
Bernie would ensure we move towards a single payer healthcare system,
Berniew would ensure that our infra structure that has been crumbling since the ill advised GWB war of choice on Iraq (no hijackers were Iraqi, Irani, or Afghani, just Saudis) and we keep spending our money on MIC items used in killing humans to be diverted in constructing and repairing our country.
Go Bernie go, now even NYT is coming around.
36
I saw this movie before, starring McGovern and Muskie.
5
It's actually more like '68, with Bernie being Hubert Humphrey.
'68 brought us Nixon. Which GOP horror show will a Sanders nomination bring us ?
'68 brought us Nixon. Which GOP horror show will a Sanders nomination bring us ?
Hillary is the 1968 Humphrey. Bernie is the Bobby Kennedy or Gene McCarthy. The Party bosses who forced Humphrey on us brought us Nixon. The difference this time is that Bernie may get the nomination.
1
What is with the editors and writer of the NYTimes?
Eisenhower must have been a Marxist with the tax brackets and luxury tax that existed during his tenure as president.
Johnson another one of those with his Great Society and even Nixon comes off as a bloody Leftist.
Somehow St. Ronald Reagan made it impossible for anyone to do anything but bow down before the dollar bill (or buy the ones produced by Warhol).
Stop referring to Bernie S. as a Leftist? How do you define that BTW? Progressive is more to the point.
(And he himself should stop using the word socialist capitalism.
What US companies want is monopoly socialist capitalism in other wrods they have a monopoly but if things go wrong the gov. will bail them out. Meantime, tax the common man not those with the big bucks.
I have no idea why the Times likes Hillary so much. Characterwise she can best be defined as mightily opportunistic-- or maybe that's her appeal.
IMO the most under discussed issue is worldwide population control. (Homo not so sapiens after all is responsible for most of the problems the planet faces. Maybe a worldwide declining population is a very good thing!!)
Eisenhower must have been a Marxist with the tax brackets and luxury tax that existed during his tenure as president.
Johnson another one of those with his Great Society and even Nixon comes off as a bloody Leftist.
Somehow St. Ronald Reagan made it impossible for anyone to do anything but bow down before the dollar bill (or buy the ones produced by Warhol).
Stop referring to Bernie S. as a Leftist? How do you define that BTW? Progressive is more to the point.
(And he himself should stop using the word socialist capitalism.
What US companies want is monopoly socialist capitalism in other wrods they have a monopoly but if things go wrong the gov. will bail them out. Meantime, tax the common man not those with the big bucks.
I have no idea why the Times likes Hillary so much. Characterwise she can best be defined as mightily opportunistic-- or maybe that's her appeal.
IMO the most under discussed issue is worldwide population control. (Homo not so sapiens after all is responsible for most of the problems the planet faces. Maybe a worldwide declining population is a very good thing!!)
21
I agree with others here who bemoan how the Times has essentially ignored Bernie's candidacy. And has the Times spent any energy reporting that Sanders is actually LEADING the polling in New Hampshire? So this should not be a surprise. Frankly, other than being a woman herself, I'm not sure how Hillary Clinton's policies make her a "feminist" as she has only espoused policies that have exacerbated the wage gap between men and women. Go Bernie!
35
If capitalism cannot be made to work for everyone, a whole lot of people are not going to be able to finance the two thirds of their lifespans they will not be gainfully employed.
3
I have a better chance of winning the billion bucks on the powerball this week than Bernie or Trump have in becoming President.
3
The lines in Vegas and Atlantic City seriously disagree.
4
As repulsed as many on the left are by Donald Trump, the truth is he and Bernie Sanders both offer a refreshing alternative to the typical party machine - something I think many Americans are craving. Hillary Clinton, by contrast, is about as stale and uninspiring as a loaf of freezer-burned bread. But somehow the Times keep cheerleading for her.
Personally, I'd love nothing more than the choice between Trump and Sanders on election day. I would especially relish the thought of party hacks on both sides finally being knocked down a few notches from their power perches.
Personally, I'd love nothing more than the choice between Trump and Sanders on election day. I would especially relish the thought of party hacks on both sides finally being knocked down a few notches from their power perches.
38
No matter the outcome in Iowa and NH, there are many more primaries and Hillary will prevail.
5
It's one thing to say that Bernie could win both Iowa and NH, but I suspect that most people who mention that possibility don't actually expect Bernie to win either state, let alone both. If he does win both states, it will be VERY interesting to see what the political knock-on effects are. It could remove the "unwinnable" label from Sanders' campaign once and for all and cause Hillary's campaign to collapse like a house of cards in a stiff wind.
3
He will win both states. These are open elections, and many Republicans are energized to come out and vote for him.
They are a small contingent, maybe 10-20%, but that's enough to give Bernie a victory.
Hillary is winning big among Democrats, only fake Democrats push Bernie into a competitive race.
They are a small contingent, maybe 10-20%, but that's enough to give Bernie a victory.
Hillary is winning big among Democrats, only fake Democrats push Bernie into a competitive race.
1
No she won't. Now that Moveon will be involve in his campaign, it will be another round of deja vu 2008 for Hillary.
4
Hillary Clinton's "problem" with Bernie Sanders' popularity? It's really very simple with a very simple solution:
Have more debates and have them at times when people will watch them, not Saturday night when the ONLY reason to watch TV is a football game.
That's it! Sec Clinton is a brilliant debater, better than Sen. Bernie, smoother, more polished and quicker on the draw. Put her out there, just like at the Benghazi hearings, and let her "strut her stuff"! It will soon be clear that as endearing as Bernie Sanders is to Progressives (and he is), he's another Eugene McCarthy or George McGovern and WILL lose the general election. (Don't get me wrong, I loved both McCarthy and McGovern but...both were unelectable).
It keeps coming back to getting DNC Chair Wasserman Schultz to resign and replacing her with someone capable of generating excitement for Sanders-Clinton debates.
Wasn't it Einstein who defined insanity as repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
Have more debates and have them at times when people will watch them, not Saturday night when the ONLY reason to watch TV is a football game.
That's it! Sec Clinton is a brilliant debater, better than Sen. Bernie, smoother, more polished and quicker on the draw. Put her out there, just like at the Benghazi hearings, and let her "strut her stuff"! It will soon be clear that as endearing as Bernie Sanders is to Progressives (and he is), he's another Eugene McCarthy or George McGovern and WILL lose the general election. (Don't get me wrong, I loved both McCarthy and McGovern but...both were unelectable).
It keeps coming back to getting DNC Chair Wasserman Schultz to resign and replacing her with someone capable of generating excitement for Sanders-Clinton debates.
Wasn't it Einstein who defined insanity as repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result?
9
Geez. Sanders is either equivalent to Nader or E. McCarthy or George McGovern or in another post, Adlai Stevenson and thus a loser. I think he is like F.D.R. and a big winner.
6
The "unelectability" of Bernie Sanders remains to be seen. I respect Hilary Clinton and I would vote for her over any Republican candidate this election, but it seems she has a gross lack of faith in progressive policy if she believes that she is the ONLY one who can defeat a Republican candidate in the general election (as her ads clearly state). I say, run and vote based on which candidates represent your interests/values/ideals, not as part of a larger strategy of "half a loaf is better than none." If you're for Hilary Clinton, there's plenty of reasons to pull the lever in her favor, but electability seems the poorest one of them all. Sanders and Bernie should both have enough liberal support to win out over whichever of the GOP frontrunners appear.
8
I think you missed the point of my point to focus on something ancillary. Lots of prime-time debates are good for BOTH Sanders and Clinton and for the party at large. More press to get them something POSITIVE to talk about rather than this type of article that focuses on campaign problems, Trump and Cruz.
FDR was obviously electable in 1932, running against the GOP President that led us into the Great Depression (though, to be fair, it was really Coolidge who gets that "honor").
Clinton and Sanders, OTOH, are trying to follow a Democratic President who has been fairly successful. Sanders appeals to the Progressives in the Party, but it's not so clear he appeals to the Moderates the way Clinton does. FDR was probably the best politician America ever saw, with Reagan and Clinton not far behind, but Bernie Sanders just doesn't have that same virtuosity. He just doesn't. But if you want to compare him to an unlikely candidate, I'd say Reagan would be a better paradigm, although, obviously with diametrically opposite politics.
FDR was obviously electable in 1932, running against the GOP President that led us into the Great Depression (though, to be fair, it was really Coolidge who gets that "honor").
Clinton and Sanders, OTOH, are trying to follow a Democratic President who has been fairly successful. Sanders appeals to the Progressives in the Party, but it's not so clear he appeals to the Moderates the way Clinton does. FDR was probably the best politician America ever saw, with Reagan and Clinton not far behind, but Bernie Sanders just doesn't have that same virtuosity. He just doesn't. But if you want to compare him to an unlikely candidate, I'd say Reagan would be a better paradigm, although, obviously with diametrically opposite politics.
In 1968 I watched the liberal protest vote throw a close general election to Richard Nixon. In '72 I watched McGovern get clobbered by Nixon, winning only Massachusetts and DC. In '80 I watched a nearly winning margin taken from Carter by John Anderson, who as it turned was getting almost all of his funding from the GOP. In 2000 I saw Nader throw the election to G. W. Bush. Now in 2016, I see Bernie Sanders, a self-labeled socialist threatening to hand the election to the GOP, when the US Supreme Court is in the balance and appointments are most certainly coming next term. As much as I dislike Hillary Clinton, given her husband's GOP free trade and deregulation policies, she's the flu to the GOP's Aids. To me, politics is part of the business world; it's about money and power, and so one has to vote with a rational business state-of-mind, not with a spectator or moralizer state-of-mind - you vote with your mind not your heart. Unfortunately, too many people on the left, particularly young people who don't know the history of these elections, learn this lesson only after they've been 'Berned'.
And to all who say Bernie can do what Obama did in 2008, Obama had the backing of Wall Street, the corporate media, an enthusiastic black voting bloc, the Lehman Brothers crash and Wacko-Bird Sarah Palin, and even then his margin was only 6%, which means a shift of 3% of the vote would have thrown the election to Palin! Bernie has none of these advantages.
And to all who say Bernie can do what Obama did in 2008, Obama had the backing of Wall Street, the corporate media, an enthusiastic black voting bloc, the Lehman Brothers crash and Wacko-Bird Sarah Palin, and even then his margin was only 6%, which means a shift of 3% of the vote would have thrown the election to Palin! Bernie has none of these advantages.
7
And yet he is only getting more popular. Go figure.
2
The third-party/independent candidacies of Nader and Anderson are invalid as a basis of comparison here. Bernie Sanders is not running as an independent or third-party candidate -- in fact, he has emphatically stated that he will not do so. Sanders is running for the Democratic nomination. He is not taking votes away from anybody at this point. And should he fail to secure the nomination, most of his supporters will line up behind whomever the Democratic nominee turns out to be. And the fact is that nationally Sanders polls much more strongly against any of the possible Republican candidates than does HIllary.
Also, it has largely been debunked that Nader threw the election to Bush. Al Gore, while admirable in many respects, was a terrible candidate. Had he even managed to carry his home state of Tennessee, he would have secured the nomination irrespective of the shenanigans in Florida.
Also, it has largely been debunked that Nader threw the election to Bush. Al Gore, while admirable in many respects, was a terrible candidate. Had he even managed to carry his home state of Tennessee, he would have secured the nomination irrespective of the shenanigans in Florida.
6
Bill, the difference now is that a large-enough number of people have come to the firm realization that the entire system is corrupt to the core, and that includes the political establishments of both parties. It is a new world... A political revolution The ones that are going to get "Berned" are members of the corrupt political establishment. The time for choosing between the lesser of two evils is over. Now is time for the real thing. It's time to "Feel The Bern".
11
Well, I can't see Bernie's "appeal." He claims to be a progressive and a socialist as exemplified in his support for single payer, yet he has never once voted for it when it came up as a bill in Congress several times. He himself proposed single payer, state by state, not federally--and we know how well that works out (not). Vermont tried--his home state--and failed because some states are simply too small for single payer. http://www.washingtonmonthly.c...
Together with his bad votes against the Brady bill and his lack of concrete proposals on soaking the rich in any way that could get through Congress ... I would not trust the presidency to this man of limited scope.
4
Shhh ... do not mention actual policy proposals to the Bernie supporters.
1
Sanders INTRODUCED a single-payer bill in 2013 (see https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/senate-bill/1782/text#H6BB7.... And Hillary's sudden shift against single payer is very curious indeed, since that is what both she and her husband supported during her husband's ill-fated attempt at healthcare reform.
6
Well, whoever you choose from the current crop, besides Sanders, all have limited so unless you're one of the elites, you will find yourself out of scope. So, it's damned if you do, damned if you don't.
Hillary is caught between a rock and a hard place She needs, somehow, to stop Sanders' momentum, and just about the only thing she can do is to go negative against him. And yet, doing so will also hurt her candidacy more than it will help it..
I think also that at least some of the support Hillary currently enjoys comes from people who have been led, by mainstream media outlets (not least of which has been The New York Times), to believe that Sanders' candidacy was somehow not a serious run, or that Bernie Sanders was some sort of eccentric, if charming, outlier. As more and more of these folks begin to realize that the Sanders campaign has some real momentum behind it, and as more voters hear his message, I predict there will be a significant shift in his favor.
I think also that at least some of the support Hillary currently enjoys comes from people who have been led, by mainstream media outlets (not least of which has been The New York Times), to believe that Sanders' candidacy was somehow not a serious run, or that Bernie Sanders was some sort of eccentric, if charming, outlier. As more and more of these folks begin to realize that the Sanders campaign has some real momentum behind it, and as more voters hear his message, I predict there will be a significant shift in his favor.
30
Clinton misjudged the current dynamics of politics. Trump is riding the Tea Party wave, Sanders Occupy Wall Street. The DNC and Wasserman-Schulz were tone deaf as well when they fixed the debates to limit Clinton's exposure. Look for the DNC and Clinton to run a smear campaign against Sanders. That will finally sink their foundering ship. Good riddance.
21
America was also 80% for Ebola travel bans. They are misled by the press all of the time, why should this be any different ?
If voters reject Hillary, who will the Democrat establishment choose:
1) Sanders?
2) Hillary even as she tanks like the 2016 Lakers?
3) John Kerry? Nah. Too elitist.
4) Batman?
5) Someone else?
1) Sanders?
2) Hillary even as she tanks like the 2016 Lakers?
3) John Kerry? Nah. Too elitist.
4) Batman?
5) Someone else?
2
If the voters reject Hillary, they will have let the Republican establishment choose their candidate for them.
1
Al Gore. He was elected once already, and his signature issue--climate change--is by far the most important before us.
1
John Kerry in 2004 would have been a Godsend. If you follow how he runs the State Department you see a Statesman in action.
1
Big surprise that Hillary commands such little enthusiasm. LOL
She lugs around massive, detrimental baggage involving multiple corruption, scandal, financial issues. Bad senatorial votes (Iraq War, Patriot Act, TPP, etc.), suddenly flip-flopping on issues to appear the populist she clearly is not, trying to ride Bernie's coattails.
Enthusiasm involves sincerity, honesty, genuineness, truth.
Hillary is NONE of this - she inspires tepid resignation, based upon her alleged superior "electability". (Seen the latest Bernie polls today? LOL).
They're not enthusiastic about Hillary because she's not enthusiastic about them. She's a cold, standoffish candidate who holds the dirty masses she hates courting at arm's length.
She comes across as an entitled queen-in-waiting, imperiously putting up with the stupid peasants till her coronation.
Voters see and feel this.
They sense Hillary is not genuine. They sense she's at best a 21st century Machiavelli, a master of deception, manipulation, calculated subterfuge (she NEVER makes a move without "focus groups" to tell her what her "policies" are); she'll say and do literally ANYTHING, fair or foul, to get into the White House.
Unlike genuine populist statesman Bernie - a paragon of total truth and unassailable integrity - voters correctly sense that corrupted Hillary is in this strictly for Hillary.
She lugs around massive, detrimental baggage involving multiple corruption, scandal, financial issues. Bad senatorial votes (Iraq War, Patriot Act, TPP, etc.), suddenly flip-flopping on issues to appear the populist she clearly is not, trying to ride Bernie's coattails.
Enthusiasm involves sincerity, honesty, genuineness, truth.
Hillary is NONE of this - she inspires tepid resignation, based upon her alleged superior "electability". (Seen the latest Bernie polls today? LOL).
They're not enthusiastic about Hillary because she's not enthusiastic about them. She's a cold, standoffish candidate who holds the dirty masses she hates courting at arm's length.
She comes across as an entitled queen-in-waiting, imperiously putting up with the stupid peasants till her coronation.
Voters see and feel this.
They sense Hillary is not genuine. They sense she's at best a 21st century Machiavelli, a master of deception, manipulation, calculated subterfuge (she NEVER makes a move without "focus groups" to tell her what her "policies" are); she'll say and do literally ANYTHING, fair or foul, to get into the White House.
Unlike genuine populist statesman Bernie - a paragon of total truth and unassailable integrity - voters correctly sense that corrupted Hillary is in this strictly for Hillary.
38
So you are a Texas "Democrat" listing of several paragraphs of Fox News talking points to pronounce your support for Sanders.
Nice try.
Nice try.
4
What? What in the world are you talking about???
I am a Texas Democrat.
I don't do FOX News.
I don't need talking points.
Should have done your homework.
As all my NYT comments show, I'm a staunch Bernie supporter from day one.
I am a Texas Democrat.
I don't do FOX News.
I don't need talking points.
Should have done your homework.
As all my NYT comments show, I'm a staunch Bernie supporter from day one.
10
OK.
Who was your vote for President in 2012 ?
If it was Obama, how do you feel about his appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State ?
Who was your vote for President in 2012 ?
If it was Obama, how do you feel about his appointment of Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State ?
"On Saturday, [the Clinton campaign] began trying to undercut his electability with a television ad casting Mrs. Clinton as the strongest possible Democratic nominee, even though some polls show Mr. Sanders would perform well in matchups against Republicans like Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas."
Your word choice really stood out to me. Instead of "well" you surely should have written "better than Mrs. Clinton." Right? Unless Quinnipiac has released another poll that you don't cite in this article?
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/261756-poll-sande...
Your word choice really stood out to me. Instead of "well" you surely should have written "better than Mrs. Clinton." Right? Unless Quinnipiac has released another poll that you don't cite in this article?
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/261756-poll-sande...
23
Yes!...itwas so incredibly obvious. .
.what is it with the"Times"?
.what is it with the"Times"?
3
de Blasio is my mayor, so "Anyone But Hillary" is not a convincing argument for me.
5
I understand Democrats who look at this through the filter of past failures and think that the safer bet is to nominate a Republican-lite. But this is not the 1970s and it's not the McGovern campaign. Most people knew McGovern wouldn't win but voted for him anyway as a protest vote. The future of the country wasn't hanging in the balance.
The 2016 is a once-in-a-lifetime election and the future of the country IS hanging in the balance. There is an enormous groundswell of support across the country, from olds, youngs, Dems, Independents and even some Reps, for the Bernie Sanders's positions, because those are the ORIGINAL underpinnings of our democracy: a level playing field, a fair deal for everyone, a chance for EVERYONE to achieve the American Dream. That is why people are aflame with passion for Bernie - because he is aflame with passion for the founding principles of our country.
This is no time to hang back and play it safe.
The 2016 is a once-in-a-lifetime election and the future of the country IS hanging in the balance. There is an enormous groundswell of support across the country, from olds, youngs, Dems, Independents and even some Reps, for the Bernie Sanders's positions, because those are the ORIGINAL underpinnings of our democracy: a level playing field, a fair deal for everyone, a chance for EVERYONE to achieve the American Dream. That is why people are aflame with passion for Bernie - because he is aflame with passion for the founding principles of our country.
This is no time to hang back and play it safe.
53
"Audiences for Mrs. Clinton have yet to grow to consistently match those for Mr. Sanders, and the typical reception for her was evident on Monday in Waterloo."
no irony there
no irony there
46
While driving home from work I saw a young gal with a 6 y/o walking on the side of the road. She was trying to balance a large load of clothes in a hamper on a battered little red wagon while holding tightly to her son’s hand---alongside a busy road with no sidewalk at all. Neither wore a jacket and as the sun was setting the temp had dropped dramatically.
I made a U-turn, asked her if she needed a ride..”Yes! Please!” I loaded her clothes and wagon in the hatchback and they rode in the back seat. I had just bought some stuffed Teddy bears for a charity and asked the small boy if he wanted one and gave him a choice. His eyes lit up and he grabbed a Teddy with a red bow and held it close...tightly with both arms.
She said that her husband had found a job for the week in this very poor rural Georgia community. “We got enough money to do a wash!” She was exuberant...smiling while wearing a dress that was so thin it must have been third hand and had been through thousands of washings.
I commented that if Congress could work together her husband could get plenty of work in construction. I asked her what she thought of Trump. “Well we’re Republicans” (easily said like “Well we’re from Georgia so... It’s so ingrained!) but I hate Trump and the rest.”
Then she shocked me..”My husband and me.. well we want Bernie Sanders to win..not that Hillary. Don’t trust her. But Bernie? Bernie understands people like us.” She GETS it and so do I!
Yeah I feel the Bern!!
I made a U-turn, asked her if she needed a ride..”Yes! Please!” I loaded her clothes and wagon in the hatchback and they rode in the back seat. I had just bought some stuffed Teddy bears for a charity and asked the small boy if he wanted one and gave him a choice. His eyes lit up and he grabbed a Teddy with a red bow and held it close...tightly with both arms.
She said that her husband had found a job for the week in this very poor rural Georgia community. “We got enough money to do a wash!” She was exuberant...smiling while wearing a dress that was so thin it must have been third hand and had been through thousands of washings.
I commented that if Congress could work together her husband could get plenty of work in construction. I asked her what she thought of Trump. “Well we’re Republicans” (easily said like “Well we’re from Georgia so... It’s so ingrained!) but I hate Trump and the rest.”
Then she shocked me..”My husband and me.. well we want Bernie Sanders to win..not that Hillary. Don’t trust her. But Bernie? Bernie understands people like us.” She GETS it and so do I!
Yeah I feel the Bern!!
56
Please tell me she intends to vote! Beautiful story, thanks for sharing it
5
It's more than a little ironic that the Democratic Party, in its quest for a fresh new face, is looking at a 74-year-old white male Northeastern liberal with no executive experience who's been in Congress for 25 years.
4
Then again, I'll bet you said much the same sort of thing about a young black Senator from the MidWest with very little time in the Senate.
11
Bernie was mayor of Burlington, the largest city in Vermont, from 1981-1989. That is certainly executive experience.
6
The one who chose Hillary Clinton as his Secretary Of State ?
I trusted Obama's judgment, as did the 65,915,796 people who voted for him in 2012.
That's as much support from Hillary as I need, as opposed to a couple of hundred closet Republicans pretending to be for Bernie Sanders.
I trusted Obama's judgment, as did the 65,915,796 people who voted for him in 2012.
That's as much support from Hillary as I need, as opposed to a couple of hundred closet Republicans pretending to be for Bernie Sanders.
1
The truth is that she has kept her events small because she did not want the embarrassment of semi empty venues like the small hall that she could not half fill back in Oct., it was a well publicized, public event in Columbus Ohio, a very blue town and only about 200 people showed up, presumably many of them media covering the event.
I live in LA, and for many months I have been speaking with dozens of people each week about the primary elections, a variety of ages and races, income levels, Uber drivers, shopkeepers, clerks, random people waiting in lines, crossing guards, dinner parties, the gym... I am curious to know what people are thinking so I ask them if they are paying any attention and what do they think so far.
I have yet to meet one single person who was excited about her. Not one. The truth is that most people get the look of being a little disgusted at the mention of her name. Establishment endorsements, corporate news spin, and DNC dirty tricks are not going to help her and from what we can see so far, that is all she has got. Bernie is going to win in a landslide that will far exceed even what Obama did in 2008, and the media is going to be sitting there once again guilty of pushing an agenda and all covered in egg.
I live in LA, and for many months I have been speaking with dozens of people each week about the primary elections, a variety of ages and races, income levels, Uber drivers, shopkeepers, clerks, random people waiting in lines, crossing guards, dinner parties, the gym... I am curious to know what people are thinking so I ask them if they are paying any attention and what do they think so far.
I have yet to meet one single person who was excited about her. Not one. The truth is that most people get the look of being a little disgusted at the mention of her name. Establishment endorsements, corporate news spin, and DNC dirty tricks are not going to help her and from what we can see so far, that is all she has got. Bernie is going to win in a landslide that will far exceed even what Obama did in 2008, and the media is going to be sitting there once again guilty of pushing an agenda and all covered in egg.
49
Trump has endorsed Sanders, so I'll be supporting Hillary.
3
Then you've had your P.T. Barnum minute.
8
This comment board is a full week's worth of PT Barnum minutes.
A thousand "Democrats" using Sean Hannity's arguments to explain their support for Bernie Sanders. Are you kidding me ?
A thousand "Democrats" using Sean Hannity's arguments to explain their support for Bernie Sanders. Are you kidding me ?
2
The only Republican I have ever voted for for any office was Oregon Senator Mark Hatfield, and that was to reward him for his opposition to intervention in Central America and his support for public transit. Otherwise, I have voted solidly Democratic for anything.
There may be some Sanders supporters who are stealth Republicans, but there are a lot of genuine Democrats, like myself, who would trudge to the polls only reluctantly to vote for Ms. Clinton.
There may be some Sanders supporters who are stealth Republicans, but there are a lot of genuine Democrats, like myself, who would trudge to the polls only reluctantly to vote for Ms. Clinton.
2
She needs to embrace the ideas that Bernie is igniting his audiences with. It is what the people are looking for. Someone who puts the little guy first.
6
Speaking about problems always draws bigger crowds than speaking about solutions. It's why Trump is leading the GOP.
I'm surprised to see that Democrats are falling into the same trap.
I'm surprised to see that Democrats are falling into the same trap.
2
What do you mean, she pays lip service to everything Sanders proposes. Clinton is a virtual Little Ms. Echo.
5
And so HRC is going after Senator Sanders for voting the way his constituents elected him for...their own interests.
Meanwhile, HRC enthusiastically voted for and supported the Iraq war debacle.
Let those in glass houses....
Meanwhile, HRC enthusiastically voted for and supported the Iraq war debacle.
Let those in glass houses....
40
To be fair, so did Hillary. I do not like Hillary, but it must be said that her constituents absolutely supported the war. They just don't like the way it turned out
2
As a college student and anti-war demonstrator in Berkeley in 1968, I remember the Presidential campaign that year. Gene McCarthy was brave enough to run Lyndon Johnson out of the race, and I initially supported him. He was an imperfect candidate, as became more obvious as the campaign went on and Bobby Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey entered the race. After Kennedy was assassinated, McCarthy continued to the fateful convention in Chicago, which tore the party apart and Humphrey was nominated. McCarthy gave a lukewarm endorsement of Humphrey and did little to support him in his run against Nixon. Nixon was elected and escalated the war further, extended it into Cambodia and Laos, and it dragged on with American involvement until early 1973.
I was always a big fan of Ralph Nader, who ran for President in 2000 as the Green Party candidate. He was on the ballot in 43 states, including Florida. He ran on issues that were remarkably similar to those supported by Bernie Sanders. Nader called Gore and Bush "Tweedledee and Tweedledum -they look and act the same, so it doesn't matter which you get." Nader received 97,421 votes in Florida, where Bush won by 537 votes (assist to Republicans on the Supreme Court). We found out there was a big difference between Bush and Gore.
I love Bernie's issues, but I doubt he will get the nomination. If he doesn't and his supporters don't support the nominee, I fear we will find out Clinton and the Republican aren't Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
I was always a big fan of Ralph Nader, who ran for President in 2000 as the Green Party candidate. He was on the ballot in 43 states, including Florida. He ran on issues that were remarkably similar to those supported by Bernie Sanders. Nader called Gore and Bush "Tweedledee and Tweedledum -they look and act the same, so it doesn't matter which you get." Nader received 97,421 votes in Florida, where Bush won by 537 votes (assist to Republicans on the Supreme Court). We found out there was a big difference between Bush and Gore.
I love Bernie's issues, but I doubt he will get the nomination. If he doesn't and his supporters don't support the nominee, I fear we will find out Clinton and the Republican aren't Tweedledee and Tweedledum.
10
Sure, but Nader ran as an independent and was never considered a valid candidate.
Please drop the Nader meme. Sanders is not Nader. Nader ran as a third party candidate. Sanders is running as a Democrat.
Furthermore, Gore lost on his own.
Furthermore, Gore lost on his own.
7
I lived through the 68' and subsequent elections, and agree with you. Unfortunately most of the voters nowadays haven't, or did but haven't learned the lesson.
1
Chris Matthews - "a critic"? Hardly. He's been pumping her candidacy since Election Night 2012. I was struck that night by how much he was talking about her on the night President Obama won reelection. The only person he loves more than her is "Jack" Kennedy. He uses "Jack" as if they were personal friends. He wrote a book about Kennedy, that's all.
23
Yes I see it too and now call his show the Hillary hour or the Trump report , and IM a ex Philly boy just like Chris.
2
Poor Hillary - as if one can simply manufacture enthusiasm. LOL
It's the one factor that neither fat campaign war chests or slick propaganda can create.
It's like talent and charisma - you've either got it or you don't.
Bernie is headed for the White House and no one can stop him.
It's the one factor that neither fat campaign war chests or slick propaganda can create.
It's like talent and charisma - you've either got it or you don't.
Bernie is headed for the White House and no one can stop him.
39
There are millions of people unfortunately who will vote for any of the GOP clowns than Sanders. Study your history..
2
They said the same thing about the black guy in 2008. LOL
3
Clinton has been over-sold by the media before her campaign was even officially announced. People resent the idea that any candidate is an "inevitable win", and most people understand that voting for Hillary is a vote for 'business as usual' which is not working for lower and middle class Americans. Bernie is going to win this nomination, for those that have are finger on the pulse of society, we have seen it coming for a long time, and only this week the media, and the rest are coming to that same realization. I haven't met a single person that has vowed to vote for Clinton, save one family member, and I talk to a lot of people about it. A suprising amount of people support Trump, but even more from my experiance support Sanders. Many of those people did not vote in the past to Pres. Elections, so they are not even being counted in polls. Sorry Hillary, this one is in the bag for Bernie, it will only get worse for you from here, and your attacks, are only going to draw more attention to Bernie's unwavering politics, and your own constant flip-flipping desperate attempt to mold your "image" into what you think people want, while you real interests remain squarely with Wall-Street and Big Business. No thanks Clinton. I will be voting for Bernie!
28
You can tell the Republicans who are pretending to boot Hillary out of the race by their inability to enunciate ANY of Sanders policy proposals.
When you see a comment on this board that is more anti-Hillary than pro-Bernie, you can be sure that there is a Trump supporter behind the keyboard.
Don't let Trump make up your mind for you.
When you see a comment on this board that is more anti-Hillary than pro-Bernie, you can be sure that there is a Trump supporter behind the keyboard.
Don't let Trump make up your mind for you.
3
Don't worry Fran, I made up my own mind. I am voting for Sanders.
