Bernie Sanders Is Flush With Cash. Here’s How He Plans to Spend It.

Nov 07, 2019 · 103 comments
klm (Atlanta)
What! Bernie is spending money on the "corporate media"?
The Iconoclast (Oregon)
What does Bernie have to do to get the press and moderates off his back and earn the respect due him? If you think about these people who only see a angry old man you then understand that the moderates hold no real commitment to the lower half. It is more than a sad comment on our country when a candidate spearheading change that the majority of the country desires is so disrespected by the news media. They should be ashamed. What's it going to take for the Times and others to just stop with the childish attitudes? There is no far left in the US NYTs so how about the Times get back on track and report the news and not try to shape it. And what's up with the photo NYTs? We are growing tired of the way the photo editor chooses the same themes for each candidate, particularly Sanders and Warren. So, just like last time the moderate status quo New York Times and it's moderate posse comitatus rhetoric hits all the high points. When it comes to the gravy train the upper middle class and those aspiring to it want to continue to enjoy their side of the income gap.
AutumnLeaf (Manhattan)
Here's how - a happy retirement. He had a chance in 2016, but thanks to the DNC and DWS, he was sidelined to make way for Hillary. But now his body is failing. Would be a disaster to win the race and die in office. Make way for some one younger sir. And if Warren wins, get ready to pay her wealth tax too.
Parapraxis (Earth)
I love coming on to read the comments, but even better is connecting with folks on the ground here in Ohio. I smiled the other day when I heard an elderly gentleman say "When that Brother gets the nomination, its ON." Pretty much the only people I am in contact with that are not open to Bernie are people in my own affluent suburb. They are conveniently "apolitical." I think they think my bringing up politics is impolite? But a bunch of us continue on, knocking on doors, holding signs, donating from small paychecks, making "Not Me, Us" a real thing.
east coast writer (Pennsylvania)
Listen to Hillary. Medicare for All is the right goal but it won't pass so we build incrementally on what we have until the time when it will. Sanders' ego won't allow for common sense nor for bipartisanship. And he's too old. Can we please move on from this man?
eeeeee (sf)
this is how you get very very little accomplished. no thanks!
Joe Caruso (Flagstaff Az)
With the intentional ignoring of Sanders by the media outlets, he will need to spend a lot of money to get his message to the boomers who get all their information from cable TV.
eeeeee (sf)
sad but maybe true! do you see stories/reporting of him as much as any of the others? I sure don't
SamNYC (NYC)
In 2016 over one hundred million people didn't vote. The current resident of The White House managed to win a few thousand votes in a few states and go to D.C. with less than the majority. Bernie is going to give millions a reason to go vote in November 2020. Not vote against someone but vote FOR someone. AOC and the young people of this country are on board, time for the rest of us to get on board. Vote for Bernie!
Daibhidh (Chicago)
Sanders has to spend to compensate for the "Bernie Blackout" endemic to mainstream media coverage of his candidacy (a problem in 2016, as well). The DNC establishment and media confederates kneecapped Sanders in 2016, and they'll do it again, now. Hopefully, his television ads will help him get around the faux-centrist firewall that plagues the Democrats -- that is, the mythology that the mawkishly moderate stances of "alternatives" to Sanders can somehow phone in a win against Trump and the GOP. For example, NBC Nightly News let ultra-faux centrist Klobuchar tout her family's union history, even though her neoliberal (at best) stances are, at best, actively hostile to unionism. Yet she got prime coverage. Let's hope Sanders gets the message out, and people understand it. The establishment DNC is a huge part of the reason we have Trump -- weakly appealing to as many voters as possible failed. Biden's another example of it, even though he gets trotted out by the media and the DNC as the "sensible center" candidate. Nonsense. The GOP seems to barely pay any price for being as nonsensical as they want, and the DNC is like the grammar scold of politics, annoying everybody and winning over nobody, terrified of candidates who motivate voters. Sanders motivates voters, and yet gets ignored by the media.
T (Blue State)
His campaign is a zombie since his heart attack. He should take one for the team, and bow out now.
Barbara (D.C.)
A generalization/impression from the last few months: Most Sanders supporters in comments sections talk about how unfairly he's been treated, that the whole problem is how the system is set against him, etc. Most Warren supporters rave about her and wax on about her ideas.
j. g. (grand marais mn)
We all know how Bernie plans to spend his cash. He is going to use it to destroy the Democratic coalition exactly as he did in 2016.
cheerful dramatist (NYC)
This will probably get printed tommorow if at all, but the glorious, and wonderous thing is all that cash, all that money came from regular people mostly and not in huge clumps from corporations who want to own politicians and order them to stack the decks in their favor against all the little people. So you all who would benefit from Bernie's good policies which are moderate in 11 other civilized countries owe your regular fellow man for their largess which helps you.
