For the records, I’m a far left progressive democrat who prefers Biden to Sanders, but I’ll vote blue no matter who.
10
Seems to me that there is a tautology here. The Establishment says Bernie cannot win. People start to think that Bernie's got the best ideas but guess he cannot win. Establishment says people think Bernie cannot win.
1
Because Bernie can’t win.
13
As a NoVa voter who voted for Elizabeth Warren, let me state that I and many of my fellow EW supporters would not have voted for Sanders if she had dropped out of the race before Super Tuesday. Even if Sanders defeats Trump, he cannot govern effectively given his behavior.
9
If it weren't for the fact that 4 more years of Trump and Republican control will ruin the country for the rest of my life, I would say let Bernie do his thing, and then see what happens when Trump is reelected. I'm set for hopefully 10 more years, but I worry about my kids and the other younger people who will live under what follows.
4
Biden is running on the past.
Bernie is running on the future.
1
Bernie is also running on the past. He’s been saying the exact same thing for decades. How’s that the future?
14
Biden to the White House and business as usual. Progress through the rear mirror.
3
I'd like to believe this article. I want to believe this is how it's going down. My belief is that if Trump gets another term as president this nation is toast. I believed what I was reading during the lead-up to the last presidential election. I had no reason to believe otherwise. But then I learned how Russian hackers fooled us all. I hope this isn’t deja vu all over again.
Please be sure they aren’t doing this to us again.
6
The one word that I hear over and over regarding Trump is "nasty." People are tired of his nastiness biggly.
8
I would LOVE a Biden-Warren ticket!
Time to combine skills and talents to UNIFY!
9
For those who postulate that Trump would rather face Joe Biden than Bernie Sanders. C'mon, use your noggin. Why then would the number one Trump supporters on earth, i.e. Putin and his disgusting mob of oligarchs support Bernie using troll farms on social media the way they enabled Trump (the lying king) Putin knows that the U.S. will not elect a socialist democrat over his meat puppet Trump. Trump could just stand there on the debate stage and not utter a word and he would still win against a socialist democrat. Even the word "socialist" horrifies most voters in the U.S. There may well be a time for a bit more socialism added in bits and pieces, a little at a time but not right now. I swear, most Americans would vote for a vinyl donut wrapped around the neck of a 1 legged chicken if they thought said chicken had a better than average chance to beat Trump the Lyin King. Heck, Joe Biden is a far sight better than that, don't cha think?
9
Credit Jim Clyburn for fueling the Biden bandwagon. He may have singlehandedly stopped the infiltration of the Democratic Party by a group of redistributionist, collectivist, socialist leftists. The democrats have to purge themelves, and force the left to form its own party. Also, do not underestimate the Catholic vote for Joe.
Incidentally, the next book that Elizabeth Warren should read should be by Dale Carnegie.
2
I had several candidates I was interested in. But, I am VERY happy to support Biden. If Sanders goes negative, in essence making GOP ads for the fall, and Trump wins...
There were lots of factors that led to Hillary Clinton’s loss—among them, Sanders very late capitulation. If he does this again, he will be the Ralph Nader spoiler that causes the Democrats to lose.
15
That a very nice spin, but it is worth more than a slight mention that Virginia is an open primary-- anyone can vote for anyone on the ballot regardless of party affiliation. Loyal Republicans turned out in droves to vote for Biden. Why? Certainly not because they were disenfranchised or dissatisfied with Trump. It was because they see Joe Biden as the weakest link in the liberal lineup and look forward to seeing Trump beat him in November.
It’s seems the majority of Democrats believe in the idea of “Vote Blue, No Matter Who”—except for a segment (not sure how large —but vocal!) of Bernie supporters. I find that problematic, as we should all prefer any of the candidates to Trump. We don’t need adamant, unwavering acolytes for a liberal version of Trump (the “I alone have the answers” dogma is a HUGE turnoff...)
8
I have lived in VA 10+ years and this is the first primary I've participated in. This election matters more to me than 2016 did. I lean right and cannot stomach Sanders as the nominee. Even though I probably will not be voting for a Democrat come November either way, the lack of a Republican primary here meant that I used my vote for Biden. I see the moderate as the lesser of two evils. I personally know many others who did the same thing and it seems likely that it is also a cause of the higher turn out in open primary states.
9
Thank you for this explanation of your motivation. I haven’t heard this view being expressed before. Normally we hear about spoilers - Republicans voting for a “less electable” Democratic candidate. Your motivation appears to be honourable.
2
Telling desperate working Americans that now is not the time to pay them a living wage or change our healthcare system so that they don't die on the street for lack of care or that we can throw a few pennies at climate change but mustn't do anything to disrupt business as usual is NOT a moderate position and the people like Biden who are calling for this approach are NOT moderates.
Not even remotely.
6
so long trump... you alienated most Americans. The majority despises your hate, your vile, your lies. You took the best out of government. You put anti-government (read anti-American) sycophants to turn the EPA against our environment, clean air, and clean water, the FDA against food and drug safety, the Interior dept into open season on our parks and wilderness areas, and our FBI and judicial system into going after political opponents. You have no shred of decency.
I look forward to having you tried on crimes committed prior to becoming president. It will soon be time to indict and incarcerate trump.
26
@Charlie Fieselman So you are ok with open borders, higher taxes and Beto taking you guns?
Credit **Fear-mongering**, too. Congrats to Biden, he is a good candidate and will have our vote if he’s the nominee. But fear is a powerful motivator and so it’s no surprise that the recent constant fear-mongering barrage—that included disgraceful reductio ad hitlerum and reductio ad stalinum—by Democratic pundits like James Carville, centrist democratic media commentators like Chris Matthews and so-called Never-Trump opinion writers like David Brooks had an intended effect.
While it’s of course so encouraging that Biden is reaching a broad base of voters who are driven by any number of types of dislike for Trump – it’s specious to overlook the negative influence on Sanders’s campaign from the concerted PR effort recently by centrist Dems and anti-Trump Republicans. Carville: “[i]t’s going to be the end of days…so I am scared to death, I really am", Matthews used a Nazi invasion metaphor to describe the Nevada primary win for Sanders and Brooks made the apocalyptic prediction that Sanders is part of a “specter haunting the world” that would be “the end of liberalism.”
Conservative shift is a well-described phenomenon in the psych literature in which even liberals turn more conservative when they’re scared. So while it might be only one factor in Biden's sudden campaign turnaround, the effects of fear-mongering against Sanders were entirely predictable.
3
Just to add a bit of context, Sanders won in three out of nearly 100 or so voting municipalities. He won, and not by large margins, in college towns, Charlottesville (UVA) and Harrisonburg (James Madison), and very rural Floyd County, which is heavily Republican. Yes, Virginia has an open primary.
6
Both Sanders and Trump are both anti-establishment candidates and it isn't hard to understand why. I actually dislike government and what it has become, but I also recognize that it could surprisingly get much worse much more likely than it could get better. It is also clear the youth vote is not going to come out in 2020 so it is really up to the democrats to have a candidate that can win never Trump republicans and independents in a handful of important states.
4
Just so poisonous, so toxic, the Republican idea that “government is bad”. A strong, steady, stable central government is what keeps the wolves at bay. It’s the only thing that does that, in fact. Government, and the taxes that fund it, are the price of civilization.
9
I half expect to see @potus tweeting Terry McAuliffe's line, "We have to give tremendous credit to Donald Trump." The president will think it is a compliment because he won't read the next sentence making clear "he has been the single biggest driver to the Democratic Party of Virginia." Count me among those. This was the first Democratic primary I have voted in and I have lived in Va for nearly 40 years. #LetsgoJoe
10
Is it any wonder that Russians are trying to help Sanders as reported by our Intelligent agencies? Russians as well as Trump know that with Sanders as nominee, Dems have no chance of winning the WH, Senate or the House back--Otherwise, they will be destroyed! Please vote, our Democracy is at stake.
7
I lived in Falls Church. Spent a lot of time in Manassas. Colin Wooward has coined this region the "Tidewater Gentry" where they historically had been slaves or slave owners "placing a high value on respect for authority and tradition."
The psychology of this region is one of smothering politeness combined with an almost pathological fear of subversive thought. It is no surprise to me they went for Biden. He's the credit card king from the same neck of the woods -- yes Delaware is included.
These people would never vote for a Jew from Brooklyn who wants to tax the rich.
8
Biden's win of several Southern states puts him on a good track to win the nomination, but the vast majority of those states will elect electors for Trump.
7
@GeorgeNotBush And, Massachusetts, California, Virginia, California, and probably North Carolina will vote for Biden.
5
@GeorgeNotBush the actual votes cast by actual voters since 2016 indicate the exact opposite. Going out on a limb here but it is more than plausible that with Joe at top of ticket, Democrats will when georgia and 2 senate seats, NC and a Senate seat, SC and a senate seat. Too close to call in the general but significant chance to hold Jones, And take Alabama electoral votes.At least that is what the actual voters are saying.
5
@GeorgenotBush: Exactly. Most of the states in question will deliver themselves up to Trump, reaping in return for their votes more federal dollars for their Republican state legislators, who will gladly pocket the cash for themselves and their Republican buddies' corporations. There's a major revenue transfer going on, from prosperous blue states to the red states that contain all of the military bases and oil drills. And Republicans have figured out how to get around the problem of pleasing voters: gerrymander regions so that politicians can pick their voters, and then cut off healthcare for any leftover opponents, so they'll die faster.
2
Mr. McAuliffe said, “There are a lot of like-minded Republicans who said, ‘I can’t vote for Trump but you got to give me somebody who we can vote for.’”
Those Republicans must not represent many crossover votes because 84% of Republicans support Trump.
Isn't it more reasonable to believe that Republicans who cannot stomach Trump would be more likely to sit the 2020 election out then vote for a Democrat?
If they did decide to vote in the Democratic primary they would vote for Bloomberg.
And if Republicans vote for a Democrat, have they become Democrats or is the candidate a Republican? That's not a viable way to boost Democratic turnout.
A more reasonable explanation for Biden's overnight surge is the virus which turned everyone into safety moms. But other than the mainstream media saying that Biden is the safe choice and moderates accepting that unexamined assumption, there is no reason to believe it.
Biden is not half the candidate that Hillary was, and the causes and conditions of her loss have increased in Trump's favor.
Consider that the moderates have disparaged the Bernie Bros for three years even though 80% of them voted for Hillary and gave her the popular vote.
To win against Trump they will need far more than the 80% that Hillary received, but more than 60% now is wishful thinking.
The numbers just aren't there. What's needed is a different candidate. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
1
@Fourteen14 just factually wrong on all the actual numbers related to all elections in US since 2016! Facts matter as does the truth. No reconciliation without truth
2
@Fourteen14: you are forgetting that Republicans have been leaving the Republican Party and these people are voting for Biden. Then add to that the Democrats who might hesitate to vote for Sanders and, of course, those Dems who often don’t get out to the polls but are now motivated to do so, and you have a much better picture than the untried alternative who can’t get the vote out.
2
This Virginia resident voted for Warren, who gets among other things how understaffed the Social Security Agency has long been. Only a shade less pie-in-the-sky than Bernie. But when a radio host asked Sanders, if you can't enact all you want with Congress, what at least are your main goals, your starting points for change, there was no answer.
I empathize with our struggling Millenials, but If Obamacare has taught us anything, it's that it's very difficult to make such substantial changes overnight. Buttegieg or Klobuchar had been my preferences.
Biden is genuine and caring on one level, but I don't agree with all of his policy choices, and it's up to independents now to forgive the nepotism as Republican women overlook Trump's misogyny. We're all holding our noses now.