11
Sure yes of course everyone on this board who recognizes Hillary for what she is, a center-right Wall Street tool who will maintain the status quo in this country is actually a Trump supporter. As friends in the UK say, "You couldn't make it up."
9
I am so very glad the New York Times is beginning to recognize Bernie Sanders. FINALLY!
30
What does it tell you? it is a slow shift of the narrative to Bernie. Even the NYT knows when a campaign is sinking. The only question is if this newfound journalistic objectivity is the NYT seeing the light; or is it a part of a coordinated effort between the DNC, the white house, and the NYT to get people used to the idea that the nominee will NOT be Hillary?
5
Here is a delicious scenario. Sanders fires up millions of new voters, and wins the nomination and the general by a big margin. Unlike 2008, his supporters stay engaged and begin organizing and running for local and state offices. In 2019 Sanders admits that he is done and hands over the 2020 election to Elizabeth Warren. She intensifies the enthusiasm that Bernie started, Democrats re-take the Congress and get a strong majority in the Senate and sweep most of the states that went red in 2010. We then gerrymander the GOP into permanent status as a minority opposition party.
27
You forgot the part about the cancer-curing rainbow unicorns.
11
You really want to win by gerrymandering? It's a bad system.
1
Sounds good to me.
Bernie surely stands for my concerns, but I am most worried about how he would be able to govern if he were elected. Things need to get done and I worry whether he would be able to get his agenda enacted. Would his coattails be long enough to change congress's makeup. Maybe the supreme court is the largest area of concern. His heart is in the right place but would he be able to get his nominees through....
Hillary probably would be a better politician in the long run. That is a weak endorsement, but maybe a realistic viewpoint.
Hillary probably would be a better politician in the long run. That is a weak endorsement, but maybe a realistic viewpoint.
6
That's a weak endorsement only if you vote primarily based on "enthusiasm." Using your head to think things through is less sexy, but it lead me to the same conclusion. Do not apologize for supporting Hillary.
2
You know, I, like you assumed that Bernie would not have the Machiavellian instincts to govern and get things done but as I started reading about his political experiences in Vermont, I realized this is not a guy to underestimate. When he was first elected to mayor of Burlington decades ago, almost all the city council members opposed him but by the next election cycle, most of them had lost their seats through his actions. He's not just some crunchy-granola-eating-Birkenstock-wearing-idealistic-socialist. I wouldn't mind having someone like LBJ again -- someone who knows how to twist arms to make people vote or act a certain way and knows where all the bodies are buried -- if the goals in mind are noble.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/us/politics/as-mayor-bernie-sanders-wa...
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/us/politics/as-mayor-bernie-sanders-wa...
2
You have to love the huge ad paid for by Clinton in the middle of these articles.
11
On second thought I formally request that the New York Times heed the overwhelming outpouring in these comments and do the right thing by our beloved country and endorse Bernie Sanders for President now.
55
Craig
It sounds like you are on the wrong website. You are looking for "American Idol."
It sounds like you are on the wrong website. You are looking for "American Idol."
3
Sorry GMooG I have never seen American Idol so your reply is a non sequitur.
5
It's no mystery as to why Bernie is generating more enthusiasm than Hillary. Specifically:
1. Hillary could easily be mistaken for a Republican in areas such as foreign policy and financial regulation, two areas about which the Democratic base is quite passionate.
2. Hillary is viewed as dishonest and untrustworthy by a large percentage of Democrats (not just Republicans), and this means that many Democrats simply don't believe her public pronunciations on TPP, Keystone and regulating Wall Street, among other items, because they think that she doesn't mean what she says and is simply saying whatever she thinks will get her more votes (and will do a 180 once elected).
3. Bernie is viewed as a straight-shooter, someone who is open, honest and unapologetic about his beliefs. Even many conservatives, while deriding his support for democratic socialism (and ignoring the first word of that while focusing exclusively on the second), still give him props for his honesty. Many think that his ideology is all wrong, but no one thinks he's a liar or a political opportunist.
1. Hillary could easily be mistaken for a Republican in areas such as foreign policy and financial regulation, two areas about which the Democratic base is quite passionate.
2. Hillary is viewed as dishonest and untrustworthy by a large percentage of Democrats (not just Republicans), and this means that many Democrats simply don't believe her public pronunciations on TPP, Keystone and regulating Wall Street, among other items, because they think that she doesn't mean what she says and is simply saying whatever she thinks will get her more votes (and will do a 180 once elected).
3. Bernie is viewed as a straight-shooter, someone who is open, honest and unapologetic about his beliefs. Even many conservatives, while deriding his support for democratic socialism (and ignoring the first word of that while focusing exclusively on the second), still give him props for his honesty. Many think that his ideology is all wrong, but no one thinks he's a liar or a political opportunist.
50
To Rick,
Great summary/analysis - it certainly reflects how I feel. Maybe that's why recent polls show him doing better than Hillary in head-to-head match ups against any of the Republicans.
Great summary/analysis - it certainly reflects how I feel. Maybe that's why recent polls show him doing better than Hillary in head-to-head match ups against any of the Republicans.
21
Again, what DEMOCRAT has caused you not to trust Hillary.
The only people bringing up the Hillary trust issue are Republicans.
Why would a Democrat let Republicans make up their mind for them.
The only people bringing up the Hillary trust issue are Republicans.
Why would a Democrat let Republicans make up their mind for them.
1
A straight shooter ?
He's not even a Democrat, but he's running on the Democratic ticket.
That does not sound very straight to me.
He's not even a Democrat, but he's running on the Democratic ticket.
That does not sound very straight to me.
1
"Both Mr. Sanders and Mrs. Clinton garnered several rounds of applause on Monday night at the Brown and Black Forum at Drake University here, though the crowd seemed more delighted with Mr. Sanders as he denounced a 51 percent unemployment rate for black men with a high school education and joked that he would consider living in the White House to be public housing."
Yes, Senator Sanders "delighted" the crowd, but he also informed - and embraced - it in a way unmatched by any candidate in any party. The Brown and Black Forum at Drake University is worth watching by everyone of all colors. It was far superior to, and certainly more fair than, the Democrat debates. One comes away from it with a certainty of the importance of this election.
The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vt3n7ugOj80
Yes, Senator Sanders "delighted" the crowd, but he also informed - and embraced - it in a way unmatched by any candidate in any party. The Brown and Black Forum at Drake University is worth watching by everyone of all colors. It was far superior to, and certainly more fair than, the Democrat debates. One comes away from it with a certainty of the importance of this election.
The link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vt3n7ugOj80
31
There is way too much weight given in the press to these 2 primaries in states where:
- The population is over 90% white
- The elections are open to voters who are not Democrats
Trump is telling his supporters to support Sanders, and while Hillary is up by double digits in both states among Democrats - Republicans and other non-Democrats are supporting Sanders.
- The population is over 90% white
- The elections are open to voters who are not Democrats
Trump is telling his supporters to support Sanders, and while Hillary is up by double digits in both states among Democrats - Republicans and other non-Democrats are supporting Sanders.
5
Fran,
you're tying yourself into knots trying to rationalize Bernie's success. Classic cognitive dissonance.
Bernie did not pick up the DFA, MoveOn, and CWA endorsements, as well as record breaking individual donators, because of Trump or his supporters.
Isn't it a good thing if there are some republicans and many independents supporting Sanders's policies? Afterall, his policies are more 'Democratic' than Hillary's.
Take a look at recent polling among minorities. Sanders support is rapidly growing among those groups as well.
you're tying yourself into knots trying to rationalize Bernie's success. Classic cognitive dissonance.
Bernie did not pick up the DFA, MoveOn, and CWA endorsements, as well as record breaking individual donators, because of Trump or his supporters.
Isn't it a good thing if there are some republicans and many independents supporting Sanders's policies? Afterall, his policies are more 'Democratic' than Hillary's.
Take a look at recent polling among minorities. Sanders support is rapidly growing among those groups as well.
4
More whistling past the graveyard. Many Democrats support Sanders. Even Republicans and Conservatives like him. Sanders poll numbers are going up and Clintons are going down. The more people hear about Sanders the more they like him. The reverse can be said about Clinton.
5
I'm a lifelong Democrat. I'm supporting Sanders. And it might surprise you to learn that 1) 72% of the country is still white, and 2) all white people don't vote alike.
4
Well, the Times has pretty much ignored BS for as long as they possibly could. We know it and we've been talking about it since the beginning. BUT as gratifying as this news of the narrowing of the polls is, it is absolutely critical that we focus our energy and enthusiasm on giving the next Democratic president a Congress that he or she can work with. I think we all learned an important lesson after the election of Pres Obama. Who could have imagined that both Houses would rather take the country down, than work with a president that had clearly received a mandate from the people. We need to take back our democracy by taking back the House and the Senate. Our next president deserves no less.
21
Bernie is anti-status quo. That's what Americans want.
Bernie is anti-elitist. That's what Americans want.
Bernie is unassailably authentic. That so rare, and that's what Americans want.
Bernie wants to take back America, by making the government by the people, of the people, and that's what Americans want.
Most of all, Bernie is that so-rare politician who cares more about the American people than he does about himself.
Bernie is a citizen's candidate.
Bernie will be a citizen's president.
Bernie is anti-elitist. That's what Americans want.
Bernie is unassailably authentic. That so rare, and that's what Americans want.
Bernie wants to take back America, by making the government by the people, of the people, and that's what Americans want.
Most of all, Bernie is that so-rare politician who cares more about the American people than he does about himself.
Bernie is a citizen's candidate.
Bernie will be a citizen's president.
60
Trump is anti-status quo. That's what Americans want.
Trump is anti-elitist. That's what Americans want.
Trump is unassailably authentic. That so rare, and that's what Americans want.
Trump wants to take back America, by making the government by the people, of the people, and that's what Americans want.
Most of all, Trump is that so-rare politician who cares more about the American people than he does about himself.
Trump is a citizen's candidate.
Trump will be a citizen's president.
... hmm, I thought that sounded familiar
Trump is anti-elitist. That's what Americans want.
Trump is unassailably authentic. That so rare, and that's what Americans want.
Trump wants to take back America, by making the government by the people, of the people, and that's what Americans want.
Most of all, Trump is that so-rare politician who cares more about the American people than he does about himself.
Trump is a citizen's candidate.
Trump will be a citizen's president.
... hmm, I thought that sounded familiar
2
A billionaire who is "anti-elitist" -- in your dreams.
3
That's what his supporters think, not me.
In contrast to Clinton's measured monotone, the thing about Sanders is he gets you fired up. You can imagine him as president telling the American people to put pressure on the Republican controlled House to go along with legislation to increase taxes on the wealthy and corporations and people actually doing it - calling representatives and demonstrating. Congress and Nixon went along with all the environmental legislation in the 1970's not because they believed in it much but because there was such a huge groundswell of support for it. The same thing can happen again.
37
DMX gets people fired up too. I won't be voting for him.
The SNL "Hillary" is a vast improvement on the genuine article. Who in their right mind would want this person as a leader, of anything? She wasn't even a real senator - it was the same party machinations that got her secretary of state position, namely pure unadulterated closed-door, frightening, palace-politics deals. Next to her, anybody would shine, and rightfully so.
19
She should worry because Bernie is going to win, not just Iowa, but the nomination because voters REJECT the same old same old neocon candidates bought by 'donors' regardless of party.
Sanders vs. Trump is how this is going to roll.
Sanders vs. Trump is how this is going to roll.
31
According to NPR, Clinton has a 45-1 advantage in super-delegates already. Tell me how this gets Sanders the nomination, let alone the election, unless he decides to run as an Independent. Does no one actually investigate how our "system" works? That's why the TIMES is supporting Clinton: they already know the outcome. "Newsweek" reported in November that AP had contacted all 712 delegates; more than 80% responded, and the result was that more than 300 were already committed to Clinton.
You think you live in a democracy where the will of lowly voters counts. You don't. Sanders has no chance at the nomination, none whatsoever, and I say this as a supporter (I think it's worth exposing the sham by supporting him). The only possible way he gets the nomination is if enough delegates realize what kind of heat they'll face if it becomes clear that by throwing their support to Clinton they'll be exposed as subverting the Will of the People, and from where I sit now, I don't see that happening. I'd like it to happen, of course, but I'm not, repeat not, holding my breath.
You think you live in a democracy where the will of lowly voters counts. You don't. Sanders has no chance at the nomination, none whatsoever, and I say this as a supporter (I think it's worth exposing the sham by supporting him). The only possible way he gets the nomination is if enough delegates realize what kind of heat they'll face if it becomes clear that by throwing their support to Clinton they'll be exposed as subverting the Will of the People, and from where I sit now, I don't see that happening. I'd like it to happen, of course, but I'm not, repeat not, holding my breath.
2
elizabeth, if it comes down to the super-delegates deciding the race in favor of Hillary, then two things will happen for sure:
1. Bernie's supporters will sit out the general election en masse or will write him in; and
2. Either way, Hillary will lose in November.
I think the super-delegates are smart enough to realize this. They faced a similar scenario in '08, when Hillary tried to swing them to her side after the primaries to win the nomination even though she trailed in the delegate count. Then, as it would be now, the argument was that Hillary's opponent (Obama) was unelectable. The super-delegates wisely declined her request, reasoning that while they did risk losing in '08 with Obama, they would risk losing a lot more without him because African-Americans would feel betrayed and would desert the party for many elections if they "stole" the nomination from him. So if it got to the point where the super-delegates were the deciding bloc, I wouldn't be so sure that they would go for Hillary en masse.
1. Bernie's supporters will sit out the general election en masse or will write him in; and
2. Either way, Hillary will lose in November.
I think the super-delegates are smart enough to realize this. They faced a similar scenario in '08, when Hillary tried to swing them to her side after the primaries to win the nomination even though she trailed in the delegate count. Then, as it would be now, the argument was that Hillary's opponent (Obama) was unelectable. The super-delegates wisely declined her request, reasoning that while they did risk losing in '08 with Obama, they would risk losing a lot more without him because African-Americans would feel betrayed and would desert the party for many elections if they "stole" the nomination from him. So if it got to the point where the super-delegates were the deciding bloc, I wouldn't be so sure that they would go for Hillary en masse.
2
Be afraid, Debbie Wasserman Schultz--be very afraid.
46
Of all the people, can you imagine, Debbie is the one who is obstructing a fellow Jew!
2
Bernie Sanders even at his age has more passion, more Chutzpah than Clinton could ever dream of. That's why he's so popular. He hasn't turned his back on his true progressive views. He makes Ralph Nader seem like a mute. When he runs here in Oregon, I'll vote for him, a change, since i rarely vote and only for ballot initiatives, not actual corrupt politicians.
44
Vote yes, but be warned: if Oregon's primary is held as late as it was in 2008, the ballgame may be over by then.
Here is a delicious scenario. Bernie wins the election, selects Liz Warren as VP. The youth vote and people who were enthusiastic when Obama was elected remain engaged and active, and begin working for 2020. They begin to re-take local and state seats. In 2019 Bernie announces that he wants to retire and is handing over the 2020 election to Elizabeth. She intensifies the excitement that Bernie started, and Dems sweep to major victories in all the states that turned red in 2010, and in 2020 Democrats gerrymander the GOP into permanent opposition party status.
23
imhumanru
I am worried about you. You need to get out of the hot sun. What you are describing is not a dream; sounds more like a stroke.
I am worried about you. You need to get out of the hot sun. What you are describing is not a dream; sounds more like a stroke.
Bernie will need a youthful Southerner or Westerner to run with him.
Little stands clearer with the pubilc's distrust of institutional media than the Times and other major news outlets ignoring both the Democratic primary and Bernie in particular.
As always, the powers-that-be circle the wagons to protect their privilege, but take it from an historian, you can give a little now and have us all accommodate to a restoration of the middle class in this country, or you can have pitchforks.
It is really your pick.
As always, the powers-that-be circle the wagons to protect their privilege, but take it from an historian, you can give a little now and have us all accommodate to a restoration of the middle class in this country, or you can have pitchforks.
It is really your pick.
20
Hopefully, Debbie Wasserman Schultz will regret the day she schemed to limit the shrouded in obscurity Democratic debates to keep voters from hearing from Bernie. There may come a day Hillary would have benefited from more opportunities to make her case.
Too bad.
Too bad.
36
This is no surprise. Hillary Clinton has never been the type of politician who brings out or appeals to people's passion. Her appeal is more sober, substantive and staid, based on experience in dealing with the myriad issues a president will face. Bernie Sanders appeals to the gut of lots of Democrats - not just those on the left of the party. In reality he is no more liberal than LBJ, Humphrey, FDR or Truman. But, the Dems have moved to the right, so he appears that way. His "break up the big banks" rhetoric, for example, really resonates with me - it brings out my passion for his candidacy. But, the reality is that no president can do that singlehandedly or by fiat. Although Sanders would be my ideal candidate - and recent polls show him doing better than Clinton against most potential GOP rivals - who knows if the passion will be enough to sustain him through the nomination process. Regardless, there is an upside. Sander's appeal will cause Clinton to sharpen her message to core Dem voters, especially those of us who feel that their handling of economic issues has consistently been better for most Americans, than anything the GOP has ever had to offer.
5
While the institutional attention has been disproportionately focused on Clinton, Sanders has actually brought a message to voters that they endorse and do so loudly. Hillary Clinton's essential campaign message seems to be "Trust Me". She is the pragmatic choice but a choice devoid of charisma and devoid of even a single new approach. Sanders has been an open critic of the corporate takeover of government and has found a way to channel the inherent discontent of the voters to directed action. And while his campaign may be fatally Quixotic it is its very "this'll never work" approach that makes his supporters love him.
8
Sure.
Name the proposals ? Why do you support them ?
Name the proposals ? Why do you support them ?
1
Between Bernie, Hillary and O'Malley, Democrats are spoiled for choices. During the debates, they all said very similar things with nuanced differences - the party should remember that and not become bitter and divided if their candidate doesn't progress.
Bernie does sound more genuine and fresh, which appeals to Democrats who are sick of how Washington is run. Hillary's problem is that she's been around that she is part of the establishment - When two children fight, it seems like voters are like parents and blame both for the dysfunction. However, when you take a step back and look at the Republican primary debate, you can see which party brings the dysfunction to Washington. Unfortunately, all that mud slinging has stuck on Hillary. I support Bernie, but my spouse is for Hillary because he believes that the 90s weren't so bad if everyone had the luxury to worry about whose sleeping with what intern in the White House (they're not worried about the economy, jobs, budget surpluses, etc.) Somehow, the media and Republicans were able to throw enough mud to create the perception of dysfunction with the Clintons. This is especially true of the younger generation.
Bernie does sound more genuine and fresh, which appeals to Democrats who are sick of how Washington is run. Hillary's problem is that she's been around that she is part of the establishment - When two children fight, it seems like voters are like parents and blame both for the dysfunction. However, when you take a step back and look at the Republican primary debate, you can see which party brings the dysfunction to Washington. Unfortunately, all that mud slinging has stuck on Hillary. I support Bernie, but my spouse is for Hillary because he believes that the 90s weren't so bad if everyone had the luxury to worry about whose sleeping with what intern in the White House (they're not worried about the economy, jobs, budget surpluses, etc.) Somehow, the media and Republicans were able to throw enough mud to create the perception of dysfunction with the Clintons. This is especially true of the younger generation.
3
A lot of Democrats, especially government union members, have drifted pretty far left and find Clinton way too "corporatist" for their taste. And, part of Bernie's appeal is that he isn't Hillary. It will be a fun cage match to watch the Democrats have their own nasty convention fight. That's where it is going.
10
The Wall Street-created financial crisis of 2008 exposed the corruption of not only our financial institutions but of our political class. How else can we explain Treasury Secretary and former AIG Chairman Henry Paulson tapping into the U.S. Treasury to pay off billions worth of AIG debts to Goldman Sachs on fraudulent mortgage bond credit default swaps? I hope that after Bernie is nominated, he doubles down on his anti-politician stance by naming fellow crusader Elizabeth Warren as his vice-presidential choice.
18
Warren would be a great choice as VP. If she had declared her presidential candidacy, she would be the favorite to win at least the Democratic nomination, even over Hillary. Let's face it; many (not all or even necessarily most, but certainly many) will vote for Hillary either solely or mainly because of her gender. Warren would have neutralized that advantage for Hillary and while also appealing to the party's progressive wing. I do very much wish that she had thrown her hat in the ring.
2
At the risk of repeating the obvious, voters on both sides of the political spectrum are really, really, really unhappy with influence-peddling insiders and both the Clintons and the Bushes are obvious examples of that class.
I really don't like Hillary and I much prefer Bernie as a person who appears to have some integrity (Much as I prefer Rand Paul on the Republican side). Although I am concerned that Bernie is a bit too old to be President.
Having said that, if it comes down to Hillary versus Trump/Rubio/Cruz... I will vote for Hillary.
I really don't like Hillary and I much prefer Bernie as a person who appears to have some integrity (Much as I prefer Rand Paul on the Republican side). Although I am concerned that Bernie is a bit too old to be President.
Having said that, if it comes down to Hillary versus Trump/Rubio/Cruz... I will vote for Hillary.
4
Engineer, why is Bernie to old? Ronnie was not too old, or so people thought.
1
Actually, I am one who did think that Ronnie was too old... Particularly in his second term... At that point the Presidency was really being run by apparatchiks like Cheney, Rumsfeld, and Ollie North.
We deserve better and Bernie is it ! Hillary actually worked on TPP and then when she started campaigning and saw the American people were against this " mother of all trade agreements " ( that hands over our country's sovereignty to multinationals ) she began to flip-flop. Bernie understands and has voted against all these one-way trade agreements that has cost american jobs and caused trade deficts in the trillions ! Bernie is no friend of the NRA but he understands common sense and gun laws for rural regions of our country. He is intelligent, compassionate, honest, and loves his country. He has never waivered fighting for working Americans and their families. I actually trust Bernie ... he's the real deal !
31
It seems even NYT readers wish to avoid another novelty president. As a conservative Republican I sill cannot get excited -- at all -- about the GOP field. Sanders may well get my vote. Like many commenters here, I do not agree with all he stands for, but there's something about the man as a man I find compelling.
22
Get in line.
Most of Bernie's recent support is coming from Republicans who want an easy path to the White House.
Most of Bernie's recent support is coming from Republicans who want an easy path to the White House.
3
Oh, yes, Fran, its a vast right wing conspiracy.
6
Trump must have awfully deep pockets indeed if he can keep paying 30,000, 50,000 or 80,000 people to show up every time there's a Sanders rally!
2
The tenor of these comments makes one wonder where they could be coming from. A lack of enthusiasm is a far cry from the disdain bordering on hatred for Clinton I'm sensing. I, along with my family, am an enthusiastic supporter of Hillary Clinton. She is brilliant, passionate and courageous enough to stand up to a marathon public grilling from Republican Congresspeople and yet even they did not seem as nasty as some of these comments. I like Bernie Sanders and I'm glad he's in the race but I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton is the more qualified of the two. Clinton's Iraq War vote is negated by Bernie's pro gun industry vote so let's move on from that and understand that they are both liberals, both passionate, and both of them love this country.
5
I think the commentary here reflects a couple of things:
-utter disdain for the status quo political parties of which HRC represents
-complete distrust leading to feelings of manipulation. Nobody likes being played.
Comparing the Brady Bill vote to the Iraq War vote is a false equivalency. The former would set a terrible legal precedent whereby a manufacturer could be sued anytime their product was misused by a consumer. The equivalent of suing a car company when a driver decides to commit vehicular homicide. That's just bad law regardless of one's feelings regarding gun control.
The Iraq war was a misguided overthrow of a dictator leading to 100,000s of thousands of civilian casualties, trillions of dollars of wasted resources, and destabilization of an entire geopolitical region. And it was based on false premise.
-utter disdain for the status quo political parties of which HRC represents
-complete distrust leading to feelings of manipulation. Nobody likes being played.
Comparing the Brady Bill vote to the Iraq War vote is a false equivalency. The former would set a terrible legal precedent whereby a manufacturer could be sued anytime their product was misused by a consumer. The equivalent of suing a car company when a driver decides to commit vehicular homicide. That's just bad law regardless of one's feelings regarding gun control.
The Iraq war was a misguided overthrow of a dictator leading to 100,000s of thousands of civilian casualties, trillions of dollars of wasted resources, and destabilization of an entire geopolitical region. And it was based on false premise.
5
You are comparing Bernie's vote to protect Legal Vermont gun shop owners from prosecution, for crimes committed by their clients using guns is the same as voting for genocide?
You Hillary supporters really sink to new lows everyday. Thankfully you all are a small minority.
You Hillary supporters really sink to new lows everyday. Thankfully you all are a small minority.
3
Bernie isn't pro-gun industry; he lives in a rural state with a large percentage of people who for generations have hunted for food. Vermont isn't a rightwing state: it's a famously independent state. It has the best medical care in the country, one of the lowest crime rates, and when was the last time you saw a news bulletin about a school or other gun massacre there? It is a different culture; try a visit to the Northeast Kingdom, as they call it. Sanders is representing his state - which has some of the most liberal gun laws in the country. I ask again, have you seen a huge increase in gun violence there or any gun massacres? No.
Clinton is a slightly right of center hack, like her husband, who gave us NAFTA, the DOMA, the "welfare" bill, and allowed Glass-Steagall to be repealed. Clinton and Sanders are not remotely on the same wavelength.
Clinton is a slightly right of center hack, like her husband, who gave us NAFTA, the DOMA, the "welfare" bill, and allowed Glass-Steagall to be repealed. Clinton and Sanders are not remotely on the same wavelength.
5
A poster from NYC whose moniker is “A” wrote, “Answer me this, Sanders supporters: does Bernie have the experience to run an executive office? Given the gridlock in Congress, would he be able to implement any of his ideas -- let alone pass them in the House and Senate?
I refer you to the following National Journal article:
Bernie Sanders Is a Loud, Stubborn Socialist. Republicans Like Him Anyway.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/71225/bernie-sanders-is-loud-stubborn-s...
Bernie Sanders: “Clearly if you want to get anything done, you have to work with members of Congress and you have to work with members of both political parties. I have done that and as president, I certainly would do that. But that’s kind of what you have to do—no ifs, buts or maybes. In a pretty dysfunctional Congress I helped pass, in a bipartisan way, the significant veterans bill, which increases health care to veterans and lowers waiting times, and I’m proud of that. That was a significant step forward.”
Jack Reed: “Last year when we had the scandal at the VA, [Sanders] was incredibly effective, engaged in getting the legislation passed, in getting it funded. Frankly, without him, I don’t think we would have gotten it done.”
“John McCain, who negotiated the VA deal with Sanders…gave the independent high praise, noting that his word is good.”
[part 1]
I refer you to the following National Journal article:
Bernie Sanders Is a Loud, Stubborn Socialist. Republicans Like Him Anyway.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/s/71225/bernie-sanders-is-loud-stubborn-s...
Bernie Sanders: “Clearly if you want to get anything done, you have to work with members of Congress and you have to work with members of both political parties. I have done that and as president, I certainly would do that. But that’s kind of what you have to do—no ifs, buts or maybes. In a pretty dysfunctional Congress I helped pass, in a bipartisan way, the significant veterans bill, which increases health care to veterans and lowers waiting times, and I’m proud of that. That was a significant step forward.”
Jack Reed: “Last year when we had the scandal at the VA, [Sanders] was incredibly effective, engaged in getting the legislation passed, in getting it funded. Frankly, without him, I don’t think we would have gotten it done.”
“John McCain, who negotiated the VA deal with Sanders…gave the independent high praise, noting that his word is good.”
[part 1]
34
Unfortunately both Sanders and Clinton believe in government as a force for the common good, while Republicans want what they have now, a do nothing Congress that lets them keep what they have. It doesn't matter who the President is, without support from Congress they are dead in the water.
1
Republicans want Sanders to beat Hillary, because they think they have a better shot against him. Period.
Why would a Democrat take the word of Republican Senators when choosing their President ?
Why would a Democrat take the word of Republican Senators when choosing their President ?
1
[part 2]
Chuck Schumer: “[Sanders] knew when to hold and knew when to fold and, I think, maximized what we could get for veterans.”
Richard Burr: “Senator Sanders understands what it takes to get legislation across the goal line.”
Roger Wicker: “[Sanders is] tenacious and dogged and has determination, and he’s not to be underestimated.”
Sherrod Brown: “Sanders has a system.…He would call them tripartite amendments because we’d have him and he’d get a Republican, he’d get a Democrat and he’d pass things. He’s good at building coalitions.”
“Sanders has also passed an amendment to the Dodd-Frank bill that led to the first audit of the Federal Reserve. He and Sen. Robert Menendez secured funding in the 2008 stimulus bill for clean-energy initiatives. And he inserted language into the Affordable Care Act to increase funding for community health centers.”
“Sanders’ willingness to stand up and say no has also helped him to score victories on Capitol Hill. Sanders highlights his battles to prevent Republicans from cutting Social Security benefits as well as the complete decimation of the U.S. Postal Service.”
Chuck Schumer: “[Sanders] knew when to hold and knew when to fold and, I think, maximized what we could get for veterans.”
Richard Burr: “Senator Sanders understands what it takes to get legislation across the goal line.”
Roger Wicker: “[Sanders is] tenacious and dogged and has determination, and he’s not to be underestimated.”
Sherrod Brown: “Sanders has a system.…He would call them tripartite amendments because we’d have him and he’d get a Republican, he’d get a Democrat and he’d pass things. He’s good at building coalitions.”
“Sanders has also passed an amendment to the Dodd-Frank bill that led to the first audit of the Federal Reserve. He and Sen. Robert Menendez secured funding in the 2008 stimulus bill for clean-energy initiatives. And he inserted language into the Affordable Care Act to increase funding for community health centers.”
“Sanders’ willingness to stand up and say no has also helped him to score victories on Capitol Hill. Sanders highlights his battles to prevent Republicans from cutting Social Security benefits as well as the complete decimation of the U.S. Postal Service.”
39
One of the people you mention above, liberal Senator Sherrod Brown, has endorsed Hillary: “As Ohio’s working families continue to recover from the worst economic recession in our country’s history, we need a president who’s committed to growing our economy by lifting up the middle class,” Brown said in a statement. “I am proud to endorse her today because I know she will keep Ohio moving forward.”
An article in the Washington Post today reports on numerous superPACs supporting Ted Cruz, founded or supported by families who have donated up to $10 million each. Some are financed by "energy investors" and fracking companies. One is identifiable only by the generic name "Americans For Cruz," it's address a UPS drop.
New Yorker reporter Jane Mayer publishes a book Tuesday called "Dark Money," representing 10+ years of research into the wealthiest families in this country, including the Koch Brothers, who've funneled billions into campaigns, PACs, and lobbyists to influence politicians/laws regulating banking, insurance, energy, taxation, and more. The Kochs finance the "war against Obama" and the Tea Party. A private fortune's been allocated to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to support his Ayn Randian crusade to gut/destroy Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, Food Stamps, school lunch programs, public housing and Obamacare.
This is the most powerful reason to support Bernie Sanders over Hillary. Billionaires, Wall Street and corporations have sunk billions into PACs and lobbying to take our government away from us and deliver it to the wealthiest so they can enrich themselves at our expense. Only Bernie is serious about stopping this nightmare.