Corbin (Minneapolis)
Bernie beats Trump by the largest margin in polls. (He did in 2016 too, but apparently Hillary needed a “turn”)
Carol wood (New york)
The Pied Piper of Pipe dreams must now step up to the plate and give his cult followers more than mere aspirational dream talk. Following Lizzie Warren's lead, he must explain IN DETAIL how he plans to generate 60-70 trillion dollars over the next decade or so to pay for the unwanted "Medicare For All!" plan he intends to foist on us. Unfortunately for Progressives everywhere Ms/ Warren, in revealing the fantasy tax machinations behind her "plans", has revealed that there is no fiscal mooring in the real world for far left giveaways. Sorry, Bernie. You will need to come up with an actual, politically plausible platform. Just ask Nancy Pelosi:" What works in San Francisco might not play well in Idaho."
Mark (Los Angeles)
The people’s candidate!
carl bumba (mo-ozarks)
"Only one, former Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., has a plausible claim on widespread establishment support." Who you trying to fool? There is/was widespread establishment support (like from NYT) for Warren, Buttigieg, Harris, Beto, etc.. Really, there is widespread establishment support for ANYONE but Bernie... or Tulsi (and probably Yang).
Barbara (D.C.)
@carl bumba It's best to understand what the NYT means by this statement, because it is truly factual. Take a look at the endorsements section on fivethirtyeight: Biden 135 Harris 89 Warren 91 Booker 59 Klobuchar 47 Sanders 47 Buttigieg 19 As far as I know, the NYT has not endorsed anyone yet.
carl bumba (mo-ozarks)
@Barbara Thanks for this. These are weighted scores, not actual endorsements, of ONLY current and former politicians (based on the their ranking as a politician, e.g. president vs. state representative). They are cumulative so their numbers reflect the popularity level of the candidates over the duration of the campaigns, Warren and Buttigieg numbers are low because they've only had recent successes. All the other ways that the establishment backs a candidate are not included here, of course. The NYT has not officially endorsed a candidate, but unofficially it's pretty clear they have endorsed Warren (as long as she doesn't expose herself or something). Such unofficial endorsements of the press are terrible because they skew coverage under the guise of fair and balanced journalism. Once they pull the trigger then it's obvious to everyone why they are biased and it has less propaganda value.
carl bumba (mo-ozarks)
"Bernie Sanders Is Flush With Cash" NYT has a knack for making ANYTHING about Bernie somehow seem negative.
Blunt (New York City)
Sydney Ember, daughter in law of Bain Capital’s CEO. One of the biggest beneficiaries of the carried interest loophole. Full time Bernie Sanders hatchet person.
Bathsheba Robie (Luckettsville, VA)
Bernie is never going to be the Democrat candidate for president for two simple reasons, that have nothing to do with his platform. He is 78 and has had at least one heart attack. He can’t stay in by claiming he wants to pull the platform leftward. Warren is doing that. Instead of dropping out, he is spending an incredible amount of money for advertising a DOA candidacy. Think of all the good things that Bernie could have done with $30 million rather than pouring it down the drain. It says a lot about Bernie’s egotism that he can’t let go and use his war chest for charitable purposes which his supporters would approve of. Under campaign finance laws, the money remains in his war chest is his if he drops out. He has to pay taxes on it, but if he donated it all to charity before he drops out, he wouldn’t have a tax problem. Maybe he just cares about minimizing his tax bill and just wants to get rid of his war chest. Most of Bernie’s donors are not rich. I wonder how they feel when they see their contributions poured down the drain.
Peter (Ireland)
@Bathsheba Robie Bernie does not have a big ego. Listen to this republican congressman who worked with Bernie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9ituMWcJ2c Bernie is the strongest rust belt democrat, and so is most likely to win the general if he gets the nomination. Warren is only popular among democrats, she won't get nearly as many independents in the general.
Cecilia Van Holmes (Cambridge, MA)
@Bathsheba Robie As a supporter, I would NOT approve of Mr. Sanders donating his funds to charity. I donated to his CAMPAIGN. If I did not want it to go to him, I would have donated to a charity myself. We are not brainless, even if some of us are "not rich," as you say. We knew exactly where our money was going and are delighted to see the outcomes of our contributions. Today, I can think of no better charitable contribution than betting on a candidate who will fight climate change, bring healthcare to dying people, and restore civility to the white house. Saying his campaign is DOA will not make it DOA. It would be convenient for many for him to disappear, but his support is real. My only regret is that I did not see it in 2016, when I considered him to be the problem rather than the solution.
Madeline (Watson)
@Bathsheba Robie Of course the NYT picks this. I think you mean to say Bernie pulled the party left (were you around for 2016?), and Warren jumped on the train to capitalize for her own career. There's a reason he has a movement with mass mobilization of a diverse coalition and she has wealthy suburban white women. I'm glad former Clintonites have found a temporary home, but I hope they follow their own "vote blue no matter who" advice when Sanders is on the ballot in fall 2020.
Mark (Minnesota)
If BS is the nominee Dems lose ANY chance at at re-taking the Senate and unseating McConnell. Dems need a candidate with long coat tails to help down ticket Senate & House races in senate campaigns with R purple to red states. BS will be a disaster in down ticket races in the states that’ll make the difference: GA, KY, TN, then Carolinas, TX, AL (where Democratic incumbent Senator is up), MO, MT, even KS, NE, and ME. It seems to me re-taking the Senate and holding the House is as, or more, important than the WH race. It will be a real shame if BS ends up costing the Dem House Majority by dragging candidates down in “middle America” moderate states. BS has never faced the R buzz saw and it won’t be pretty.