I'll add that as a former fed who worked with some great folks, I'd like to see more authority to fire lackeys. But our protections exist, so it goes, to prevent the very kind of politicizing and decimation Trump has wrought in the public service. Voting Blue in November across the board.
4
Why should those employed by the taxpayer have greater job protections (or job security, wages, benefits or lives) than the taxpayers who pay their salaries?
1
In my view, Trump has answered your primary question, putting his lackeys at the top, and not even there. Then again, I don't see government employees as a bunch of takers. I'd hire many I knew over industry doughnuts I've met.
There's conflicting data on who makes out better on wages. But I'd turn the rest upside-down and ask, why doesn't private white-or blue-collar industry offer better security or benefits? It long did, until Reaganism and the gradual movement to do away with employees altogether. Thing is, not everyone's cut out for entrepreneurship, least of all to survive being cheated for an honest job's work.
2
An overabundance of caution has never won an election. I'm afraid it won't this time. Tragically (in the precise sense of the word), voters who flocked to Biden out of fear might have brought the fate they wanted to avoid upon themselves by increasing the chances of a Trump victory in the fall.
6
how?
Biden will have to face his issues with Ukraine and his family doing business there once he enters the general election. LIkely the GOP senators will choose that time to conduct hearings about this.
5
@Qcell Nobody cares. But I'm betting you don't have a problem with the trump boys doing business with SA, and anywhere else they can make a buck. Didn't his daughter receive a few patents from China last year?
7
Your question is easy to answer. It is that the people of America are concluding that Trump represents a clear and present danger to America and removing him from office is the one and only issue which must be addressed in the 2020 election. They conclude that a moderate (Biden) is more likely than a left radical (Sanders) to succeed in that. They are right. The internal discussions regarding moderate or left wing ideology in the Democratic party must be deferred to 2024.
5
Bernie said he would motivate Democrats to vote. He did, just not in the way he predicted. Most Democrats really don't want Bernie as our nominee. He and his supporters need to deal with that.
10
Nothing is more important than driving Trump from office forever.
A close second is a Democrat control of the Senate.
6
Biden appears to me the McCain/Romney/Dole type choice. The floor here is a respectable loss with the upside of a possible win, limiting down ballot carnage. It’s probably the smart choice. It’s unquestionable that the floor for a Sanders nomination would’ve been significantly worse. And the upside- maybe winning the presidency with split ticket voting guaranteeing a GOP Congress- wouldn’t have been much of a coup anyway.
I do believe enthusiasm will be an issue, once again there will be some number of Bernie holdouts who refuse to vote for the “establishment” pick, and basically Biden’s wins seem more to me like an anti-Bernie vote than a groundswell of Biden support.
A historically big field has been winnowed to two candidates, neither particularly formidable against Trump.
2
Gee, what a great feeling, being the anybody but Trump choice. that's a resounding recommendation.
2
Sanders' supporters, especially those online, are hurting him. I joined several Pete Buttigieg groups. When he withdrew, I joined groups for both Warren and Biden, still not decided. I quickly watched Sanders' supporters invade these groups. They harassed supporters of Warren, tried to pressure Buttigieg supporters to their side (despite having recently called him a rat among other things), and generally being rude to anyone who dared to disagree with them. I help run a large action group based that is officially non-partisan. Any critique of Sanders turns into an attack, any discussion of a candidate other than Sanders turns into ranting about the glory that is Sanders. I've had enough. I think a lot of voters have, even those not online since I've seen the same harrassment in face-to-face interactions, too. Sanders needs to restrain his supporters or admit he likes their behavior.
5
@SouthernHusker I agree. That was my experience in North Carolina but I learned this after voting for Sanders in the March 2016 primary there. He and his supporters poison his chances
4
Republicans in 2008 and 2012 went for "safe" choices McCain and Romney whereas Democrats rolled the dice with the first black president. Which in turn prompted Republicans to roll the dice in 2016 with Donald Trump and Democrats "played it safe" with Hillary Clinton. Sometimes we confuse safety with weakness.
1
For all his flaws, he would make an excellent President and is our greatest chance of taking down Trump. I voted for him in the CA Primaries!
2
Before I write my opinion on this issue, I want to make clear I am not a Sanders supporter. I am an independent voter.
And yes, it seems the american electorate is not ready for a candidate like Sanders. But yes, is ready for an old version of the Cold War mentality mixed with a refreshing view of human rights and ethical principles as Biden represents.
It is not Biden that is winning these primaries. Is the fear of Trump that propels Biden.
Never mind the fact that Sanders ideological structure and propositions will propel our Country into a more modern Society, with values and attitudes more in tune with the most developed european Countries and allow us to leave behind, for the most part, this hideous american mentality of exceptionalism, ultra conservatism, white racism and christian nationalism...and start a process of creating a new, fresh culture of racial integration, tolerance and better education.
3
I have no faith In Bernie being able to execute anything, let alone a gargantuan restructuring of the US medical and higher ed systems. He is intellectually high-minded but shifty or perhaps just lazy on details. The only profession he has known is to be a politician which perfectly suits his venting, bloviating but actually do nothing persona. That's why he is so popular with the twitter generation. Like them he loves going viral and dropping one liners to applause (remind you of someone?). He got away free and clean from having to justify his math while Warren tanked after at least trying to lay out a plan. No wonder that Bernie can't retain voters.
7
I'm a Virginia voter and was surprised how many people went to vote on primary day. Never did I hear so many people talking at work about the primary. I'd intended to vote for Biden all along and did, though I allowed others to flirt. I like virtually all of the other candidates, perhaps Amy Klobuchar most of all. But, yes, it's about winning.
It's very much a disappointment that Sens. Warren and Klobuchar didn't get more traction. But the right faction that demonized Hillary and works tirelessly to demonize Speaker Pelosi has found it much easier to portray women as unreasonable and unelectable than it has men. As part of the Trump-defeat equation it would be foolish not to take that into account.
If Trump ate his steak with a comb, everyone on the right would be following suit, because, dang!, that's impressive ingenuity, while Sen. Klobuchar is portrayed as dangerously unstable. Go figure.
5
Trump does not care about the health of the American people, and voters are responding. Trump only thinks about how a crisis makes him look.
A leader would have instituted drive-through swab testing - it is crazy trying to even get a call back from MDs office.
Leaders encourage employees and students to stay home if they are sick.
2
Now we begin to see that these voters, disaffected by trump, have something to say. This is why Biden scares trump so much.
He's right to be afraid.
3
Best Democrat ticket would be Biden Sanders .... but can they put country ahead of their egos? Seems that the two of them could get good things doe for our country and level the playing field for all Americans.
1
Credit the non-stop scare tactics of the media, led by CNN, MSNBC, the NYT, Wapo, who basically want a corporate taxing-cutting Republican-lite candidate. Joe will lose, and it will be 4 more years of Trump which they prefer to a true progressive.
4
No question that the 'Biden surge' is due to disgust with the republican administration and senators rather than a compatibility with Biden's policies.
The republican lying on 'job creators', fake tax cuts for the middle class, huge tax cuts for the rich, deserting allies on the battle field, covering up journalists murders, cozying up to putin, supporting legislation to reduce Social Security and Medicare, suing to stop ACA, covering up trump criminality, etc. all have contributed to the stark realization that the republican party supports dictators and the wealthy.
The disgusting trump has brought down the criminal enterprise previously known as the republican-whig party.
3
I will never vote for Biden, just as I could not vote for Hillary in 2016, and voted Green instead - despite voting for President Obama twice. I cannot and will not vote for an Iraq War booster, Patriot Act voter, Wall Street toadie. One who still opposes non-profit, universal heathcare many decades after it was advocated by Truman. I'll be forced to vote Green again.
2
Dem nominees always move to the right after taking office. In Biden's case, that'd make him pretty much George W. Bush.
2
Federal employees are the ones keeping Trump's administration afloat, despite the profound incompetence in the White House and in the leadership of the departments and agencies. Trump has trashed them for 4 years and trashing federal employees is a Republican mantra. When you are a federal employee and you watch the president hold up a falsified government document on live TV which he personally marked up with a Sharpie, you find a way to make things right.
4
I am glad there was mention that so many of these VA voters actually work in Washington.
They see firsthand what DJT has done to our government and they know it’s time for a change.
Like MD, VA has a large government presence and we see everyday what DJT’s incompetence really leads to.
It’s no coincidence that DJT got creamed in NY in 2016 and is now a resident of FL. The voters in his home state cannot stand him!
Unlike a real leader, the more you learn about DJT the more you despise him.
4
There is a big difference between inadvertent gaffes and an intentional array of lies, untruths and hypocritical falsehoods. That's one of the many differences between an honest man like Biden and a fraudulent character like trump.
How many hundreds of millions of dollars has the Trump campaign wasted so far? The only recourse left for the Goofy Old Panderers (GOP) is to cheat, cheat and cheat. They have never won an honest election. I bet you none of them know hw to spell honesty or decency.
2
He’s a pre senile octogenarian. Do you seriously think we are about to actually elect him? Think again.
5
I wonder how the public would react if Sanders
followed Friedman's advice for the moderate Democrats and Bernie Sanders named his future cabinet members should he be elected.
Who would they be?
It would be a chance for him to signal to both the Party and the public that he is realistic and pragmatic as opposed to inflexible and might even cause some establishment Democrats to rethink their support of Biden.
1
On Friday night, my wife and I were still undecided. After the results came in from SC, we were no longer undecided. I have many FB friends from the DPVA, and the shift was immediate and profound. We knew going in to Tuesday that Biden would win, but not the margin of victory.
2
There is a lesson to be learned here, and it's an obvious one. The left will do its level best to ignore it. Democrats as a whole ignore it at their peril in November.
And notice, too, that in Elizabeth Warren's own state, when voters who turned away from her were given a choice between a fellow progressive from a neighboring state who had worked hard to overcome her there, and a centrist who spent no time and no money there, they chose the centrist.
America doesn't want to go from one extreme to the other.
12
Biden swept Virginia because it is a conservative state and Biden is a conservative. Basically a Republican-lite.
His win there just shows his appeal to right leaning voters.
Biden wins all of the states that will absolutely vote Republican in the general election. Why? Because he is a polite and kind old school Republican and as such is attractive to people in those states who are almost Republicans.
His support in those states will not have any benefit in the general election at all. MI, WI, PA, FL, those are the primaries that matter. Biden dominates in those he should be the nominee. Bernie dominates in those, then he should be the nominee. It's unfair but its reality.
14
@Steve I have been saying this exact same thing for the last several weeks. If I were in charge of picking the Democratic nominee, I would poll the "swing states" (particularly MI, PA, WI) and determine who those states prefer. That is where the election will ultimately be won or lost. The majority of states in this country are already predetermined which party they will vote for, only about 6-10 states really matter in the end result. In the last few elections, the candidates barely campaigned in anywhere that wasn't considered up for grabs. If the Dems want to win, they need to pick the candidate that wins the most of these few states.
3
Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine won Virginia in 2016.
1
Biden is a moderate Democrat. End of story.
2
Seem we will continue to vote against our interests. Biden is a continuation of the neoliberal policies that have helped propel Trump. I’m tired of how we want candidates to make us feel good and not look at their track records and policies. We reap what we sow. More war, erosion of civil liberties, and serving corporate interests..long live America.
13
@RC Please Stop. What Policies have Sanders implemented? They only thing he can say with conviction is "I didn't vote for the Iraq War". Ok that was about 18 years ago. What have you done for me lately
7
Voting for your interests is not the same as getting your interests. This is a very simple choice. Pick your poison.
@RC Why is it that so many extol the virtues of democracy only to then denigrate its core tenant? People get to vote and decide. You may disagree with how they vote but they have the right to vote however they choose and for whatever reason.