Mayer's book "Dark Money" will be published Tuesday, Jan. 19. Based on excerpts I've read, I encourage everyone to read it. I have no connection to her or to her publisher. I'm just glad she's working to expose this.
New Yorker reporter Jane Mayer publishes a book Tuesday called "Dark Money," representing 10+ years of research into the wealthiest families in this country, including the Koch Brothers, who've funneled billions into campaigns, PACs, and lobbyists to influence politicians/laws regulating banking, insurance, energy, taxation, and more. The Kochs finance the "war against Obama" and the Tea Party. A private fortune's been allocated to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to support his Ayn Randian crusade to gut/destroy Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, Food Stamps, school lunch programs, public housing and Obamacare.
This is the most powerful reason to support Bernie Sanders over Hillary. Billionaires, Wall Street and corporations have sunk billions into PACs and lobbying to take our government away from us and deliver it to the wealthiest so they can enrich themselves at our expense. Only Bernie is serious about stopping this nightmare.
Mayer's book "Dark Money" will be published Tuesday, Jan. 19. Based on excerpts I've read, I encourage everyone to read it. I have no connection to her or to her publisher. I'm just glad she's working to expose this.
16
As usual, the Bernie Sanders street team is operating at full force in the comments sections. I am a Democrat and it's pretty obvious that Sanders is too far to the left to win a general election. He certainly seems to be the weaker candidate.
5
It's not about who is electable, but who is media savvy. America really doesn't care who is President as long as Congress controls the government.
That's what they said about Barack Obama in 2008. Oh, the delusions of the Hillary camp.
9
The "Bernie Sanders street team" has been co-opted by Republican saboteurs and Trump supporters.
Oh, the misogyny!
Beginning to think that America is not much better then the most oppressive societies.
America should really-know better than to marginalize women like this.
No enthusiasion for HRC? Have you checked in with the older woman demo?
No, didn't think so.
You are much too busy marginalizing them.
We are HUGELY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT HRC!
Except, no one bothered to ask us.
Except, you will when it comes to voting for ANOTHER WHITE MAN. Then possibly you will want us to once agin jump on the WM Band Wagon.
No, not this time.
We don't even LIKE margarine.
Beginning to think that America is not much better then the most oppressive societies.
America should really-know better than to marginalize women like this.
No enthusiasion for HRC? Have you checked in with the older woman demo?
No, didn't think so.
You are much too busy marginalizing them.
We are HUGELY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT HRC!
Except, no one bothered to ask us.
Except, you will when it comes to voting for ANOTHER WHITE MAN. Then possibly you will want us to once agin jump on the WM Band Wagon.
No, not this time.
We don't even LIKE margarine.
4
Many of us stopped caring about which candidate was preferred by old women in Florida after they all mistakenly voted for Pat Robertson in 2000.
7
Laura, before you cite misogyny, you might want to chat with the many other female commenters on this and other campaign-related articles who have made it quite clear that they cannot stomach Hillary, for a variety of reasons (don't trust her, think she's a war-monger, think she's a stooge for Wall Street, etc.).
7
And the NYT suppresses pro-Hillary comments.
For all of the alleged bias against Bernie at the NYT, I can personally attest to multiple examples of support for Hillary being silenced in favor of the Republican party's choice for the Democratic nomination: Bernie Sanders
For all of the alleged bias against Bernie at the NYT, I can personally attest to multiple examples of support for Hillary being silenced in favor of the Republican party's choice for the Democratic nomination: Bernie Sanders
2
I agree with all the people that say that it´s good to see that the media has finally acknowledged Bernie Sanders as a real candidate. The polls are telling us that Iowa and New Hampshire are too close to call; and I think that Sanders will win both. Still, it will be extremely difficult for Bernie Sanders to get the nomination. He is the right man for the job; but the country is still not ready for a candidate like him. Will it ever be ready? I just don´t know.
5
One might ask, is the Democratic party establishment ready?
Sanders could have the majority based on the state delegations, but the superdelegates -- former elected officials and party officials who aren't elected or necessarily pledged to any candidate -- could throw it in another direction.
Of course if they did, there's a risk of a split in the party that might never be healed. But in some ways these guys are as deluded as Republicans -- especially if they think progressive voters and the young will all show up anyway (for what's essentially a center-right government) because "the Republicans are worse." That doesn't always work, people, and one of these days it's going to stop working forever.
Sanders could have the majority based on the state delegations, but the superdelegates -- former elected officials and party officials who aren't elected or necessarily pledged to any candidate -- could throw it in another direction.
Of course if they did, there's a risk of a split in the party that might never be healed. But in some ways these guys are as deluded as Republicans -- especially if they think progressive voters and the young will all show up anyway (for what's essentially a center-right government) because "the Republicans are worse." That doesn't always work, people, and one of these days it's going to stop working forever.
7
Exciting. We, the People of America, are not brain dead yet.
22
The more I watch the Democratic race the more I realize that the country seems to be saying that a woman president can wait. When we elected Barack Obama there was a strong feeling that it was time. I don't get any of that feeling about Hillary Clinton. If electing a woman, in this case, means more of the same stagnation that exists with Obama, why would I chose her? How would a woman be different? A vote for Bernie Sanders feels like a vote for Teddy Roosevelt. Something has to change.
15
he more I watch the Democratic race the more I realize that Republicans are trying to influence the outcome.
Hillary leads by 20 points among Democrats nationwide, but trails by 20 points among non-Democrats.
Why would a Democrat let non-Democrats choose their candidate for them ?
Hillary leads by 20 points among Democrats nationwide, but trails by 20 points among non-Democrats.
Why would a Democrat let non-Democrats choose their candidate for them ?
1
As a Democrat I cannot consciously vote for Hillary regardless of her competitor. I don't trust her.
22
That statement show us how effective the Republican machine is. It's scary!
2
What Democrat has given you reason not to trust Hillary.
For a Democrat, you sure seem to listen to a lot of Fox News talking points.
For a Democrat, you sure seem to listen to a lot of Fox News talking points.
1
to Fran - Which Democrat has given me a reason not to trust Hillary? Hillary has. Is that enough?:
3
Canada is fully behind Bernie Sanders. He is the most intelligent and progressive voice needed to make the U.S.A. great again. The other candidate may snipe at gun laws, but that is simply a distraction to the ability of Bernie Sanders to make the U.S.A. enter the global ring as a first-world country. Bernie is the BIG thinker and understands what normal U.S.A. citizens need. A vote against Bernie Sanders is a vote against making the U.S.A. great again. Go Bernie Go!! Feel the Bern!
21
Sanders' strength is derived to a good deal from the fact that he does not convey the feeling that he is running as a Democrat, he looks and feels and talks like an Independent.
Now THAT's something, SOMEONE, I can support!
Now THAT's something, SOMEONE, I can support!
19
The Congress will remain either Democratic or Republican, neither of which likes "independents".
2
True, but either party has to work with the president to pass laws. If they don't do that, then perhaps, finally, that will be the impetus that leads to the birth and growth of a true independent party. A party where the rational and moderate and decent members of either the Democratic or the Republican party find a home - other than the aisle, so to say, which has no chairs.
Obama made his biggest blunder - and rookie mistake - when he watered down health care reform to a sick compromise that does nothing but enrich the private insurance industry, while not providing any real coverage for those people it was supposed to benefit in the first place. The ACA is just ending costing them MORE money, not making insurance affordable. There was a memorable article to that respect here in the NYT not too long ago. I can't wait for the Republicans to revoke the ACA. Not because I don't want health insurance for the poor, on the contrary, but because it needs to be replaced with a MUCH better system. IMO nothing short of a single payer system with supplemental private insurance at the discretion of each individual will suffice.
Obama made his biggest blunder - and rookie mistake - when he watered down health care reform to a sick compromise that does nothing but enrich the private insurance industry, while not providing any real coverage for those people it was supposed to benefit in the first place. The ACA is just ending costing them MORE money, not making insurance affordable. There was a memorable article to that respect here in the NYT not too long ago. I can't wait for the Republicans to revoke the ACA. Not because I don't want health insurance for the poor, on the contrary, but because it needs to be replaced with a MUCH better system. IMO nothing short of a single payer system with supplemental private insurance at the discretion of each individual will suffice.
2
Hillary is old news. I was like 4 years old when she became the first lady and now I'm 27 and she is still trying to make me like her. She is an ultimate insider.... and while this means she is the most experienced, it also means she doesn't motivate. Another of her problems is that her policies are so close to the center that voting for her means voting for very little change and mostly the continuation of the status quo.
Bernie, on the other hand, feels like an outsider to me, and fills me with motivation and interest. I've never been to a caucus in my life, but I plan on being there on March 1st in Colorado to try to push for Bernie. I think what I like most about Bernie is that, even though technically he has been in politics longer than Hillary, he rose from the very bottom to the very top all by himself. I mean, he started off as a small-town mayor basically, while Hillary was vaulted all the way to first lady and has enjoyed that privilege ever since. Also, Bernie truly understands what motivates someone to vote. Wage stagnation and elite manipulation has push unequality to new levels. America is fast becoming a feudal empire, except that instead of farms and manors there is McDonalds managers working 80 hours a week for $26,000 a year. That's akin to serfdom in my opinion, and it disgusts me more than anything else. It disgusts Bernie viscerally, and you can see it in his speeches and in his actions. I would be proud if Bernie was my president.
Bernie, on the other hand, feels like an outsider to me, and fills me with motivation and interest. I've never been to a caucus in my life, but I plan on being there on March 1st in Colorado to try to push for Bernie. I think what I like most about Bernie is that, even though technically he has been in politics longer than Hillary, he rose from the very bottom to the very top all by himself. I mean, he started off as a small-town mayor basically, while Hillary was vaulted all the way to first lady and has enjoyed that privilege ever since. Also, Bernie truly understands what motivates someone to vote. Wage stagnation and elite manipulation has push unequality to new levels. America is fast becoming a feudal empire, except that instead of farms and manors there is McDonalds managers working 80 hours a week for $26,000 a year. That's akin to serfdom in my opinion, and it disgusts me more than anything else. It disgusts Bernie viscerally, and you can see it in his speeches and in his actions. I would be proud if Bernie was my president.
30
I was on the Bernie Bandwagon too before I read about Hillary's life from independent sources.
Hillary was one of the top lawyers in the country before she became first lady of Arkansas, and continued to out-earn Bill while he was governor. I wouldn't call that being "vaulted all the way to first lady." She is extraordinarily bright and thick-skinned, and has worked for women, minorities, and children her entire career. Her recent roles have also been much more complex than Bernie's (Senator of a populous and extremely racially and socioeconomically diverse state, and Secretary of State).
I'll respectfully not unpack the feudalism comparison you make.
Hillary was one of the top lawyers in the country before she became first lady of Arkansas, and continued to out-earn Bill while he was governor. I wouldn't call that being "vaulted all the way to first lady." She is extraordinarily bright and thick-skinned, and has worked for women, minorities, and children her entire career. Her recent roles have also been much more complex than Bernie's (Senator of a populous and extremely racially and socioeconomically diverse state, and Secretary of State).
I'll respectfully not unpack the feudalism comparison you make.
1
Bernie wanted early on not to underestimate him. Then you had Hillary parading around for months pretending he didn't even exist, acting all high and mighty as if she only needed to focus on Republicans, since she had the whole thing "locked up".
My how quickly her tune changed. Monmouth and Quinippiac are two of the most respected and honored pollsters, and we see them both releasing polls today that show Bernie winning in both Iowa and NH. Imagine if these polls even considered independents, first time voters and sporadic voters? His actual lead in these states is a land slide when you take those voters into account and recognize that the excitement factor amongst his base is going to draw record turn outs at the polls.
Awaiting the parade of verbal and advertising assaults against Bernie... What we have seen from her today in her mocking tone is only the beginnings of what is sure to turn out to be some dirty campaigning from the woman who brought us the birther movement against Obama in 2008.
Non-GMO Popcorn at the ready.
My how quickly her tune changed. Monmouth and Quinippiac are two of the most respected and honored pollsters, and we see them both releasing polls today that show Bernie winning in both Iowa and NH. Imagine if these polls even considered independents, first time voters and sporadic voters? His actual lead in these states is a land slide when you take those voters into account and recognize that the excitement factor amongst his base is going to draw record turn outs at the polls.
Awaiting the parade of verbal and advertising assaults against Bernie... What we have seen from her today in her mocking tone is only the beginnings of what is sure to turn out to be some dirty campaigning from the woman who brought us the birther movement against Obama in 2008.
Non-GMO Popcorn at the ready.
21
"On Saturday, they began trying to undercut his electability with a television ad casting Mrs. Clinton as the strongest possible Democratic nominee, even though some polls show Mr. Sanders would perform well in matchups against Republicans like Donald J. Trump and Senator Ted Cruz of Texas."
Not perform well, but defeat by a solid margin Trump or Cruz... :)
Not perform well, but defeat by a solid margin Trump or Cruz... :)
22
As much as I enjoy hearing him speak and think he has interesting ideas, I suspect Bernie will do poorly in a general election. I have a number of friends who are moderate Republicans and who probably would be considered Democrats in other regions of the country. They really don't find Bernie to be appealing or even a serious candidate. They do say, however, that if Trump or Cruz were nominated they could vote for Hilary. Bernie has to be able to appeal to the center of the country if he's going to win, and he's way to the left of that.
3
What the polls don't show us is that the race for the Presidency is no longer about politics as we know it. It's reality TV that the people want. The strategy used by the Republicans was to move the political spectrum to the right so that moderate Democrats would find themselves at the Republican middle, where Jeb Bush and Chris Christie dominate. But in came Trump and Carson, followed by Cruz who have fired up the extreme right. The reaction of which has been to counterattack with a far left candidate, Bernie Sanders. A good strategy for the Republicans as long as Trump or Cruz does not get the nomination. The losers in all of this are those in the middle who still have faith in government and government programs. Remember there is a good chunk of the electorate that think, small government is good government.
1
Simple.
Clinton publicly states that, if nominated, she shall propose Sanders for nomination as her running mate.
But, maybe Sanders might return the favor.
We're winners either way.
Clinton publicly states that, if nominated, she shall propose Sanders for nomination as her running mate.
But, maybe Sanders might return the favor.
We're winners either way.
1
Ms. Clinton is going to start blaming this on a vast left-wing conspiracy.
14
Why not a right wing conspiracy?
2
DSS is 100% right.
All of the reasons people give for not voting for Hillary have their genesis in right wing media outlets.
Democrats: you are being played for fools by Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter.
All of the reasons people give for not voting for Hillary have their genesis in right wing media outlets.
Democrats: you are being played for fools by Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter.
1
If you look on both sides of the fence, it is fairly obvious that the vast majority of American voters are tired of the same old platitudes. It is time for a shakeup. How that will end up is anyone's guess.
10
As a woman I would love to vote for a woman to be our next president, but I cannot vote for Secretary Clinton. I'm tired of holding my nose before I vote - that's why I'm going to vote for Bernie Sanders! He's the most honest candidate either party has fielded since Robert Kennedy. Go Bernie!
32
Maybe the voters have figured out that integrity matters, something lacking in Madam Hillary.
15
Thank you New York Times. Your continued neglect of the Sanders campaign has filled supporters' with emotion and passion and helped to make it clear how the political-corporate-media elite are so deeply entwined. If you had done your job and covered the campaigns in an equitable way, it is possible that Sanders' supporters might have been a bit more passive. You have and continue to do us a great favor!
28
My first vote was for McGovern and I see the same enthusiasm here. We knew he was going to lose and man, did he ever. Still, we did our patriotic duty but in hindsight, it was pointless.
I'll consider the possibility Sanders could go all the way. But for that to happen, I want to hear moderate conservatives (if there is such a thing) say Bernie is the least of evils. I want to see lifelong NRA members stand up for him. I want to see cheering capacity crowds in Alabama. If that happens, it will mean his appeal is broad enough to win the presidency. Heck, I want to see Obama Girl stumping for Sanders. Absent these things, the risk of a Cruz, Trump or Rubio presidency is simply too great.
I'll consider the possibility Sanders could go all the way. But for that to happen, I want to hear moderate conservatives (if there is such a thing) say Bernie is the least of evils. I want to see lifelong NRA members stand up for him. I want to see cheering capacity crowds in Alabama. If that happens, it will mean his appeal is broad enough to win the presidency. Heck, I want to see Obama Girl stumping for Sanders. Absent these things, the risk of a Cruz, Trump or Rubio presidency is simply too great.
1
Recent polls show Sanders beating every Republican candidate and in a wide margin.
12
Moderate conservatives have come out for Sanders. You'll be surprised at the few decent Republicans left in Congress (McCain, et al) who will come out to support Sanders over Trump or Cruz.
But on the streets, look to the registered voters changing their party affiliation so that they can vote for Sanders in the primary. And no, not because they're playing chess and voting for who they see as the weaker Democratic candidate to ensure a Republican win, but because Sanders speaks to their concerns:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/the-lifelong-conserv...
As for capacity crowds in the Deep South, that's already happened, too. Bernie's events are at capacity everywhere he goes, from liberal strongholds like the Pacific Northwest and his adopted Vermont, down to events in Phoenix and Atlanta.
Sanders has this, and we have him. As someone else said in the comments, he is a statesman who shows respect and resolve to work for the common good. We're fighting against the Southern Strategy/Silent Majority/Democrats for Nixon strategies that were used to defeat McGovern and have dominated our politics for the past 40 years.
Throw in your fellow Americans voting not only for Bernie Sanders, but also for reasonable, collaborative representation in the House and Senate. See what happens if we decide to stand up for ourselves.
Bernie Sanders 2016
But on the streets, look to the registered voters changing their party affiliation so that they can vote for Sanders in the primary. And no, not because they're playing chess and voting for who they see as the weaker Democratic candidate to ensure a Republican win, but because Sanders speaks to their concerns:
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/the-lifelong-conserv...
As for capacity crowds in the Deep South, that's already happened, too. Bernie's events are at capacity everywhere he goes, from liberal strongholds like the Pacific Northwest and his adopted Vermont, down to events in Phoenix and Atlanta.
Sanders has this, and we have him. As someone else said in the comments, he is a statesman who shows respect and resolve to work for the common good. We're fighting against the Southern Strategy/Silent Majority/Democrats for Nixon strategies that were used to defeat McGovern and have dominated our politics for the past 40 years.
Throw in your fellow Americans voting not only for Bernie Sanders, but also for reasonable, collaborative representation in the House and Senate. See what happens if we decide to stand up for ourselves.
Bernie Sanders 2016
12
As the race drags on, Hillary is getting LESS appealing to many, rather than more. Democrats, progressives, and populists are becoming more convinced that Bernie can win. He's certainly the only candidate since Carter who openly fights for working people, as the Democratic Party joined the Republicans in courting the oligarchy. The "recoveries" - all of them for the past 40 years - have bypassed the majority of Americans because both parties fought for the 1% and against the 99%. It's long past time that we change course, and Sanders is the only one talking about doing that. Hillary doesn't have an "enthusiasm" gap, she has a credibility gap, and that's only getting worse with each new email revelation. Buh bye Hillary! Hello Bernie!
11
Hillary C, the Corporate Shillster, might just get "un trusted"
“I personally want to find out if she’s trustworthy or not,” said Katie Bailey, 71, of Cedar Falls. “There’s so much un-trust. I want to eyeball her.”
“I personally want to find out if she’s trustworthy or not,” said Katie Bailey, 71, of Cedar Falls. “There’s so much un-trust. I want to eyeball her.”
9
Going on the attack is not going to help. Hillary Clinton has too much baggage. I was really afraid the choice would come down to Bush v Clinton again in November, and I really don't want to have that as my choices. Trump and Sanders I'm OK with as choices (not that I'd ever vote for Trump, but I would vote for Sanders.) Thankfully Bush is out of the running, and with any luck Hillary Clinton will be too.
11
I hear this "too much baggage" argument a lot and it makes no sense to me.
All of the "baggage" you speak of comes from Trump and Trump supporters.
Now you say you would never vote for Trump, but somehow you support him enough to listen intently to his "baggage" argument.
All of the "baggage" you speak of comes from Trump and Trump supporters.
Now you say you would never vote for Trump, but somehow you support him enough to listen intently to his "baggage" argument.
I wonder what Freud would make of the Clinton campaign's choice to stage its major Iowa event in ... wait for it ... Waterloo!
9
Bernie sanders will wreck this country big time. He is a socialist...He wants to give free medical care and free college. So who do you think will pay for them? The middle class that's who. He has no issue with raising the tax rates 90 %. He points to that is the rate we had in the past. well back then americans could not go anywhere because the world was destroyed by World War two. Bernie has no idea how to run a business. He is one looney tune
2
Who pays for the Military Industrial Complex ?....Let me see....aah, China of course !
8
I suggest you open a history book and join the rest of us on Planet Earth. In the 1950s when the tax rate was so much higher for the rich and corporate rich this country enjoyed unparalleled middle-class comfort and prosperity. People went everywhere: France, Britain, Spain, Italy . . . where do you think they built up all their tourist industry from? Mars? the US has a defense budget bigger than every other military budget on the planet combined; who do you think is paying for that? Meanwhile, as Warren Buffet, who really does know how to run a business, it is insane that his secretary pays more tax than he does.
And oh btw - Denmark has free college for those who pass the entry exams and free medical care: and they're still ahead of the US in quality of life rankings. Yeah, they pay taxes for it. They also don't have 60% of bankruptcies occurring due to medical care or people dying because they got cancer while they were unemployed and couldn't get health insurance.
Maybe you should try visiting some other countries.
And oh btw - Denmark has free college for those who pass the entry exams and free medical care: and they're still ahead of the US in quality of life rankings. Yeah, they pay taxes for it. They also don't have 60% of bankruptcies occurring due to medical care or people dying because they got cancer while they were unemployed and couldn't get health insurance.
Maybe you should try visiting some other countries.
1
America is not a business. You can't run it like a business, no matter what Trump says. People rejected Mitt Romney for a reason.
2
I find it kind of strange that on the article about MoveOn endorsing Bernie, the chosen photo by NYT shows a podium, two arms on the side, no face. And this article shows Bernie's balding spot. To me this is illustrative of the appalling NYT coverage of the Bernie Sanders' campaign. Many commentators have already pointed out the obvious pro-Hillary bias in much of the reporting.
I mean, really, could you have not chosen better photos to go with these articles?
I mean, really, could you have not chosen better photos to go with these articles?
17
Yes, others haved noticed that telling photo choice as well. Not TOO subtle, NYT. You never quit trying to keep nudging us in your chosen candidate's direction. Can't wait until November, and I hope it's an upset that leaves the manipulating mass media speechless for once.
6
Why would people be enthusiastic about a candidate, fueled by Wall St/Bankers millions, who merely will tell the 1% to 'cut it out' after taking all their donations?
Merely because she's a woman?
Merely because she feels entitled?
Merely because she is a Clinton?
Merely because they were 'dirt poor' after leaving the White House and needed Billionaires to finance their multi-million dollar home?
How does a Clinton fight facts and their own words and actions that cannot be denied when they are only adapt at taking on mudslingers? How to deny votes that happened, deals that were cut?
Actions are more important than words.
Consistency speaks louder than expediency.
Merely because she's a woman?
Merely because she feels entitled?
Merely because she is a Clinton?
Merely because they were 'dirt poor' after leaving the White House and needed Billionaires to finance their multi-million dollar home?
How does a Clinton fight facts and their own words and actions that cannot be denied when they are only adapt at taking on mudslingers? How to deny votes that happened, deals that were cut?
Actions are more important than words.
Consistency speaks louder than expediency.
22
This just in: a new Quinnipiac poll shows Sanders with a 5% lead in Iowa, outside the margin of error:
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/265555-quinnipiac...
Oddly, at least compared to the NYT, The Hill doesn't make the headline or the story just about Hillary Clinton!
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/265555-quinnipiac...
Oddly, at least compared to the NYT, The Hill doesn't make the headline or the story just about Hillary Clinton!
11
Want to say "President Trump" next January 20th?
Nominate Sanders.
Nominate Sanders.
10
Don't worry - Hillary already has the delegates sewed up. Sanders will not get nominated. Of course, you could still end up saying "President Trump", given how disgusted most people are with the establishment pols.
In photography and other art mediums, pictures often reveal the real truth, the real persona. Body language too, reveals the inner self. We've all seen Hillary. We've seen news clips, town hall meetings, hearings in Congress and in countless appearances. The pictures tell truth. Ms. Clinton is in deep trouble. The desperation shows in every expression, every movement and every time we make eye contact. The truth always stands out. The pictures of Hillary are screaming uncertainty, fear, hesitancy, mistrust, and most of all dishonesty. We can see that she is fishing for answers. Instead of enthusiasm there is reluctance. We see her old eyes searching for approval that is not there.
Ms. Clinton is laid bare before us. She's locked in a losing battle with a man several years her senior who looks like he comes straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting the Four Freedoms; Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear. " It is the basis of the kind of world attainable in our own time. " In Bernie Sanders we see honesty, integrity, truth, and warmth. We see a kindness and understanding of life. Hillary displays none of that. Mr. Sanders will be the Democratic candidate for the presidency. With good fortune he'll be our next president too.
Ms. Clinton is laid bare before us. She's locked in a losing battle with a man several years her senior who looks like he comes straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting the Four Freedoms; Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Worship, Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear. " It is the basis of the kind of world attainable in our own time. " In Bernie Sanders we see honesty, integrity, truth, and warmth. We see a kindness and understanding of life. Hillary displays none of that. Mr. Sanders will be the Democratic candidate for the presidency. With good fortune he'll be our next president too.
22
Hillary is reacting to Bernie. Almost all of her ideas are similar to ones Bernie has been saying since the beginning of the campaign. So Hillary continues to look like an empty vessel. Someone who will say and do anything to win. I personally don't agree with Bernie or his positions but at least he has his own ideas. You always get the feeling with the Clinton's that they do what their pollsters and handlers tell them to do . We got the same thing on the GOP side Trump just says what he wants. So all the money spend on polls, poll takers, consultants doesn't seem to be doing any of the established candidates any good.
9
How can anyone be surprised by Bernie's surge? Hillary has had too many scandals, been caught in too many lies to be considered the leader of the U.S. There is also no reason to soil the oval office with the Clinton's. We have already "been there done that". No one should be surprised when he wins the Democratic ticket.
11
I'm a democrat from Vermont. I simply find nothing genuine about Hillary!
14
It ain't just you, Walter!
11
A new poll in Iowa shows men preferring Sanders over Clinton 61% to 30%. Perhaps many of them are imagining what it would be like to have a job where Hillary would be their boss.
5
Henry Agard Wallace was an Iowa son that the DNC took special care not to choose him for reelection as vice-president in 1944, even as the convention chose him in the first vote.
1
I have wanted to vote for Sanders, but figured i would be throwing away my vote. (Supreme Court Nominees.)
Maybe i can vote, vote with confidence, for Bernie Sanders come election day.
Maybe i can vote, vote with confidence, for Bernie Sanders come election day.
13
How are people supposed to get excited about another corporatized DNC status quo centrist like Hillary? People easily see through her phony "populism" and her history indicates that she has nothing new to offer.
15
FYI....The race is tightening so MSNBCs answer is to get HRC interviewed 2x in one week....on All In With Chris Hayes and again on Rachael Maddow's show. Typical MSM behavior. I keep telling MSNBC that no progressives are watching them and their network now is no better than Fox. MSNBC and the rest of the corporate news media, just like the DNC, have been circling the wagons around HRC from day one. It has been so blatantly obvious. Frankly I like Rachael, but she can do so much better than MSNBC. No matter how many times they interview HRC, I will do everything I can to support Bernie Sanders.
12
MSNBC has 4 hours a day of GOP leaning programming.
It is NOTHING like Fox.
It is NOTHING like Fox.
Voters like candidates who are FOR something.
HRC is only FOR herself.
HRC is only FOR herself.
11
Poor Hillary, I feel sorry for you; almost nobody seems to love you, but I'm still here, don't worry, I support you and will vote for your.
I like Hilary. I love Bernie.
14
Imagine what the reactions here would be if each had voted as the other did, in terms of gun control. Something like: evil lackey of the gun manufacturers indifferent to school shootings, versus a noble and wise social democrat willing to offend rural gun owners for the common good. And that's only if posters leaned over backwards to not be too harsh on Hillary.
If Bernie Sanders continues to capture the heart and soul of the Democratic Party and the nation, then Hillary Clinton should consider registering as a Republican.
15
She should do it anyway.
3
On behalf of Republicans everywhere, let me say this:
Look, we've thought this through. Upon reflection, we think that Hillary comes much closer to embodying Republican ideals than Democratic ideals. In fact, she probably would be a better Republican President than any of the other nut-jobs running for the gig now (Kasich excluded).
So, please, Hillary: come on over to the Dark Side. You'll be more comfortable here. If you do it now, we'll even cancel the primaries, and put you right on the ticket, just like you were hoping before that Sanders guy showed up.
We'll also make sure that if the FBI keeps up this email investigation, the next Republican Congress will put the kibosh on any impeachment. Do we have a deal?
Look, we've thought this through. Upon reflection, we think that Hillary comes much closer to embodying Republican ideals than Democratic ideals. In fact, she probably would be a better Republican President than any of the other nut-jobs running for the gig now (Kasich excluded).
So, please, Hillary: come on over to the Dark Side. You'll be more comfortable here. If you do it now, we'll even cancel the primaries, and put you right on the ticket, just like you were hoping before that Sanders guy showed up.
We'll also make sure that if the FBI keeps up this email investigation, the next Republican Congress will put the kibosh on any impeachment. Do we have a deal?
5
It's going to be Sanders vs. Trump in 2016. I'm getting the feeling that EITHER of them is a win for the 99%.
The American rank and file is sick and tired of voting for candidates who want the votes but then turn around and do NOTHING for the 99%.
2016 is going to be a breaking dam. The Republican and Democratic parties are just now beginning to get the picture.
The American rank and file is sick and tired of voting for candidates who want the votes but then turn around and do NOTHING for the 99%.
2016 is going to be a breaking dam. The Republican and Democratic parties are just now beginning to get the picture.
14
That would be a dream line-up, indeed! The only one that would guarantee an outcome that would FORCE change, rather than falling back into the old rut on January 21.
I hope you're right.
I hope you're right.
2
ONE of them is a win for the 99%. The other is a charter member of the 0.01%, and would govern as one.
3
John D.,
Maybe. But maybe not. Trump is unpredictable, because there are two conflicting incentives for him: His pocketbook and his ego. In the White House, his ego would become the dominant force. Ultimately, he is dying to be liked and have the people's approval. He has enough money to last him a life-time, I think his desire to have his name in history as a champion of the people may be greater. Plus, he likes to play his business competitors and to promote an agenda that is against their interests may be too tempting to pass up. After all, the business people are not all out supporting him, probably because they see him as a loose cannon.
Maybe. But maybe not. Trump is unpredictable, because there are two conflicting incentives for him: His pocketbook and his ego. In the White House, his ego would become the dominant force. Ultimately, he is dying to be liked and have the people's approval. He has enough money to last him a life-time, I think his desire to have his name in history as a champion of the people may be greater. Plus, he likes to play his business competitors and to promote an agenda that is against their interests may be too tempting to pass up. After all, the business people are not all out supporting him, probably because they see him as a loose cannon.