Al M (Norfolk Va)
@Mark "If BS is the nominee Dems lose ANY chance at at re-taking the Senate and unseating McConnell. Dems need a candidate with long coat tails to help down ticket Senate & House races in senate " The opposite is true. Sanders has the best chance and, in mobilizing many to the polls, longer coat tails than any other candidate.
Blunt (New York City)
Says who?
J (G)
@Al M Sanders supporters live in such LaLa Land. Wait until the videos of him air in the Soviet Union in the 80s.
Len Safhay (NJ)
While a Warren supporter, more and more I'm starting to worry that she will lose while Sanders would win, primarily because she can't resist academia-speak, which is anathema to many /most non-college graduates, while the average Joe/Jane seems to like Sanders personally, putting policies aside. Please, Ms. Warren, speak in plain, declarative sentences and eschew neologisms like "latinx". I live among the "regular folks" and I know whereof I speak.
Bob (Hudson Valley)
"A big TV buy could help Mr. Sanders with the demographics among which he is weakest: older voters who are the likeliest to be watching television without skipping the commercials." I would think many of these oldest voters would hit the mute button when the commercials come on. The Sanders' campaign must be aware that such viewers only need to press a button to avoid hearing commercials. Or they could opt to go to the refrigerator during such annoying breaks in the programming.
cherrylog754 (Atlanta,GA)
I've been waffling between Warren and Buttigieg for the last month. Now though, as I see and hear more about Sanders, my vote needle is moving more left. So now it's 1. Elizabeth 2. Bernie 3. Pete.
cheerful dramatist (NYC)
@cherrylog754 Read the Jonathon Larson piece at TYT network and see if you still find Pete so great. He was for Medicare for All then started attacking it like a snarling dog the minute he got donations from the healthcare industry. He already has sold out and will do nothing but talk pretty. When you see the cover up he did in his home town you will know he is a fake. A very good fake though I agree, but he is touted so much because he is now one of the corrupt gang, not the honest ones like Bernie and Warren who will fight for us. Mainstream media is against anyone who will fight for us.
Will. (NYCNYC)
A 78 year old who just had a HEART ATTACK! What a tragic waste of resources.
Sean (Greenwich)
No, Bernie Sanders is not "flouting traditional politicking," he's telling Americans that he will not be bought by the major corporations, that he is going to stand up for real Americans, and fight for the middle class. Why does The Times refuse to acknowledge simple truths about Bernie Sanders? Why the constant attempts to take him down?
cheerful dramatist (NYC)
@Sean God, I ask myself that all the time. Why does NYT hate we who are not the elite so darn much? We have a giant among us a real hero, but he must be punished for these sterling qualities why???
Annie Gramson Hill (Mount Kisco, NY)
My husband and I both give monthly contributions to Bernie’s campaign because we both believe that he is our best hope for a green new deal, Medicare for All, getting money out of politics and especially ending America’s foreign meddling which has destabilized large swaths of the planet in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. However, the DNC, the moneyed elite and the corporate media are all united against Bernie so we’re pretty clear-eyed that the establishment will do whatever it takes to prevent Bernie from gaining traction. The journalist assigned to cover Sanders’ campaign for the NYT, Sydney Ember, was a former analyst for BlackRock, the largest investor in coal plant developers in the world, while her husband was employed by Bain Capital, and her father in-law the CEO. These are the protectors of the.01%, and it’s very interesting that Ms. Ember was able to score such a coveted assignment covering one of the Democratic front runners. My husband and I will continue to give anyway because we really believe that the very future of our species could be at stake, between the environment and reckless foreign adventures. We want to be able to tell our 10 year-old son that we did everything we could to help. Some renowned person said, “if fate means for you to fail, give it a good fight anyway.” That helps me get past the despair I feel when I look at the toxic insanity of our so-called money grubbing “meritocracy”.
Al M (Norfolk Va)
@Annie Gramson Hill Thanks for your accurate observations. The DNC, not Russia or Ukraine or anyone else, has done more to sabotage our electoral process and stymie progressive candidates than any country. Were it not for them, we would already have a Sanders presidency and be much better off as a country. Worse, they are incapable in their arrogance of learning anything. If nothing else, they should have learned not to take voter for granted.
Ken (Connecticut)
What’s with the hit pieces on Sanders and Warren? I thought I was reading the Wall Street Journal for a minute. I’m starting to think a lot of wealthy and managerial class Democrats would prefer Trump to anyone who they feel would hit their pocketbooks. So much for idealism and solidarity.
M Davis (USA)
I think Bernie Sanders is aware he won't get the Democratic nomination. He and Elizabeth Warren are running in harness. My money's on her and his will be, too. In time.
cheerful dramatist (NYC)
Well isn't this something two hit pieces on the leading candidates on the same day. I had not notice this one till I finished commenting on the hit on Warren. But there is was snuggling up to her piece down below. Gee guess the bias toward honest contenders who will not take bribes and will not bow down to the elite in the democratic party is still active in mainstream media. But the strong Bernie supporters and I am one, blossoming in the comment section are very heartening. Makes my day. Yay! Bernie for President, and let mainstream media faint dead away I say!
blgreenie (Lawrenceville NJ)
As with Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and his fans make it all about him. The cult-quality of Bernie Sanders or just Bernie as his fans refer to him is unmistakable. His chance at the nomination is slim but his divisiveness in the race is and will be unmistakable. Is he really a Democrat or is he just Bernie?