2
Certainly Biden will do less damage to the country than Trump, but if elected his presidency will simply be an intermission before things get worse again. GOP is patient and focused. They'll wait him out. In 4 years when Biden's centrist approach has extinguished some fires but not addressed any of the concerns that made Trump appealing in the first place, the GOP will get the presidency again and continue undermining democracy.
There were many good candidates with good ideas but Dems are exhausted and afraid. Meanwhile GOP has been achieving its goals and will have much more enthusiasm in the election. There's a good chance Trump gets reelected, but even if doesn't, long term the GOP still wins with Biden.
9
Whats funny is its the opposite of what dems think again. They thought Hillary would win over Bernie and they were wrong, they now think Biden will win over Bernie and they are wrong again.
6
The safe choice isn't necessarily the best or winning choice.
It's like having two 9's in blackjack, counting the cards, and knowing the deck holds a majority of low cards, and deciding to avoid any risk and to stand on 18 and forgo the odds in your favor. Yes, you might get a 4 and bust.
The dealer has 16 and the rules say the dealer must hit and the odds shift to favor the dealer, who draws the 3, the very card that would have turned 18 to 21. The guy with 18 loses taking the safe choice.
The dealer has no choice and follows the rules. And guess what? More time than not the dealer wins. Do you think casinos are in the business of losing? Only in Trump owned casinos.
The odds were favoring Bernie because most Americans favored Bernie's policies and proposals. For people who seriously want Trump gone, any Democrats gets their vote. Do you really think the Biden Democrat will stay home or switch to Trump if Bernie were the candidate?
Taking calculated risks are scary. And the Republican chant "Bernie is a Communist" smear wasn't directed at Trump supporters, but at Democrats. Who got scared and folded.
Trump is afraid of Bernie. He doesn't have a chance in a debate with Bernie.
Trump knows Biden will be easy to beat on multiple fronts from Burisma to Biden's votes in Congress. Biden has no platform, no organization, no fund-raising apparatus, and no understanding of digital campaigning. His platform is "I'm a nice guy and I'm not Trump".
Biden is Hillary 2.0
11
@Norm
Voters treat the safe choice harshly. They believe that if you're not willing to risk failure, you do not deserve to win. Just about everyone does not like an entitled candidate.
1
It's clear there are two major blocs here, and I hope both will be represented regardless of who wins. If it's Biden, he needs to pick someone like AOC for Veep. If Sanders wins, maybe pair with Buttegieg or Klobuchar.
1
I agree a unity ticket may be the best move for the eventual nominee. Right now that’s probably Biden, and I would favor Sherrod Brown who has strong working class bona fides. Warren might be good except her governor is a Republican. I like AOC but she is far from ready to succeed Biden as president if he becomes incapacitated.
Biden does have the advantage of strong African American support, and an all white ticket has less chance of alienating that important block of voters. Otherwise I was thinking Stacy Abrams or Kamala Harris. But Abrams would be a great Georgia Senate candidate, not a trivial consideration.
Bernie might win the nomination, but probably only if Biden stumbles badly or has a major health event before the convention. I agree with you that a Bernie-Buttigieg ticket might work in that less likely scenario.
Given Biden’s age and Bernie’s health issues, some prearranged contingency planning is probably essential. And remember, COVID-19, which is particularly hard on the elderly, potentially lurks in 2020 crowds. It could be catastrophic if the Dem nominee gets seriously ill going into the general election, so an overt and generally acceptable plan should be in place.
AOC will help us lose, and I beg the Democratic Party to never even consider such a choice- for Bp or President. I think (no matter who becomes our nominee), our VP should be Klobuchar or Buttigieg—but I really think we could really do something with one of those. Warren should be nominated for Secretary of State.
Jo Biden has the potential to be this generation's Gerald Ford. A decent, trustworthy individual and a patriotic practitioner of competent governance able to heal and unite during a transitional tumultuous time. He could make a political alignment of those interested in reason and science based problem-solving and governance in service of all, possible.
8
@J. Charles, let's hope he won't pardon his predecessor like Ford did.
2
@keyfigure Andrew Lang may be correct that an undeserved pardon is in the best interests of the country.
It really makes my day (in the most sarcastic way possible) to read posts from a bunch of people that can afford their healthcare talking about "moral absolutism" and "authoritarianism".
We'd like public colleges to be affordable again - like they were when all of you nytimes Boomers were taking classes.
We'd also like everyone to have health insurance, like all the other 1st world countries. I pay the same price now for a bronze plan that I used to pay for a platinum plan before the ACA existed. The bronze plans have $8000 deductibles - you folks think Biden is going to do something about that?
We aren't on a sustainable course and electing a status quo politician isn't going to bring the changes we need to get back on track.
9
@Jason "The bronze plans have $8000 deductibles - you folks think Biden is going to do something about that?"
Two responses:
1. A public option - which Joe supports - would likely go a LONG way to making an affordable policy, that doesn't trade on high deductibles, available to everyone.
2. Whatever Joe does, your pain will pale by comparison to the healthcare policy of a second-term-emboldened Trump.
PS. <----not a boomer
1
During his many years of senatorial service, Biden had a reputation (and described himself) as the "poorest senator on the hill".
While Biden may lack Bernie's sizzle and Obama's finesse (and has backed the 'wrong horse' in foreign policy (see Iraq)), people that know him personally and professionally attest to the strength of his character and fundamental decency.
If I could have chosen anyone for the Oval, I would have chosen Elizabeth Warren - but I'll happily work to support Joe's bid.
9
Did you know he’s made $15 million from speaking engagements since 2016? We all know Joe’s not known for his soaring oratory skills so I wonder why he’s such a sought-after (highly compensated) speaker?
To me, Bernie is selling his belief, that we will all beat the lottery odds and win that historic multi state jackpot, once he is elected.
After all his years in the Senate, he actually thinks that Mitch McConnell would suddenly give in, just because Bernie is in the White House?
3
The numbers are certainly encouraging at this point. I saw a piece on MSNBC about voting lines in Houston, TX; a young man was interviewed about his 5 1/2 hour wait to get into the polling place, while many more young people stood in that line with him. That is extraordinary. We can pretty well guess they are not going to skip the general election in November if they are this fired up for the primary. All across the Nation.
I like Bernie. I agree with much of his vision. I think he could beat t rump in the general, but I don't think he would have any coattails. Americans are strange people; we think a divided government is a safer bet than giving the entire enterprise up to one party. (When one party does control both Houses and the White House they usually only do so for 2 years.) I could see people, by November for sure, being so disgusted and turned off by t rump and his crime spree they would vote for Sanders in spite of the "socialist" tag but they might think twice about voting for a Democrat for Senate or the House, hoping that would restrain some of his excesses.
With Joe Biden we don't know how he might phrase his next sentence, but we do know that he has the good of All of US at heart, he is a solid patriot and a respected statesman, and he is not crazy as a loon. (My apologies to loons.)
8
Biden appears to be the devil we know.
People are tired of the daily chaotic assault that is the Trump Administration.
It seems that people are hoping for a degree of calm for a change.
Bernie is right about many of the problems facing the country, and I believe that he deserves a lot of credit for moving the awareness and conversation to where we are today.
There will be pressure to wrest the government from corporate Republicans and return the country to the people.
Sanders is full of fire - GOOD fire.
But I think that the American people are exhausted from too much fire.
11
If it's going to be Biden, I'm barely OK with that. I'm continuing my voter registration efforts for Dems and full-throated physical and financial support of Bernie, the only true progressive in the entire field. But please realize all you centrist Dems who say this is the "true way" forward -- Biden had better pick Warren as his running mate.
And -- a warning -- he'd better win the General Election. Sanders and Biden have been polling equally against Trump in the General for months. It's a mistake to read the sudden realignment with the weight of blacks, Klobuchar and Buttigieg's voters as anything over than providential for Biden -- not systemic.
And here's a warning: If Biden, backed by the oligarchs, Wall Street, Silicon Valley, the Health Care, Warfare and Telecommunications Industrial Complexes and the entire rhizomal sprawling network of the DNC -- all of whom wish to protect their jobs, monopolies and power to drain the living out of America to enrich themselves beyond all reasonable means -- cannot win the General Election against a sneering, vindictive bully who instead of draining the swamp has instead set in on fire -- then the Democratic Party will cease to exist. Repeat, If Biden lose, the Democratic Party will cease to exist. Two and out.
There will be consequences inside the Democratic Party wrought by progressives. We will split off and form our own Party. And stop blaming Bernie for everything that's wrong with the DNC strategy and vision.
5
@Kip Leitner If Sanders does not win the nomination will you vote blue no matter who? That is the question. Please stop with the threats. I am not a Bernie supporter but if he wins the nominee I will vote for him. Can you say the same?
@Kim T: That's great that you would vote for whoever is the Democratic nominee. Can you please remind your fellow Democrats who insist they would stay at home rather than vote for Sanders of this vow which many of us on the progressive side will adhere to? I've read far too many comments in the Times from people calling themselves Democrats, who swear they will never vote for Bernie, and love to scold those who won't fall in line with the status quo candidate.
1
how about writing some more articles about Sanders and how he is lifting the progressive field higher and closer to the presidency than its ever been.
6
I couldn't find Trump's vote totals in these primaries. Nice reporting. I suppose that if the NYT dealt with all the news rather than their advocacy, these two reporters would have revised their premise-Trump received more votes in many states than Biden and Bernie combined. It will be interesting to see how his vote count in Va. will compare to the turnout for these two elite party elders.
1
The Super Tuesday results must have shaken the Trump campaign to its core. Not so much that Biden trounced Sabders- that’s another headache in its self for that campaign, but rather that the turnout was so high. The Trump base is incapable of growing and does not have enough votes to keep their guy in office for another term. I expect Trump will no doubt try to woo people to his side with financial incentives but the truth is the man wore out his welcome when he questioned the crowd size at his inauguration. Like everything he speculates about it’s never quite the truth and public is well aware the man is incapable of telling the truth or showing any sort of compassion whatsoever.
5
What this and other same conclusion reports is that while many people agree that fundamental changes in health care, debt, environment, immigration, wage and taxation are needed, it is best accomplished gradually with a senate and house all on the same page, And yes of course, other party support. In the ninth hour, the surface appeal for Sanders and Warren were knee jerk, like a sugar-rush, but the reality for democrats is electability achieved through moderation as a policy and temperament.
2
So Biden went from fourth, polling 12-15% to first polling 35-40% basically overnight.
Because, what? Biden has no enthusiastic base. The people who moved away from him suddenly 'got over' it or something?
Biden’s vote totals on Tuesday were an average 8.3% higher than in state exit polls. He was not the only candidate for whom there was a discrepancy in vote tally and exit polls, Bernie's vote tallies were uniformly lower than in state exit polls.
Doubts!?
1
@Max: A look at Texas vote tallies might give you an answer. We have early voting, and more than 500,000 combined voted for the 2 other moderate candidates, Buttegeig and Klobuchar. But someone brokered a deal with Buttegeig and Klobuchar, persuading them to drop out before Super Tuesday, so that suddenly, Biden was the only known moderate on the ballot. Anti-progressives refuse to vote for Sanders or Warren, so Biden was literally their only viable choice. Hence, the sudden aurge for Biden. This is a textbook example of how we voters get stuck with uninspiring candidates like Biden. Voters are not enthusiastic about him. He has no policies, no discernible personality, and is prone to saying and doing inane things. He voted for the Iraq War, helped get Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court by denigrating Anita Hill, and is strongly tied to credit card companies who think it's fine to engage in usury. He protects corporations at the expense of ordinary Americans, and is beholden to big donors. The only thing that makes him worth voting for is that he is not Trump. He is a classic "hold your nose and vote for the lesser of two evils" candidate.