2
It is a pleasure to have two reasonable candidates fielded by the Democrats. A choice between two good people.
Selection between the Republicans is rather different. Republicans have little choice in a field of strange people.
Selection between the Republicans is rather different. Republicans have little choice in a field of strange people.
5
The so-called Hillary mistrust factor needs to be owned by the media which promulgates it at every turn...The lazy business of portraying public reluctance about the Clintons as sneaky, underhanded and shifty has become a trite profile-easy headlines- for everyone from scandal-mongering rags to the NY Times. If the GOP had snuck in editors to inject self-perpetuating condemnations of them-as she so correctly mentioned-the 'vast right wing conspiracy'-...they'd couldn't have done a better job. Every poll asks these same old questions...every TV reporter refers back to them...So much easier to demean Mrs Clinton than to spend the time and newsprint on Bernie...he's defied that script as we now see.
I support both Hillary and Bernie...but will vote for Bernie. Not because Hillary is 'deceptive'...I don't buy that...I will vote for Bernie because he is the personification of Occupy Wall Street and his priorities and track record have earned my confidence in this issue of financial fairness that everyone else has chosen to overlook.
I support both Hillary and Bernie...but will vote for Bernie. Not because Hillary is 'deceptive'...I don't buy that...I will vote for Bernie because he is the personification of Occupy Wall Street and his priorities and track record have earned my confidence in this issue of financial fairness that everyone else has chosen to overlook.
12
Oh, please. You can't blame Hillary's "trust problem" on the media. That's like saying that if the media did not report on the weather, it would never rain. She needs to "own" this.
7
Even Donald Trump admitted he'd much rather face Bernie Sanders instead of Hillary Clinton in the general election. However isn't it ironic that the DNC and the RNC have the exact same problem--they detest the likely nominees for president from their respective parties? The establishment on both sides was counting on a Jeb Bush vs Hillary Clinton match up. The Republicans didn't count on a bombastic billionaire to their possible standard bearer and the Democrats thought that this time the nomination and election would be handed to Hillary Clinton on a silver platter. Isn't it funny how things work out??
5
Here is the perfect example of why we all think the media is out-to-lunch covering this campaign.
This CNN Politics headline:
Bernie Sanders wants 'national discussion about sexuality'
At the Black and Brown Forum in Iowa, where the focus is on issues affecting minorities there were terrific questions about race, white privilege, fairness in education funding, law enforcement, etc. But CNN picks a question, while important, is not the most pressing issue for people of color.
Imagine if people heard what Hillary had to say about first becoming aware of her white privilege? Imagine if people heard Bernie Sanders challenged on how his techniques for policing in Burlington, VT, might not translate so well to Baltimore, MD.
This CNN Politics headline:
Bernie Sanders wants 'national discussion about sexuality'
At the Black and Brown Forum in Iowa, where the focus is on issues affecting minorities there were terrific questions about race, white privilege, fairness in education funding, law enforcement, etc. But CNN picks a question, while important, is not the most pressing issue for people of color.
Imagine if people heard what Hillary had to say about first becoming aware of her white privilege? Imagine if people heard Bernie Sanders challenged on how his techniques for policing in Burlington, VT, might not translate so well to Baltimore, MD.
1
Let's see which political party implodes. The Republicans with Cruz or Trump or the Democrats with Sanders.
1
If America allows Iowa or South Carolina to influence the election of an American President, our nation and our democracy will suffer for our lack of foresight.
2
Gee, Steve, this has only been happening my whole lifetime.
2
Again?
1
Er, let's see: Iowa, South Carolina, Wall Street, the delegate system . . . if you think those two states are democracy's only problem here, you're wearing rose-colored glasses.
Could we please have ONE NYTimes headline about Sanders that doesn't include Clinton's name?
25
Heres one: Sanders Elected President
22
YES!! I like that headline. Sanders elected President!
6
In the last Democratic debate Ms. Clinton actually had the back to bring up Sanders' vote to deny CFTC head Brooksley Born's 1995 request to have her agency regulate over the counter financial instruments like CDOs and swaps. The same instruments that brought the economy to its knees 12 years later. Hmm, think Senator Bernie's vote had anything to do with his party's sitting President sending Larry Summers, Richard Rubin and Allen Greenspan to the Hill to call Ms. Born an idiot? Add to that that same President's disastrous rewrite of the Community Reinvestment Act that trashed mortgage lending standards and his part in helping Phil Gramm flush Glass-Steagall down the toilet, and I'm simply astonished that HRC has the gall to use his handling of the economy as a calling card! Why it's almost Reaganesque in its brazenness!
5
Unlike Hillary Clinton Bernie Sanders will not sell out his supporters. We need a president who will honor his word and stand by his principles. Bernie Sanders has always stuck by his word. Secretary Clinton, like President Obama, will seek to find compromise, which might sound sane and reasonable, but they both try to compromise with the radical right-wing of the Republican Party. It cannot be done. Enough is enough! Go Bernie . . .
14
There appears to be a deep undercurrent of support for Sanders. Many who are quiet about their support for him will soon come the surface. The evidence in the polls and in the contributions to his campaign. I am more and more hopeful that Bernie Sanders can be our next president.
16
Here's the thing: Hillary Clinton and her machine scared off most possible Democrat candidates. Bernie Sanders did not get scared off.
22
Naive far left liberals will be the end of the democratic party, and I'm a Democrat. There is no way that Bernie Sanders will get elected as president! Forget about what the polls say right now, America is not made up that way, the middle always wins people!!! When election time comes, the democratic nominee will lose soundly and everything that was done during the Obama administration will be destroyed and these naive liberals will have nobody else to blame but themselves. They will undo everything that we tried so hard to get done these last 8 years.
Does Hillary have a enthusiasm gap? Of course. Does she sometimes look too cold and overprepared? Yes. But that doesn't negate the fact that she is the most prepared candidate of the last few decades, with knowledge and experience in almost every facet of the government, and that's what America needs. Not a tv personality, not pro-gun rights one dimensional candidate, but a disciplined, experienced, tough leader. And that is what Hillary Clinton is. Wake up liberals before you make a huge mistake.
Does Hillary have a enthusiasm gap? Of course. Does she sometimes look too cold and overprepared? Yes. But that doesn't negate the fact that she is the most prepared candidate of the last few decades, with knowledge and experience in almost every facet of the government, and that's what America needs. Not a tv personality, not pro-gun rights one dimensional candidate, but a disciplined, experienced, tough leader. And that is what Hillary Clinton is. Wake up liberals before you make a huge mistake.
3
Liberals are not the cause of Americas problems. A good bit of the responsibility goes to Third Way corporatist Dems, who are Democrats in Name Only. Meanwhile the 1 is enriched at the expense of the 99. Enough Is Enough.
4
Florian, the issue is that her problems go far beyond having "an enthusiasm gap" and looking "too cold and overprepared". To put it simply, most voters simply don't trust her, and that applies to Democrats almost as much as Republicans. That lack of trust colors voter perception of her policy stances tremendously. No one with half a brain believes that she is being sincere in her new-found opposition to the TPP or to Keystone, esp. since she supported both projects as Secretary of State when she was actually involved in shaping both. Likewise, she has said some good-sounding things about toughening financial regulation, but it is hard to trust her on that given how much she depends on campaign contributions from the financial sector. Would you expect her to bite the hand that feeds her? I don't. Time and time again, she has encouraged the perception that she does not mean what she says and is merely pandering. Bernie does not have that problem. That's a big, big reason why he's connecting with voters.
6
We're wide awake, thank you, and this is our chance to vote for someone instead of against the other guy.
4
Hillary's hasn't won the campaign attempting to be likable and magnanimous. Those are her best sides.
Now that she's desperate and combative, things are only going to go downhill from here for her.
I'm okay with that.
Bernie 2016!
Now that she's desperate and combative, things are only going to go downhill from here for her.
I'm okay with that.
Bernie 2016!
12
I wonder if the Trump phenomenon is encouraging Democrat voters to make bolder choices within their own party.
3
No, Sanders is doing that. Don't need a weathervane to tell which way the wind blows.
10
Hillary is better prepared to be the President than anyone else who is currently campaigning but she will not be President, it is a given. She will not be President because she is female. Nothing is going to change that. She should just save herself all the work and money and withdraw.
Sanders won't win. The next President will be Trump and that means that the citizens of the USA can look forward to:
Another costly war.
The rich becoming richer through tax cuts that
Will be made up via what is left of the middle class.
Women will lose the right of control of their bodies.
Public Education will have a substantial cut.
Crime will go up.
More over-crowding at prisons.
The next Supreme Court Justice will be a Tea Party Member
Wage will stagnate.
The deficient will multiply so grossly it will make Bush's efforts seem insignificant.
Sanders won't win. The next President will be Trump and that means that the citizens of the USA can look forward to:
Another costly war.
The rich becoming richer through tax cuts that
Will be made up via what is left of the middle class.
Women will lose the right of control of their bodies.
Public Education will have a substantial cut.
Crime will go up.
More over-crowding at prisons.
The next Supreme Court Justice will be a Tea Party Member
Wage will stagnate.
The deficient will multiply so grossly it will make Bush's efforts seem insignificant.
1
Nonsense.
Hillary is not going to win because she is a phony who has spent decades kissing up to neocons to enrich herself and her family.
Hillary is a thousand times more likely to start wars to please her 'Bibi', and her financier Haim Saban than Trump.
Trump is much more liberal than Hillary on all social issues and he is not bought and paid for by people who have bankrupted our country through wars and wall street shenanigans.
Hillary is not going to win because she is a phony who has spent decades kissing up to neocons to enrich herself and her family.
Hillary is a thousand times more likely to start wars to please her 'Bibi', and her financier Haim Saban than Trump.
Trump is much more liberal than Hillary on all social issues and he is not bought and paid for by people who have bankrupted our country through wars and wall street shenanigans.
6
Sanders is better positioned to win against every Republican candidate. Poll after poll shows this. A vote for Clinton is a vote for a Republican, in more ways than one.
8
We'll thank you to keep your French pessimism to yourself, or join us at the barricades.
5
@Robert asked "So your position is that if the majority of Democrats in the primaries disagree with your view and select Hillary as the party's nominee, you and your fellow Sanders supporters will refuse to vote and allow a "yahoo" to become President who will dismantle Obamacare, lower taxes on the rich, gut Dodd Frank and likely ensure a conservative majority on the Supreme Court for decades. How can you square that with your progressive values?"
Easy. I have a strategic time horizon that looks beyond the next 4 or 8 years and have a firm understanding of the Senate filibuster. The Republicans have controlled all three branches of gov't in the past (2000-2006 most recently) and they will again in the future. Fine, that's how democracy works - sometimes we win; sometimes we cede leadership to others. The sky doesn't fall, especially when the other party are clowns who can't seem to govern their way out of a paper bag.
What will be irreparable is if Democrats turn into Republicans and if we as voters validate that movement. Every four years, the party says the same thing as they pat us on the head: "The furthest right candidate is the most electable. It sure is precious that you want someone to stand up for progressive values, but the adults will choose the nominee for you. You just don't get it." Well, maybe we do get it. Maybe we understand that they need us more than we need them and that they don't get to take us for granted if they dismiss our priorities.
Easy. I have a strategic time horizon that looks beyond the next 4 or 8 years and have a firm understanding of the Senate filibuster. The Republicans have controlled all three branches of gov't in the past (2000-2006 most recently) and they will again in the future. Fine, that's how democracy works - sometimes we win; sometimes we cede leadership to others. The sky doesn't fall, especially when the other party are clowns who can't seem to govern their way out of a paper bag.
What will be irreparable is if Democrats turn into Republicans and if we as voters validate that movement. Every four years, the party says the same thing as they pat us on the head: "The furthest right candidate is the most electable. It sure is precious that you want someone to stand up for progressive values, but the adults will choose the nominee for you. You just don't get it." Well, maybe we do get it. Maybe we understand that they need us more than we need them and that they don't get to take us for granted if they dismiss our priorities.
8
Hillary Clinton has stepped up her criticisms of Bernie Sanders while simultaneously adopting his positions. She is a political chameleon and always has been. By contrast, over the long arc of Sanders' political career, he has been unwavering in his commitment to ordinary people and in his brave opposition to the powerful. There is no better representation of this than when he chewed out Alen Greenspan in 2003 in a nearly empty committee room when practically no one in the press was listening, for among other things, asserting that it was of little consequence to the American economy whether things were manufactured here or overseas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3szD2m9yDk
15
I think Hillary is starting to "Feel the Bern"....
9
The Best part of Bernie's "feel the Bern" in 2016! Guess what yesterday a college held their usual forum of voting for President 2016 - they have successfully chosen the right President/Vice President for 10 plus years...
and...Bernie Sandesr won President, while MALLOY was chosen Vice-President!
Sounds like somebody has been listening to the Democrat campaign - and they did NOT hear Clinton...From the mouths of babes, hopefully this will be another win for these students!
and...Bernie Sandesr won President, while MALLOY was chosen Vice-President!
Sounds like somebody has been listening to the Democrat campaign - and they did NOT hear Clinton...From the mouths of babes, hopefully this will be another win for these students!
2
Are you kidding ??.
She is breathing fire, wishing she could burn up the only honest to goodness Presidential candidate, to appear in a very long time.
She is breathing fire, wishing she could burn up the only honest to goodness Presidential candidate, to appear in a very long time.
1
The enthusiasm for Sanders might just get out enough of the vote to change the congressional balance as well.
You can't say that about Clinton, sadly.
You vote for Clinton because you have to, and if your state isn't even close you might stay home.
You can't say that about Clinton, sadly.
You vote for Clinton because you have to, and if your state isn't even close you might stay home.
11
Voters are already stating just what the writer suggested...given only one choice, Hillary doesn't have percentage to override Sanders and Malloy...
If STILL FORCED TO VOTE FOR HILLARY, most are turning around and not voting...Kruz and Trump are NAY VOTES FROM DEMOS...
DNC better rethink this situation, or they WILL LOSE THIS ELECTION!
2
My gawd, dynasty candidates are SOOO 90's.If you think of yourself as progressive, their is only 1 progressive candidate running. Bernie has his finger on the pulse of the country. The middle class is disappearing, and this is our golden opportunity to actually Do something about it. Bernie's record speaks for itself. No super pacs, no Wall Street cronies etc. He doesn't have more $$$ than God. His genuine concern and love for his country exudes in his speeches, and for the well being of ALL it's citizens.
Burn down the mission, Bernie. It's time for SWEEPING change.
Burn down the mission, Bernie. It's time for SWEEPING change.
22
Yes NYTimes, it's time to hop off the establishment bandwagon forcing Hillary down people's throats. Obviously it hasn't been working. CWA, DFA, and now MOVEON.org have all DEMOCRATICALLY endorsed Bernie Sanders rather than some shady leaders speaking for their unions as was the recent case with PPA who's president endorsed Hillary while her daughter was already a paid employee/staffer of the Clinton Campaign. DFA and MoveOn, specifically, are ACTIVISM unions that actually get things done. DFA has 300,000 members in Iowa and NH alone and Moveon (8 million members) has announced a mobilization of 75,000 members to help out in Iowa and NewHampshire after the official endorsement was made this morning. Establishment media can't continue to ignore Bernie Sanders unless they want to risk looking really foolish in 19 days if Bernie ends up winning in early primary states.
20
Not feeling it for Bernie. He has been in Congress long enough that if he was some champion of women's rights we would have heard about it by now. Voting for never making gun manufacturer's liable? I am not getting it. He's a nice guy but I am not seeing it.
2
Gun laws in Vermont are quite liberal - one reason being that there are a lot of poor people in the state, particularly its northern reaches, who actually hunt for food and come from generations of people who only used guns for their non-murderous purposes. How many school or other mass shooting massacres have you seen occurring in Vermont?
Sanders as Vermont's representative in the Senate has taken into consideration his own state's culture, which is rather different to, say, Colorado's - where gun massacres have occurred.
Sanders as Vermont's representative in the Senate has taken into consideration his own state's culture, which is rather different to, say, Colorado's - where gun massacres have occurred.
2
He's said it time and time again. If that bill had been focused specifically on manufacturers, and not also on small brick and mortar business owners, he'd have voted for it. He was voted into congress by a constituency that relies heavily on guns as one of he most rural states in the nation.
His vote against that Bill shows nothing but integrity and a desire to vote for the interests of the people who elected him. Once president, his duty will be broadened on a national scale and his policies will reflect that.
His vote against that Bill shows nothing but integrity and a desire to vote for the interests of the people who elected him. Once president, his duty will be broadened on a national scale and his policies will reflect that.
5
If there is one thing how the Democrats are shooting themselves in the foot AGAIN this cycle, it is their rabid anti-gun agenda. Have they not learned that this is one of THE hot button issues that will bring 2nd Amendment supporters out to vote?
Bernie is the only candidate can win, exactly by NOT being owned by the anti-gun lobby.
Bernie is the only candidate can win, exactly by NOT being owned by the anti-gun lobby.
3
I'm sending another $50 to the Sanders campaign.
25
Capitalism: a system of economy that provides the capability of money to make more of itself when deposited in banks and other financial institutions.
Be careful what you want to Bern.
Be careful what you want to Bern.
1
Amend that: crony capitalism. Real free market capitalism hasn't been practiced in the West for decades: if it had been, they would have let the banks go down as they deserved. It would have been hard on everyone, but at least "everyone" would have included the banks.
3
Wrong. You don't understand capitalism. Money will only produce more money, or rather value, if the system is conducive to producing value. If there is no economy to support growth, then money in the bank will not only not grow, it will in fact lose value, as there are fewer things to buy.
The trick is to find the optimal balance. In fact, Bernie Sanders tax ideas are the one thing I vehemently disagree with him on. So uncharacteristically unimaginative of an otherwise refreshingly enlightened candidate.
The trick is to find the optimal balance. In fact, Bernie Sanders tax ideas are the one thing I vehemently disagree with him on. So uncharacteristically unimaginative of an otherwise refreshingly enlightened candidate.
1
Capitalism: a game of Monopoly, in which a small number of players, usually with psychopathic tendencies, acquire all of the resources on the board, until there is no point in playing any more.
2
Integrity, trust. We do not want to have to rely on Clinton in the White House to effect the changes that need to be made to take our country back from the .1%. She voted for the Iraq war, and then claimed she was mislead by the false intelligence that fooled everyone. That is a lie. True reports of the utter lack of an Iraqi nuclear capability, or even a program, had been abundantly available in a McClatchy newspapers series, and in the UN nuclear observers reports, and elsewhere. If I was intimately familiar with those reports, and I was, then she was, too. She was simply opportunistic, and didn't want to be on the wrong side of the very popular war hysteria being whipped up by the administration and its allies. We don't need that degree of immoral cynicism in the White House. And if she voted for war because she was unsure of, or undervalued her own perceptions in the face of what seemed to be an overwhelming preference for war, then all the more reason to reject her now as incapable of standing up to the powerful sociopaths who have been running the show. That vote was the climactic test of her integrity and resolve, and she failed it.
15
I'm a Democrat from Vermont. Even if Bernie had not partaken in this race for President I would have great trouble trusting Hillary. I just don't trust her.
26
I stopped voting for the Democrats when they forgot about joblessness in a depression economy. I will never vote for anyone named 'Clinton'. I don't care if Tamerlane or Ivan the Terrible is running on the Republican side.
In fact, I will never vote for anyone who casts off the faintest whiff of Obama/Clinton, New World Order/Ivy League politics. I will never vote for anyone the Clinton's endorse or anyone who seeks their help getting elected.
And I will never vote for anyone who doesn't put a New Deal-style jobs program on the table, paying living wages. Bernie may not be the perfect candidate, but he is the only politician in America I can even imagine voting for at this time.
The rest of the Democratic party threw everyone in economic danger under a bus in the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, while they saved the rich and the guilty and doubled down on the policies that destroy living wage work in America.
If Clinton is the Democratic party nominee, I will vote for my neighbor's dog.
In fact, I will never vote for anyone who casts off the faintest whiff of Obama/Clinton, New World Order/Ivy League politics. I will never vote for anyone the Clinton's endorse or anyone who seeks their help getting elected.
And I will never vote for anyone who doesn't put a New Deal-style jobs program on the table, paying living wages. Bernie may not be the perfect candidate, but he is the only politician in America I can even imagine voting for at this time.
The rest of the Democratic party threw everyone in economic danger under a bus in the worst economic climate since the Great Depression, while they saved the rich and the guilty and doubled down on the policies that destroy living wage work in America.
If Clinton is the Democratic party nominee, I will vote for my neighbor's dog.
21
AS i remember the New World order was Bush Sr's. logo, a true Republican idea and marketing strategy. Then Bill Clinton carried that banner when his "liberal" ideas were shot down by Congress. Yes, it is true, there is only one Political party with two offshoots. i think Bernie will change that for good.
4
Yes, Clinton stole the Republican's clothes and led the charge to turn the Democrats into Republican-lite. By 2008, most of the Democratic base were disgusted with those policies and rallied around Obama to block Hillary.
Alas, Obama turned into Clinton Mach II and doubled down on the job/wage destroying policies of the Clinton administration. Obama is the first Democrat since before FDR to refuse to create a jobs program in a recession, never mind a depression economy.
I completely agree, a Sanders victory over Clinton will flatten the tires of the DNC/Republican-lite agenda. But I never underestimate the Clinton mafia or their willingness to sabotage their own side, if Hillary isn't the Democratic nominee.
Alas, Obama turned into Clinton Mach II and doubled down on the job/wage destroying policies of the Clinton administration. Obama is the first Democrat since before FDR to refuse to create a jobs program in a recession, never mind a depression economy.
I completely agree, a Sanders victory over Clinton will flatten the tires of the DNC/Republican-lite agenda. But I never underestimate the Clinton mafia or their willingness to sabotage their own side, if Hillary isn't the Democratic nominee.
2
My sentiment entirely, and you can believe millions upon millions feel the same.
The jig is up.
The jig is up.
2
As one of Bernie's Vermont constituents, let me explain a fundamental difference between the two. At a Vermont Town Hall, Bernie usually shows up apart from his Staff and set up people. They get there in advance, Bernie drives up in a beat up old car. He used to arrive in a Saturn. Bernie supplies a meal to the attendees with his campaign money. A barbecue cookout in summer, and a catered buffet if local cooking is impractical. He charges nothing to attend.
On the other hand, the Clintons charge tens of thousands to speak. Do you think that those who paid to hear either one speak expect no consideration when she runs for office? Got a bridge to sell you.
Clinton's support is a mile wide and an inch deep. There are only three viable non neo-cons in this election cycle. Sanders, Trump and Paul. And Paul is not really very viable at this point. If nominated, I will enthusiastically support Sanders. If its Trump vs Clinton, I will non-enthusiastically support Trump. He is not really a conservative, and is unlikely to get us into new foreign adventures. If its Clinton vs someone other than Trump, I will vote for Clinton, only for the sake of the Supreme Court.
On the other hand, the Clintons charge tens of thousands to speak. Do you think that those who paid to hear either one speak expect no consideration when she runs for office? Got a bridge to sell you.
Clinton's support is a mile wide and an inch deep. There are only three viable non neo-cons in this election cycle. Sanders, Trump and Paul. And Paul is not really very viable at this point. If nominated, I will enthusiastically support Sanders. If its Trump vs Clinton, I will non-enthusiastically support Trump. He is not really a conservative, and is unlikely to get us into new foreign adventures. If its Clinton vs someone other than Trump, I will vote for Clinton, only for the sake of the Supreme Court.
9
If its Clinton against a Republican you might as well stay home.
1
Your reasoning is close to my own, with the exception that I will not vote for Hillary - or Cruz - under any circumstances, and most likely will not vote for Trump, simply because I would be coming out in hives while gearing up to do so and would thus be denied access to the polling station for fear of carrying a contagious disease.
I seriously hope that Bernie will be on the ticket, else I won't know what I'll do.
I seriously hope that Bernie will be on the ticket, else I won't know what I'll do.
5
I'm seeing the extreme enthusiasm for Bernie among young people especially in my university town. And among these many are vocally against Hillary. They tell me that if people like me who think Bernie doesn't have a chance would just get behind him then he'd have a chance. What hasn't changed is that America is still a center-right country. The majority just do not mirror those ultra liberal progressives feeling the Bern. I feel a tremendous let-down among these wonderful young people coming that will pave the way for a Republican in the White House. Hope I'm wrong.
4
Bernie Sanders, like Barack Obama 8 years ago, is becoming a household word in Iowa. Democratic caucus voters are enthusiastically welcoming the Senator from New Hamphire. His Iowa poll numbers are neck and neck with Mrs. Clinton's. Hillary is collecting committment cards from her base. Winning Iowa isn't the Democratic Party's path to the White House. In 2008, Mrs. Clinton came in third (to Obama,first, to John Edwards, second), and dropped out of that year's Presidential race, endorsing Barack Obama. John Kerry won the Iowa and NH Dem. caucuses in 2004. The yellow brick road may not be beckoning Hillary Clinton to the Emerald City of DC. Winners of GOP caucuses in Iowa in 2004 and 2008 were Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum, both a far cry from the Presidency. Today's GOP candidates leading in Iowa and New Hampshire - and hopefully a far cry from the RNC nomination are front-runners Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. In short, no prognostications, bones-throwing, dire predictions from talking heads about Iowa and New Hampshire till the die is cast, till the returns are in and until the last caucus dogs die next month before March's Super Tuesday.
3
If only the population of Vermont was not 95.3% white and the economy of Vermont was better...
2
And your point is what?
1
There are just so many jarring things about Hillary, things that make you ask whose side she is really on. Her vote for the Iraq war still resonates, and her more recent opposition to restoration of the Glass-Steagall Act, when its repeal was clearly the largest factor in the second great depression of 2008, are clear signs that she is not who she is running as. You can say the same thing about Obama- run as a liberal, but govern as a moderate Republican.
With Bernie Sanders there is no doubt who and what you're getting. He has always been a liberal. His record is clear and unwavering. It's time to see what a truly liberal president can do.
With Bernie Sanders there is no doubt who and what you're getting. He has always been a liberal. His record is clear and unwavering. It's time to see what a truly liberal president can do.
11
Glass-Steagall was killed because it prevented banks from hedging their mortgage-backed securities against interest rate risk.
This is what Hillary gets for not playing nice.
3
In thinking about things, I keep going back to the way the candidates are covered in the media. Mr. Sanders is all about the working person, but the media doesn't seem to be able to or want to recognize that. They want to keep things simple for the moronic electorate. To them Bernie is a socialist, who will never win the Presidency. Trump is a son of a b who will never win the Presidency. The media is in bed with the establishment. In many ways, they have the most to lose and can not be relied upon to deliver the goods, facts, or actual story. This includes the NY Times, who have given Mr. Sanders short shrift, compared with what they have given Ms. Hillary. Not that there is anything really wrong with the lady, but she is kind of money grubber and an elitist, when we need a some one who is willing to work for the middle class. She comes across as a Wall Streeter, who is now saying things about which she will never have to deliver. This may be about the Presidency, but it is really about the House and the Senate, too, and the media needs to do more if it wants to retain any sense of credibility.
4
I believe that Democrats and all Americans have tired of Hillary. She's worn out. She worn out her welcome too. Her message always is the same old same old. "I want to be the first woman president." She offers no new vision, no excitement, and no record of standing up for the middle class. Under her watch as Secretary of State she had little or no influence on Mr. Obama. She tread lightly to keep his support for her run for the presidency. That is not a valid reason not to objected to his stands on falling to lead in the Mid-East, abandoning the middle class, especially the aging baby boomers, for total failure in Benghazi where her fear of acting cost the lives of 4 Americans including the United States Ambassador.
The worst part of Ms. Clinton is her failure to address her own role in the North American Free Trade Agreement that destroyed millions of American jobs. That failure alone did more damage to the American middle class than anything else. We also should consider the look of fear in her face during the operation against Osama bin Laden. That was not a look of confidence. A fearful president cannot lead.
Hillary abandoned America for her personal gain. And its very, very obvious to everyone. We don't anyone with the baggage of Ms. Clinton. Bernie Sanders has always been steadfastly for America first. He's not running for himself. He's running for us, all of us.
Hillary! Stand down. Go home. Go away. No more Clintons in the White House. Bernie! Stand fast!
The worst part of Ms. Clinton is her failure to address her own role in the North American Free Trade Agreement that destroyed millions of American jobs. That failure alone did more damage to the American middle class than anything else. We also should consider the look of fear in her face during the operation against Osama bin Laden. That was not a look of confidence. A fearful president cannot lead.
Hillary abandoned America for her personal gain. And its very, very obvious to everyone. We don't anyone with the baggage of Ms. Clinton. Bernie Sanders has always been steadfastly for America first. He's not running for himself. He's running for us, all of us.
Hillary! Stand down. Go home. Go away. No more Clintons in the White House. Bernie! Stand fast!
11
Regarding NAFTA, when I go to Walmart, I don't see "Made in Mexico." I see "Made in China."
1
Take a look at where most of your produce comes from these days.
If Elizabeth Warren changes her mind and declares her candidacy, Hillary's campaign will end by suppertime and Bernie's by bedtime.
3
And a Republican will be the next President. Any Repubican.
Sure. And if FDR came back from the dead, and chose a resurrected JFK as his running mate...
2
Hilary has the intellectual prowess, experience and reform minded inclination (at least to the extend congress will allow). Unfortunately she lacks charm, warmth and a sense of genuine excitement. Somewhat understandable given the beating she has taken in the media and the exponentially high standard to which she is held in comparison with Trump.
What Trump's appeal on the right and Sander's appeal on the left demonstrate is the antipathy of large numbers of Americans for career politicians - a.k.a. Washington insiders or what they view as the self-serving establishment.
Hilary will not help her cause in Iowa or anywhere else by running down Sanders. He exudes honesty, integrity and empathy for the underdog. If she does win the nomination, she would be foolish not to make Bernie her VP nominee. Moreover, she needs to embrace Sander's 'new deal' philosophy that is resonating so well with Americans who feel left out of the economic recovery.
In the meantime if she wants a lightening rod for her indignation with Congress and the GOP, she should target Cruz. Trump is more opportunist than hard core conservative - which is why the GOP establishment resent him so much. If he wins the nomination, he will move quickly to the left to seize the moderate Reagan vote in an effort to outflank Hilary. Cruz on the other hand is the real deal. HIs mean spirited, divisive, backward ideology would be worse for America than even the Bush/Cheney legacy.
What Trump's appeal on the right and Sander's appeal on the left demonstrate is the antipathy of large numbers of Americans for career politicians - a.k.a. Washington insiders or what they view as the self-serving establishment.
Hilary will not help her cause in Iowa or anywhere else by running down Sanders. He exudes honesty, integrity and empathy for the underdog. If she does win the nomination, she would be foolish not to make Bernie her VP nominee. Moreover, she needs to embrace Sander's 'new deal' philosophy that is resonating so well with Americans who feel left out of the economic recovery.