Josh (San Francisco)
Looking forward to having Bernie as the democratic candidate. No one else can inspire a grassroots movement to defeat Trump in key states and across the country. And no one else’s vision and policies speak to the grotesque levels of income and wealth inequality and the slide into oligarchy that has been decades in the making in this country. Bernie is surging in polls, donations, and grassroots support (not least among young people). The NYT would just rather you not know it.
Olivia (NYC)
I work with people older than Sanders who defy their age. You would never guess how old they are. They speak, walk and act younger than Sanders does. He will never be president.
Kimbo (NJ)
Somehow that seems ironic... The socialist wasting 30 million dollars on advertising for a campaign he can't win. If I was a socialist, I would probably be even more appalled.
JWMathews (Sarasota, FL)
Too old, too left and not even a Democrat. Look at what a "moderate" Democrat can do via Andy Beshear in Kentucky yesterday. I want Trump out, but Sanders is not the answer.
Patrician (New York)
Can someone explain to me why an ideologically consistent and principled politician like Bernie Sanders is trailing in Iowa to a political weathervane, funded by Big Tech and Healthcare, at 0-2% with the African Americans, and whose much touted experience is being a mayor of the 301st largest city in America? A national poll showed that Bernie leads on all the issues. He is trusted more on Healthcare, Economy, Environment and Immigration... than all the others running in the race. Yet he’s trailing the man whose policies are written by a Goldman Sachs alum? I’ll tell you why: Mayor Pete is in the polls where he is and Bernie is trailing - because the former has had gushing media coverage completely disproportionate to his credentials and track record (should his limited Norwegian and piano skills have gotten such coverage?). While Bernie has been completely and unfairly ignored by the media. Media plays a disproportionate role in who moves up the polls and the scale has been tipped in this campaign. Bernie needs the ads obviously to be noticed and get his message out there. I can see that commenters here criticizing this decision - are doing so in bad faith.
Cousy (New England)
@Patrician I am in no way criticizing Bernie's decision - he's got plenty of money and only 88 days to make a renewed case to Iowans. But it has gotten tedious to hear Sanders supporters complain about being ignored by the media. The reality is that Sanders hasn't moved at all in the polls for the last six months. That is because Bernie has reached the ceiling of his support. The press is going to cover change, not stagnation. Where Bernie supporters see consistency, others see rigidity and inability to adapt. Where Bernie supporters see political potency in the 2016 election, others see a guy whose time has come and gone. Where Bernie supporters see superb fundraising, others see flat polling. I respect Bernie Sanders and am grateful to him for moving the debate. But I have seen no growth from him in any respect. It is hurting him.
Blunt (New York City)
First and foremost: a disclaimer is long overdue: Sydney Ember is the daughter-in-law of Bain Capital’s current CEO. Bain Capital is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the “carried interest” bonanza that is a priority of any progressive candidate to eliminate. Conflict of interest (Ms Embers husband also worked at Bain Capital, the same private equity shop Mitt Romney ran for a while making his fortune and pay for his famous garage) should have been obvious and she should have “recused” herself from covering a progressive candidate. The Times has largely ignored the 2016 campaign in which Bernie Sanders ran. What the Times ignored before are now being broadcasted to the public as other progressive candidates’ ideas and platforms. I am honestly disgusted by the coverage of this hero of America By this paper. It is unfair and an abuse of public trust. I will be a happy man if Bernie Sanders becomes our next president and delivers us out of the abyss we have fallen into. He is an honest, intelligent and selfless mensch.
Patrician (New York)
@Cousy You know better than anyone here who I’m supporting. Bernie is #2 on my list. Yes, his “super fans” also annoy me for their unfair attacks (particularly on Warren). But, I will call out injustice where I see it. All you have to do is type in “Bernie Blackout” on Twitter with a hash tag before the words and you will see what his supporters are complaining about. (eg pix of 13 candidates, including Bennet(!), but not of him. Poll descriptions that cover a “strong fourth” for Pete but not a bump for Sanders above him...) But, come on... Mayor Pete? Advised by Zuckerberg. Funded by Wall Street and Big Money. Changed platform on healthcare to capitalize on Biden’s weakness. Attacks progressives non-stop then claims to be the unifier for people tired of fighting (completely Trumpian move, btw) My point was about the power of media. And Bernie has gotten the short end of the stick, whatever we may feel about him. Mayor Pete has basked in fawning coverage because of the horse race the media wants us to follow.
Me (MA)
I am skeptical of Bernie Sanders and his electability. I am also skeptical of his ability to achieve his very progressive goals if he were to be elected President. One way he could begin to convince me would be to rally his supporters to take to the streets right now to protest Trump’s criminal behavior that has led to the impeachment inquiry. Such a move might scare enough Republicans senators to consider actually voting against Trump. This concept of a “political revolution” with millions of citizens marching in protest is a key component of his political strategy in effecting change. Why wait? If it is really about us and not him, then do that for us right now. That would be more powerful than any television ad he could ever run. And it would go a long way in convincing me that his methods could actually work.