1
Let's not forget to credit the media for a fair amount of blame- with the barrage of articles stuffed full of hysterical hand-wringing over Bernie and Warren's left-leaning positions.
7
Honestly, the writing is on the wall. This country and the DNC will not allow a progressive candidate. Sure hope Biden has the mental and psychological fortitude to debate Trump. Should be quite the Special Olympics between those two verbally. The only request I have for the mainstream media including the NYT is to stop treating Biden with kid gloves. He's got skeletons and nobody has shined a light on any of them (backruptcy bills, credit cards, etc.). Gotta find it pretty hilarious to see Joe talking about how corporations are doing the people dirty in 2020 when he was on the front lines as a primary architect of so many of these policies and bills.
6
Democrats finally started listening to
Bernie Sanders. Out of fear they went to Biden The closest Democrat to Trump.
2
This article describes my thinking.
I wanted to vote for Warren or Bernie, but I voted for Biden. Because the Republicans I know who hate Trump will vote for Biden but not for a so-called "liberal" who allegedly will "destroy the economy." I don't agree with them, but I listen to them.
My bottom line is that the sanitation workers who pick up our garbage would make better Presidents than Trump, because they work hard and would show some respect for the office. I am not exaggerating. I would vote for one of the sanitation workers on my street (they do a great job) over Trump for President.
11
Reasonable people, don't want a Trump in liberal clothing!
1
Right-of center Democrats are cowards & scolds. Terrified of rocking the boat, they can't bring themselves to vote for real change, so they will wag their collective finger & lecture anyone who dares hope that one day we will break out from under the burden of unregulated corporate capitalism, make serious changes to our legislative process, & start spending our tax revenues on things that benefit large numbers of Americans, such as universal healthcare & public education, rather than wasting our taxes on the death industry (aka the military) & enriching the already wealthy. Right-of-center Democrats should get together with their corporate capitalist comrades, the slightly centrist Republicans, & form a new party. They can call themselves the Status Quo Centrists, & I'll bet they'll be very effective at scolding us into putting up with unaffordable healthcare, housing, and education, & resigning ourselves to a lifetime of crushing serfdom in service to the asset-holding classes. These are the same people who think it's OK that 27 million Americans have no health insurance, while millions more are severely underinsured, & 550,000 families go bankrupt annually due to medical expenses, but who go bananas over rude behavior in public or losing in their gambles on the stock market. Talk about skewed priorities! I've been holding my nose and voting for these horrible people for thirty years, but only because they are less horrible than the fascist theocratic alternative.
6
Here we go again. The majority, and the corporate media, will get it wrong again. With a Biden and Trump election, we will have 4 more years of Trump and his hateful politics. Three reasons. 1) Fear of losing. 2) Fear of losing. 3) Fear of losing and not being well read.
All the Democrats want to do is get back to a comfortable place, a place they were familiar with when Obama was in office. White and blacks alike. Obama was not necessarily good for blacks in terms of economic prosperity. They are voting on pure symbolism.
1
As Biden would say: "I'm a stupendous choice to beat President Bush."
4
Democrats are afraid Trump will win so they again assume they need a candidate to attract republicans. The same republicans that support Trump at this moment. Instead of having a plan of their own the once again acquiesce to republicans desires. It is pathetic really.
Democrats like to be dominated.
5
@Chris
No, I think the segment that Biden will appeal to is Independents, not Republicans.
It's the swing Independent voters who "swing" an election.
7
I certainly assume Biden will be indicted long before November. The paper trail he and his family left while dragging millions of dollars out of Ukraine is clear.
3
Simple answer to article question: because apparently the voters of VA are way more intelligent than the voters in CA.
Nice. The old white guy who can barely pull off a coherent sentence is the most "electable". So much for hopes and dreams...
6
What do we want?
Normalcy.
When do we want it?
NOW! Vote Blue for Biden in November 2020.
3
The fix is in. Once again the so-called Democratic Party has rigged its primaries. The Democratic Party is the least democratic of all the political parties of the Western world. No party in Europe or Japan is as anti-democratic as our Democrats.
No First World population would tolerate the deceit, corruption and criminality that we have in the Democratic Party. The DNC is led by tyrants and wannabe dictators. Democrat "leaders" are consumed by their hatred of the American people. They are all traitors to America. The Democratic Party needs to be eradicated. It needs to be completely annihilated and replaced by a party that puts citizens first.
2
@Nate Please STOP. How is it rigged? Explain how it is rigged.
@Nate , That just doesn't fly, because Biden won in states that he didn't visit or have a field office in. The DNC couldn't have anticipated those kind of things, nobody could've!
1
Of course a potted plant in the Oval Office is better than Trump, if you like potted plants. Hopefully the windows face north and Joe’s not overwatered.
6
Though I’m a registered Democrat, and liberal, I am married to an Independent who is fiercely for fiscal responsibility and balancing the budget. My husband is 66, a former Republican, we both left after unfortunately voting for Dubya. I can tell you why, though we have studied Bernie’s web site with all his plans and ideas, why we are both now voting for Joe Biden: Bernie’s plans are not feasible, he cannot go into office a wave a magic wand creating Medicare-For-All and “forgiving” college debt! Sanders will NEED both House and Senate, liberals and Moderates to vote for these plans and.....though they would all be great...they are not REALISTIC.
14
I believe in many of Sanders' priorities, but I don't think he is the man to get them done. He's been in the Senate forever, and he's got exactly three pieces of legislation with his name on them--and two of those were to rename post offices. Sanders doesn't get it done, and he wouldn't get so much as one never-Trumper vote.
7
Biden suddenly swept Virginia partially because there was no Republican primary so Republican voters voted in the Democratic primary as well as Democrats and independents. Perhaps those Republican voters would prefer Biden in the event a Democrat wins the general election. One wonders what the Democratic turnout would have been had there also been a Republican primary.
4
@Ron
Excuse me but you seem to forget that Biden won in about nine other states as well. That puts your theory to rest.
3
@Ron Why is there a question that Republicans would forsake Trump? And, to go back to the Obama policies? I voted for Bernie, but either one will do.
From the turnout numbers, in Virginia reported by MSNBC’s, Steve Kornacki, the turnout was enormous to your point, many Republicans voted in the primary. What’s interesting is that in conservative blogs the Trumpistas were urging Republicans to vote for Bernie! Interesting, that they voted for Biden, instead.
6
I switched my registration from Republican to Democrat to help choose whom I will vote for, because I will be voting for Democrats in November. I voted for Bloomberg, but am fine with Biden. Folks, Texas is in play for the Democrats as long as Trump is the nominee of the Republicans. Unfortunately, it will be an uphill battle, not because the votes are not there, but because the Republican dominated state legislature has made voting more difficult for some folks.
41
Biden has a comforting ambiance about him, maybe a little like FDR or JFK. He has empathy, a fine sense of humor, intelligence, vast experience, and good looks. He may stumble in debates. But one can easily visualize him behind the desk in the Oval Office, or calming the nation on TV during some crisis.
Sanders comes across as a grumpy old man. Four years of him would be hard to take.
30
Comforting ambience? He makes me cringe every time he opens his mouth or reaches out to someone with a creepy caress.
6
I don't find any comfort in Biden at all, actually.
6
@Bob in NM well said. I share this sentiment.
1
Not sure if Virginia would really matter in 2020, it has been reliably blue of late so why spend so much ink on the fact that there was a high turnout. It would matter if it’s Arizona or Florida.
7
@VS it matters because what we saw in Virginia mirrors what we saw across the South. North Carolina is key as is Georgia.
3
@VS, all states matter.
@VS , It matters because he didn't hardly spend any money there!
“I don’t think it’s correct to say that we [Sanders supporters] don’t have majority support,” Mr. Sokolow said. What? Your candidate gets crushed, and you talk about having majority support. Politics is still the art of the possible, and too many of those who support B. Sanders (I-Vt.) seem to want to ignore inconvenient facts--such as getting crushed by Virginia voters, not the establishment.
8
Re: "There are a lot of like-minded Republicans who said, ‘I can’t vote for Trump but you got to give me somebody who we can vote for.’ Biden was always at the top of that list.”"
Beware: Republican voters will always choose a Republican rather than a Republican Lite.
4
@Paul Stokes
The key is that Biden will attract Independents, not Republicans. The Cult45 is strong, but not growing.
The parties select their candidates, but it's the independent voters' support that win elections.
4
@Mike Iker. What a beautiful and astute, measured comment. Thank you.
My top candidate just dropped out (EW). Sadly, we aren’t ready as a country to have a strong, passionate, intelligent, pragmatic female president. What we need now, in 2020, after four abominable years under Trump is safe, and Joe Biden is the epitome of safe candidate. He was almost last on my personal preference list, but he’s tops now. Biden’s got my vote for the reasons outlined in this article. I’m already looking to 2024, but for now, the only thing that matters is kicking Trump out of the White House.
21
Yes, it's early, but not early enough not to have another "Biden is Mr. Wonderful" article from the New York Times.
About voters in one state.
There are much, much more serious things to consider.
Democrats rallying around Biden could alienate generations of the party's youth support. An entire generation of apathetic voters moving the country even further to the right. He has no support among demographics that he will need to win.
There’s absolutely nothing historical about electing an old, rich, white, moderate guy who served as VP with a status quo platform of corporation and Wall Street friendliness. A guy who has advocated cutting Social Security for 40 years. A guy who passed the bankruptcy law that made student loans unforgivable. None of these things bother rich, white suburbanites.
The corporate wing of the DNC just expects everybody to hold their noses and vote for Biden and that’s how you leave a million votes staying at home on the couch not caring for four more years.
You expect the youth that didn't come out for Bernie to vote for Biden in November?
Operation We Learned Nothing! in 2016.
9
@Joe Just remember how Obama won: because moderate Republicans in swing states voted for him. There are a lot of Republicans (and conservative Democrats) that have had enough of President Cheeto. They want a change but don't need a revolution. Biden is that guy.
4
Virginia—and other previously red states—are not the same shade of blue as California, et al. MODERATES win here. A Bernie candidacy is a real threat to our moderate folks in Congress. Spanberger bravely risked her seat collaborating with others on the pro-impeachment op-ed. We need to support her and work to take the House in November!
12
Despite my misgivings about Biden’s many profound congressional failings (bankruptcy bill, NAFTA, Iraq War), I am relieved that he is the centrist standard bearer, and not a woefully under qualified small city mayor.
4
Biden is the Anti-AOC primary vote. There is an argument that AOC sent fear through the Democratic Party and kept the party leaders from finding a more attractive candidate to go up against Trump. There is a wave of real anger about AOC and her squad in the Democratic Party. There are more than a few in the Democratic hierarchy that would like to see AOC disappear.
2
@P&L Put it this way: the primary candidates in Texas that she supported down ballot got crushed on Tuesday.
2
The Democratic Party is lining up like lemmings behind a lost cause candidate and asks for people to treat Joe seriously.
For one thing, Burisma is coming back.
Sanders' only hope now is to put together very strong ads to run in Michigan and the other states up next Tuesday, using Biden's own words against Social Security and Anita Hill, and for war on Iraq, financial deregulation and banker bailout, for denying bankruptcy protection to struggling families, and ridiculing Medicare for All and student loan forgiveness.
5
@Max:What, you want Sanders to do Trump’s work for him?
2
Because they a George W. Bush Republicans which says a lot of the Democratic Party now.