In the meantime if she wants a lightening rod for her indignation with Congress and the GOP, she should target Cruz. Trump is more opportunist than hard core conservative - which is why the GOP establishment resent him so much. If he wins the nomination, he will move quickly to the left to seize the moderate Reagan vote in an effort to outflank Hilary. Cruz on the other hand is the real deal. HIs mean spirited, divisive, backward ideology would be worse for America than even the Bush/Cheney legacy.
3
A difficulty for Bernie is that he appeals to thinking voters with information.
As Adlai Stevenson supposedly said when a fan told him he had the support of all thinking voters, he responded, "Madam, I need more than that, I need a majority."
As Adlai Stevenson supposedly said when a fan told him he had the support of all thinking voters, he responded, "Madam, I need more than that, I need a majority."
10
I think the unenlightened majority in that time elected the best President.
Egg on the face of the mainstream media! Would you all please just find the real news and report it in depth which is my reason for subscribing to the NYT? I don't want you or any other media outlet to take it upon yourselves to mold my thinking with your muddled attempts at defending our very sorry status quo. Please , oh please NYT learn how to truly feel the Bern as so many of us out here in voter land do.
25
And it worries the establishment a lot.
Very good! People are about to take this country back from you.
Very good! People are about to take this country back from you.
17
My 83 year old father hasn't voted for a Presidential candidate since JFK. Last night he announced enthusiastically that he was going to vote for Bernie in the Michigan primary, even though he likely won't live long enough to see real change effected. But he's doing it for me and my kids. That pretty much sums up the current race.
Feel the Bern.
Feel the Bern.
30
My dad's 83, too, and said if Sanders didn't get on the ballot, he would write him in! But my dad has been mostly Democrat for decades.
5
I don't understand the thing about him not having voted for Pres since JFK, but now he will vote, "for me and my kids." He hasn't cared about you or your kids since 1960?
Yes go Bernie, there us ni hope for more equality with HRC!
11
What's not to like about Bernie?
What's to like about Hillary?
What's obvious to the expert is obvious to the amateur. I put a thousand dollars down on Bernie last March when the odds in London were fabulous.
It's a wonderful thing sometimes when this country goes organic and reaches for what it needs.
People who haven't been educated for one reason or another think that Trump, Cruz or Rubio -- the pandering Know Nothings -- are the solution but, no, they are the problem. More military, more billionaires, no checks on global warming...etc.
What we need in this country is another good FDR or someone with the ability to see clearly what is happening and the guts and integrity to act on it.
FDR was a wily political fox but the man had such vision, heart and confidence. Bernie has all that, too. But what he may not have is a '32 landslide -- especially if the Republicans go moderate -- moderate for them.
I'm on the edge of my chair. This is the real Super Bowl.
PS: To my fellow Bernie voters --- Please relax and Quite whining about the NYTimes' coverage -- they are covering it the way newspapers have to operate by their very nature. They can't lead, get ahead of the population or in any way jeopardize their brand -- that would just be suicide. But when the chips are down, who do you think they'll endorse? Between Bernie and Hill, how's Maureen Dowd gonna vote?
And the rest of the staff?
I'll take them as a jury any time.
What's to like about Hillary?
What's obvious to the expert is obvious to the amateur. I put a thousand dollars down on Bernie last March when the odds in London were fabulous.
It's a wonderful thing sometimes when this country goes organic and reaches for what it needs.
People who haven't been educated for one reason or another think that Trump, Cruz or Rubio -- the pandering Know Nothings -- are the solution but, no, they are the problem. More military, more billionaires, no checks on global warming...etc.
What we need in this country is another good FDR or someone with the ability to see clearly what is happening and the guts and integrity to act on it.
FDR was a wily political fox but the man had such vision, heart and confidence. Bernie has all that, too. But what he may not have is a '32 landslide -- especially if the Republicans go moderate -- moderate for them.
I'm on the edge of my chair. This is the real Super Bowl.
PS: To my fellow Bernie voters --- Please relax and Quite whining about the NYTimes' coverage -- they are covering it the way newspapers have to operate by their very nature. They can't lead, get ahead of the population or in any way jeopardize their brand -- that would just be suicide. But when the chips are down, who do you think they'll endorse? Between Bernie and Hill, how's Maureen Dowd gonna vote?
And the rest of the staff?
I'll take them as a jury any time.
8
It's shocking that Clinton, with all her political know-how, should have been so short sighted as to adopt a "Rose Garden" strategy early on and keep the press at arm's length.
Yes, they would have asked her about Benghazi. Yes, they would have asked her about emails. Yes, they would have asked her about her husband's philandering. But she should have anticipated all of this and confronted it openly and often to get it out of the way instead of ignoring it.
Yes, they would have asked her about Benghazi. Yes, they would have asked her about emails. Yes, they would have asked her about her husband's philandering. But she should have anticipated all of this and confronted it openly and often to get it out of the way instead of ignoring it.
8
She had no other choice. Her only choices, if asked, would be to lie as the truth would reveal her as incompetent and lacking in integrity.
4
I prefer Senator Sanders but could certainly support Senator Clinton as well. I think the real contrast is between Clinton & Sanders and their contest and the Republican one.
The Democratic contest has featured 2 candidates who have been very clear on their policy prescriptions for america. The contest has been generally issue based and predominantly respectful. Also when pointing our differences between their positions and the Republicans the dialogue has been factual and policy based.
Contrast this to the Republican primary. It has been theatrical, almost absent of any serious policy proposal by any candidate and full of half truths towards the President, all 3 democratic candidates and even their fellow Republican candidates.
While one contest has been adult and measured the other has been has been one of fantasy, fiction, scare tactics and attempted magic shows.
No matter who wins each contest, who would you feel better about leading our country and being commander in chief of the most powerful nation on earth? The contrast couldn't be more clear.
The Democratic contest has featured 2 candidates who have been very clear on their policy prescriptions for america. The contest has been generally issue based and predominantly respectful. Also when pointing our differences between their positions and the Republicans the dialogue has been factual and policy based.
Contrast this to the Republican primary. It has been theatrical, almost absent of any serious policy proposal by any candidate and full of half truths towards the President, all 3 democratic candidates and even their fellow Republican candidates.
While one contest has been adult and measured the other has been has been one of fantasy, fiction, scare tactics and attempted magic shows.
No matter who wins each contest, who would you feel better about leading our country and being commander in chief of the most powerful nation on earth? The contrast couldn't be more clear.
64
Re: Iowans’ Passion for Sanders Worries Clinton
It should. Hillary is way too deep into the network of the rich.
Just look on how the Clintons made $ 139 million in personal income over the last seven years. Legally by giving canned 1 hour speeches at $ 300 000 and up, de facto by selling options to the very rich of having access to political power should Hillary become President.
There is a remote possibility that she will bite the hand that fed her so lavishly should she become so, but I would rather not take the chance.
Go Bernie !
It should. Hillary is way too deep into the network of the rich.
Just look on how the Clintons made $ 139 million in personal income over the last seven years. Legally by giving canned 1 hour speeches at $ 300 000 and up, de facto by selling options to the very rich of having access to political power should Hillary become President.
There is a remote possibility that she will bite the hand that fed her so lavishly should she become so, but I would rather not take the chance.
Go Bernie !
36
Consider this: I can think of over a dozen thought leaders (Kucinich and Warner among them) who would propel Sanders into the White House on a mountain of enthusiasm - and NONE of them would ever agree to stand by Hillary's side as a supporter...
Now that the Clinton Initiative and ServerGate has had a chance to enter Phase II, she's going to need all that campaign money she's been grifting to stay out of jail.
Now that the Clinton Initiative and ServerGate has had a chance to enter Phase II, she's going to need all that campaign money she's been grifting to stay out of jail.
10
I turned 21 in 1967 and the first time I registered to vote was with the Peace and Freedom party. We all know how that turned out. My generation, like every generation since the beginning of time got our very own war. I was naive enough to believe that we were going to stop the VN war. . and all wars forever. From Johnson, to Nixon, to Reagan, to the Bushes, all we've had is war. It feels like we've been at war my entire life.
I consider myself a progressive. I voted for Obama twice, and I will never vote for Hillary. Obama was a pretty good president, but voting for her would seem like his third term. I am done voting for the lessor of two evils or the "electable candidate." Bernie can win in 2016 if Democrats and a few independents will just come out and vote
I consider myself a progressive. I voted for Obama twice, and I will never vote for Hillary. Obama was a pretty good president, but voting for her would seem like his third term. I am done voting for the lessor of two evils or the "electable candidate." Bernie can win in 2016 if Democrats and a few independents will just come out and vote
43
How can you not vote for Bernie. The guy is from Brooklyn and tells the truth.
36
If Bernie Sanders is not the Democratic nomination for president, I have committed to writing in Bernie's name, or voting for the green party candidate. I find it deplorable to threaten progressives with the "GOP will be in the white house again if you don't vote for HRC" bit. We do have other choices, and we don't have to vote for anyone we don't want! Stop with the fear-mongling there please, it's very corrosive to the overall DNC morale, and tends to provoke stubborn idealism.
36
It's not that the GOP will be in the White House if you don't vote for Hillary. It's that they'll be there if you don't support whoever is the Democratic Party nominee. Remember Ralph Nader. Remember George Bush. Don't repeat that horrendous mistake.
5
I think that approach makes sense in the primaries, but the unfortunate reality is that a strong third party candidate always loses the election for the party they are closest to. If Trump runs as an independent, for example, the GOP will most definitely lose.
3
I understand your sentiment.
Please consider that George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes, won the electoral college even though he didn't win the popular vote.
At the same time, Ralph Nader got 97,000 votes in Florida.
Please consider that George W. Bush won Florida by 537 votes, won the electoral college even though he didn't win the popular vote.
At the same time, Ralph Nader got 97,000 votes in Florida.
3
Hillary Clinton's 3:00AM phone call; the reality, it's happening again.
Slipped away to the very real Sanders.
Slipped away to the very real Sanders.
16
Clinton still has not said why she wants to run for President, or what she'll do when she gets there.
9
The Democrats now have a choice: continue to embrace the centrism of the past 25 years represented by the Clintons, or join Bernie to move the party back to its historic roots as the champions of working people and the poor. It's been a long time comin'.
49
"Did you get to touch him?" Sounds like victory to me. Even better for Sanders than the "jumpers" were for JFK. Here's what Hillary can do to win:
1) Find something she truly believes in with a passion and will fight ferociously for, as only she can, and make that her theme at every stop;
2) Speak with authentic emotional passion and commitment every time she utters a word on the campaign trail;
3) Speak always and only in her true voice; she has begun to sound like a robot because she approaches her material in too cerebral a way; it sounds memorized and disconnected from her true self, her passion;
4) Every speech must be about what she passionately wants for America and its people; for example: "Here's how my commitment to doing X will help you put foood in the stomach, clothes on the back, and a roof over the head for you and your loved ones and here's what will give you reason to hope and make achievable plans for the future";
5) Let herself be wholly known: As Arthur Miller wrote about Eddie Carbone in "View From the Bridge": "… Even as I know how wrong he was … I tremble, for I confess that something perversely pure calls to me from [him] ... not purely good, but himself purely, because he allowed himself to be wholly known and for that I think I will love him more than all my sensible clients." That willingness to be "wholly known" is what gives Sanders and Trump their extraordinary appeal, every bit as much as much as the anger of their supporters.
1) Find something she truly believes in with a passion and will fight ferociously for, as only she can, and make that her theme at every stop;
2) Speak with authentic emotional passion and commitment every time she utters a word on the campaign trail;
3) Speak always and only in her true voice; she has begun to sound like a robot because she approaches her material in too cerebral a way; it sounds memorized and disconnected from her true self, her passion;
4) Every speech must be about what she passionately wants for America and its people; for example: "Here's how my commitment to doing X will help you put foood in the stomach, clothes on the back, and a roof over the head for you and your loved ones and here's what will give you reason to hope and make achievable plans for the future";
5) Let herself be wholly known: As Arthur Miller wrote about Eddie Carbone in "View From the Bridge": "… Even as I know how wrong he was … I tremble, for I confess that something perversely pure calls to me from [him] ... not purely good, but himself purely, because he allowed himself to be wholly known and for that I think I will love him more than all my sensible clients." That willingness to be "wholly known" is what gives Sanders and Trump their extraordinary appeal, every bit as much as much as the anger of their supporters.
8
As unbelievable as it would have seemed to me even six months ago, I think she's done. Amazing. People just don't like her very much. It's tough to get past that.
23
Answer me this, Sanders supporters: does Bernie have the experience to run an executive office? Given the gridlock in Congress, would he be able to implement any of his ideas -- let alone pass them in the House and Senate? Can he get the ground running on Day 1 of his Presidency by sourcing the right candidates for top posts in the Cabinet and various agencies? Will he be able to build rapport with other world leaders?
The answer is a big fat NO.
For the record, until recently, Bernie did not even have a section on his website for foreign policy issues. It's time the Democratic electorate took its blinders off. The difference between Hillary's and Bernie's policy positions is miniscule. They are both on the "left" side of this debate. But Hillary is vastly more qualified than Bernie. That's why she deserves your vote.
The answer is a big fat NO.
For the record, until recently, Bernie did not even have a section on his website for foreign policy issues. It's time the Democratic electorate took its blinders off. The difference between Hillary's and Bernie's policy positions is miniscule. They are both on the "left" side of this debate. But Hillary is vastly more qualified than Bernie. That's why she deserves your vote.
7
Didn't stop Democrats from electing Obama.
2
You are misguided. I'll explain why. Bernie Sanders has 32 years of elected experience, as mayor of Burlington, Vt, and then, more important, in the US House of Representatives, and then the US Senate. As for the gridlock in Congress, well, the GOP has been about as obstructionist as you can get during the Obama administration, from Day 1. The Sanders campaign, as he constantly reminds his audiences, is about more than just him as President. It's about created a revolution, that is a critical mass of politically engaged people who can not only elect Presidents, but more important, reclaim our government. And as for your assertion that Bernie can't step up to the plate on foreign policy, I beg to differ. He can do a heck of a lot better than HRC or even Obama have done, because he understands that we cannot afford to be engaged in endless wars, killing off and wounding the young of our society to protect the oil profits for the Halliburtons of the country.
8
Ma'am, there's a vast difference between elected and executive experience.
Certainly, Sen. Sanders was mayor of Burlington. With all due respect, Burlington has 40,000 residents and a budget of $170 million. The State Department, which Sec. Clinton managed, in contrast, has 69,000 employees and a budget of $65.9 billion. There is no comparison; Sec. Clinton has far more executive leadership experience.
I have an immense amount of respect for Sen. Sanders and for the campaign he is running. He clearly understands and has been able to channel the anger that Americans experience in their daily lives. But I fear that he will not be able to deliver on a single promise he has made. And the issue is that we need solutions NOW and there is only one candidate in this entire race who is prepared to work the moment she enters office.
Furthermore, if you had read anything about Clinton's foreign policy agenda, you would have known how she has championed "smart power" strategies, which encourage alliance-making and coalition-building. So, you would not see pointless and protracted (if any) US intervention under a Clinton administration. This would contrast with Sen. Sanders' strategy, which involves putting some wool in his ears and pretending problems don't exist beyond US borders.
Certainly, Sen. Sanders was mayor of Burlington. With all due respect, Burlington has 40,000 residents and a budget of $170 million. The State Department, which Sec. Clinton managed, in contrast, has 69,000 employees and a budget of $65.9 billion. There is no comparison; Sec. Clinton has far more executive leadership experience.
I have an immense amount of respect for Sen. Sanders and for the campaign he is running. He clearly understands and has been able to channel the anger that Americans experience in their daily lives. But I fear that he will not be able to deliver on a single promise he has made. And the issue is that we need solutions NOW and there is only one candidate in this entire race who is prepared to work the moment she enters office.
Furthermore, if you had read anything about Clinton's foreign policy agenda, you would have known how she has championed "smart power" strategies, which encourage alliance-making and coalition-building. So, you would not see pointless and protracted (if any) US intervention under a Clinton administration. This would contrast with Sen. Sanders' strategy, which involves putting some wool in his ears and pretending problems don't exist beyond US borders.
Sanders is focused, energetic, and prepared to fight. Clinton thus far seems lethargic, calculated and unprepared. Sanders leaves no doubt who should not vote for him. Clinton has politics as usual responses ("Who should like me? Everyone!"). Sanders has concrete proposals for breaking up too big to fail banks and taxing speculative trades. Clinton has "Cut it out" and vaguely articulated proposals on regulating shadow banking. Sanders says "Wall Street regulates Congress". Clinton has "I'm just like your grandma". Sanders challenges hecklers ("Here's a guy very concerned about Trumps continued wealth"). Clinton ("You are very rude and I am not calling on you anymore"). Perhaps most importantly in this sound bite oriented environment, Sanders appears ready to take on the bloviating blowhard GOP, Clinton appears as if she would be overmatched, reminiscent of Reagan vs. Carter. Sanders no doubt would be a worthy successor to President Obama. Perhaps Clinton would be as well. Of course either would be vastly superior to anything the GOP has to offer.
6
We know Sanders' approach will help all middle class and poor including those who support Trump even if the Trump supporters don't know it.
We also say the same thing as Trump supporters that "we need to take our country back."
When Trump supporters say it, they mean take it back from illegal Mexicans and liberals.
When Sanders supporters say it, they mean take it back from Wall St., the military industrial complex, and the neocons.
We also say the same thing as Trump supporters that "we need to take our country back."
When Trump supporters say it, they mean take it back from illegal Mexicans and liberals.
When Sanders supporters say it, they mean take it back from Wall St., the military industrial complex, and the neocons.
23
Finally, a story about Bernie in the Times that actually depicts him as a serious candidate and lays out the facts on the ground. And sure enough, once you start doing some real reporting it's impossible not to see him as a powerful candidate. Now, about that picture of his head…obviously, the authors of the piece had no input on the photo that would accompany it.
14
A SuperPAC is a wonderful thing. You can buy just about anything with it. The only thjng you can 't buy with it is...enthusiasm.
34
Sanders' campaign is going to have an interesting side-effect - it is going to be a case study for the decreasing importance of the media. In short, Sanders is succeeding despite either having virtually no MSM coverage, or being the target of slanted commentary.
Glad to see the NYT actually giving Sanders some coverage, and some positive coverage. Media outlets that are seen as being biased are going to watch their younger audiences leave in droves.
Politics are about disintermediation now.
Glad to see the NYT actually giving Sanders some coverage, and some positive coverage. Media outlets that are seen as being biased are going to watch their younger audiences leave in droves.
Politics are about disintermediation now.
33
Interesting point - very much like what happened with the media's point of view on the migrant crisis in Europe, which saw most of the BTL comments even on The Guardian and The Independent come out against those organs' stated positions that Europe should take them all in no matter what.
1
There is a reason voters rejected Hillary in 2008 and will do so in 2016. Bernie, on the other hand, inspires passion that we have not seen in decades. I have never been so excited about a candidate in my life. I have never donated to a campaign before Bernie Sanders and I am 57 years old and life time Democrat. I will continue to donate and spread the word about him. I couldn't do this for Hillary. Just the thought of being left with the choice of one of the crazy GOP candidates and Hillary is enough to make me want to give up forever. I am that fed up with politics as usual and, for me, Bernie is our last chance and only hope.
48
Hillary reminds me of Tracy Flick in the 1999 movie, Election. She is someone who is absolutely driven, but not very ethical or likable.
I voted for Bill Clinton twice. At the time I told friends I would have easily voted for Hillary instead of Bill. However, in the intervening years my opinion of her has dropped steadily. The scandals, the sense of entitlement, the ever-shifting views based on polls, it all adds up to a person I can't trust. I am still hoping for Joe to jump back in. If not, Bernie! Bernie!
I voted for Bill Clinton twice. At the time I told friends I would have easily voted for Hillary instead of Bill. However, in the intervening years my opinion of her has dropped steadily. The scandals, the sense of entitlement, the ever-shifting views based on polls, it all adds up to a person I can't trust. I am still hoping for Joe to jump back in. If not, Bernie! Bernie!
12
Until Bernie, Jimmy Carter was the only presidential candidate that I wanted to vote for. I want to vote for Bernie. I'll vote for Hillary because I may need to.
3
I was watching a meeting with seniors Bernie did in Iowa a few days ago and an older man with a cracking voice said something like "I was born in the 30's and we had a lot of these problems then and FDR addressed them and i never thought that in my life I'd ever have the chance again to see an FDR run for president, but here you are. And I hope to hell you win." And you could just hear the sincerity and emotion crackling in his voice and I was in tears, I look at my boyfriend and he's in tears....Hillary Clinton cannot counter that kind of energy with establishment surrogates and an electability argument that frankly, when one looks at the polls, doesn't hold up. Bernie is doing what he did to succeed as a third party candidate against the establishment in Vermont. He is tapping into folk's real needs and feelings and building a coalition from many walks of life powered by heart and dogged determination. Not an easy thing to beat.
63
Your comment reflects precisely why Mr. Sanders will be our next President.
The people gave the charlatans a good long run, hoping one of them was the real deal, failed miserably by the latest pretender, Obama, and now understand they can no longer trust their future to a group of elites, who will lie, cheat and manipulate repeatedly, to stay in power.
The people gave the charlatans a good long run, hoping one of them was the real deal, failed miserably by the latest pretender, Obama, and now understand they can no longer trust their future to a group of elites, who will lie, cheat and manipulate repeatedly, to stay in power.
1
This article inspired me to give Bernie yet another donation. The article about a Sander's campaign worker getting voter data from Clinton's files made me do the same (rather than making me distrust Bernie, it made me question Hillary). I am proud to be one of the millions of "little people" acting as a counterbalance to the multitude of monolithic superpacs.
While everyone was swept up in the hopeful dream of Obama, I found myself immediately disappointed by his lineup of economic advisors. Sanders has already made it clear that he will not be looking through the revolving door of wall street to government to fill any posts.
I was disappointed that Obama did not use his bully pulpit to energize all those who wanted to continue to work for him after his election. He used social media wonderfully during his campaign, but did not continue to mobilize his followers in an effort to get policy passed. I believe that Sanders not only has the kind of passionate support Obama had in 2008, but will continue to use it as a tool to help him work with/battle with congress to get his policies passed. In order for real change to happen, politics has to become more than just politicians discussing amongst themselves (and large donors). Elected officials need to harness the power and passions of the populace to bring about reforms that corporations/ 0.1% want. Bernie knows this and this is how he will bring the change Obama promise into fruition.
While everyone was swept up in the hopeful dream of Obama, I found myself immediately disappointed by his lineup of economic advisors. Sanders has already made it clear that he will not be looking through the revolving door of wall street to government to fill any posts.
I was disappointed that Obama did not use his bully pulpit to energize all those who wanted to continue to work for him after his election. He used social media wonderfully during his campaign, but did not continue to mobilize his followers in an effort to get policy passed. I believe that Sanders not only has the kind of passionate support Obama had in 2008, but will continue to use it as a tool to help him work with/battle with congress to get his policies passed. In order for real change to happen, politics has to become more than just politicians discussing amongst themselves (and large donors). Elected officials need to harness the power and passions of the populace to bring about reforms that corporations/ 0.1% want. Bernie knows this and this is how he will bring the change Obama promise into fruition.
44
Apart from his wonderful passion, huge heart and spot-on instincts about policy and reform, Bernie is just so lovable. I don't mean to overlook the seriousness of his positions and his uniqueness with regard to the kind of leadership he has to offer. But he also fires up dog-cuddling and romping instincts, and I bet that a lot of people who get close enough would love to put their hands in that silvery mop and give it a good frisk. If there's not a Bernie doll yet, you know there will be one, with Einstein hair and a craggy, outstretched finger. I'd like to give him a big hug and to thank him from the bottom of my heart.
It is an extraordinary combination, to command so much sober respect and yet also to be so personally endearing. I will relish casting my vote for Bernie Sanders.
It is an extraordinary combination, to command so much sober respect and yet also to be so personally endearing. I will relish casting my vote for Bernie Sanders.
32
I would have thought that the chill up your leg that you had for Obama might have been enough to make you skeptical of that but I guess not. As someone who thinks it is time for a Republican President I do hope Bernie gets the nomination. The beating will be immense.
1
No more oligarchies, no more dynasty, and certainly no more clinton dynasty. #FEELTHEBERN
26
I'm a democrat from Vermont. And I agree.
5
I remain unconvinced that Sanders or Clinton will be able to win the general election. That assumption - that a Democrat will, by their virtue of not being as bad as the Republican, automatically win the election - isn't a particularly strong assumption. It's the Republican's race to lose.
What I do remain convinced of is that Sanders' candidacy will push Overton's window leftward and open the national debate considerably. The gulf between the two extremes of American politics will be wider than before, but both camps will be left unsatisfied by whomever wins the election.
This is a nasty election with nasty implications for all of us. The gridlock, corruption and partisanship isn't going anywhere without a long and concerted effort by voters and activists to de-corporatize the government. It's far more important to focus on state-level elections than who gets the executive office. We're quickly falling into the old tried-and-tested cultural mores that got us into this mess - once election day is over, it's out-of-sight and out-of-mind and voter turnout hovers in the 30-40% range during midterms with a slight bump for the presidential election.
When we don't even agree on what our problems are, it's hard to solve them.
What I do remain convinced of is that Sanders' candidacy will push Overton's window leftward and open the national debate considerably. The gulf between the two extremes of American politics will be wider than before, but both camps will be left unsatisfied by whomever wins the election.
This is a nasty election with nasty implications for all of us. The gridlock, corruption and partisanship isn't going anywhere without a long and concerted effort by voters and activists to de-corporatize the government. It's far more important to focus on state-level elections than who gets the executive office. We're quickly falling into the old tried-and-tested cultural mores that got us into this mess - once election day is over, it's out-of-sight and out-of-mind and voter turnout hovers in the 30-40% range during midterms with a slight bump for the presidential election.
When we don't even agree on what our problems are, it's hard to solve them.
3
The most lefty liberals are thrilled with Sanders. But they really are not thinking about how he will play in the flyover states, or among working class Americans. Sanders is a Marxist Socialist. He honeymoon in the USSR for god's sake. Some of his ideas sound OK on paper -- others are ridiculous (free college?) -- but I have watched him in interviews and candid videos. He's very cranky and he doesn't have a warm, sunny personality. He gets angry if people question him. He's intelligent, but he doesn't express himself that well. He gets testy with people, and he certainly does not have Obama's famous "patience" (or if you prefer, lethargy).
Up till now, there has been a great deal of polite give-and-take between Sanders and Clinton -- but I suspect the gloves will come off shortly, especially if Sanders wins Iowa. We saw "angry Hillary" in 2008 and that was kinda scary.
Put on your seat belts. This will be a bumpy ride.
Up till now, there has been a great deal of polite give-and-take between Sanders and Clinton -- but I suspect the gloves will come off shortly, especially if Sanders wins Iowa. We saw "angry Hillary" in 2008 and that was kinda scary.
Put on your seat belts. This will be a bumpy ride.
I'll probably vote for Hillary Clinton 1) as insurance against any of the Republicans running, especially Trump, Cruz, Rubio, or Christie; and 2) because if elected she would become our first woman president.
Having said that, I feel little enthusiasm for her candidacy. I believe she will be an excellent steward of the country, but I also worry about her neoconservative leanings, her links to Wall Street, and the political triaging that she and her husband are so known for.
If she had been elected in 2008 would we have gotten the health care bill? Would we have gotten something akin to Dodd-Frank? Or would we have ended up with a Simpson-Bowles style system that is clearly a direct continuation of her husband's policies at the end of the 1990s?
I just don't know what we're getting with Hillary. With the GOP candidates it'll be more financial disaster and warmaking. With Bernie Sanders it could be a more progressive shift from the Obama years. But with Hillary Clinton, I just don't know. I'll still vote for her next November, if she's the nominee.
Having said that, I feel little enthusiasm for her candidacy. I believe she will be an excellent steward of the country, but I also worry about her neoconservative leanings, her links to Wall Street, and the political triaging that she and her husband are so known for.
If she had been elected in 2008 would we have gotten the health care bill? Would we have gotten something akin to Dodd-Frank? Or would we have ended up with a Simpson-Bowles style system that is clearly a direct continuation of her husband's policies at the end of the 1990s?
I just don't know what we're getting with Hillary. With the GOP candidates it'll be more financial disaster and warmaking. With Bernie Sanders it could be a more progressive shift from the Obama years. But with Hillary Clinton, I just don't know. I'll still vote for her next November, if she's the nominee.
3
Don't underestimate the immediate slowdown of regulation that took place as soon as Bush took over from Clinton.
2
I think it's pretty clear what she will do but she doesn't appeal to emotions and get the public riled up like Sanders and Trump. Which is why we should vote for her. Sad, how the media, Sanders supporters (many unwittingly), and Republicans have skewered her and created sexist stereotypes of her for being an experienced statesman, smart politician, and fundraiser. But those attributes are, well, so BORING and predictable. Definitely not sexy- what I think some expect from a female candidate. When I THINK about the issues-terrorism, inequality, etc,- it's obvious she's the most qualified to address them and work with an entrenched Congress. Sanders can talk about equality but couldn't possibly understand it like a woman/HRC, who has fought for it her whole life!
1
If you didn't support Sarah Palin, and don't support Carly Fiorina, then why support Hillary when you can vote for Bernie? We'll get a chance to elect a woman you can be enthusiastic about, but until then put Hillary to the side, just as we did with Sarah Palin and Carly Fiorina. Hillary may be better than the Republicans, but this year you should feel the Bern.
3
Today's Quinnipiac University poll:
"The Iowa Democratic Caucus is going down to the wire as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wins the support of 49 percent of likely Democratic Caucus participants, with 44 percent for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 4 percent for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley."
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/iow...
"The Iowa Democratic Caucus is going down to the wire as Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wins the support of 49 percent of likely Democratic Caucus participants, with 44 percent for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and 4 percent for former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley."
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/news-and-events/quinnipiac-university-poll/iow...
30
Interesting, except most polls are WRONG.
Concerned Citizen: In the end, the only poll that counts is the one on primary/caucus day. But it's also true that the very same polls that were being used to dismiss Bernie Sanders as an unelectable kook are all of a sudden irrelevant after they put him ahead of Clinton. Funny how that works.
1
Better late than never- thank you for seriously acknowledging that Bernie Sanders and his message are steadily growing in popularity. It has been appalling how much coverage has been given to bluster and bigotry while Bernie Sanders legitimate ideas (and public enthusiasm for them) has been under reported.
60
The disparity in print coverage has been amazing, given huge turnouts and the contributions to Sander's campaign.
51
it's that "follow the money" mentality.
3
Clinton is a leech. Once again, we have a rich embedded politician thinking only about herself, is now realizing just how much a threat Bernie is and tries to bury him with false allegations. This woman is the epitome of a rich spin-doctor and she will say and do anything to not make waves and get our vote. I say - no way and go home Clinton.
35
During the next week Hillary will reveal how her parents originally wanted to name her Bernie, you know, Bernie Sanders Rodham. How her distant uncle is Jewish, and an avowed socialist, independent Senator. She will then refer us to the detailed plan about all of that she has posted on her website.