Brad (Oregon)
Bernie and his supporters are once again working hard and doing their best to see trump reelected. You guys think it's bad now, imagine what will be left after a trump second term.
Tom Q (Minneapolis, MN)
If Bernie believes that inundating the airwaves with ads will result in a victory, he ought to give Linda McMahon a call. As a former resident of Connecticut, I recall many of my friends and co-workers claiming they were so sick of seeing her ads, they were purposely going to vote for her opponent. McMahon lost in two efforts to win a seat in the United States Senate.
Displaced yankee (Virginia)
Sanders is a zombie candidate flush with money from his base set on autopay. There is no way he has enough broad appeal to beat Trump, unless Trump resigns. Joe Biden/Kamal Harris is the best ticket. Bide would serve one term, then resign. Harris could be the first woman President.
Al M (Norfolk Va)
@Displaced yankee Sounds like a zombie-sourced accusation. As a senior on a very limited income, I end what I can to Sanders when I can -- not on "autopay." It is the zombie crowd that echoes corporate/DNC insults while supporting the policies that brought us Trump.
Sam (Sf)
Bernie with largely the same ideas as Warren, hasn’t created plans yet gets way less scrutiny. Hmmmmmm.
Anonymous (USA)
By putting out detailed plans, Warren opens herself up to scrutiny and attack about those plans now, even though if elected, it seems a slim chance those plans would actually be implemented as written. I’m also wary of her plan to find Medicare for all. By avoiding a direct tax hike on the middle class and shifting it to employers and a wealth tax, she may get a talking point now. But I’m suspicious that those taxes wouldn’t somehow end up getting shifted on to the workers anyway through unanticipated loopholes or the like. I think it’s a better message to say, we’re all in this together, so we should all pay a little more in taxes (but generally less overall in premiums and out of pocket health costs) to achieve healthcare for all. I don’t need the details at this point to support that.
Beyond Repair (NYC)
He needs to bow out and support Warren's bid! He's tainting hus legacy.
Caroline st Rosch (Hong Kong)
Aren’t we done with sanders already?
Another Worker (Massachusetts)
@Caroline st Rosch Who are "we"? I'm one of millions of people who are looking forward to a new beginning in this benighted country where America at last becomes as good as its promise. Bernie is our champion, but we have his back. We're not done. We're just getting started. Welcome to the political revolution. Not me, Us!
Olivia (NYC)
@Another Worker The American Revolution began in 1776. There won’t be another one anytime soon.
mlb4ever (New York)
"Bernie Sanders’s campaign plans to spend more than $30 million on TV advertising" I wonder how many roads could have been repaved in the early voting states for $30 million generating good jobs for the working and middle class. If the media gave that the coverage it deserved, IMHO the best bang for the buck by far. As it stands $30 million small donor money funneled direct to the corporate media, mostly as pure profit.
Laurabat (Brookline, MA)
@mlb4ever. And what of all the large donor money funneling to Biden and Buttigieg? Think of all the good those millions upon millions could have done for working and middle class Americans! If you don't like the waste of campaign spending, push for a reduced campaign period. If you just don't like Sanders's campaign spending in particular, I'm not sure what to tell you.
mlb4ever (New York)
@Laurabat Before Sanders and now Warren most campaigns were financed largely through the donor class, large sums of money from the upper class staying in the upper class. My comment was not meant to be judgmental, rather observing the irony that the progressive stand against income inequality are being exacerbated with large sums of money flowing the wrong way.
Al M (Norfolk Va)
I'm glad Sanders is buying media advertising. Outreach is vital because the media is doing everything it can to either avoid covering him or to disparage and misrepresent his positions. The massive turnouts at his rallies show that most of us see beyond the negative coverage, understand where it is coming from and support him for President. He is what this country needs to survive the damage that has been done to us by the rabid right and by the corruption of big money influence.
T (Blue State)
@Al M And if he is the nominee and has another heart attack? Will Sanders and his supporters give us TWO Trump Presidencies?
Mojoman49 (Sarasota)
@A — l might add that a huge amount of negative media on Bernie comes from NYT’s obstinance in having the biased reporting of Ms. Embers who has continuously discredited and undermined Bernie’s campaign(s). After Judith Miller, one would think the NYT would be sensitive to the personal agendas of it’s key reporters.
abigail49 (georgia)
I wish he would use most of his ad budget to promote Medicare for All. There are so many great benefits to it that haven't been recognized over the opposition noise and negative news media talking points. Target the middle-age voters with employer-subsidized commercial plans. Talk about freedom from "job lock," their entrepreneurial aspirations and what happens when their corporate bosses "downsize" them out of their "good job with benefits." And speak to emotions. Make it personal. Healthcare is a life-or-death matter as well as financial. No job in this country is secure but we can have healthcare security.
Will W (Wayzata Mn)
As long as politicians like sanders or Nader or Perot think more about their own popularity contests, we will never get to the White House with a vote splitter like the Bernie. The republicans figured this out after the Perot debacle. Line up behind the candidate and brook no dissent. Yea I’m still feeling the burn from the last election. Don’t go away mad, just go away.