6
The gist of this story Is that Biden has voters’ disgust with Trump to thank for his huge victory in Virginia. You back that up with interviews with elected Democrats like Gov. McAuliffe but only two voters who do not hold office. How can you use such flimsy evidence to back up your contention that it was disgust with Trump - and not dislike of Sanders’ call for a socialist revolution - that drove voters to Biden? Was there an exit poll to support your analysis? This report smacks of being one of those stories where the reporter has an analysis in mind and then goes out to find sources to support it.
I might also warn that Hillary Clinton has already proven that a winning campaign must be based on more than the vilification of your opponent.
3
@Never Trumper , Hillary was a bad candidate period, much worse than Joe or Bernie. A great deal of Donald's vote was anti-Hillary and she still won the popular vote by nearly 3 million votes.
OK, so Biden won big as voters concentrated on the Corona Virus issue.
But perhaps they didn't think through the implications.
Imagine an overwhelmed health care system (not very difficult).
Not enough ventilators, drugs expensive, hospital stays @ their ridiculous exorbitant norm...
Who's going to get treated first? Surely the folks with iron-clad
insurance and medicare supplement plans. Sure Trump will mandate a discount and tax break...but in the meantime the uninsured and underinsured (1/3 of the country) will face bankruptcy, ruin, even starvation.
Bernie and Liz will look pretty good then.
Lots of buyer's remorse.
6
A tribute to the age of anxiety:
Can’t turn the channel, change the station
on the horror show that is my nation
Anxiety says something wrong with me,
when up at night as the clock says three
Then I realize it’s just the opposite,
these days losing sleep is the mark of a patriot;
Sound sleep that of an ignorant electorate
8
I admire your name!
2
It’s too bad the media sabotaged Bloomberg for being successful and paying for the publicity they provided for free for the candidates that entered early. I like Bernie and Joe and hope the populace will show up to vote for whomever wins. If we don’t kill off the infection that is trump, we will all suffer. This is what should unite the democrats, not some party kumbaya. Make up your mind and do yourself. You know what’s right. And kill off trumps enablers too, retake the senate.
3
The Republican Congress is reaping
the whirlwind by supporting Trump.
And the coronavirus debacle is but
the final straw in Americans' disgust.
Come November the Democrats
will win back the Senate.
11
Biden? The guy who stopped the Ukraine investigation for his grossly overpaid son's job that he was not remotely qualified for? Also, the guy that lied about his educational accomplishments - just to shut up a protester? Very Trump like if you ask me.
3
In reply to many, many comments:
No, I'm not going to sit it, out I'm going to vote for Bernie. Just because the NYT has been dissing him as much as they can doesn't mean he can't win. Trump won.
Sanders is the only one who doesn't follow the $$$ and it's urge to further concentrate... who sees that insurance for profit is the equivalent of usury. Not all struggling people are stupid. Not all comfortable people are selfish...or scared. We will vote for Bernie and we will win. And that's when the real struggle begins.
2
Bernie finally explained where he'll get $40 trillion to put us all on Medicare. The WSJ analyzed his plans on 3/3.
Despite all the accounting tricks and rosy projections, a 16% increase in taxes on the Middle Class, and significant cuts to the NIH and other public health agencies he still came up $17 trillion short.
This doesn't include all the other programs Bernie is hawking: a trillion and a half to pay off everyone's college debt, universal pre-kindergarten, and long term elder care just to name a few.
This is why Bernie lost in Virginia and nearly everywhere else. Most Americans can't live in fantasy land where you get free stuff and no one has to pay for it.
Bernie has enthusiastic supporters and routinely gets a few thousand people to a speech, on a good day Biden gets a few hundred. But Bernie has failed to interest blacks and older Americans in his Marxism. Most Americans will not vote for a Marxist who supports tyrants like Castro but calls a democratically elected leader like Natanyahu a "racist".
Biden is old, creepy, and borderline demented. He called a supporter a "lying, dog-faced, pony solider" last week. He utters unfathomable statements constantly, smells people's hair and touches them, and rambles incoherently. He stands for nothing and no one is excited by his candidacy. He clings to an Obama who won't endorse him and Obama was "shellacked" in every election he wasn't on the ballot.
And then there's Hunter...and Bernie couldn't beat him?
3
Mara Gay’s editorial explains why black Southern Democrats saved the day. It’s about so much more than policy.
Yesterday I posted data showing that newcomers to the Dem primary in AL (approx. 56,000 more D ballots than 2016 and 124,000 fewer R ballots) voted overwhelmingly in favor of Biden, and someone commented that my analysis was faulty because I failed to include the other progressive, Warren. She didn’t make the 15% threshold, but here’s the updated analysis anyway. The fact remains that Biden is clearly in the best position to win the suburbs.
2020 Madison Co. (Huntsville and suburbs)
-15,000 more D ballots cast than in 2016
-10,000 fewer R ballots
-7.5% of R ballots chose someone other than Trump
-Biden 57.5
-Bernie 23.3
-Warren 8
-(Bernie 2016 - 30.1)
Jefferson Co. (Birmingham)
-20,000 more D
-17,000 fewer R
-4.8% R someone other than Trump
-Biden 66.4
-Bernie 15.9
-Warren 7.2
-(Bernie 2016 - 17.4)
Shelby Co (Birmingham suburbs)
-6,000 more D
-9,000 fewer R
-4.4% R someone other than Trump
-Biden 56.8
-Bernie 22.6
-Warren 10
-(Bernie 2016 - 35.4)
A poll worker in an affluent part of Jefferson said she’d never seen so many R’s pull D ballots. The same trend can be seen in NC, VA and TN. Imagine what we’ll see in GA, OH, PA...
Suburbanites that the R’s have lost are not going for Sanders or Warren, but Joe. Obviously this is why Orange Nightmare got himself impeached trying to dig up dirt on him. Numbers don’t lie.
10
All I can say is, Biden better get to Michigan asap.
8
Wow...Republicans really are a demanding lot, aren’t they?
This is very hopeful news! Trump is losing support!
Hopefully Bernie will inspire his followers to go to the polls regardless of who the candidate is. An improved version of the Affordable Care Act - with the public option and rules that bring in healthy people - will be a great start towards the health care we need.
7
The only candidate that supports human values is Sanders and his movement to empower ordinary people to regain control of their government.
Not to mention that a more-of-the-same, continue-with-the-status-quo candidate in which wealth concentration continues to spiral out of control while entrenching government for the wealthiest at the expense of everyone else will simply pave the way for Trumps.
Biden’s vote totals on Tuesday were an average 8.3% higher than in state exit polls. He was not the only candidate for whom there was a discrepancy in vote tally and exit polls, Bernie's vote tallies were uniformly lower than in state exit polls. Doubts?!
8
@Max
Exit polls are never perfect.
The only polls that really count are VOTES.
8
Mr Biden was my first choice, though I wavered after watching some uneven debate performances; but I am firmly back in the stable. And I would be over the moon if he choose Ms Warren as his running mate - what a team that would make . . .
19
There was a huge sigh of relief when Biden won convincingly in South Carolina. Democrats who despise Trump but fear that Sanders would drag the entire party to defeat, up and down the ballot, finally felt that there was a viable alternative, a man with broad appeal, an upbeat man instead of an angry one, a decent man to run against the most negative president in American history. We will now see how Biden survives the ideological battle within the party and the massive smear campaign that, having gotten Trump impeached, will now be conducted both by the administration and the GOP Congress that has declared fealty to Trump in defiance of the Constitution. My guess is that Biden will make plenty of mistakes, verbal gaffes and intellectual fumbles. My guess is also that his core values will continue to carry him forward.
Sanders has won many battles that will shape much of the Democratic agenda going forward. I think that much of the electorate will support many of Sanders’ goals while looking for a way to get them accomplished by moderate means. I hope that will be enough to rally Sander supporters and save the country from a would-be autocrat who has already done much to destroy the fabric of Americans’ beliefs and corrupt the very heart of our government.
This is not a plot to deny Sanders his due. This is an organic response by voters who seek desperately to assure that government of the people, by the people and for the people does not perish from this earth.
52
Well said! I completely agree.
1
Some voters and candidates imagine a massive, overnight Democratic establishment conspiracy to vote for Biden and block Sanders.
As an 86 year old voter here in Idaho, far removed from any Establishment, I figured it out by doing the math.
Fortunately I had postponed my early vote for my favorite, Buttigieg, so after Super Tuesday it was apparent there were only two septuagenarians left to remove the other septuagenarian in the White House.
Yesterday I took myself downtown and voted for the one I think can kick out the horror fouling up the Oval House: Joe Biden.
Vote Blue No Matter Who.
58
I predict Warren will endorse Biden and Biden will take Michigan. Then, it's over for Bernie, the angriest candidate I've ever seen.
16
@John
I don't know. It seems trump is the angriest of all.
7
Good luck with an old often confused man. He had better choose a platinum level VP.
12
And the narcissistic sociopath, easily bought by foreign governments, president and his science denying, bigoted vp is a better choice?
Nope.
1
Hmm. Will we really get a Trump backlash similar to VA nationwide? That event would be significant and for Trump haters, very rewarding. Onward Dems!
14
As a lifelong progressive Biden is a disappointing result, but given the circumstances we can't risk pitting a woman or a homosexual or a socialist-leaning one against Trump, despite the fact they were all suitable. Just not for this presidential race.
21
I’m an old white male who thinks a woman can & should be President. I don’t understand why women tolerate this under representation in government. I don’t understand why women don’t unite to elect a women. All things being equal, I’ll vote for a woman.
4
Other places in traditionally Red states with lots of Federal Employees or Contractors. Even some with lots of Millitary. Will be doing the Virginia shuffle.
I started at CDC in 89 under George H.W. Bush. I had even very Republican staff tell me they were going to just try to keep their head down and get a couple more years in until retirement, but they did not look forward to working under Trump. In summer, 2017, I heard one person took an early retirement, just couldn’t take it. Then two more a month later, including a Trump lover. Then I was told a bunch tried to go and got trapped by the shutdown. More are slated. Then others that don’t want to go tell me management has big boards that state names that say these people are eligible for retirement ( that is age discrimination). There has been rampant age, sex, race and disability discrimination during Trump Adminstration).
People at CDC are used to no political interference and used to science based work. We are experts who worked for 1/2 what we could in private sector for the public health mission.
Then Trump wants to brag about his great economy and give no raises, cut telecommuting, cut alternative work schedules, cut unions, then cut pension, cut Cola on FERS, cut the SS supplement if you leave before 62.
Then not pay employees while you shut gov. Not pay contract employees. Then transferring the money to repairing the Millitary base housing for the Stupid wall. Cancelling all the Corp projects for the wall.
36
"“We have to give tremendous credit to Donald Trump,” Mr. McAuliffe said. "
Sorry, I can't give Trump credit for anything positive.
How on earth did he get into power? Oh right, Bernie Sanders. Now Sanders is at it again, with Trump's help!
3
You are hoodwinking yourselves America. After years of saying "vote blue, no matter who", you seemed determined to preselect a candidate with serious baggage, obvious cognitive decline, and no vision on inequality or climate change.
A candidate who has no platform, apart from telling everyone how nice he is, and that Barak picked him, and that he can do pushups.
Yes, if he doesn't crash and burn for the rest of the year, you will get him over the line.
Then what?
8
I agree that Biden is a flawed candidate, but flaws make us human. All people are flawed. I believe Biden’s heart is in the right place. Unlike Trump, Biden has empathy for others & a conscience. The Democrats are going to lift Biden up and carry him to victory. I’m confident that Biden will surround himself with good advisers and listen to them to enact well reasoned & compassionate policies.
2
Some here say that Biden does not speak well and Trump will eat him alive for this, but I have seen Biden on multiple occasions trash Trump with a few words. We under estimate him perhaps because of long term stutter which does not disqualify him for the presidency.
by the way, has anyone listened to Trump's incoherence for the past four years?