If you wanted to see how idealism ages, you just have to see these two candidates. Do you drink from the clay cup of a carpenter or the gem-encrusted golden chalice of a royal?... Choose wisely.
If you wanted to see how idealism ages, you just have to see these two candidates. Do you drink from the clay cup of a carpenter or the gem-encrusted golden chalice of a royal?... Choose wisely.
43
The enthusiam gap Hillary has with Bernie will be hard to close, considering that economic disparity is the most relevant issue facing the world today. Bernie isn't a millionaire, nor does he represent them, while on the other hand, the Clintons have garneted tens of $millions in speaking fees from their global charity's corporate sponsors. If it comes down to who is more credible and better suited to fight econonmic disparity, and the terror that it exudes, Bernie sanders will by far make a greater president.
39
Have you ever been listening to someone who is lying to you and you get that weird feeling in your stomach? As they are talking you notice that the message that they are sending out with their expressions, the tone of their voice, the movement of their hands...it all doesn't match. It isn’t natural or sincere. When they are talking they don't say, they don't use "I" or "me" very much, not owning what they are saying and either don't look you in the eyes or the exact opposite they drill hole in the back of your head while looking at you. The conversation seems totally rehearsed—there’s zero hesitation before they answer a question. They try to sell you on their honesty by saying “to tell the truth”, “to be perfectly honest.” or "in the name of God".
I've seen this with car and insurance salesmen. I have seen this when I have gone out on dates and the person I was with wasn't being genuine, intentionally or due to low self-esteem. I have seen this in dysfunctional families. I definitely saw this in the so called GOP "debates".
So far every part of the GOP has been scripted and I don't mean each GOP member separately, I mean the GOP as a collective, each of GOP contenders saying the same things in concert. That is another thing that leaves me feeling that I am being manipulated and lied to by the GOP. I mean, as an example, now the truth is out about the Benghazi witch hunt. How many people will work their entire lives to pay for that GOP political debacle.
I've seen this with car and insurance salesmen. I have seen this when I have gone out on dates and the person I was with wasn't being genuine, intentionally or due to low self-esteem. I have seen this in dysfunctional families. I definitely saw this in the so called GOP "debates".
So far every part of the GOP has been scripted and I don't mean each GOP member separately, I mean the GOP as a collective, each of GOP contenders saying the same things in concert. That is another thing that leaves me feeling that I am being manipulated and lied to by the GOP. I mean, as an example, now the truth is out about the Benghazi witch hunt. How many people will work their entire lives to pay for that GOP political debacle.
5
Two words: Clinton-NAFTTA,
6
As far as the US goes, NAFTAs worst impact on the US was the loss of 700,000 jobs (per union statistics). I see it this way...picture three glasses of water each being filled to different levels. If you were to next connect all of the glasses they would all balance to the same level, this providing that gravity was the only force upon the water. Unfortunately, our government bought by industry and industry only have one end goal...make more money, no matter the consequence to the people, the land or the countries.
I have been in those crowds. Bernie is a rock star, that’s for sure. Yet it’s abundantly clear that it’s not about him. There is no discernable narcissism or even ego. He’s not here to advance his career, or even to soak up the adulation. He just wants government to get back to the business of solving problems. Bernie is out to lead a revolution, and I will be pleased and honored to fight alongside President Sanders.
63
I was a Hillary supporter, but her duplicity and lack of candor has led me and many others away and over to Bernie Sanders. He is like Eugene McCarthy - fresh and honest. I can't imagine Hillary as president, beholden to so many special interests, with consistently changing viewpoints to please electorates. Her and Bill used that method in the past, but today, the media is too quick and close, and her disdain for doing things the proper way unless she likes the way, is to heard to bear. so long Hillary, hello Bernie.
29
Well, I'm a woman, and as such, I do take a closer look at female candidates. There was a time when Hillary was electable, but ... Obama won. Now - her track record, in my eyes, hasn't improved. Kerry is doing a much better job as Secretary of State. Never mind Benghazi, I worked on a DoS software development contract, and there were accountability problems and program errors that did't leave me feeling that Hillary could run the country as a whole, well. Sanders has my $upport. But, I would sure as heck vote for Hillary over Trump, Bush, Rubio, Cruz.
She's the less worse choice.
She's the less worse choice.
21
Less worse? Again? Numerous recent polls show that Sanders has a much better chance of beating whoever the Repug candidate is. Less worse doesn't cut it anymore, if it ever did.
Sanders 2016
Sanders 2016
4
That's the best we can say for Hillary, as between her and Republicans, she's the less worse choice. But between Hillary and Bernie, Hillary is the worst choice.
2
I find it illuminating that Clinton never seems to do 1 on 1 talk shows like all the other candidates. Why is she never on MSNBC?
9
She was in on one-on-one with Matthews just the other night on MSNBC. A long interview.
1
Hillary Clinton should have learned her lesson when she ran against Barack Obama: even a lot of Democrats (I'm one) don't want her for president. So far polling has shown that in head-to-head match-ups, Bernie Sanders would beat both Trump and Cruz, should either one of them become the Republican nominee, but Clinton does not. She is far too polarizing, she has too much baggage and, frankly, she's not believable.
17
No polls taken today would be remotely accurate about November -- too much will change over the next 11 months.
The MOST you could do is poll about Iowa -- even that is dodgy.
The one thing Hillary has is MONEY -- buckets of it -- 2.5 BILLION dollars to run with. That means she can blanket the swing states with commercials. Bernie does not have this kind of money. He has SOME, he has done a remarkable job of raising cash but he has a tiny fraction of the Hillary billions. He will run out of money, and she will pound him on the air and on radio 24/7. That is how elections and primaries are won.
The MOST you could do is poll about Iowa -- even that is dodgy.
The one thing Hillary has is MONEY -- buckets of it -- 2.5 BILLION dollars to run with. That means she can blanket the swing states with commercials. Bernie does not have this kind of money. He has SOME, he has done a remarkable job of raising cash but he has a tiny fraction of the Hillary billions. He will run out of money, and she will pound him on the air and on radio 24/7. That is how elections and primaries are won.
1
I have been wondering what was up since the beginning of Hillary's campaign --- for supposedly being the champion of the working man, I think many looked for her to come out swinging, taking the reins and leading the charge. Instead, as you mention, she chose these small group things. It's no wonder Bernie caught fire --- the middle class is fed-up and Hillary is having tea? I think she needed some strong coffee! If she wins in Iowa, it will surprise me.
10
Bernie’s position as "democratic socialism" is a direct result of problems with capitalism. The problems with our government and industry have impeded the needs of the people.
Today’s Capitalism is a struggle between “Responsible" and “Crony/Turbo Capitalism”.
Responsible Capitalism: (Democrats)
An extensive welfare state to protect those who are unemployed or on low incomes.
A progressive tax system with high earners paying a higher % of their income to fund government spending.
Most industries would be private sector, the government might take responsibility for social benefits like health care, education, public transport.
A willingness to regulate monopolies and protect rights of workers.
Responsible capitalism is similar to concepts of social market economy.
Today’s capitalism is now “crony/turbo capitalism.
Crony/turbo Capitalism (Koch/GOP)
Leaders buy off politicians in return for favors along with no financial regulation, privatization and lower tax on high earners.)
Absence of regulation for banking /finance system. This encourages banks to take risks and pursue profit through complex financial derivatives rather than basic principles of attracting deposits and lending.
Less regulation on abuse of monopoly power.
Lower income tax/lower capital gains tax giving greater rewards to high income earners.
An unregulated labor market, easy to hire/fire workers, very limited regulation about working conditions.
Focus: Only the top 1%
Today’s Capitalism is a struggle between “Responsible" and “Crony/Turbo Capitalism”.
Responsible Capitalism: (Democrats)
An extensive welfare state to protect those who are unemployed or on low incomes.
A progressive tax system with high earners paying a higher % of their income to fund government spending.
Most industries would be private sector, the government might take responsibility for social benefits like health care, education, public transport.
A willingness to regulate monopolies and protect rights of workers.
Responsible capitalism is similar to concepts of social market economy.
Today’s capitalism is now “crony/turbo capitalism.
Crony/turbo Capitalism (Koch/GOP)
Leaders buy off politicians in return for favors along with no financial regulation, privatization and lower tax on high earners.)
Absence of regulation for banking /finance system. This encourages banks to take risks and pursue profit through complex financial derivatives rather than basic principles of attracting deposits and lending.
Less regulation on abuse of monopoly power.
Lower income tax/lower capital gains tax giving greater rewards to high income earners.
An unregulated labor market, easy to hire/fire workers, very limited regulation about working conditions.
Focus: Only the top 1%
5
If you give Americans a multiple choice list of what they think the idealized "American Dream" is, "The ability of millions of people to become millionaires next door by simple dint of honesty, thrift, ingenuity, and perseverance" might be one of the highest scoring.
1
Judge a country by how it treats its elderly, its children, its poor, its indigent and its pets. I don't believe everyone is driven to become millionaires. I have been all over the world. The common theme in all places. The people just wanted to be have their families, make a living, raise their children, and be able to have their connection to God. It was the governments that were the greatest barrier to that dream.
1
Sanders' website has the banner "Nobody who works 40 hours a week should be living in poverty."
Employers are way ahead of him. First the best option was to cut hours to 36/week. This year hours are cut to 24/week. There are no 40/week jobs. You have to patch short-term part-time jobs together to make a salary above poverty. Or go into debt to get into a profession. Businesses run with 100% part-time low-skill but highly experienced employees to avoid benefits and overtime.
Sanders can't do anything about underemployment. For the few to feel wealthy we have chosen to underpay the many. We have done this to ourselves. We should not treat income inequality as a cosmic injustice instead what it is, the result of our own choices.
The latest claim that he is more electable is a joke. Nobody in this race looks electable. It would be refreshing if they all admitted that.
Employers are way ahead of him. First the best option was to cut hours to 36/week. This year hours are cut to 24/week. There are no 40/week jobs. You have to patch short-term part-time jobs together to make a salary above poverty. Or go into debt to get into a profession. Businesses run with 100% part-time low-skill but highly experienced employees to avoid benefits and overtime.
Sanders can't do anything about underemployment. For the few to feel wealthy we have chosen to underpay the many. We have done this to ourselves. We should not treat income inequality as a cosmic injustice instead what it is, the result of our own choices.
The latest claim that he is more electable is a joke. Nobody in this race looks electable. It would be refreshing if they all admitted that.
2
Pardon? I live in New Mexico: I work a 40-hour a week job.
5
"You have to patch short-term part-time jobs together"
Job A @ 22 hrs/ wk
Job B @ 12 hrs/ wk
Job C @ 6 hrs/ wk
Total hrs/wk worked: 40
Bernie is still correct.
Employers choosing to cut hours = "We have done this to ourselves"? Calling his electability a joke and saying he can't do anything about underemployment is just resigning oneself to the status quo.
Readers, beware of low-paid political operatives typing cynicism on the interwebs in an attempt to drive down Democrat turnout.
Job A @ 22 hrs/ wk
Job B @ 12 hrs/ wk
Job C @ 6 hrs/ wk
Total hrs/wk worked: 40
Bernie is still correct.
Employers choosing to cut hours = "We have done this to ourselves"? Calling his electability a joke and saying he can't do anything about underemployment is just resigning oneself to the status quo.
Readers, beware of low-paid political operatives typing cynicism on the interwebs in an attempt to drive down Democrat turnout.
8
How was consolidation of industry, restructuring of companies, outsourcing and pension cutting "our" choice?
I'll give you that civic involvement is almost nonexistent, but average Americans didn't choose to change the nature of how business is conducted. That was an agenda set in place by those who pushed for deregulation. Fighting them became an impossibility. Now we have a real chance to fight back, and I for one am taking it.
I'll give you that civic involvement is almost nonexistent, but average Americans didn't choose to change the nature of how business is conducted. That was an agenda set in place by those who pushed for deregulation. Fighting them became an impossibility. Now we have a real chance to fight back, and I for one am taking it.
3
When I hear Sanders speak I get the feeling that he is running in order to make the country better.
When I hear any of the mainstream candidates, of either party, speak I get the feeling that they are running to create a better legacy for themselves.
We need to get out of the Democrat/Republican spiral- the two parties are destroying the nation.
When I hear any of the mainstream candidates, of either party, speak I get the feeling that they are running to create a better legacy for themselves.
We need to get out of the Democrat/Republican spiral- the two parties are destroying the nation.
51
Bernie has the integrity and the smarts. I'll be supporting him for the Democratic nomination. Donald Trump's loutishness would not succeed against Bernie.
40
I am afraid Hillary is the Chipotle of Politics.
She has a great brand. Plenty of printed/social media/TeeVee exposure. Adored by the press and, so far, by Wall Street. And don't forget the logo!
Look back one year and Chipotle was Hillary. Yep. Exposure/adoration/LOGO!
Wall Street is now having a tough time loving Chipotle. And the public?
But today, with both of them, there is this little problem: when the "magic logo" of either appears, or the name is mentioned, large parts of the population get a growl in their stomach and "drinking the Clinton kool-aid" (or "downing the Chipotle salsa") just produces a bout of acid reflux.
The NY Times, and the rest of the nation's sycophant stenographers, fail to understand that the voting public has political taste buds, and a memory.
She has a great brand. Plenty of printed/social media/TeeVee exposure. Adored by the press and, so far, by Wall Street. And don't forget the logo!
Look back one year and Chipotle was Hillary. Yep. Exposure/adoration/LOGO!
Wall Street is now having a tough time loving Chipotle. And the public?
But today, with both of them, there is this little problem: when the "magic logo" of either appears, or the name is mentioned, large parts of the population get a growl in their stomach and "drinking the Clinton kool-aid" (or "downing the Chipotle salsa") just produces a bout of acid reflux.
The NY Times, and the rest of the nation's sycophant stenographers, fail to understand that the voting public has political taste buds, and a memory.
11
Hillary looks too much like a republican as compared to Bernie.
15
I'm 66 and have been waiting for a candidate like Sen. Sanders for decades. I'm thrilled to read that younger voters agree with him on the issues he raises but I also know that plenty of oldsters like me have despised what's been happening to this country since Reagan and the K Street Gang started undermining us. The destructive strategies of the 1% have managed to eat away at our democracy; their malignant movement has metastasized throughout our society. The Supreme Court is compromised, Congress is stagnant, voting rights are under assault, the protective agencies of government are unfunded, and perpetual war has been instituted to feed the maw of profiteers. Even the press, enshrined in the Constitution as untouchable by would-be censors, has lost the balance of reasonable debate and sunk to the level of corporate pr machines. Sen. Sanders can't fix all this, but he could be the beginning of a wave that will bring health and common sense to our society.
49
I"m 70, a Vietnam vet and a witness to RFK's assination I was in the lower ballroom). I fought knowing that the Gulf of Tonkin resoloution was based non a lie and worked to end the war when I got out. Polically and socially the bad guys kept winning. I saw a glimmer of hope with Bill Clinton, but it was fools gold. Amazingly, I find myself trusting another politician - Bernie Sanders.
We need change now. There is no time left for waiting.
We need change now. There is no time left for waiting.
3
Maybe it's time the Democratic machine takes another hard look at Joe Biden and convince him to rethink about running for president. Hillary is damaged goods and putting all their eggs in the Hillary basket may result in a Republican president. If the FBI probe turns up any damaging results I don't believe she will survive and Sanders doesn't appear to be able to win the general election. Biden may be the only hope for the Democratic party and they better not wait too long.
3
No thanks - prefer not to have the sexist guy who helped put Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.
3
Sanders can win the general. That's the whole point of the article. He generates enthusiasm, which leads to turnout. HRC does not generate enthusiasm. A whole swathe of the Democratic electorate will be dispirited and bored if she is the nominee. Plus, Sanders has the ability to attract independents, maybe even some moderate Republicans. HRC does not. Bernie is electable and Bernie has far better politics. Bernie Sanders 2016. We are coming to reclaim our country from the bankers and billionaires.
2
Come on, does anyone REALLY think Bernie Sanders is going to have a chance to be nominated let alone elected President? He's a popular guy with a group as delusional about his future as the Donald and his supporters are about him. Neither is going to be president; this is all for media show, that Hillary's in trouble, creates more stories for the pundits to have something to endlessly drone on an on about on both sides; what me worry? I'm not- and Hillary will be our next president. Hope she's reading this and not worrying either.
5
I believe you will be proven wrong.
3
Look at the picture that accompanies this article. Read the comments here.
There are millions of people delusional--to use your term--with hope that Sanders will be the next president.
There are millions of people delusional--to use your term--with hope that Sanders will be the next president.
5
This early I have never seen so many bumper stickers for a candidate as Sanders has bumper stickers here; I live in a large city in a red state. Every Dem I talk to from CA to DC feels the bern. This socialist is a populist. Feel that you've been taken for a ride, but appalled by Trump? Vote Sanders.
2
It's like a Bob Dylan song about winds of change. The 1% have pushed us all too far and there's a revolution coming. Not a storming of the Bastille but a Bernie, a Pope Frank, a response to Climate Change. The right wingers can whine all they like about disasters and live in fear peering out from behind their open carry forearms but I see progress in a positive way coming and Hilary and Trump and Cruz and Putin etc are no longer going to be part of it. Bernie in 2016!
22
Put Bernie on the ticket.
12
But leave Hillary out.
2
The problem with Bernie is that although he often sounds like a dye-in-the-wool Marxist, his homespun Yankee manner is an embarrassment in the fashionable saloons frequented by seasoned Travelers like Krugman/Friedman/Cohen. In Europe, his tribal instincts disqualify him from becoming a Player in the current political momentum. He's too honest to pretend that the "beautiful" Paris Accord is anything but farce. In short, he's too American for the powers that be. On the other hand, he's fast becoming the safe version of Trump, and Trump voters could easily mass behind Bernie as the anti-Hilary. The Hilary Times tried to disappear Bernie, and the panic in the newsroom is palpable.
4
He sounds like a dyed in the wool slightly left of centre type in Europe, and if they could put up with George W. Bush's staggering anti-intellectualism and inability to utter a coherent English sentence without a script in front of him, I assure you they will do perfectly fine with President Sanders - who has probably read more books than half the leaders in the EU.
11
I like Bernie and I like Bernie's message; however, there are two issues that need attention.
One, as good as his message is, none of it will take place unless there is a major rout of Congress. As we have seen with the Obama Administration, good ideas and change don't mean anything if they can't pass what currently is a ridiculous, do-nothing Congress. So people need to bear in mind that they need to make the decision to change the look of both Houses in addition to choosing a new President if they want real change to take place. Second, there is more to the Presidency than the domestic concerns that Bernie has touted so far. There is quite a bit going on in the world right now, and he needs to start presenting as a potential candidate that can handle foreign affairs as well.
One, as good as his message is, none of it will take place unless there is a major rout of Congress. As we have seen with the Obama Administration, good ideas and change don't mean anything if they can't pass what currently is a ridiculous, do-nothing Congress. So people need to bear in mind that they need to make the decision to change the look of both Houses in addition to choosing a new President if they want real change to take place. Second, there is more to the Presidency than the domestic concerns that Bernie has touted so far. There is quite a bit going on in the world right now, and he needs to start presenting as a potential candidate that can handle foreign affairs as well.
8
Making democracy, the rule of law, and the economy work for all Americans is addressing international concerns. How can we tell any one else how to run their country? The most effective tool we have available is making America work - for all Americans, not just the 1%.
1
This is where, DBL, once Bernie Sanders is elected President, your work as a voter may be accomplished, but your duty and labors as citizen just begun, as Bernie makes clear he will need direct citizen-action support to force Congress to work on behalf of the USA despite the demands of its now-dominant oligarchs.
3
Hillary Clinton and Debbie Wasserman Schultz are a boring, not particularly telegenic pair of reclusive ego maniacs who think their time has come. Unfortunately, Hillary has a history of being secretive and reclusive which can easily be parsed as untrustworthy and too self-absorbed to answer criticism, even unwarranted criticism, effectively. Schultz is a power-mongering, neurotic who has led the Democratic party into the ditch. Those of us who are partisan Democrats are disgusted with our limited choices and crony capitalism. These two are root cause problems, NOT part of the solution..
17
I don't disagree with your view or Clinton but to paint Schultz as a power mongering anything when that is the basic mindset of all politicians, including Rubio, Cruz, Trump, J. Bush, Christie (make that times 100 for Christie) and adding the term "neurotic" to it reeks of anti-woman bias.
Power mongering is par for the course in politicians of every stripe. Except Bernie Sanders. I'd certainly agree that Clinton is part of the problem, but the problem is far wider than a couple of women doing what men have been doing for eons: looking to grab the brass ring at the top.
Power mongering is par for the course in politicians of every stripe. Except Bernie Sanders. I'd certainly agree that Clinton is part of the problem, but the problem is far wider than a couple of women doing what men have been doing for eons: looking to grab the brass ring at the top.
1
Have you read the Dem emails from DWS? Neurotic is not too far off. They are fear-filled, nagging and scolding, and yes, I'm female, and I deplore it.
2
If Hillary loses (which is certainly possible), Ms. Wasserman-Schultz will take the brunt of the blame for her defeat.
2
Good People of America STOP letting the press polarize us. Senator Sanders and DT both have popular support and are diametrically opposed in their thinking and America cannot stand more polarization. Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton is the MOST QUALIFIED CANDIDATE to be OUR next President of the United States of America and walk the landmine it has become. Senator Sanders has nothing but respect for Ms. Rodham-Clinton, and she for him, even though they do not agree on every issue. Who does? I LOVE Senator Sanders and sincerely hope that he is a STRONG Vice President who will put Dick Cheney's democracy-destroying ideas in the graveyard where they belong.
4
1. Hillary Clinton is not the "most qualified" candidate to be President of the United States, or she would already be.
2. Hillary has a better chance of getting Col Sanders to be VP than Bernie Sanders.
Who are you trying to sell Hillary Clinton to? Us? Or yourself?
2. Hillary has a better chance of getting Col Sanders to be VP than Bernie Sanders.
Who are you trying to sell Hillary Clinton to? Us? Or yourself?
5
Nice try. We don't think Sanders is polarizing, just the opposite. We know his approach will help all middle class and poor including those who support Trump even if they don't know it.
Most of us also see Clinton as another scripted politician. While most of us will support Clinton if she gets the nomination, we know that Sanders has been saying these things for years.
We don't like Sanders' gun vote but nobody is perfect. And one can point to bad votes by Clinton, as well.
Personally on the plus side, Clinton does come across as tough. On the minus side, Clinton and too much of the Democratic Party is also dependent on Wall St., corporations, and the rich for campaign funds. Think Chuck Schumer and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
Most of us also see Clinton as another scripted politician. While most of us will support Clinton if she gets the nomination, we know that Sanders has been saying these things for years.
We don't like Sanders' gun vote but nobody is perfect. And one can point to bad votes by Clinton, as well.
Personally on the plus side, Clinton does come across as tough. On the minus side, Clinton and too much of the Democratic Party is also dependent on Wall St., corporations, and the rich for campaign funds. Think Chuck Schumer and Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
10
Did Senator Sanders tell you that, DC? Didn't think so.
Hillary! What's not to love?
4
I'm a democrat from Vermont. I cannot think of one thing I "love" about Hillary!
1
What's not to love about Hillary:
- She was hoodwinked by the Bush administration into voting for the Iraq War. At least, that's how she tells it.
- She made a mess of Libya. And I'm not talking about Benghazi (which is fairly unimportant really), I'm talking about the fact that Libya is still in complete anarchy, and her decisions were a big part of making that happen.
- Much of her funding is from Wall Street. Her response to knowing that there was massive fraud going on was to go to the banks hat in hand and politely ask them to stop.
- The Clinton Foundation money that funds much of her campaign is coming from where, exactly?
- She wants to send more troops into Syria to combat ISIS, even though ISIS is already losing militarily (albeit slowly).
I could keep going, but there are plenty of things not to love about her.
- She was hoodwinked by the Bush administration into voting for the Iraq War. At least, that's how she tells it.
- She made a mess of Libya. And I'm not talking about Benghazi (which is fairly unimportant really), I'm talking about the fact that Libya is still in complete anarchy, and her decisions were a big part of making that happen.
- Much of her funding is from Wall Street. Her response to knowing that there was massive fraud going on was to go to the banks hat in hand and politely ask them to stop.
- The Clinton Foundation money that funds much of her campaign is coming from where, exactly?
- She wants to send more troops into Syria to combat ISIS, even though ISIS is already losing militarily (albeit slowly).
I could keep going, but there are plenty of things not to love about her.
1
Even if Bernie ultimately loses the nomination, he's lit a democratic populist fire under Hilary. This is causing Hilary to play catch-up with Bernie and the base. It's a win-win for the Democrats. Either the real deal of Bernie, or Hilary forced to play "moderate" Bernie.
On the other side, Republicans are playing catch-up to the nativist and misogynist Trump. It's a polar opposite of the Democratic race.
For those who say Bernie can't take Trump - if Hilary can take Trump as polls suggest, and Bernie can possibly take Hilary, it seems only logical that Bernie could take Trump. My premise is that the American people, as a whole, would vote leftist substance over rightwing narcissism. "Normal" Republicans (if such creatures still exist sufficient numbers) absolutely loathe Trump and what he's doing to the GOP. They might not even turn out - all the better for the Democrats. Trump's worst enemy is himself.
On the other side, Republicans are playing catch-up to the nativist and misogynist Trump. It's a polar opposite of the Democratic race.
For those who say Bernie can't take Trump - if Hilary can take Trump as polls suggest, and Bernie can possibly take Hilary, it seems only logical that Bernie could take Trump. My premise is that the American people, as a whole, would vote leftist substance over rightwing narcissism. "Normal" Republicans (if such creatures still exist sufficient numbers) absolutely loathe Trump and what he's doing to the GOP. They might not even turn out - all the better for the Democrats. Trump's worst enemy is himself.
7
In my opinion, only a grass-roots candidate like Bernie Sanders has the credibility to take on the issue of Citizens United and all of the corruption caused by unlimited private money funding PACs that support political candidates.
He would be in a position as POTUS to use the bully pulpit as it has not been used since either of the Roosevelts.
We need to elect Bernie Sanders President of the United States for many reasons, but the campaign finance issue alone would be a great reason to elect him.
He would be in a position as POTUS to use the bully pulpit as it has not been used since either of the Roosevelts.
We need to elect Bernie Sanders President of the United States for many reasons, but the campaign finance issue alone would be a great reason to elect him.
47
Re Iowan's passion for Sanders worries Clinton...
Finally NYT...first page, above the fold..finally!
Finally NYT...first page, above the fold..finally!
38
Think about this folks.
From day one the NY Times spared no expense in attacking Donald Trump and downplaying Bernie Sanders. Nonstop Trump bashing. Nonstop Bernie hating. Why? Because Sanders and Trump are Obama critics and stand for ordinary Americans.
BOTH of them are surging.
How cool is that!
From day one the NY Times spared no expense in attacking Donald Trump and downplaying Bernie Sanders. Nonstop Trump bashing. Nonstop Bernie hating. Why? Because Sanders and Trump are Obama critics and stand for ordinary Americans.
BOTH of them are surging.
How cool is that!
9
The Times, I mean. "Mrs. Clinton and her aides have dropped any pretense that they can ignore Mr. Sanders or treat him like a gadfly. They have become zealous and combative as they try new ways to undercut his high favorability ratings".
3
Iowa is doing a great service to America by boosting Bernie to the forefront of the presidential campaign.
13
I truly believe that if Bernie Sanders is nominated, we will be doomed to 4 years of a Republican president and many years of their Supreme Court nominees. Picture this: Sanders vs. Trump. If it is true that Bernie appeals to "the common people", I am loathe to think who Trump is attracting--the "uncommon people", I suppose. I do not think Sanders is electable --he is a one-note Johnny, a career politician from a small state with no foreign policy experience who shouts his mantra at every opportunity. Remind me of his accomplishments. Voting for him is akin to voting for a bumper sticker. Trump will be president if he runs against Sanders and any one of the top Republicans can beat him. I can almost picture the Republican's dance of joy if Sanders wins in Iowa.
5
If Trump actually manages to get the Repub nomination, either Sen. Sanders or Sec. Clinton will be able to win against him. Trump is a megalomaniacal clown who would be even more dangerous than Dick Cheney in the Oval Office. What's left of the now-silent majority Republicans (not to be confused with the radical conservatives who coined the phrase to describe themselves) will either not vote at all or will vote for the Democrat.
Sanders will intelligently pick a running mate that will balance out his lesser merits - who do you think the Mouth will pick? Someone even more loathsome than himself, no doubt. Then the political non-junkies who aren't even paying attention yet will come out in droves to vote AGAINST Trump.
1
I believe you are wrong. It is becoming increasingly clear that HRC is the liability to the Democratic party, and represents a serious risk to losing to the GOP. Bernie generates enthusiasm, which translates into voter turnout. HRC doesn't have it, can't get it. If she's the nominee, huge swathes of the Democratic electorate, dispirited or bored or a combination of both, will sit out the general. Also, Bernie Sanders has significant crossover potential. He can attract independents, which we need to win. HRC cannot attract those independents or undecideds. Think it through.
1
A Trump v Sanders campaign. Great. It will be like watching Adlai Stevenson run against Mussolini.
10
Clem
I don't think it's fair for you to compare Sanders to Mussolini, just because they are both Socialists.
I don't think it's fair for you to compare Sanders to Mussolini, just because they are both Socialists.
3
Let me brag on my BA Political Science from U of Iowa. Regarding polls vs. actual caucus night turnout, there is a huge difference between taking a pollster's call sitting in a warm living room versus trekking out on a sub freezing if not sub zero night to caucus with a roomful of people you may not know or like. Ergo, for every degree below freezing there will be 1 per cent greater turnout for Bernie vs. Ms. Clinton. Watch the weather forecast to determine winners based on caucus goers propensity to caucus based on enthusiasm for their candidate.
12
Hilary has allied herself with Wall Street and corporations against the middle class and workers. She has embraced Wasserman Schultz a TPP supporter and a corporatist. She can pretend as President Obama does from time to time that she cares about the middle class but like Obama she really doesn't. As a result, it's not her face or the freshness of it, it's HER POLICIES.
Go Bernie!
Go Bernie!
23
What Ms. Clinton is doing is not attacking Mr. Sanders. Rather, she is 'triangulating' by co-opting his positions on what she deems to be his key issues. Just as her husband did. She may lack the charisma of a Bernie Sanders or the political instincts of a Bill Clinton, but she clearly learned Bill Clinton's political survival tactics. Buckle up, the fun is only now beginning.
4
Like it or not, the recent host of accusations against Hillary silencing or intimidating Bill Clinton's accusers needs to be addressed.
It's hurting Hillary and propping Bernie, and until she shuts this door it'll fester.
She's not responsible for Bill's actions, but she is responsible for advocating for women and possibly acting against those principals.
It's hurting Hillary and propping Bernie, and until she shuts this door it'll fester.
She's not responsible for Bill's actions, but she is responsible for advocating for women and possibly acting against those principals.
This has nothing to do with Hillary. Bernie is just a better candidate with a very long record of standing up for what he believes in. I never imagined that in my lifetime I would witness a statesman like Bernie Sanders. Bernie's given Hillary a pass on almost every issue (Her email etc....), because he knows he can beat her on policy and his record, he knows he could beat her by rising above her without tearing her down.