Al M (Norfolk Va)
@Will W Sanders' slogan "Me not We" clearly shows that he is not running a popularity contest. He is the most popular because of his consistent record on issues and because he has what has been in short supply for decades -- integrity.
Barbara (D.C.)
@Al M There's no evidence that he is the most popular. Look thoroughly at fivethirtyeight's website for the most realistic look at national and state-by-state polls. The real question is if Biden, Sanders or Warren were to drop out/fall behind, where would their voters go?
kr (nj)
Let's see, what's stronger in this country...ageism or misogyny? Bernie is old, and Warren is a woman. I love them both. Oh, and Mayor Pete is gay...I love him too. I like them all, except the most "electable" candidate, Biden. Biden has overstayed his welcome. He should have taken that medal that Obama gave him and retired.I like Biden as a person but not as a President.
kr (nj)
Bernie's "America" ad from 2016 was the most inspiring and beautiful I have ever seen.
Bunk McNulty (Northampton MA)
"Mr. Sanders bought no tickets last weekend to the Iowa Democratic Party’s Liberty and Justice Celebration, a huge annual political event in the state, nor did he take supporters to the Polk County Steak Fry in September." How dare he! Ms. Ember is going to have to come up with some stronger stuff. This barely makes it as a hit-piece.
Vicki (NYC)
@Bunk McNulty Bernie's Campaign Team gave the Iowa Democratic Party a check for $20,000 to soothe their ruffled feathers. And, instead of seating his volunteers in the bleachers of an arena, he bused them to a private watch room where they heard from Bernie directly, then watched the entire event, enjoyed a meal and then a dance party afterwards. 1,500 Iowa volunteers from All 99 Iowa counties got this VIP treatment. Oh, and before the dinner and speeches, those 1,500+ marched behind Bernie and Jane Against Corporate Corruption and Greed.
Blunt (New York City)
First and foremost: a disclaimer is long overdue: Sydney Ember is the daughter-in-law of Bain Capital’s current CEO. Bain Capital is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the “carried interest” bonanza that is a priority of any progressive candidate to eliminate. Conflict of interest (Ms Embers husband also worked at Bain Capital, the same private equity shop Mitt Romney ran for a while making his fortune and pay for his famous garage) should have been obvious and she should have “recused” herself from covering a progressive candidate. The Times has largely ignored the 2016 campaign in which Bernie Sanders ran on the same ideas that now for the platforms of all progressive candidates. What the Times ignored now, are being edited for the public as the other candidates pas ideas and platforms. I am honestly disgusted by the coverage of this hero of America I’m this paper. It is unfair and abuse of public trust. I will be a happy man if Bernie Sanders becomes our next president and delivers us out of the abyss we have fallen. He is an honest, intelligent and selfless mensch.
Cecilia Van Holmes (Cambridge, MA)
@Blunt Wow. I didn't know this! Thank you for sharing. I hope the NYT allows fresh faces to cover his campaign, especially those who focus on perspectives which resonate with younger readers in addition to people like me.
Madeline (Watson)
@Blunt Thank for you this great point. I hope NYT listens and learns about conflict of interest and writing with integrity. I know they've failed time and time again but hopefully they'll learn one of these days.
gene (fl)
@Blunt Thank you for remind everyone how the wealthy will infect the election to keep their money and power of us.
AutumnLeaf (Manhattan)
Bernie is still running?
Ray Katz (Philadelphia, PA)
You wouldn’t know it from the reporting. Yeah, he’s one of the top contenders.
Blunt (New York City)
Yep! Top contender in my book and millions of others. The better question is where you will run once he becomes President :-)
Robert Scull (Cary, NC)
Bernie has the best chance of defeating Trump in 2020. Despite more favorable news coverage and photos for Warren, he and Biden are the only two candidates who defeat Trump consistently in the national polls. Biden's support is more a result of his association with Obama than his own merits. This can be seen in Biden's inability to raise funds from either grass roots supporters or the big spenders. Bernie's advantages come from his ability to communicate effectively with working class swing voters, especially in rural areas, where the Democratic Party most needs help in taking back the House of Representatives. This comes from his decades of experience campaigning for the rural vote in Vermont.... where even Republicans vote for him.... and the way he believes in treating everyone fairly and courteously in spite of the tendency of Americans to demonize each other. No candidate has higher favorability ratings. Another advantage in the choosing Bernie is his ability to mobilize the support of young voters. He actually does most poorly with voters in his own age bracket, many of whom still live in the McCarthy era, but this may change when he uses the money raised by working class and youth to communicate with their pensioned grandparents on television. Despite his heart attack Bernie is still younger in spirit and energy than most of us over 40.
Bamagirl (NE Alabama)
I hope Bernie does buy ads here! Alabama voters love progressive ideas. We just hardly get to hear any. Bernie has a great way of explaining things so they make sense: “If you worked hard and made good grades, then you deserve public support for affordable education. You should not have to be held back by exorbitant rates on student loans.” There is a social contract that demands your responsibility and hard work. It’s not a handout or freebie. By the same token, billionaires don’t deserve the unfair breaks they’ve gotten, just because they rigged the system against us.