41
Assuming Biden is the eventual Democratic nominee the future of the U.S.A. depends solely on how Biden performs in head-to-head debates with Trump. I fear he doesn't have the aggression to respond to Trump's taunting. Here is how Biden should react to each Trump outburst:
Trump: "You gave your son a sweetheart deal with Burisma."
Biden. "$50,000/month doesn't compare with your son-in-law's $ 1 billion 'miracle' bail-out from Qatar to save 666 Fifth Avenue from bankruptcy, or your daughter's 34 trade licences, granted with obscene haste by China during 2018 tariff negotiations."
Trump: "But your son's role in Burisma shows your family is crooked."
Biden: "That's great coming from someone who bankrupted 11 companies on the tax-payer's dime and defrauded a children's cancer charity for personal use. And why did you appoint Kushner as Middle East Czar when you knew he had invested in Israeli settlements that were, at the time, illegal under U.S. Law?" Kushner should have been jailed, like all your other advisers, not given carte blanche to expand and deepen the swamp."
Trump: "I am a proven success, a deal maker."
Biden: "Your Art of the Steal consists of hiding your tax returns which, if revealed as you had repeatedly promised, would expose you as a gigantic fraud. The only 'billions' in your balance sheet are losses."
I hope he reverts from 'Sleepy Joe' into a rabid tiger when confronted with the verbal attacks of a certified lunatic. Kid gloves won't get him anywhere.
27
Explains why Trump's infamous gut told him Biden spelled trouble for his chances of getting re-elected. But too many voters are sick of his antics and, beyond his diehard base, no one believes his lies and distortions. In fact, the more he throws them at Joe, the more he paints Joe as the victim, the role Trump likes to play. Virginia is only a harbinger of what's to come: a massive Trump loss!
14
Biden is the standard-bearer of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party. Sanders is the radical Socialist standard-bearer. (Please stop using "Progressive" for the Socialists. Call them what they are --- Socialists and Communists.
4
I would like to point out to readers that I have many family members in the South that are staunchly conservative. They were definitely not Obama voters that turned out for Trump in 2016...trust me.
They mentioned this week that in SC some of their like-minded friends voted in the primary for Biden--not because they support him--but because they know he would perform terribly in a head-to-head against Trump. And that Bernie would have at least have a chance. I would just ask readers to consider this point.
82
@A thought Hmmm...I disagree. I think it would be more difficult for Sanders to face Trump than it would be for Biden to face Trump. So many never Trumpers, former Trumpers. moderate conservatives, independents, etc are supporting Biden.
63
"@A thought Look at these stats:
Virginia +23%
South Carolina +21%
North Carolina +20%
Texas + 27%
Tennessee + 19%
Maine +17%
Alabama +22%
Oklahoma +16%
Colorado +12%
America is itching to get Trump out. "
And, the only one that went for Bernie is Co.
Your theory doesn't look plausible?
38
@A thought The facts and figures of the race so far do not support the claim that Bernie is bringing in more new voters. Trump (and Putin) greatly prefer Bernie to Biden.
26
Sen. Sanders entire theory of the 2020 election has been that there was a new coalition of young voters, left of center voters, and the abandoned white middle class in the rust belt that would flock to him if they were presented with a clear, unsullied vision. And he has stuck to that theory and has not changed his message. So far, except in California, this has not happened. Turnout has massively increased in many states but Biden, not Sanders, has been rewarded by the large turnout. Sanders increased his Latino turnout in Texas but he still lost. And his performance with the African American vote has been dismal. And the ever elusive youth vote has not emerged. The race is not over, Sanders might still win, and whoever wins the Democrat primary will get my vote. But, so far, the model for victory that Sanders has promoted since 2016 has proved to be a failure.
139
@KJ Peters
We thank Bernie Sanders profusely for exposing issues that America must deal with in order to survive, but now he must accept responsibility for alienating half the country with his self proclamation as a "socialist" and throw his full support behind Joe Biden. He can concentrate on winning the Senate seats to finally get his views heard with a Democratic Majority Leader.
Only highly respected, enormously trusted, honest Joe Biden can rescue America out of the clutches of this insane Trump and his cowardly kool-aid drinking GOP.
Americans feel so much safer with Joe Biden.
29
@JM please speak for yourself. I'm from California, sixth or fifth largest economy on the planet now, and we went big for Bernie. I didn't vote for him myself, but I respect those who did.
5
@Emma Ess
I don’t respect Bernie. He doesn’t believe in our economic system, he is a Democrat only for presidential elections, and he is despised by about 2/3 of all Americans. Thank heaven he is losing, or he would gladly give us 4 more trump years with his egomaniacal campaign. Get ready for him to start defaming Biden as he scrambles to somehow keep his campaign alive.
7
People in the areas around D.C. feel most assaulted by the vulgarity, disdain for norms, and unqualified crony government that are the Trump administration. They get that this destruction cannot continue without taking America down. Keep it up and show up on election day to vote for competency in positions of responsibility.
247
@desert ratz
Oh, I so hope the people of Arizona feel the same.
Yours is truly a toss up state, with a key senate race, as mine is.
7
@desert ratz That means voting for Bernie, not an honorary Republican like Biden.
@Observer I've been wanting to find out who decides if a Democratic candidate is an "honorary Republican" - I'm glad to see that person hasn't a clue.
3
I am proud of the vote I cast for Elizabeth Warren. But I hope Joe Biden will be the nominee. There is absolutely no way, unless the economy is in dramatic decline, Americans will vote for someone who wants to overhaul the economic system. There is no way he could accomplish anything unless the Senate went blue, which is unlikely. Biden will build on Obamacare, work to stem climate change, and support women’s rights. He is a decent and dignified person and I will be proud to vote for him as well.
36
@Melissa
Excellent point. Even a "blue" Senate would depend on a Senator from Ohio and West Virginia, so a big progressive agenda is unlikely to pass even with 50 seats.
1
I’m glad I hadn’t voted before Super Tuesday. I thought that Bloomberg was the best choice for beating Trump and I intended to vote for him on March 17. However when Amy and Pete dropped out and supported Biden, everything changed. He now has the support of the Democratic Party and is best positioned to win in November. I certainly hope so. We can’t stand another four years of this nightmare. Joe will also pick a good team. I am finally somewhat optimistic.
32
Sanders is not the standard bearer of the Democratic Party's liberal wing.
He is not a Democrat and should not have been allowed to run as one in 2016 or now. I feel betrayed by my party's leaders for letting him run again.
Any Democrat candidate is a standard bearer for liberalism in our country
If one wants to go farther left, Senator Warren is the standard bearer for the Democratic Party's More liberal wing.
40
@Lynne Shapiro , he's allowed to run, very smartly, by the D.N.C., to keep him from running a dangerous and damaging third party candidacy.
Should Biden end up running against Trump, Sanders must enthusiastically work on getting his supporters to vote for Biden. His Clinton support in 2016 was bitter lip service, and his supporters responded by not voting. Sanders needs to convince them that, without a large progressive turnout for Democrats, "the billionaire class" will complete their takeover of federal, state, and local government, the supreme, state, and local courts, and the news and social media. If that happens, a progressive will never get elected in their lifetimes. They need to hear that from Sanders.
75
First of all, no one, including any candidate I’m currently supporting can tell me how to vote. I make my choice alone, based on the vision the candidate articulates, his/her record, and their how specific policies/platforms represent/reflect my values. In short, the candidate has to earn my vote. If he/she do not, then I will not cast a vote for that candidate, period. 
7
The surge is anti-Trump, not pro-Biden. Nobody really loves the idea of rallying behind a cognitively declining, child and adult woman nuzzling, pro-warfare, Clarence Thomas abetting, Credit Card supporting, student-loan forgiveness denying, anti-affordable health care man in the White House -- a man who promises that "nothing substantial will change," when in fact we need substantial changes.
People want Trump out though.
However, the reality exists that the majority of Americans say they want to live in an America oriented according to Sanders' transformational policies. Yet currently they are voting for a man who says he doesn't want to change anything. It's hard to understand how to interpret this phenomenon.
My read on it is that only about 1/3 of the country is really energetically pro-Sanders, and it includes the 18-29 age group whose voting patterns have declined since the 2016 election.
The next 1/3 of the country who are true moderates would probably would go for the Sanders program -- all of it -- it the messenger and the message had been packaged differently. But the prophetic voice is effective exactly because it clarifies the real problem -- which Sanders has done.
It has become, in the words of Saul Alinsky, a classic contest between the "Haves, the Have-a-little-want-mores and the Have-Nots." Right now the Have-a-little-want-mores believe if Biden becomes president they'll get more. But they won't. They are being fooled. Again.
16
I see it slightly differently. The “have a little want mores” you refer to aren’t deciding based on the supposition they’ll get more. It’s based on the supposition / hope they’ll have less taken away.
9
@Kip Leitner
It is a paradox. Our government cannot reliably change things on a dime even when faced with the menacing scourge of large sodas.
Trying massive changes can easily backfire and get their backers voted out in the process.
So even if a system does not require a supermajority to pass something, it often needs a supermajority to keep it, unless it works great from the start and stays working great. This describes a gamble, and taking gambles is not what most policy makers are looking to do most of the time.
2
@Alan -- Yeah. Agree. Bernie's true value, it seems to me, is to keep pushing the conversation to the left, to make the environment for change possible. Without Sanders, we wouldn't even be having the conversations we're having. Bernie has made it respectable to be a humanist.
2
What do lots of Virginians have in common, they're federal employees. All government employees, whether at the local, state or national level, have excellent health insurance. Medicare for all would result in a degradation of a system that works great for people that have good insurance. Hospitals depend mightily on private insurance to offset for much lower reimbursement from Medicare and Medicaid. Take that away and your great insurance plan gives you less access and less quality care than they have now. Democrats don't like to admit blatant self interest drives them just like greedy republicans. So they keep quiet and vote their self interest in the privacy of the voting booth.
5
I wonder if I'll find any Sanders' supporters talking about how he's gonna create a surge of new voters...
2
The path to beating Trump goes through Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. Specifically the cities of Madison, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and suburbs around them. He who can boost turnout there (yes, it will be a he) will boost Trump. I do believe a large number of people are sick of him and see through his bluster and antics; but people also care about their pocketbooks, and people are very wary of someone who wants to disrupt their healthcare. Suburbanites also don't take kindly to being told that their success has come at the cost of others - they know that isn't true and it denigrates the efforts they've put into their lives, careers and families. Unless you realize this, you won't beat Trump.
4
@Michael
Madison WI, 75 year old long time leftist - will join this fight to beat trump.
Biden it is!
12
It’s not surprising that the people most dependent on Federal Government spending chose to be represented by one of their own.
2
Now that Warren has also left the race, I hope she does what is best for the country and endorse Biden.
15
@BMD
Would that really help Biden?
It was a Democrat primary. Elections are about alternatives and in this case most Democrats chose the least-worse alternative -- Joe Biden. When it comes to the General election the it'll be clear that the least-worse alternative will be the bumbling and incoherent Joe Biden compared to the sophisticated and always at-the-top-of-his-game President Trump. Of course, those who just can't get passed their hatred of the latter will vote for Biden anyway.
1
I have seen all kinds of things said to describe Trump, but “sophiticated and on top of his game?” On what planet is that?
16
After Trump, we need sanity for awhile. Bernie offers more Trump only from the left. No thanks.
Joe Biden needs to pick a great VP since he stands a good chance of not finishing four years.
13
Virginia is now a solid blue state, an establishment blue state with lots of Federal workers - thank you for your work by the way! Along with the disillusioned Republicans, they are moderate in that regard. So I expected it to vote the way it did. They are ok with the status quo so they went for good ol' Joe. I want someone to blow up the system.