It might be hard to for many people like yourself to understand but if Bernie can get people like me who has never voted in our lives , that have issues trusting politicians ,interested in politics then her chance of beating him are slim to none. He wants a political revolution and many of us were just waiting for the call. And we are ready and able to bulldoze anyone in our way to get it.
It might be hard to for many people like yourself to understand but if Bernie can get people like me who has never voted in our lives , that have issues trusting politicians ,interested in politics then her chance of beating him are slim to none. He wants a political revolution and many of us were just waiting for the call. And we are ready and able to bulldoze anyone in our way to get it.
2
The beauty of it is, that through their own choices, The Democratic Party may soon find itself up the creek without a paddle. Hubris, again!
3
Lots of supporting words for Sanders. How many of the authors have walked the talk and contributed to Bernie? The System demands us little people to send him money!
23
I certainly have. Repeatedly.
9
Of course people contribute. I send him money every month. Sometimes more when asked by the campaign. How else do you think he has over 2 million donors? It isn't by smoke and mirrors.
8
I have donated three times, and I will keep donating until I reach my limit. Then I will urge others to donate. And in the meantime, I'm door to door for Bernie in New Hampshire and phone banking my heart out. I am determined to do something to elect Bernie Sanders every single day.
2
Bernie may have to paddle the DNC boat out of the flats back into the mainstream. Unless the "Draft Chelsea" movement gets legs!
It's hard for most Americans to argue with many of Bernie's critically important points about the direction of our nation. Supporters don't need much of a reminder that other party will be running hard in the completely opposite direction, backwards. No matter what the outcome of the primary season, voting in November will be more critical than ever. Don't be disappointed even if Bernie doesn't end up on top, his principles will be front and center.
4
By the time the Democrats actually nominate a presidential candidate, the windows to run for Congress will have closed in most of the states.
It isn't even possible to operate a real political party in the US.
It isn't even possible to operate a real political party in the US.
1
I'm not a tow-the-party-line voter, but I will vote for any Democratic nominee come November.
I like both of these candidates. However, I could see myself liking Bernie Sanders more than I do now if he were to make two changes: polish up his act a bit and also start to realize that national security is one of the primary responsibilities of the United States president, and is the main issue that many Republicans (who might otherwise conceivably vote for him) care about.
By polish up his act, I mean that he needs to stop sounding like a broken record with his main refrain: "Every othah majah country does this; has that; etc." Bernie, when you're asked why we should consider your favorite policy positions, don't tell us (like a middle schooler might): "Because all my friends are doing it." That's not a valid reason. Never mind that your friends happen to be right. Tell the low information voters why they should want your policies... what's in it for them? How will it improve their lives, our infrastructure, our country?
Also, tell us how you're going to make the United States safer...from gun violence, from terrorism, from foreign energy dependence, from economic roller coasters, etc. Tell us how you're going to use diplomacy, backed up by strength, to avoid useless, damaging, endless wars.
Do that, and I might vote for you in the primary.
I like both of these candidates. However, I could see myself liking Bernie Sanders more than I do now if he were to make two changes: polish up his act a bit and also start to realize that national security is one of the primary responsibilities of the United States president, and is the main issue that many Republicans (who might otherwise conceivably vote for him) care about.
By polish up his act, I mean that he needs to stop sounding like a broken record with his main refrain: "Every othah majah country does this; has that; etc." Bernie, when you're asked why we should consider your favorite policy positions, don't tell us (like a middle schooler might): "Because all my friends are doing it." That's not a valid reason. Never mind that your friends happen to be right. Tell the low information voters why they should want your policies... what's in it for them? How will it improve their lives, our infrastructure, our country?
Also, tell us how you're going to make the United States safer...from gun violence, from terrorism, from foreign energy dependence, from economic roller coasters, etc. Tell us how you're going to use diplomacy, backed up by strength, to avoid useless, damaging, endless wars.
Do that, and I might vote for you in the primary.
2
Matt, if the nomination has not been decided before the California primary on June 7th, your vote will matter. If it is a done deal, you could just as well vote for Mickey Mouse for all it matters.
1
If Hillary Clinton gets indicted she should NOT BE ALLOWED to run for President of the United States period.
5
If Ted Cruz's mother took the oath to be naturalized as a Canadian before 1973 (at which time the oath required renouncing citizenship in a country other than Canada) then Ted Cruz should not be allowed to run for President of the United States.
2
Here's the difference between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton: people believe that Bernie Sanders will actually do what he says he will do; most people (including those that don't openly admit it) expect Hillary Clinton to not rock the boat too much regarding Wall Street/the Banking System, unemployment, the Tax System, income inequality, the Education System, Affordable Health Care and the need to move to a single-payer system, rebuilding America's infrastructure and the facilitation of greater unions formation. Most people are starting to come to the realization that a vote for Hillary Clinton will translate into a vote for marginal improvements (at best) to all of the above items. The majority of the American people are in a position in which only marginal improvement will mean utter disaster for their families.
21
Now that the Clinton machine has stopped ignoring Sen. Sanders perhaps the media will begin to pay attention to him and stop acting like he is an also ran.
SANDERS 2016!!
SANDERS 2016!!
15
....and only recently has Sanders make deliberate and obvious outreach efforts to us persons of color. Clinton has been doing this for decades. I might be wrong as I have admittedly not followed Sanders throughout his long political career. The race isn't over until a nominee is selected. Once the election moves to states with much higher percentages of black and brown voters we will see what is truly happening with the electorate.
2
You are wrong.
2
Have you seen the recent interview that Stephen Colbert did with African American rapper and community activist Killer Mike? Well worth 6 minutes of your time. Mike is a big supporter of Bernie. And have you heard that Bernie is going on a tour of historically black colleges soon? He is. Amazing what a candidate can do with his/her time when he/she isn't courting wealthy donors with fundraisers.
How exactly was voting for the Iraq War supportive of people of color? Many veterans are people of color and many came back without limbs or with PTSD or worse in body bags. And how exactly is supporting privatized prisons and the war on drugs supportive of people of color. Bernie gets that black people are more often times arrested for smoking marijuana when their consumption of it is at exactly the same rates as white consumption. Very unfair and unjust. But it fills the prisons and private companies get rich of it. Enough is enough. Bernie is the best candidate for people of color as well as working families and women and students and seniors who can't afford both medications and food. #Bernie2016
How exactly was voting for the Iraq War supportive of people of color? Many veterans are people of color and many came back without limbs or with PTSD or worse in body bags. And how exactly is supporting privatized prisons and the war on drugs supportive of people of color. Bernie gets that black people are more often times arrested for smoking marijuana when their consumption of it is at exactly the same rates as white consumption. Very unfair and unjust. But it fills the prisons and private companies get rich of it. Enough is enough. Bernie is the best candidate for people of color as well as working families and women and students and seniors who can't afford both medications and food. #Bernie2016
8
Bernie marched with Martin Luther King in Selma. He was a civil rights activist.
I'm not surprised.
Based on his 30 year record, Bernie will stand up for all Americans.
Based on her record, Hillary will stand up for corporation and Wall street.
Yes folks, it is really that simple.
Based on his 30 year record, Bernie will stand up for all Americans.
Based on her record, Hillary will stand up for corporation and Wall street.
Yes folks, it is really that simple.
44
When a generational shift in media use is the backdrop for an election, you would think the NYT would have scouted earlier all the enthusiasm for Bernie that existed in social media for months and months now. I guess you can't report on what you don't want to see.
36
Maybe the staffers at the NY Times also think that you can't have two email accounts on one device... or that the 13 billion dollars that the Clinton Grifter's Initiative has brought in since 2001 was all spent on charity? After all, a 'newspaper of record' that has a heartfelt article about children dying of starvation somewhere bleakly remote juxtaposed with a Tiffany's for a $10K watch and Houses in the Hampton's real estate ads can't be expected to keep up with all those broke Millennial's newfangled technology...
I have no enthusiasm for any of them, both sides of the aisle. Not that they are boring, which most are, it is just that their positions are more of same. Yes there is little new under the sun, but at least make it seem as if there is and that "you" are the person who can make "whatever" happen.
Kevin R says, "Bernie will not join Hillary's campaign. Doing so would go against the very grain that makes his platform and ideas so powerful, and so right." Senator Sanders is an Independent but has ALWAYS caucused with the democrats and has kept the public well-informed about the transgressions in Congress. He is very much his own man and he respects the views of others. I do not know him personally but believe he is smart enough to serve as STRONG Vice President to Ms. Hillary Rodham Clinton when she wins the nomination. If so, 90% of Americans will have better lives in the future.
4
My daughter will be voting in her first presidential election this year, and all I can say is, Lena Dunham? None of her large and close circle of friends watches Dunham's show or shares her "issues" or will be moved toward Clinton by this celebrity endorsement. They are Bernie Sanders all the way.
Me, I've been around too long. I love how Sanders speaks like a person who's thought through his positions, most of which I agree with. Every other politician sounds like, well, a sound bite. But I don't think he can win a national election even against Ted Cruz. The left is less reliable at the polls than the far right. That has been our undoing for decades. And I really really don't want to lose this election.
I'm not thrilled with Clinton (I voted for Obama), but I think she can beat any Republican. When it comes down to it, women won't miss the chance to elect our first woman to the presidency.
Me, I've been around too long. I love how Sanders speaks like a person who's thought through his positions, most of which I agree with. Every other politician sounds like, well, a sound bite. But I don't think he can win a national election even against Ted Cruz. The left is less reliable at the polls than the far right. That has been our undoing for decades. And I really really don't want to lose this election.
I'm not thrilled with Clinton (I voted for Obama), but I think she can beat any Republican. When it comes down to it, women won't miss the chance to elect our first woman to the presidency.
4
I cannot agree more. I'm a younger woman, but in no way whatsoever does Lena Dunham's endorsement of Hillary sway me to Hillary. If anything, it has the opposite effect.
9
C. Wolfe:
Speak for yourself.
I am a woman and I would never vote for Hillary Clinton.
I vote for the person, not the party or the gender.
Speak for yourself.
I am a woman and I would never vote for Hillary Clinton.
I vote for the person, not the party or the gender.
13
Not all feminists are apolitical feminists. If women voted on strictly gender lines, there would have been huge, cross-party enthusiasm for Sara Palin and Michelle Bachmann.
Sara Palin and Michelle Bachmann? Get serious. Politics count, not just gender.
Sara Palin and Michelle Bachmann? Get serious. Politics count, not just gender.
7
Oh the irony!
In 2008, the NYT turned Barack Obama into an offensive loyalty oath for my race--insisting that I, as a Black man was compelled to vote for Obama for no other reason than we share the same skin color.
2016--the NYT attempting to put women in a box--insisting that women couldn't possibly vote for Bernie Sanders, because Hillary is a woman running for President.
At least liberals are equal opportunity offenders.
In 2008, the NYT turned Barack Obama into an offensive loyalty oath for my race--insisting that I, as a Black man was compelled to vote for Obama for no other reason than we share the same skin color.
2016--the NYT attempting to put women in a box--insisting that women couldn't possibly vote for Bernie Sanders, because Hillary is a woman running for President.
At least liberals are equal opportunity offenders.
19
MoveOn.org just came out in support of Sanders. Out of over 350,000 votes cast by its members in just 4 days, Sanders got 79% of the vote. This is an important endorsement as it is a very politically active organization. So in spite of the endorsements that Clinton has amassed from various unions, etc, their members may actually be favoring Sanders. Clinton supporters keep bemoaning that Sanders supporters possibly won't vote for her in the general election. All you Clinton supporters, are you prepared to vote for Sanders?
21
I will vote for the devil himself if he's a Democrat. The idea of a solid Republican government is the most terrifying aspect of this election.
4
I have come to the conclusion that there is an inherent problem in your (somewhat understandable) position: sometimes, until things get worse they not only don't get better, they stay the same, and that ends up being worse. As someone once said, "There comes a time when compromise equals failure." That is where we are now. I suspect that the huge jolt the system would get if Trump prevailed would upend things so much that . . . real change would become possible. Under Clinton, I assure you, nothing much will change, least of all for the 99%. I realize how distasteful this view must seem, but honestly: Hillary will simply entrench the status quo, and the longer the status quo is entrenched, the less chance it has of being dislodged. In a way, I'm beginning to think that we can only foment progressive revolt by (should, as is likely, Sanders not get the nomination) is to deliberately jog its elbow by letting Clinton lose.
1
NOTE ! This article does NOT appear in the Tuesday print edition of the Times. The online version should recognize that fact.
12
Snowball effect is in full motion. This morning, the hugely influential progressive organization MoveOn.org has democratically endorsed Bernie Sanders, after almost 350,000 ballots were cast and he won 79% of the vote.
Seems like every time we hear about a democratically chosen endorsement or poll, Sanders wins by a landslide. Kind of how these comments look on NYT, right? Kind of reality. #FeelTheBern
Seems like every time we hear about a democratically chosen endorsement or poll, Sanders wins by a landslide. Kind of how these comments look on NYT, right? Kind of reality. #FeelTheBern
27
There's an interesting (if wonky) bit in "The Big Short" about the number of people who DIE as unemployment rises. It gets too wonky for words to deal with "cause and effect" there, but it's equally unclear to say that this or that shooting atrocity would not have happened had this or that vote in Congress gone the other way.
My point is that Hillary's 30-year-long SERVICE TO THE BANKING industry is more of a "smoking gun" (death dealing, too!) than anything Bernie has done with/for the N.R.A.
Hillary - arguably out of personal greed, hankering to live every ounce of life that the top tenth of the 1%-ers enjoy in the U.S. - not only has some nasty "Iraqi" skeletons in her closet, but much more damning, she has always been an "enabler" to the too-big-to-fail financial institutions that just about everybody knows brought our country to the precipice 6 or 8 years back.
As her campaign goes more and more negative - partly for understandable, institutional reasons BUT LARGELY because the Clintons are not altogether unlike Odell Beckham - "win at all costs," "settle scores" ...
Bernie and his team have a tough choice to make:
(A) Don't scorch the earth/ soil the nest; or
(B) Tell the truth LOUDLY about Hillary - with the monstrous downside that by so doing, they increase the chance for a Republican victory later this year.
I don't envy the Sanders campaign for having to make this choice, especially since it'll be a handful of people behind closed doors making that choice.
My point is that Hillary's 30-year-long SERVICE TO THE BANKING industry is more of a "smoking gun" (death dealing, too!) than anything Bernie has done with/for the N.R.A.
Hillary - arguably out of personal greed, hankering to live every ounce of life that the top tenth of the 1%-ers enjoy in the U.S. - not only has some nasty "Iraqi" skeletons in her closet, but much more damning, she has always been an "enabler" to the too-big-to-fail financial institutions that just about everybody knows brought our country to the precipice 6 or 8 years back.
As her campaign goes more and more negative - partly for understandable, institutional reasons BUT LARGELY because the Clintons are not altogether unlike Odell Beckham - "win at all costs," "settle scores" ...
Bernie and his team have a tough choice to make:
(A) Don't scorch the earth/ soil the nest; or
(B) Tell the truth LOUDLY about Hillary - with the monstrous downside that by so doing, they increase the chance for a Republican victory later this year.
I don't envy the Sanders campaign for having to make this choice, especially since it'll be a handful of people behind closed doors making that choice.
5
Sanders has been taking the high road (a road I would have to use far too much restraint to take myself) but Hillary is her own worst enemy - she's even brought her thoroughly disgusting husband out to stump for her and it was an instantaneous disaster. Wait until the FBI probe hits the mainstream news and even her most dense supporters realize she's indictable, not electable. Then it appears it will be a choice for everyone if they want the t'Rump or a forward thinking actual human being in Sanders. Which face would YOU rather see on the modern equivalent of Mt. Rushmore?
1
CNN online is reporting the President Obama will use to SOTU address tonight to "pave the way" for Hillary Clinton. They also claim that one of the reasons Joe Biden elected not to run was because Obama believed she was most likely to carry through his legacy of accomplishments. Let's hope that the professor-in-chief let's the marketplace decide who is best suited to be the next POTUS. VP Joe Biden seems to be throwing his support behind Bernie Sanders @ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/01/12/joe-biden-just...
7
Yeah, Obama's gun litmus test is just sand in the eyes to Bernie to support Hillary. It's a shame, because I would have supported it if I thought it was anything more than a campaign ploy.
I like a lot of what Bernie says, but the real problem he is unelectable. Trump would crush him. Be careful what you wish for!
2
I have voted R for years. If it were Trump v. Sanders, not only would I vote for Sanders, I would campaign vigorously for him. VIGOROUSLY.
12
Bernie would batter the blowhard.
13
Hmm; the smart populist vs the button-pushing narcissist. Well, we didn't end up with Thurston Howell Romney, and we didn't end up with the panicked bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran McCain, so I'm betting on Bernie.
1
I think the lasting impression I get from each candidate is that Sanders is pursuing something greater than himself, whereas Clinton is not. I want to like Clinton but I can't help not.
35
The enthusiasm for Bernie has been there for thirty plus years in his home state of Vermont. This enthusiasm is NOT a campaign phenomenon (though this spin sells papers). He is a revered political leader because his constituents like what he stands (and fights) for. Clinton can not generate this kind of enthusiasm because it is based on substance. This is not about new, band-wagen "passion". It's about an awareness of what our country needs based on our knowledge of reality. Behind the enthusiasm is reason.
27
These Bernie-kids are scared and have every right to be. They are looking for security and see precious little of it around. The country isn't winning its wars anymore. The economy looks to be permanently shaky. Health care and housing costs are already astronomical and going higher. Many millennials are
staggering under the weight of college loan bills they'll likely never be free from. The country is caught up in class. racial, gender and political wars that appear to be permanent. None of these kids appear to be saving a dime. They are submerged in an entertainment culture that is cheap and vulgar and growing more so by the day. The technological compensations now available to them -- Facebook and Twitter, new devices and apps appearing every day -- are nothing to build a life on, and they know it.
The politics of the times -- radical Republicans offering guns, but no vision of a unified country, radical Democrats offering nothing but government and more government -- are nothing to base a future on. The churches and synagogues are going empty.
They are being replaced by marijuana parlors.
staggering under the weight of college loan bills they'll likely never be free from. The country is caught up in class. racial, gender and political wars that appear to be permanent. None of these kids appear to be saving a dime. They are submerged in an entertainment culture that is cheap and vulgar and growing more so by the day. The technological compensations now available to them -- Facebook and Twitter, new devices and apps appearing every day -- are nothing to build a life on, and they know it.
The politics of the times -- radical Republicans offering guns, but no vision of a unified country, radical Democrats offering nothing but government and more government -- are nothing to base a future on. The churches and synagogues are going empty.
They are being replaced by marijuana parlors.
6
My, what a dark worldview you have. I support Bernie Sanders, contribute to his campaign, and spend more than a few hours a week volunteering for it. I'm 57 years old. Do I still get to call myself a "Bernie-kid?" If so, I'd like a t-shirt, please.
Also, I smoked pot in college, and my son smokes it now. Neither one of us has ever seen the inside of a marijuana parlor. I don't think that's a real thing.
Also, I smoked pot in college, and my son smokes it now. Neither one of us has ever seen the inside of a marijuana parlor. I don't think that's a real thing.
10
Sanders supporters operate far above your petty notions of 'America needs to win it's wars to be great' or that 'it's bad that churches and synagogues are empty'. Your 20th century views are no longer required.
Wow, have you been watching a bit too much media of late? The country isn't going to hell, but it needs to go in a new direction to avoid that turnoff. What Bernie offers is a course correction, one that includes a real climate change policy, a downsizing of the military, improving education by making public universities free to qualified applicants, and moving towards a single-payer healthcare system. These are sensible and moderate in lieu of our current situation, and won't bust the bank. When average Americans see what Bernie's proposing, they will get on board.
3
I took a while to decide that I really am a Bernie supporter - but I will definitely vote for Hillary if she wins the nomination. How hard I will WORK for her will be determined by how she handles this challenge. If she goes on the attack, she will NOT see me extending myself to help her. She really needs to remain civil. The young people supporting Bernie will be even less likely than I am (at 65) to switch to supporting her if she goes negative, and she can ill afford to lose the "kids" - they are not only the future, they could be the difference in the present. It is clear the young people will turn out and vote for Bernie - what Hillary needs to understand is that how she treats Bernie at this point will determine if they will turn out and vote for her in the general election.
13
It remains to be seen if Hillary is big enough to acknowledge that she is likeable enough but not the one, again. Will she be the good soldier she says she is and go out and campaign for Bernie. Bernie would do it for her, and if she does win the nomination she had better do something real and substantial to bring in Bernie's supporters or she will lose the election to the Republican nominee.
1
It has been said many times before, but it is still important, and bears repeating: if everyone who says they support Bernie, but at the same time says he can't win, would actually get out and vote for him, he would win in an historic landslide.
The real message is, as always, get out and VOTE. Vote for what you want America to be.
The real message is, as always, get out and VOTE. Vote for what you want America to be.
48
Given the native intelligence of a state that elected two of the most repugnant members of the Senate, what do you expect? On the campaign trail, at her events, Sec. Clinton is one of the warmest, most engaged and engaging speakers one could ask for. But, we are not living in an age that venerates intelligence or compassion - better to applaud the show of an old man shouting and flapping his arms like a character out of Sesame Street who has convinced the public, that even thought he has been in Congress for over 30 years, that he is the "outsider," and votes against gun violence prevention (sorry Bern fans, actions speak louder than words) and talks about universal health care and free tuition and leaves the implementation of such a plan to the imagination, than to go with the a candidate, all be it a woman, who has the plans to implement these program and has the ability to make things happen. When polls show that Trump supporters would support Bernie Sanders, it becomes pretty clear that Sanders has more in common with the Senators Ernst and Cotton than he does with Senators Markey, Murphy, Gillibrand and the then Senator Obama.
7
I think Hillary is smart, warm, and engaged when she talks. Then she votes for the Iraq War, not because she believes in it but because it will look bad later if she voted against it and we did well. Or says she's just not sure how she feels about gay marriage for years and years. I mean come on. We all knew she was in favor of gay marriage but you know, swing voters and all that. Triangulation and all that. She wants to regulate Wall Street but you know, campaign donors need to be courted and all that.
Her heart's in the right place. But her thinking is all about calculation. It's her tendency to overthink and to misrepresent her true positions that creates the perception she's a liar. Oddly enough, I don't think Bernie scares Republicans as much because he says precisely what he means and does what he says and votes what he believes. At least you know where you stand with Bernie. That matters a lot to the average American voter.
Her heart's in the right place. But her thinking is all about calculation. It's her tendency to overthink and to misrepresent her true positions that creates the perception she's a liar. Oddly enough, I don't think Bernie scares Republicans as much because he says precisely what he means and does what he says and votes what he believes. At least you know where you stand with Bernie. That matters a lot to the average American voter.
237
"Her heart's in the right place."
Well, to paraphrase her husband, that depends on what the word "heart" means. And what the phrase "right place" means.
My personal view is that her "heart" is sealed inside a lead-cased bunker, buried deep below NORAD headquarters in rural Colorado. There, it is connected by high speed data lines to her email server, and to the trading floors of Chase, UBS and Goldman Sachs, which send the "heart" instructions thousands of times per second.
Well, to paraphrase her husband, that depends on what the word "heart" means. And what the phrase "right place" means.
My personal view is that her "heart" is sealed inside a lead-cased bunker, buried deep below NORAD headquarters in rural Colorado. There, it is connected by high speed data lines to her email server, and to the trading floors of Chase, UBS and Goldman Sachs, which send the "heart" instructions thousands of times per second.
14
"All about calculation"
You nailed it there!
You nailed it there!
7
We are all sitting on the verge of history.
2016 is going to be the year that the American people reject the establishment (liberal) news media and the establishment political parties.
We will be here month after month watching the NYT implode and the cable news hacks stammering for words as the primary votes roll in on both sides for Trump and Sanders.
I cannot wait.
2016 is going to be the year that the American people reject the establishment (liberal) news media and the establishment political parties.
We will be here month after month watching the NYT implode and the cable news hacks stammering for words as the primary votes roll in on both sides for Trump and Sanders.
I cannot wait.
33
For once I agree with you with one caveat - voters will also be rejecting the right wing fantasy factories I mean, news channels, e.g., Fox.
1
Thought we did that with President O
Bernie Sanders is the only candidate speaking to common people.
23
So is Trump. Difference is Bernie spreads passion bound to reason. Donald spreads hatred bound to lies.
3
Clinton is Wall Street's Democrat. Everyone I know who says they will vote for her says it's because she's "electable," which is what the MSM has been pumping for months. In other words, she's better than a Republican. That's not exactly setting the bar very high.
Sanders, on the other hand, is the only candidate who doesn't represent big money--as a matter of fact, the only such candidate I've seen in my entire life, and I'm 72. He is also the only candidate I've ever sent money to: $35/month until he is elected.
Sanders, on the other hand, is the only candidate who doesn't represent big money--as a matter of fact, the only such candidate I've seen in my entire life, and I'm 72. He is also the only candidate I've ever sent money to: $35/month until he is elected.
48
If, and only if we could somehow magically turn Hillary Clinton out of her classically corporate friendly, scandalized shell and start over to present her values and moral leadership to be equal to that of say, an Elizabeth Warren, then yes, I'd vote for her. Unfortunately I don't think I'm alone when I say this poor country of ours can no longer afford to have another Bush or Clinton at the helm. Our once thriving blue collar and middle class labor force is drowning from both political and economic neglect. Our corporate-medical-industrial complex is bankrupting our souls and our wallets. Our debt-inducing college education system is forcing our youngsters to go on economic life-support. Our leaders have completely failed us. Time to try something new. And Mr. Sander's isn't not experienced. He is well versed in how politics work. He's the One.
25
It's really very very simple: Sanders is (a) advocating policies that voters agree with, and (b) shown he is a man who means what he says. No focus groups, attack ads, spin doctors, SuperPACs, stage management, or carefully vetted half-proposals can compete with that.
And that's the Clinton campaign's problem: They're so in tune with the profession and science of campaigning that they forgot that ultimately it's about ordinary people picking the candidate that they want, and no matter how carefully designed an illusion is eventually people see through the facade.
And that's the Clinton campaign's problem: They're so in tune with the profession and science of campaigning that they forgot that ultimately it's about ordinary people picking the candidate that they want, and no matter how carefully designed an illusion is eventually people see through the facade.
29
Yes, Bernie Sanders is a legitimate candidate. More stories on him and his policies would be appreciated a lot more than stories that present him as a speed-bump on the way to Hillary getting the nomination.
41
Not surprising. Bernie Sanders is honest, has high integrity, understands and has command of the real issues, doesn't take a nickel from the oligarchs that have selfishly and deliberately infected our democracy, our economy, and our political system with unimaginable greed. The corporate Democrats have really hurt the D Party on tax policy and trade bills and have moved the party to the center right since Reagan. And, to make matters worse, Chuck Schumer is poised to take over as speaker for the party when Reid retires. HRC and Schumer are/were the Senators from New York. Do you really think they will go after Wall Street? Enough of the corporatists. We need progressives like Bernie Sanders.
38
Sanders if nothing else is authentic. Clinton is too calculating and unfortunate for her and Jeb the public is looking for the uncola. They've got it with two candidates that couldn't be more different - Trump and Sanders. One a clown the other a serious and thoughtful statesman.
26
While I appreciate Sen Sanders' positions on many issues, particularly the corrupting influence on money in our government and politics, I find that I just do not believe he is the best choice of the Democratic Party. (Since I have property in Vermont, I consider his one of "my" senators and have always supported him in that role.)
A President needs to be able to get things done with a Congress that (as we've seen with President Obama) may wish to stymie any of his/her attempts. Sen Sanders isn't even a member of the Democratic Party so how does he expect to garner the kinds of support or create coalitions from both Democrats and Republicans needed to get legislation passed? (In truth, he has a reputation in Washington as being not much of a nice guy, too dogmatic, too convinced he is always right, and unlikely to compromise - nice features for an idealogue but not for a President).
If you truly look at his record in Congress you will see that he personally has achieved very little in his many years there. The media has failed to actually talk about this key element of the candidate - while he has great ideas and makes bold promises, HOW does he expect to get Congress to go along with him?? If President Obama, more of a left of center politician, found it very frustrating to work with a Congress committed to stopping him, what will a President Sanders do to achieve a different result?
A President needs to be able to get things done with a Congress that (as we've seen with President Obama) may wish to stymie any of his/her attempts. Sen Sanders isn't even a member of the Democratic Party so how does he expect to garner the kinds of support or create coalitions from both Democrats and Republicans needed to get legislation passed? (In truth, he has a reputation in Washington as being not much of a nice guy, too dogmatic, too convinced he is always right, and unlikely to compromise - nice features for an idealogue but not for a President).
If you truly look at his record in Congress you will see that he personally has achieved very little in his many years there. The media has failed to actually talk about this key element of the candidate - while he has great ideas and makes bold promises, HOW does he expect to get Congress to go along with him?? If President Obama, more of a left of center politician, found it very frustrating to work with a Congress committed to stopping him, what will a President Sanders do to achieve a different result?
2
His most important role in working with Congress will be to not shrink in fear of offending the pseudo-delicate sensibilities of Congressmen who need to be honestly and unflinchingly called out on their treacherous behavior.
10
What has HRC achieved other than a list of headngs for her resume that came her way due to her last name? Be specific--being "for" anything doesn't count.
9
The problem, those same Republicans who made it their only goal to obstruct President Obama hate Hillary Clinton as much as they do Obama.
3
"On Monday, Mrs. Clinton proposed raising the income tax by four percentage points for people earning more than $5 million a year, an idea virtually out of the Sanders playbook."
EVERY recent proposal we have heard from Hillary Clinton - a narcissistic Wall Street puppet who will say anything to get elected - is lifted verbatim from the Sanders campaign. At least this time the Times acknowledges it.
EVERY recent proposal we have heard from Hillary Clinton - a narcissistic Wall Street puppet who will say anything to get elected - is lifted verbatim from the Sanders campaign. At least this time the Times acknowledges it.
47
Sanders and Trump are just on the opposites of the spectrum. That is to the nation's detriment. I've my issues with Clinton. But she's the most center of all of the candidates. If you believe, as I do, that the national interest is paramount, then vote for her. Why, because I'm tired of governance by extortion.
Bring out the center, and the mainstream Republicans will join it and forsake the extreme right. That is in our national interest.
Another salient point is that I want the president to hit the ground running. Obama's first term was wasted for the most part because he was inexperienced. It generally takes two terms to get anything accomplished. Well, do you think Sanders is young enough to serve two terms? I don't.
Sanders also lacks foreign policy experience. In this day and age, that's a big deal.
And on a side note, as a Coloradan that has seen one too many mass shootings, Sanders' opposition to the Brady Bill and support for gun manufacturer immunity was wrong.
Bring out the center, and the mainstream Republicans will join it and forsake the extreme right. That is in our national interest.
Another salient point is that I want the president to hit the ground running. Obama's first term was wasted for the most part because he was inexperienced. It generally takes two terms to get anything accomplished. Well, do you think Sanders is young enough to serve two terms? I don't.