Unbound Promethius (Brooklyn NY)
I am thinking Biden, but we are definitely way way overdue on comprehensive American system overhaul bigger than LBJ, even bigger than post depression FDR new deal type mega infusion. The article is almost critical of Warren for having the foresight to propose real solutions to real problems. Accordingly, we will spend $50 trillion dollars going with Warrens plan but what is missing here is that we will probably spend way more if we continue down the current insane track we are currently on headed towards a cliff with no bridge.
TopOfTheHill (Brooklyn)
@Unbound Promethius excellent conclusion (“we will probably spend way more if we continue down the same insane track...”) and one that gets no media coverage when it should be shouted from the rooftops. And yes to broad sweeping reform. I’ve felt our current system has been spun out of control for some time now.
MK (Phoenix)
I don’t care what the polls say( they are not accurate to the point), I don’t worry about his age or hear attack , I standby his political ideologies and will support him .
Sue Salvesen (New Jersey/South Dakota)
I am so excited to know that the twice monthly small donations I make to Bernie is being used to get out his message. A message that stands for economic, social and racial justice. One that recognizes climate change as an existential threat that will take an united coalition across the globe to combat. A message of hope for those who have been left behind and took a chance on Trump because the status quo was not working. One that understands our justice system is broken. Bernie has the label of socialist as if this is a pejorative. If one thinks of the broad and sweeping changes of the 1930's by FDR to bring back a struggling nation and remembers how he transformed our country from despair to hope, I think the socialism label that scares so many people can be dispelled. If you like your social security, Medicaid/Medicare, roads, schools, libraries, police, fire, water, parks and other systems that serve the greater good, you will support the candidacy of Bernie Sanders. He offers a chance for the poor, working and middle classes to thrive once again. He will take on the special interests that pervade and control our legislators in states and DC via their donations and power. I hope people will be open minded to his ideas. In the end, we all need to support the eventual Democratic nominee to get rid of the narcissist con man in the WH. I hope that's Bernie, but whomever prevails, will have my undying support.
FurthBurner (USA)
@Bathsheba Robie I too contribute to Bernie Sander's candidacy and I can say I am positively delighted that he is giving the establishment democrats a Halloween fright. It's been long overdue. Bernie Sanders may be 78, but he is light-years ahead of flipflop Pete and DINO Biden in terms of vision, ideas and organizing prowess. Exactly what has flipflop Pete organized? What about "I voted for the Iraq war" and "I hide in Obama's shadow" Biden? Pete's own city's people aren't happy with him, for crying out loud. He is the corporate choice for candidate, now that they see their first choice Joe begging for scraps. That should tell you plenty. But only if you want to see light from darkness. With candidates like Biden and flipflop Pete, who needs the GOP?
Ahmed (Santa Monica, CA)
From the very moment Bernie announced his candidacy in 2016 he has been ignored and underestimated by the corporate media and political establishment. And despite the deck being stacked against him via superdelegates and party interference, he managed to mount a robust campaign, winning 22 states during the campaign. This time around is no different. After being left for dead following his heart attack, Bernie is moving up in polls nationally and in early primary/caucus states. Never count him, and more importantly his grassroots movement, out. It’s not him, it’s us.
Sue Salvesen (New Jersey/South Dakota)
@Ahmed Agree! When people tell me he can't win, I remind them of Trump. They said he could not win, either, and look how that turned out. Instead, though, Bernie offers real change in DC and will fight with every ounce he has for the poor, working and middle classes that built this country. It's obvious after the surprising election of Trump, one of the most horrible individuals to walk this planet, that we are looking for broad changes in our political systems. Americans are yearning for change. They want the everyday person to have a shot at making a good living which includes healthcare, livable wages, equal justice for all, and a better world for their kids by combating man made climate change and affordable education that does not leave them with huge debt. It's time for a 21st century FDR to right our ship.
Blunt (New York City)
First and foremost: a disclaimer is long overdue: Sydney Ember is the daughter-in-law of Bain Capital’s current CEO. Bain Capital is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the “carried interest” bonanza that is a priority of any progressive candidate to eliminate. Conflict of interest (Ms Embers husband also worked at Bain Capital, the same private equity shop Mitt Romney ran for a while making his fortune and pay for his famous garage) should have been obvious and she should have “recused” herself from covering a progressive candidate. The Times has largely ignored the 2016 campaign in which Bernie Sanders ran on the same ideas that now for the platforms of all progressive candidates. What the Times ignored now, are being edited for the public as the other candidates pas ideas and platforms. I am honestly disgusted by the coverage of this hero of America I’m this paper. It is unfair and abuse of public trust. I will be a happy man if Bernie Sanders becomes our next president and delivers us out of the abyss we have fallen. He is an honest, intelligent and selfless mensch.
Barbara (D.C.)
@Blunt I think you have to idealize Bernie to believe he was treated unfairly by the NYT. What was unfair was their unending coverage of the email fiasco and that most of their good investigative journalism on trump came after the election. What you're complaining about is the Bernie didn't get fully vetted by the press - it would not have been a totally positive thing.