Every person in this country deserves to have M4All. After all the EU does and they are not worse for it. For all our crowing of being the "best country in the world," the system should reflect that. If not we are nothing but walking hypocrites. Our proudest accomplishment on the international stage and in "role" as a "world leader."
4
Joe Biden is a decent person. Full stop.
18
You mean “Super Thursday” when Biden thanked his sister while pointing to his wife? I didn’t say those things. He did. Think about that when voting.
32
@James Simon
Indeed.
BIDEN 2020
38
@James Simon
Oh, come on. That was a Joke, and they DID switch positions. I’ve watched it several times.
Excessively Critical, much ?
45
Let me get this straight. We should think about Joe when we are voting. I’m with him.
14
I have many sympathies for Bernie Sanders. My background is European. I share many of Sanders' views. Education and health care are at the top of my concerns for the USA. Many of my friends are dogmatically pro Sanders. I consider that a mistake. We live here in the USA. A Sanders v Trump match would destroy Sanders. And with him the Democrats. We must pay attention to cultural, historical and economic realities. The USA is not Europe. So a more moderate Democrat such as Biden is the clear choice not only for political reasons. Also for strategic reasons.
443
@Friend of NYT Have you seen Joe Biden speaking in public? Trump will eat him alive. Bernie is absolutely clear, precise and determined when he speaks. Trump could never roll over Bernie, not matter how many times he repeats the "communist" canard.
47
@Friend of NYT I wish I had a crystal ball like so many pundits and Comment section writers in the NYT. Who can say that Biden would be more likely to trounce Trump in November? Sanders was foolish to leave the word "Socialist" attached to his political philosophy or brand. He has not sufficiently made clear to old timers past age 40 what socialism really means. Instead he is denounced by those who like their Social Security and Medicare but can't see voting for a "socialist" who wants Medicare for all. Illogic is no stranger to political discourse and Americans are definitely consumers of illogic. How else could anyone as ridiculous and incompetent as Donald Trump be play-acting (very poorly at that) the role of POTUS?
64
@Friend of NYT 99% in agreement with your assessment. (Similar background, particularly Germany) Here is my 1% disagreement. The USA HAS been like Europe in the past. FDR's New Deal (sure, it was a drastic response to the Great Depression and was incrementally scaled back) and LBJ's Great Society are the standouts. There is historical evidence that ideas like universal health care and the Green New Deal could be palatable to a larger chunk of the US in the future. Much much sooner rather than later, I hope. 2020? I think the policy issues are less important than the issues of constitutionality and personality and decency and honesty and capability and humanity. PS: Cool name - Friend of NYT (me too!)
57
In this Anything-Can-Happen primary, it looks like we can't really count on the opinion polls to reliably tell us what is going to occur. I'm a person who always knows well in advance the candidate I'm going to vote for. However, I've changed my mind a half-dozen times in this primary season.
I like Bernie, but I don't think he can win the general election. So, Biden it is.
338
@Madeline Conant
AMEN!
I’m with you.
Winning will be based on UNITY. Unity of left and right - against Trump. For our Constitution. For our Republic.
It’s very simple. A Patriotic Vote for reclaiming our Republic.
44
@Madeline Conant I don't think nominating someone with clear declining mental faculties and probably dementia is likely to beat Trump. I'm not saying Bernie can either, but we tried the safe option in 2016 and it blew up in our faces. And it's not only 2016 it was 1968,1988,2004 etc. We have to abandon the idea that the DNC needs to move right, or else they're just moving the Overton Window further and killing any hope of Social Democratic reform.
6
@Madeline Conant
The polls actually did catch this shift, but it happened so quickly that most were a week behind by Tuesday. The poll tracker at fivethirtyeight.com had Biden's chances dramatically improving on Monday. The shift towards Biden was almost unprecedented in its speed.
6
The only thing that will help take the Presidency, the House and the Senate is massive voter turnout in November 2020.
If Biden - ugly warts and all - can drive high Democratic voter turnout, then there's hope for America.
I love Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, but too many Americans sadly find them scary.
But you can only govern if you win elections as we catastrophically relearned in 2016.
D to go forward; R to paint the toenails of the rich in more gold.
227
@Socrates: I don't find Bernie scarry, but after doing a lot of research, including his own campaign site, I realized that Bernie has great ideas but has little legislative accomplishment in getting those ideas put into action.
86
Bernie and Warren scary? They don’t even rise to that level. The only thing scary about them is that they’ll give Donald Trump another four years, and that is very scary.
15
@Jeff
That's why he's asking for a Political Revolution? He needs the American People to support him. Change without people's support is just an idea.
10
This gives me hope. I know there are many moderate Republicans who hate what Trump has done to their party. I met a few working the polls for early voting in NC. I believe if Joe Biden is the nominee they will come out and vote for him in November and maybe we can finally end the nightmare of Trump.
127
@Laura Reich:
While there are republican voters who will vote for Biden or a moderate against trump, they will do so only under certain circumstances -- specifically if they are not incited into fearing Biden.
trump will do everything to cheat, lie, and smear Biden. Propaganda works. It is not certain that republicans will vote for Biden.
Lastly, educated people must look at the arc of trump's behaviors. In each situation, he has pushed norms well past extremes that we believed he would not cross. He HAS in each instance crossed lines acting against our Constitution and against the balance of power. He has, and will continue this, in worse unprecedented ways. He will test us. He will test our ability to believe how far he will go. We need to prepare ourselves, that he will cross unimaginable barriers.
Let's say in a perfect world, we flip the senate Blue. We can impeach trump.
We know trump will refuse to concede defeat. What if he refuses to accept the vote results, and he cites "a rigged election", "Russian interference", "deep state corruption within the government", and "election fraud in blue states"?
trump WILL do that. He will not willingly accept defeat. He knows he's hidden his many secrets about his still-hidden crimes, and the next president will be able to investigate his crimes -- and put trump in jail. To stay out of jail, trump will do ANYTHING.
The law allows him to impose martial law, and force a new election date with "special rules".
What then?
1
There are conservative Democrats and conservative Republicans who dislike Trump as much as more liberal democrats represented by Bernie Sanders. We all want him gone, but don't always agree on policies or how to get there. Perhaps we are about to see a movement represented by Va and other states that agrees on this motivation first, to remove Trump and then debate actual policies.
61
The process is working as intended. When voters are seeking change, they pick the person who is most capable of getting the job done. Other times will require other strategies. I’m a proud (still angry!) Democrat today.
22
Biden is a traditional liberal, who supports all the same liberal ideas that define a liberal. Many liberals supported him because they want to focus on beating Trump. Liberals know that defeating Trump is the best solution and aren't willing to die or their sword or make the perfect the enemy of the good.
What Biden is not is. a divider, someone who attacks people that are "not perfect" or "not wok." Unlike the far-left crowd, makes realistic promises, unlike the far-left, young, wing of the Democratic party who are only interested in destroying anything that isn't perfect, as defined by them.
29
Electability? That issue was decided long ago by the MSM including the Times. These sources constantly feed the public the unsubstantiated idea that only Biden can beat Trump.
Biden is such a weak candidate that a couple of weeks ago no one believed he had a chance. He has been resurrected by the DNC and the MSM. But over the months ahead his abysmal record on Trade, Medicare, Bankruptcy and Iraq will come to the fore. Worse, Biden himself is confused, in cognitive decline and emotionally volatile. Mention Hunter and he becomes unglued.
He will lose to Trump.
10
@Bob Dass: Comparing Biden's legislative record to Sanders' one could say the same about Sanders.
6
@Bob Dass
No. He won't lose. Clearly, the people want him.
3
@Bob Dass
"....in cognitive decline and emotionally volatile. Mention Hunter and he becomes unglued." This describes Trump to a T. Trump's abysmal record on Trade Tariffs, Defunding Medicare, Trump's many Bankruptcies and his bad decisions on Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, North Korea, and China will come to the fore and not for the good of America.
I say Trump will lose to Biden.
4
Sounds like my fellow Northern Virginians were as much motivated by fear of Bernie as dislike of Trump.
Turns out I wasted my absentee ballot on Mayor Pete.
6
@pedro
Pedro, your vote for Pete B. was not wasted, it was just 12 years too soon. Pete needs to get elected to some federal office, so in 12 years the country will be ready for him to run again for President. These past few months have given him national name recognition. That's a great starter, and his ticket to the future in national politics.
8
@pedro Your vote was not wasted. Mayor Pete was a good candidate but he doesn't have the experience or the national appeal needed to get to the Presidency. However, he made his mark and he made history. His next move should be towards a more prominent office - House of Reps, Senate, Cabinet. He's young and has plenty of time to prove himself at a higher level.
1
For many people a much more polite way of saying that they themselves don't care for Bernie is to say "Biden is more electable." No one knows that for sure, but many of us know we ourselves prefer Biden as president.
118
@David Biden who can't say "We hold these truths that all men are created equal?"
Biden, who campaigned for Fred Upton, a Republican in Michigan and was paid upwards of $200,000?
Biden, who oversaw the hearings of Anita Hill and threw her by the way side to give us Thomas and led to Kavanaugh?
Biden who wrote the Crime Bill that led to the incarceration of 1/3 black men, that Biden is who you want? And supports Democratic values?
Biden who told Wall Street "Nothing will fundamentally change?"
Ok, if he makes you happy, vote for him. If Sanders doesn't call him out, you can bet the GOP will.
12
@David
Right you are. Perhaps another way of saying that voters
prefer a "happy warrior" looking toward a more perfect union to an angry revolutionary. Thinking that perhaps it is easier and less painful to add on than to tear down.
Tearing down often ends in more tears of frustration than smiles of satisfaction .
9
@Up Down All Around
And I'll add one more... Biden who supported Clarence Thomas over Anita Hill.
Yep, hated that decision, but I'm all in for Biden.
Beat Trump!
6
I voted for Sanders in the 2016 Primary, but that was a different playing field. We were in a centrist world with Obama, and I was eager to see it move left and disrupt the Wall Street wing of the Democratic party.
Now we are way right of center (which doesn't even really characterize whatever Trumpism actually is). We need to swing back to center, and Biden has emerged as the pathway for that.
I hope Joe picks a woman as a running mate. The fact that 3 old white men in their late seventies out-performed the NYT picks of Klobuchar and Warren as the standard bearers for the moderate and progressive wings of the party means we still have a lot of work to do on the gender barrier. The best way to elect a woman president is to have a woman VP in the line of succession.
290
@oso
Joe Biden and Stacy Abrahms!!! That would be a winning partnership.
Stacy is smart, honest, passionate. She brings the energy to compliment the calm and practical Joe. She is a trailblazer and creates a path for a dynamite US going forward. Can't you imagine Stacy stepping up to the presidency in future?
The myths and questions around a woman as president and such neanderthal thoughts would be soundly dispelled, simply by experiencing her performance.
Finally, we would elevate our thinking beyond biology, one of the worst criteria for selecting a leader!!
24
@oso
Joe did say "you will be hearing a lot from her" in reference to Amy K on Tuesday.
She seems likely to break a barrier as the first user-of-comb-as-fork VP.
9
@oso - The VP is "the line of succession" only if the President dies or is removed from office. Historically, it hasn't been a stepping board to the Presidency.
If Biden picks a woman as VP I hope it isn't Warren or Klobuchar - resulting in a loss of a Senator which we cannot afford.
Great care has to be taken in picking a VP based only on gender or color. McCain might have won the Presidency back in 2008 if he had picked a better VP than Sarah Palin.
31
As of right now Biden is the middle of the road candidate that will attract democrats, moderate republicans and independents.