Sanders also lacks foreign policy experience. In this day and age, that's a big deal.
And on a side note, as a Coloradan that has seen one too many mass shootings, Sanders' opposition to the Brady Bill and support for gun manufacturer immunity was wrong.
3
As a Coloradan, Climate Change is the biggest issue for me. We can't wait another 4-8 years on this one. We need real action - mitigation and preparedness. Bernie has promised real action. Sure Clinton says she'll put up a billion solar panels if elected but I don't trust her. It would get put to the back burner if she got in the White House. But she would never put the "war on terror" to the back burner - gotta look tough against those terrorists, right? Meanwhile women and children would continue to die by drones in places like Pakistan. Ugh. No thank you. I'm going with Bernie because he "gets" that we need to do something for real and immediately in order to leave an inhabitable planet for our kids and grandkids. I don't think Hillary quite "gets" that as much.
Bill McKibben wrote an article saying that Nature was happy Bernie was running. He also wrote an article calling out Clinton for her inaction on Climate Change. The difference is real. The Rockies are melting. #Bernie2016
Bill McKibben wrote an article saying that Nature was happy Bernie was running. He also wrote an article calling out Clinton for her inaction on Climate Change. The difference is real. The Rockies are melting. #Bernie2016
4
If foreign policy experience entails sacrificing our soldiers, who are our own citizens, for the purported well-being of wealthy Arab oil dynasties, then I don't think the "lack" of foreign policy experience is the shortcoming you make it out to be. So he didn't get the Secretary of State job. Could that be because his wife was not a former POTUS?
As for his age and serving two terms, I am still puzzled by how long it took Obama to get around to doing business. He was bending over backward to give House Republicans the benefit of the doubt, showing a willingness to believe that they would somehow work with him. I don't think Bernie's likely to diddle around for an entire term before calling them out. Also, Hillary is within the same age range. The important thing for either is choosing a running mate who is not quite so old.
I think most fed-up Republican voters are much more likely to vote for Sanders than Clinton, despite your claim that she is a centrist, simply because of the feeling that we know where we stand with Sanders. He does not present so many different faces to different groups. Perhaps that is what "Centrist" actually means to Clinton. I think she is more confused than anything else.
As for his age and serving two terms, I am still puzzled by how long it took Obama to get around to doing business. He was bending over backward to give House Republicans the benefit of the doubt, showing a willingness to believe that they would somehow work with him. I don't think Bernie's likely to diddle around for an entire term before calling them out. Also, Hillary is within the same age range. The important thing for either is choosing a running mate who is not quite so old.
I think most fed-up Republican voters are much more likely to vote for Sanders than Clinton, despite your claim that she is a centrist, simply because of the feeling that we know where we stand with Sanders. He does not present so many different faces to different groups. Perhaps that is what "Centrist" actually means to Clinton. I think she is more confused than anything else.
2
Regarding age, Nelson Mandela was 75 when he was elected president of South Africa and did just fine. The current pope is 79 and doing just fine. It is possible to be a strong and effective leader in your 70's and into your 80's. Bernie Sanders has stamina and determination that is worthy of a long distance runner. And btw, Clinton (and Trump) are only a few years younger than he is - they just dye their hair.
6
Hillary Clinton has said that she would love to debate Trump, should he become the Republican nominee. However ~ the most interesting debate by far would be one between Bernie Sanders and Donald J. Trump. I don't think that Sanders would let Trump get away with all that light ideology and heavy marketing savvy; that's going to be gristle for Sanders' meat grinder, which he (as a 60s activist) will be delighted to crank.
16
The mainstream Dems and Reps have failed the masses and people are angrier than ever. If we don't get a Bernie next year, we may get a Mussolini or Castro in five.
16
Bernie's endorsements are starting to add up, too. I hope more unions get behind him, and soon. Union membership and power has certainly waned in most places, but motivated members can still mobilize voters and swing a primary.
15
If the New York Times wants the Democrats to hold on to the Presidency, then start giving Sanders some real coverage.
Sanders is the candidate people care about, NOT Clinton. Mechanics and professors alike.
Sanders is the candidate people care about, NOT Clinton. Mechanics and professors alike.
26
A few months back, I read some of Sen Bernie Sanders position papers, statements, news quotes, etc to find out what he was advocating so as to reach a decision for the primary. I was amazed: his positions are clear, lucid, unambiguous, and basically what I would like to see happen. My primary concern is which Democrat has a better probability in the general election. My heart loves Bernie, my brain nags for Hillary.
4
You should ask yourself: which is the media tampering with, your heart or your brain?
8
Feel the Bern baby!
#Bernie2016!
#Bernie2016!
11
This is the first Times story in quite awhile that hasn't treated Hillary Clinton as the Presumptive Nominee. How refreshing that you've rediscovered Bernie Sanders.
22
Iowans' Passion?
3
You bet. Remember the boost Iowa (a decidedly white state) gave Obama? And they have that bike ride every year across the state.
The democrat empress has no clothes. Hopefully the liberals will finally open their eyes and see that Hillary does not represent your values. Hillary will pay lip service but the Clintons did not go from dead broke to super rich by not being friends with wall street, the super rich in Hollywood and other super rich corporate leaders. Yea, living that lifestyle and mingling with them, Hillary really shares your pain. At least Bernie is honest and speaks with true passion, not like Hillary who only pays lip service to the liberals.
14
Posters speak of an enthusiasm gap between Clinton and Sanders. There is also a yawning perceived integrity gap.
I'm reminded of Eric Cantor's loss to a little-known economics professor in the 2014 VA primary. Cantor was the favorite of the Establishment Far Right. He had the support of the big donors. But his opponent seemed to possess even stronger right-wing credentials. Cantor lost. (His punishment was to do hard labor in a hedge fund.)
Beware an angry constituency in troubled times. Perceived integrity trumps everything else. No pun intended, of course.
I'm reminded of Eric Cantor's loss to a little-known economics professor in the 2014 VA primary. Cantor was the favorite of the Establishment Far Right. He had the support of the big donors. But his opponent seemed to possess even stronger right-wing credentials. Cantor lost. (His punishment was to do hard labor in a hedge fund.)
Beware an angry constituency in troubled times. Perceived integrity trumps everything else. No pun intended, of course.
10
A retired professor's words sum it up well: "“I get emotional. It brings tears that someone is talking about the issues that we should be concerned about.”
Dear Hillary supporters,
You may want Hillary. That's understandable. But we as a nation NEED BERNIE. Period. End of story.
Dear Hillary supporters,
You may want Hillary. That's understandable. But we as a nation NEED BERNIE. Period. End of story.
30
Whatever epithet the press and the public might use to describe Sanders, in almost all of western Europe he would be considered at most slightly left of center.
21
What's your point?
2
I think the point of the poster from Boston is quite clear: Sanders is not a real socialist or far leftist, and the liberal press is not making that clear in order to shill for Hillary the centre moderate.
5
Strategic thinking is sadly absent from most of the babble here.
The Supreme Court is the real prize at stake in the next election.
Everybody knows that the litigant who is willing to spend the most usually wins lawsuits. If the courts aren't cleaned up soon, this is how "He who has the gold rules" will become the only law of the land there is in the US.
The Supreme Court is the real prize at stake in the next election.
Everybody knows that the litigant who is willing to spend the most usually wins lawsuits. If the courts aren't cleaned up soon, this is how "He who has the gold rules" will become the only law of the land there is in the US.
3
If you expect a serial abuser of process like The Donald to make the court system hostile to frivolous litigation, he's got a bridge to sell you too.
3
Steve
Some of us have been saying for *YEARS* that one important consideration in voting for President is that POtUS gets to nominate candidates for confirmation to the Supreme Court. If you can't decide between two Preaidentail candidates, the decison should come down to which one you believe would nominate the better candidates for Supreme Court Justices.
In my humble opinion, there is little debate on that scaore here:
Bernie Sanders would be far better than Hillary Clinton when it comes to Supreme Court Justice nominations. She has ties to big buisness, and he does not. If you think Citizens United is one of the most outrageous decisions in the history of the nation, as I do, then Bernie wins the contest. (One can also name other cases in which I believe the current Justices, especially the five conservatives, have done us a major disservice. It is high time to fix the Supreme Court.)
Full stop. Game over. Done.
Bernie Sanders in 2016.
Some of us have been saying for *YEARS* that one important consideration in voting for President is that POtUS gets to nominate candidates for confirmation to the Supreme Court. If you can't decide between two Preaidentail candidates, the decison should come down to which one you believe would nominate the better candidates for Supreme Court Justices.
In my humble opinion, there is little debate on that scaore here:
Bernie Sanders would be far better than Hillary Clinton when it comes to Supreme Court Justice nominations. She has ties to big buisness, and he does not. If you think Citizens United is one of the most outrageous decisions in the history of the nation, as I do, then Bernie wins the contest. (One can also name other cases in which I believe the current Justices, especially the five conservatives, have done us a major disservice. It is high time to fix the Supreme Court.)
Full stop. Game over. Done.
Bernie Sanders in 2016.
9
Nobody gets onto the Supreme Court without Senate consent. Bernie has always been a minority of one in the US Senate.
1
The Times columnist Charles Blow coined a term last September I find apt to this discussion, namely the "unctuousness of incessant calculation." How rich Secr. Clinton throws a single vote on a firearms bill down on Senator Sanders who gets a D-minus rating from the NRA. Granted there are those who glaze over when details and nuance come up, but Sanders alone will rationally address the very real differences between a hunter in the woods, a thug, and someone in need of mental health intervention. He represents the adult in the room willing to say we have 310 million weapons in this country, nothing is simple and easy about this problem.
For those who missed the Black and Brown Forum last night, Ms. Clinton related how she babysat for migrant families' children when she was 11 years old, and how she and a Kardashian did a selfie. I was hoping she'd help close her Enthusiasm Gap by explaining in some measure how she's worth upwards of $250,000 for a speaking engagement. One must understand that the $30 a Bernie supporter contributes means as much or more to that person than any amount her bundlers can SuperPAC. Senator Sanders alone represents a genuine corrective to government for sale. Street Creds.
For those who missed the Black and Brown Forum last night, Ms. Clinton related how she babysat for migrant families' children when she was 11 years old, and how she and a Kardashian did a selfie. I was hoping she'd help close her Enthusiasm Gap by explaining in some measure how she's worth upwards of $250,000 for a speaking engagement. One must understand that the $30 a Bernie supporter contributes means as much or more to that person than any amount her bundlers can SuperPAC. Senator Sanders alone represents a genuine corrective to government for sale. Street Creds.
22
Going on the attack is not a substitute for actually generating enthusiasm yourself.
11
Great! It is about time the NYT acknowledged the strength of Saunders campaign with millions from small donators. This is a political phenomena of importance! Hillery is just another machine politician. Bernie is the only candidate who can fix this broken, ungovernable country.
10
Once again the Times has put forward another "hit job" on HRC. She's in a competitive campaign against a formidable foe and she doing what she has to do to be successful.Your article theme and innuendo is that she is doing something unsavory to compete. This is why she has the baggage of "untrustworthy"which is very unfair to her campaign. What evil or wrong doing has she done to deserve this ?
1
insider trading, ignoring email protocols, lies about how she was shot at.....la, la ,la, the list goes on and on...
Well, I love Bill Clinton, but I've never been that crazy about Hillary, in spite of her brains, qualifications, etc. But at least she can beat Trump, whereas old Bernie cannot.
Think about it, anti-Hillary people: would you rather have a Democrat or a Republican make the next appointments to the Supreme Court?
Think about it, anti-Hillary people: would you rather have a Democrat or a Republican make the next appointments to the Supreme Court?
2
"Old Bernie" does better than Clinton against Trump, Rubio, and Cruz, according to the latest Marist poll.
"Turning to the general election, when Clinton and Sanders are each matched against, Trump, Cruz, or Rubio, Sanders does better than Clinton among registered voters in both Iowa and New Hampshire. In Iowa, Sanders achieves his largest lead, 13 points, against Trump and is ahead of Cruz by 5 points among the statewide electorate. Sanders and Rubio are tied among registered voters in Iowa. Sanders leads Trump and Cruz by 19 points in New Hampshire and has a 9 point lead over Rubio in the state."
http://maristpoll.marist.edu/110-cruz-and-trump-vie-in-ia-trump-nh-favor...
"Turning to the general election, when Clinton and Sanders are each matched against, Trump, Cruz, or Rubio, Sanders does better than Clinton among registered voters in both Iowa and New Hampshire. In Iowa, Sanders achieves his largest lead, 13 points, against Trump and is ahead of Cruz by 5 points among the statewide electorate. Sanders and Rubio are tied among registered voters in Iowa. Sanders leads Trump and Cruz by 19 points in New Hampshire and has a 9 point lead over Rubio in the state."
http://maristpoll.marist.edu/110-cruz-and-trump-vie-in-ia-trump-nh-favor...
8
Look at the recent polls and reconsider your comment.
2
Why does the NYT have to turn an article that should be about Bernie Sanders into an article about Hillary Clinton? I do not like this bias at all.
23
Agreed. Historians who someday read these comments will identify the turning point when mainstream news lost credibility and even the dominant and previously admired newspapers were too tied to vested interests, in this case the Clintons and their donors, to be credible.
I've always been proud, but am more proud than ever, to say that I've loved and supported Bernie since 1987.
This is the election I've been dreaming about.
In America, being the underdog will always endear you to the public. And being an underdog with a real cause, real vision and genuine passion elevates your chances for success.
On both ideological and pragmatic fronts, one thing is clear:
BERNIE CAN WIN!!
This is the election I've been dreaming about.
In America, being the underdog will always endear you to the public. And being an underdog with a real cause, real vision and genuine passion elevates your chances for success.
On both ideological and pragmatic fronts, one thing is clear:
BERNIE CAN WIN!!
16
Bernie is the real deal!! Go Bernie!!!!
12
“I personally want to find out if she’s trustworthy or not,”
To answer that question ask the families of the Benghazi victims. The answer to that question is unambiguous - she is NOT trustworthy.
To answer that question ask the families of the Benghazi victims. The answer to that question is unambiguous - she is NOT trustworthy.
3
No REAL leader needs to be told how to be a leader. You are either a REAL leader, or, you are not. REAL leaders are hard to find, and all the artificial and amateurish distractions and efforts to "make" a leader fool only those who have never been around a REAL leader.
3
I am troubled by all the emotion for Sanders and the lack of thought about what he has done and what he has not done. Clearly Hillary is a doer and has accomplished so much. She doesn't play to voter emotion but to rational discussion of real issues not to bombast and obfuscation. These are perilous times. We need a rational smart person, and for goodness sake, it is past time for a woman who will look and lead with new eyes. Don't people see that the guys posing as "outsiders" and viciously anti immigrant and anti woman pose a real danger to this country's and each of us. This includes Bernie who I admire and have supported, in the past. Still his skills are no match for Hillary's prowess. My mother saw Bill as the best leader since FRD. Hillary offers us a similar chance to be positive and to improve the country. I don't think Bernie has her broad political vision or verbal ability.
Certainly the Republicans don't see the world where I want it to go We don't want to go back; we fought WWII against similar bigotry. When the GOP has been in power, our nation and economy stagnate and been repressive especially to women and regular folk. We need Hillary to lead us coolly out of the emotional-charged mess of fear, prejudice and hate. She can do it with reason and our support. The choice is clear.Primary voters stand with Hillary.She has all the right stuff!
Certainly the Republicans don't see the world where I want it to go We don't want to go back; we fought WWII against similar bigotry. When the GOP has been in power, our nation and economy stagnate and been repressive especially to women and regular folk. We need Hillary to lead us coolly out of the emotional-charged mess of fear, prejudice and hate. She can do it with reason and our support. The choice is clear.Primary voters stand with Hillary.She has all the right stuff!
1
I've been a caucus attendee since 1984 in Iowa. Was the lone delegate in our county for Clinton in 1992 (when our Senator Harkin was running). I had planned on caucusing for Hillary and I did so in 08. I've decided (last week) to support Sanders.
For six months it has appeared that the substantial passion of Sanders supporters, would be difficult for Hillary to win against. I'm now seeing the solidification of a fundamental shift in the calculus folks are doing regarding the caucuses this go around. Three months ago the bottom line in conversations was: Clinton is electable and Sanders is not (and her debate performance substantiated the assets she can bring to the White House). Now some Clinton supporters appear to have concluded she may not be as electable as thought and that the Sanders may have the better chance given the Republican field. So you are seeing Hillary supporters who have all along been enthusiastic about Sanders' message now believing Sanders is potentially the more electable of the two.
At their core caucuses are about persuading your neighbors. And, alliances do in fact reconfigure over the course of the evening until a final count is taken. The key element is always the level of passion a person has for the candidate. I believe Sanders will win big in Polk, Johnson, Black Hawk, Story, Scott and Linn counties, the most populated counties, and that sanders will have a much stronger showing in the more rural counties than anticipated.
For six months it has appeared that the substantial passion of Sanders supporters, would be difficult for Hillary to win against. I'm now seeing the solidification of a fundamental shift in the calculus folks are doing regarding the caucuses this go around. Three months ago the bottom line in conversations was: Clinton is electable and Sanders is not (and her debate performance substantiated the assets she can bring to the White House). Now some Clinton supporters appear to have concluded she may not be as electable as thought and that the Sanders may have the better chance given the Republican field. So you are seeing Hillary supporters who have all along been enthusiastic about Sanders' message now believing Sanders is potentially the more electable of the two.
At their core caucuses are about persuading your neighbors. And, alliances do in fact reconfigure over the course of the evening until a final count is taken. The key element is always the level of passion a person has for the candidate. I believe Sanders will win big in Polk, Johnson, Black Hawk, Story, Scott and Linn counties, the most populated counties, and that sanders will have a much stronger showing in the more rural counties than anticipated.
234
Oh, I do hope you are right. GO BERNIE! This citizen is 100% behind you.
1
Does anyone else love the delicious irony of Hillary holding her event in Waterloo?
17
Hillary is the left-wing version of Dick Cheney in my opinion. She cannot be taken at her word, and as well all know, she acts according to which way the wind blows. Sanders is his own man, speaks his mind and heart. That is what we need.
13
You mean the Democratic version of Dick Cheney. Neither Clinton is/was remotely "leftwing". They are standard issue slightly right of center types.
1
Bernie is simply better.
8
Finally, the real story of the 2016 campaign.
Hillary is in trouble. Losing Iowa to Bernie Sanders is a bellweather for NH.
Hillary is in trouble. Losing Iowa to Bernie Sanders is a bellweather for NH.
5
DCbarrister
Don't count your chickens yet.
Bernie beats each of Trump, Cruz and Rubio in head-to-head polling. The other Republican clowns would do even less well.
Trump is a bloviating megalomaniac.
Cruz is obnoxious, and even his fellow US Senators dislike him.
Rubio can't even manage his own finances, but he wants to run the biggest financial operation in the world.
On the morning of November 9, 2016, please tell us how well your Republican candidate did.
Don't count your chickens yet.
Bernie beats each of Trump, Cruz and Rubio in head-to-head polling. The other Republican clowns would do even less well.
Trump is a bloviating megalomaniac.
Cruz is obnoxious, and even his fellow US Senators dislike him.
Rubio can't even manage his own finances, but he wants to run the biggest financial operation in the world.
On the morning of November 9, 2016, please tell us how well your Republican candidate did.
I'll be telling you from the headquarters here in Washington DC for President-Elect Donald J. Trump.
1
Trump, even with wall-to-wall 24/7 media coverage, still manages to garner the support of only about a third of Republicans. Meanwhile, Hillary, the default Democratic candidate with all the media coverage, keeps sinking in the polls, while Bernie, the guy the media ignores, stands poised to steamroll Hillary.
Seems to me that the supposed power of the mass media isn't all that it's cracked up to be.
Seems to me that the supposed power of the mass media isn't all that it's cracked up to be.
10
The primary electorate has sensed that the DNC is in Clinton's corner with its below the viewing radar debate scheduling, with its eligibility rule change that eliminated Larry Lessig, author of the best seller Republic Lost, who ran on a single issue, reforming the election process. Before the change, he had qualified to participate in the first debate. Well, now a growing portion of the primary electorate is flexing its muscle in Iowa and New Hampshire with its passionate support of Sanders and what he stands for; integrity. The electorate has leveled the playing field; game on.
9
This is a seminal campaign that has redefined how politics is played. In this new information age, politicians can no longer hide behind lies. There is a large group of very intelligent tech savvy do-gooders in this country (and some around the world) that now have the technology and the organization to educate America about their choices. It's not asking, but demanding that politics is played with class and authenticity. Sanders arrived at the perfect time. His ideas are well liked by most people, but the thing that people really love most is that he is simply honest.
11
Instead of making the article about Clinton, why didn't you make it about Sanders? To any regular reader of the Times, the answer will be clear. The Times has been consistently dismissive of Sanders; its comparatively few articles about him have been grudging and biased.
7
Barack Obama famously said of Hillary, "you're likable enough." She is of course, and most of us still love Bill, despite his idiotic behavior with Monica. But can we really get enthusiastic about Hillary? She lacks passion. She comes across as a practiced salesperson with platitudes. Bernie is the real deal. His integrity and determination are palpable. Most importantly, he has articulated a message that resonates with those of us who see the middle class slipping away to the oligarchs. Secretary Clinton sometimes looks like the deer caught in the headlights. Her 11th hour adoption of many of Senator Sanders' policy positions looks contrived and thus, raises the issue of trustworthiness. She's now feeling the bern.
3
His reprehensible behavior with Ms. Lewinsky - his reprehensible behavior re welfare, re the DOMA, re Glass-Steagal. Let us call it what it was. The Clintons, both, are two mendacious opportunists who present themselves as progressives. They aren't. He wasn't and she isn't. Sanders is.
10
If Bernie becomes the Democrat nominee and Trump the Republican, expect an extremely ugly campaign with Trump bringing up religion.
2
As a die hard Democrat, I think if Hillary starts attacking Sanders it's going to back fire on her in a big way.
It will be like someone yelling at your nice old grandfather. Bad optics.
(Another terrible politico word).
Stick to pointing out real differences - not attacking. They are different candidates after all. Each with their own appeal.
By the way, do we have to constantly hear about politicians "on the attack!".
Isn't that a little trite these days? Not to mention meaningless?
Leave the gutter politics to the gutter politicians.
It will be like someone yelling at your nice old grandfather. Bad optics.
(Another terrible politico word).
Stick to pointing out real differences - not attacking. They are different candidates after all. Each with their own appeal.
By the way, do we have to constantly hear about politicians "on the attack!".
Isn't that a little trite these days? Not to mention meaningless?
Leave the gutter politics to the gutter politicians.
1
Republicans and Democrats do agree on one thing. Establishment elitist politics has more than just a few people ticked off, angered by, disappointed in, frustrated, and irritated by the whole of its inept ability to get anything done for the betterment of all Americans. I see Trump and Hillary as the establishment candidate although I am aware that The Donald is considered anti establishment. Only in the GOP, Greed Over People. I have thought for some time that the NYT's dismissal and ignoring of Bernie Sanders has been an injustice. Now I see it as a very strong affirmation of Bernie not being from the Establishment. Thanks for the Bernie plug. Feel the Bern!
4
Bernie has never played the game. Hillary has so many layers, we don't know what she will do if elected.
Wall Street is out of control; Bernie is the only candidate willing to go head on with the bankers. Hillary's governing will be a mish mash, half measure of whatever polls well.
Like him or not, Bernie is crystal clear, unvarnished.
Wall Street is out of control; Bernie is the only candidate willing to go head on with the bankers. Hillary's governing will be a mish mash, half measure of whatever polls well.
Like him or not, Bernie is crystal clear, unvarnished.
4
While I'm happy to see Bernie getting the media attention he deserves, We must remember that if Clinton is on the ticket in November , we've got to get out and vote for her. The alternatives are too frightening to consider.
2
I guess The New York Times is finally paying attention to it's readers. For months now, I've been reading comment after comment from people fed up with the incredible bias shown in this paper towards Clinton. It's almost as if the times were actively campaigning for Hillary. But, like Clinton herself, the times has done a flopsy when faced with public pressure. And THAT is why we love Bernie. Full stop. He's been saying the same thing, campaigning on the same points, and standing up for the little guy since the 60's. No flip-flopping from our man from Brooklyn, just straight shooting activism. Obviously people who can discern between someone who genuinely cares about them all the time, and someone who cares about them only before an election, know who to vote (caucus) for.
What I find surprising is just how big a flip the times did. I mean, look at the picture of Bernie embracing a good looking young man, vs. the picture of Hillary far removed from her audience, and protected from them behind a velvet rope. Interesting move Times, interesting move...
What I find surprising is just how big a flip the times did. I mean, look at the picture of Bernie embracing a good looking young man, vs. the picture of Hillary far removed from her audience, and protected from them behind a velvet rope. Interesting move Times, interesting move...
12
Hillary represent what the Democrat has become, not what the supporters want the Democrat to be. She knows her enemies well, too well perhaps, that she no longer has the audacity or a bold initiative to take a fight to them. Hillary is like a trench warfare fighter, and her maneuver against the Republican is so obvious: you don't move, I don't move. We are all tired of these epic nasty battles in the mud, where both sides get dirty and nothing happens. People need hope; we need someone to take a fight to the enemy. Big promises still work, and Bernie seems the right one to make them.
174
Hillary might consider using this as an opportunity to develop the ability to feign passion in response.
It won't matter if her eventual opponent is someone like Jeb Bush, because the election will be fought on wonky policy offerings and a singular absence of presence on the debate stage from BOTH aspirants; but if it's The Donald or Cruz, and passion truly does count, she's gonna get steamrolled.
It won't matter if her eventual opponent is someone like Jeb Bush, because the election will be fought on wonky policy offerings and a singular absence of presence on the debate stage from BOTH aspirants; but if it's The Donald or Cruz, and passion truly does count, she's gonna get steamrolled.
2
All Sanders, Trump and Cruz are is cake for the mob, in 2008 it was Obama.
None of the new cake competitors will be able to accomplish anything unless they have an FDR like Congress. That won't happen unless the mob wrests control of Congress from the wealthiest.
None of the new cake competitors will be able to accomplish anything unless they have an FDR like Congress. That won't happen unless the mob wrests control of Congress from the wealthiest.
Hillary is in for a rude awakening; well, a second rude awakening. People are completely fed up and however much she contorts herself and brings her husband in and whatnot nobody really wants her as President, although she is preferable to any of the fascist sociopaths running as Republicans.
Everyone I know is voting for Bernie. We want him in office and banker criminals put in their place, which is jail.
Everyone I know is voting for Bernie. We want him in office and banker criminals put in their place, which is jail.
8
If these two claw each other to political death it is a sure thing for whatever rough beast the Tea Party supports.
They have to make a pact to return to the practice in our first presidential elections: winner is President, 2nd place is V.P.
Then both have to turn their attention to House and Senate races because without wins there no Democratic President stands a chance with a reasonable, necessary, sane agenda to be approved and funded.
The history of the left is the splintering of splinter groups. And defeat.
They have to make a pact to return to the practice in our first presidential elections: winner is President, 2nd place is V.P.
Then both have to turn their attention to House and Senate races because without wins there no Democratic President stands a chance with a reasonable, necessary, sane agenda to be approved and funded.
The history of the left is the splintering of splinter groups. And defeat.
Hillary Clinton is a moral and ethical nightmare. She is the definition of a power-hungry, corrupt politician.
Bernie Sanders is a nightmare, too, but for wholly different reasons. He seems to be a "true believer" in the positions he espouses. But, those positions would lead to the economic collapse of the United States.
If the Democrats stay with only these two, it seems likely that a Republican will be elected this year, even if that Republican is Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. And,...
...that may be most frightening thing of all!
Bernie Sanders is a nightmare, too, but for wholly different reasons. He seems to be a "true believer" in the positions he espouses. But, those positions would lead to the economic collapse of the United States.
If the Democrats stay with only these two, it seems likely that a Republican will be elected this year, even if that Republican is Donald Trump or Ted Cruz. And,...
...that may be most frightening thing of all!
1
They would lead to the economic collapse of the one percent criminal class, and that would be fine with me and a vast majority of the American people.
7
HRC reminds me of Mitt's 2012 candidacy: the requisite resume, the money, the ambition. But not, somehow, the empathy. A political friend of mine, who once ran for high office but lost, told me in a moment of complete candor that he liked individuals, but not people. With Hillary, as with Mitt, I more and more understand the truth of what he meant.
7
Despite all the advantages conveyed by celebrity, millionaire donors, "inevitable frontrunner" status, the full support of the DNC, and being married to one of the most famous and now, well-liked people in the world, Iowa and New Hampshire are now within margin-of-error with Bernie Sanders.
This story is not about HRC, it's about Bernie Sanders. The public recognizes true sincerity, real integrity, and policy proposals that reflect the greatest good.
This story is not about HRC, it's about Bernie Sanders. The public recognizes true sincerity, real integrity, and policy proposals that reflect the greatest good.
8
Another horse race column. Sigh.
There are a few words about the two candidates' positions (paragraph 10), but only a few. For me, and I suspect for a lot of others, it is their positions that make me a Sanders supporter. Clinton is too hawkish vis a vis the mess in the Middle East, and does not seem to want to take on the root causes of growing transformation of America into a political and economic oligarchy.
Go Bernie!
There are a few words about the two candidates' positions (paragraph 10), but only a few. For me, and I suspect for a lot of others, it is their positions that make me a Sanders supporter. Clinton is too hawkish vis a vis the mess in the Middle East, and does not seem to want to take on the root causes of growing transformation of America into a political and economic oligarchy.
Go Bernie!
8
Sanders will not be able to win the Presidency. He's a "virgin birther" in the Marxist style and he has the weird Marxist obtuseness about how the tax and benefit system works even as he claims to be able to reform it. Trump's "every child has a father" Scottishness will readily trump him. But Clinton has dug herself into a hole with this ridiculous unconstituitonal platform she's built that won't sell with nonCatholics north of Mason-Dixon. I think she has got to call out how the Arkansas state constitution is in violation of the U.S. Constitution.
It's not fair that she has to do this, but its necessary.
Or maybe what will happen is what demographers have been projecting, that the western/southern states will become their own Latin-style country, with the northern states continuing on with the US. Constitution.
It's not fair that she has to do this, but its necessary.
Or maybe what will happen is what demographers have been projecting, that the western/southern states will become their own Latin-style country, with the northern states continuing on with the US. Constitution.
1
For heaven's sake the man has been in the US Senate for how long and you think he has no idea of how the tax and benefits systems work?! The truth is, Sanders and Clinton both know perfectly well how these systems work, one of them is genuinely committed to changing them and one of them is committed to the appearance of same. It isn't hard to distinguish which is which.
2
Hillary Clinton is a tough fighter in difficult circumstances, but, ironically, remarkably inept when she should be coasting. Her biggest worry about Bernie Sanders should be to not alienate his fans, because she will obviously need them later. But when she sees her chances of nomination dropping precipitously from 99.99% to 99%, something goes haywire with Clinton. Bashing Sanders now is a total overreaction, and the only way she might actually fumble the election football.
1