Steve (Bronx)
The news media (not in this article, but speaking generally) continuing to push the narrative that Bernie’s slipping is so frustrating. He’s in statistical tie for first in Iowa, he leads narrowly in New Hampshire, and at least one poll had him leading in Nevada. He’s also showing strong organizational promise in California. He’s raised more money and has more donors than any other candidate, and he has the most cash on hand. The vast majority of his supporters are nowhere near the contribution limit and can/will give again. And on policy, Bernie’s platform is the best positioned to not only beat Trump but confront the classism and racism long a part of this nation that gave us Trump. I was at the rally in Queensbridge where AOC endorsed him. People love this man because he fights for them.
Bill Brown (California)
This is not good...in fact it will needlessly prolong the Democratic race. Sanders can't win the nomination and certainly can't win the Presidency. Forget his age & health concerns. Some of his positions are flat out crazy. Sanders demonstrated that he doesn't have the temperament to be President when he called for giving incarcerated felons the right to vote. The Boston Marathon Bomber kills three people, maims & injures 280 more. Bernie’s concern? That he gets his absentee ballot. This plays perfectly into the Fox News narrative that Democrats are soft on crime. Sanders proved his critics right: he's too far to the left, too irrational, & has poor political instincts. His supporters will say he's right on all the other issues: climate change, the economy, health care. Guess what? It doesn't matter. The other Democratic candidates don't want to give incarcerated prisoners voting rights. On this basis alone he will lose the majority of independent swing voters. How do you think the people of Charleston will react when Sanders tells them Dylan Roof should be voting? Sanders & his progressive co-dependents think voting is an inalienable right that should be extended to convicts. Let me ask a question. The right to keep and bear arms is also inalienable. Would you give incarcerated felons the right to have firearms in prison, or after their sentence is over? The fact that this is even a conversation is the reason why the left will never gain any political traction in the U.S.
Nicolas (New York)
@Bill Brown Bernie wasn’t preoccupied with the Boston bombers right to vote. He said ex felons should have the right to vote and then a media figure said “even the Boston bomber?” To which he explained that he is referring to all felons and so we can’t cherry-pick based on our biases. And it’s perfectly fair to maintain these citizens’ rights to votes. Just because you break the law—however egregious— doesn’t mean suddenly every single one of your so-called “inalienable” rights should be taken away from you. All citizens should be able to vote, and vote easily, no ifs ands or buts!
Sue Salvesen (New Jersey/South Dakota)
@Bill Brown "Poor political instincts". Perhaps you are correct there, Bill. However his legislative instincts are spot on. He voted against the Wall Street bailouts that so many working class people opposed. He voted against the Iraq War, which we all know now was a disaster that destabilized the entire Middle East and caused massive migration around the globe leading to far right populism that denies rights to human beings and denies climate change. I'll take a person who fights for every day people over the status quo of rewarding the special interest who give huge donation to campaigns in exchange for favors. As far as allowing people to vote in prison, do you know how many people are serving sentences that are innocent but could not afford the representation he or she needed to clear his or her name? When I say the pledge of allegiance, I always end it with, "and liberty and justice for those who can afford it". For the rest of us, it's plead out and serve your time; plead out and add to the system that banks on incarcerating 22% of the world's population while only having a population of 4.4%-modern day slavery. We allow private corporations to profit while offering no rehabilitation that would prevent them coming out reformed. Lastly, this is not a main issue for Sanders. He was asked the question and answered how he believed. Never forget there is a Senate and House that creates and affirms laws. It's frankly a non issue in the end.
Sue Salvesen (New Jersey/South Dakota)
@Nicolas It's amazing how people who support the constitution, especially the second amendment, have no problem dismissing the parts that don't fit their beliefs.
Cecilia Van Holmes (Cambridge, MA)
Mr. Sanders deserves utmost credit from those of us who have consider ourselves democrats for expanding membership of the democratic party, while most other candidates are fighting over the pool of "vote blue no matter who" voters that always show up. I was a Clinton supporter in 2016, but am now a Sanders supporter and donor. I used to consider him divisive and toxic for the democratic party, but now I see him as its only hope against Trump in working class districts. Recently, I've met several independents and unregistered voters who have recently switched their registration to become democrats just so that they can vote for Mr. Sanders. This TV ad-buy seems to be yet another move in that direction. Given that he is still the only candidate (I think?) with over 1 million donors to his campaign, he is likely to fund such efforts with ease. Betting on voters who are disaffected by our politics is a risky move for Mr. Sanders' campaign. That being said, I don't see any other candidate recruiting young people and those in Trump country in the same numbers as Mr. Sanders, WITHOUT compromising on progressive policy visions.
Madeline (Watson)
@Cecilia Van Holmes That's a great point!
Bathsheba Robie (Luckettsville, VA)
@Cecilia Van Holmes Sanders isn’t even a Democrat. He is an independent. He has no right to use the resources of the Democratic Party unless he changes his affiliation.
Cecilia Van Holmes (Cambridge, MA)
@Bathsheba Robie I understand where you are coming from, I felt the same way in 2016. Today, all I see in Bernie Sanders is someone whose actions match up to their words, someone who actually wants to leave a better world to our children, and someone who is drawing new voters into the Democratic Party with his youthful energy and honesty. I see his effects in my extended family and across my state.