He might not be the best candidate running for office, but anybody is better then Trump.
280
@BTO Biden is not just "anybody".
18
@BTO Biden has baggage, more so that Hillary. And if Bernie wont confront him on it, you can bet the GOP will.
Lets start with his campaigning for GOP Congressman Fred Upton in Michigan in 2018--yes, just the other year!- in exchange of a few hundred thousand dollars!
Yeah, he is a middle of the road candidate alright, just show him the money and he will be there!
8
@BTO - Yes, I personally find Joe uninspiring, but maybe part of his allure is that he IS kind of boring, and so he can attract everyone around the common cause of providing an anti-Trump. This article was an eye-opener for me.
21
He got the votes of the Amy and Pete fans in my house. I like Bernie too but thought he was not the right choice this year.
30
@mj If he is not the right choice this year, then when will he be? When the Middle class has been utterly eradicated?
1
@Up Down All Around Because jobs and American dollars are going overseas and people are constantly being replaced by robots. The middle class in Asia and Africa is booming. Bernie has no answer for that except to tax "millionahs and billionahs".
Now that the Democratic Primary is essentially a two-person race, I would expect we will see more of the dynamic seen in Virginia in the states that remain.
While I can understand how complete exasperation with the current administration would lead many Democrats to want to nominate someone more reactionary like Sanders, it is important for us to remember that it is not only Democrats who are exasperated. Many independents and disaffected Republicans are too, maybe even more so as they have watched their party morph into something unrecognizable to them.
It has take me a while to come around to it, but I think that Biden is the right candidate to attract a wide swath of all of us, Democrats, Independents and Republicans, who cannot abide another four years of this chaos. And that will be the key to winning the general election.
43
This column is right on target in my case, which I believe is pretty typical. I happen to live in a less ‘tony’ area of Fairfax Co. (still a great area!). After South Carolina, Sen. Klobuchar and Mayor Pete supported V.P. Biden, it was game over. I believe voters are anxious to coalesce behind a candidate to defeat Trump, sooner rather than later. There is a well of antipathy towards the soulless Donald Trump who has intruded daily into our lives, always in a negative way. He has to be defeated and removed from 1600 Pa. Ave., which I can conceive of him refusing to do voluntarily. So the vote has to be decisive and we’ll leave the rest to the Secret Service!
113
Mobilizing this broadly defined group nationally would be a powerful repudiation of both Trump and extreme partisan politics. It could also help "down ballot" candidates who are of similar disposition--which is to say, most Democrats and perhaps a few closet moderates in the Republican party (if there are any of those left). If it happened, you would hear an audible sigh of relief from many allies abroad. Four more years of Trump and his crowd, and there will be virtually no more allies. Period.
18
@PeterS
We Americans should set ourselves a stretch goal, a moonshot!
Let's aim for 80% voting turnout!
What does that take? What do we need to do to achieve 80%?
Vision: Every person believes her and his vote counts. Every person votes. Every person believes in individual responsibility to make a difference in this small yet huge way!
4
@kcurran Good idea!
I am hoping that beyond a coalition of those filled with the fervency for removal of Trump, that Biden can begin to articulately describe the platforms he stands FOR.
Realistic, specific, nuts and bolts idea that can energize and drive the candidate and the Party to an across-the-board success in the November election.
We need to start hearing the specific ideas Biden has for fighting climate change, immigration reform, voters' rights/protection of the ballot box, health care reform, just law enforcement, fair and just taxation policies, promotion of new equities in the military to foster excitement for military careers, gun safety reforms, affordable housing, urban renewal, new infrastructure across the country, education reforms, pre-K policies, native American community advancement.......the list goes on.
Show us the best minds and the most ardently innovative young people signing onto your effort. Do it publicly.
Start naming the many issues and constituancies who would enthusiastically come out and publicly embrace this candicate and the Democrats as a whole. We have so much work to do. We need America to sign on en masse for the repair and healing this country so desparately needs.
10
It's sad that while Sanders better represents the values of people under 45, they aren't reliable voters. Young people need to turn out and vote. They are the ones who will live with the consequences of these elections the longest.
15
@April Ah but their judgement is suspect. If i try hard I can remember some of my beliefs when I was in my twenties. It's a good thing I wasn't part of a majority.
2
First of all it shows that all the pollsters and pundits have no idea what is going on.
Second it shows that Americans are not looking for an inspirational game-changing leader, they just want to get rid of Trump and return to normal. They just want someone they believe they can trust. Joe Biden is perfect for this, his age is a plus, he is a known commodity.
Third it shows that Trump is in big trouble. His tactics are not going to work against Joe, in fact they will inspire a huge turnout in favor of Joe.
If the markets are factoring in a Trump victory, it is time to recalibrate.
34
@gbc1
Ah yes.
Is this an acknowledgement that the stock market likely goes up if Trump gets re-elected? The horror!!
That’s not going to drive voters- go with Joe, he’ll bring decency back to the White House, support women’s rights, and tank the Dow Jones!
@Rob , after Joe's amazing Super Tuesday, amidst the negative drag of the corona-virus on the stock market. Wednesday the stock market had it's second or third largest positive bounce in history! The stock market is hoping Joe wins as well.
What's sad about our current choices for President is that the people in this story seem to be saying "I voted for Biden because I don't like Trump." That's not the same as "I love Joe Biden." You can't tell me that there aren't better people, and more qualified to be President than Trump, Biden or Sanders in this country. The real political issue facing us is the lack of better people getting involved in politics....and while I am it, remember JFK saying, "Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country." Today's it's vote for me and I will give you something. Can you imagine today's politicians asking the same question? It's all bread and circus these days.
2
Let's not forget The Main Rreason That Democratic Party Lost to Trump in 2016 was because They Were Not Fighting For Something,but They Were Fighting To Stop Something (Fascism and Racism) or Somebody (Trump).It seems like Democrats are trying to repeat the same mistakes this year;both in The Primary (Stop Sanders) and The General (Stop Trump).History shows that Voters Respond To A Campaign That Offers Something or Ideas than the one that's just against something or ideas or Somebody.Democrats must come up with a Clear Vision and Irresistible Brand.Like him or not,Trump has an irresistible Brand called "Make America Great Again".Instead of offering their irresistible Brand,Hillary and the Obamas wasted their time and energy trying to prove that America is already great.As we now know,many voters didn't believe that America is already great. Among all the two dozens democratic candidates,it's only one that has a Brand which is "For All" in terms of Medicare For All,Public Colleges For All,Government Should Work For All,Housing For All,This Country For All and not for the few wealthy people,and he also has a Motto which is "Not me,Us". Can anyone tell me the Brand or even the Motto of any other democratic presidential candidate besides "Defeat Trump" and "I'm The Most Electable"? While defeating Trump might be the number one goal of tribal Democrats,it might not be the number one goal of Independent and Swing Voters who actually decide the outcome of any presidential election.
5
@Ukosi
Even if the comparison with 2016 attitudes and motivations appear similar, "one cannot step in the same river twice". Everything has changed; circumstances are different; individuals has learned.
And how about more than one goal as opposed either/or dualities?
Defeat Trump AND equitable, fair policies for ALL. Doesn't that also work?
3
@Ukosi Trump ain't popular with independents or swing voters.
As for your claim that a strong positive focus is needed please explain what strong focus was articulated by the following: Eisenhower, Nixon & Bush the Elder.
Bill Clinton was touting a third way & Obama was offering hope & change, in both cases a fairly vague positive focus.
@Ukosi
Perfect !
I feel like African American voters set the stage for Biden’s surge, and I hope it bodes well for a large Democratic turnout. Biden is running on what seems like his sincere desire for Unity, however improbable. There’s something hopeful, and maybe even inspiring, about that.
29
Perhaps the pro-Biden votes are not just votes against a second Trump term but also a direct repudiation of Trump's conditioning of releasing military aid to Ukraine on its agreement to investigate the Bidens, as well as a repudiation of the Republicans' defense of Trump's behavior. Senate Republicans may not have been willing to impeach Trump, but the voters are.
63
@Jay Orchard
Yes!
And OK, let's say further investigation reveals the worst: Joe Biden got Hunter the plum Board membership and Hunter used the money to buy drugs and hire prostitutes and murder puppies. So who is the average voter gonna vote for, Trump or Biden? I know I'd stick with Joe. If GOPers can forgive Trump for his numerous crimes and lies, guess I could forgive Joe for something like that.
2
The interesting (and distressing) thing is the number of last-minute deciders who switched from an inclination (or even intention) to support Warren to voting for Biden. It betrays the systemic sexism of our society and political system. I suspect there an element in the decision to switch was last-minute, unspoken (maybe even unrecognized) fear that "a woman can't get elected." As long as voters give in to that fear, it will be a self-fulfilling prophecy.
2
@Father Eric F Ridiculous conclusion. A lot of us had trouble making up our minds. Why exactly do you claim that that is because of sexism?
I think it's because it is a difficult choice on many levels.
I get it. You're a Warren enthusiast. Quite understandable but by Tuesday it was clear that she had no chance therefore switching to another candidate was a totally reasonable thing to do.
1
@Father Eric F
I don't believe that the last minute switch to Biden was fear that "a woman can't get elected.". I believe that Sanders and Warren are a bit too far left for this moment. I think voter's last minute switch was a pragmatic decision. For me, in this election, we need someone who can first bring us back to some normalcy in our politics and policies. The daily chaos and confusion coming from the Trump administration is exhausting and enervating. Biden can bring us the normalcy this country needs. Then after that, if we will find that the country does desire moving further left, we can do so in a knowledgable manner. Right now this country does not need a careening from the far right and a jerking to the far left. We need a time of middle ground for restoration and healing. We need a time to re-embrace the true American ideals, the restoration of the rule of law and the welcoming back of our natural allies in Europe and around the world. We need a time to get our equilibrium so we then can move forward positively to our future.
2
"Support" is not the same thing as votes. The Sanders people can claim all the "support" they wish, but that claim seems to have run smack dab into the reality that it's the votes that count. Now they're whining about being victims of the "establishment". No - you are "victims" of the majority of voters who are way more moderate than you allowed yourselves to believe, and way more committed to actually voting than you allowed yourself to consider. BTW, I am not a fan of Biden, and I have serious doubts about his electability. I think Democrats have made a huge mistake in not choosing someone younger and more articulate, like Klobuchar (who I supported), or someone older but still mentally sharp, like Bloomberg. Perhaps Warren will pivot a bit, broaden her appeal, and offer an alternative for more moderate voters? Not likely, but as long as she's still in it, I'll hope.
7
Sanders voters claim that the democratic 'establishment' their version of Trump's 'deep state' is out to get Sanders and squash his candidacy. But Virginia and other states where turn out was high and supported Biden belie this quabal. People genuinely feel that Biden is the best candidate to beat Trump and to gain results through non 'revolutionary' means. Democrats need to stop bashing each other and remember who is the real enemy here, the GOP and Trump.
14
Hillary Clinton supporters remember Bernie Sanders and how he repeatedly hammered away at her with Republican/Russian talking points during the primary, to poison the well, even after she had clearly won in early June.
He did almost nothing to help her in the general and many of his supporters didn't vote for her. Plus, we knew he would never win the Black vote in the South.
I'm one of these women, and my preferred candidates were Klobuchar and Warren, then Harris. When Biden showed he could win the Black vote and Klobuchar and Buttegieg dropped out and endorsed and supported him, there was no question in my mind that I would vote for Biden.
The media has interviewed everyone EXCEPT Clinton supporters. We haven't gone anywhere. We are the reason for the 2018 sweep and the Democrats taking the house.
65
Yes!! Thank you, Alice
5
@AliceP
That's just flat out false. Bernie kept the focus on the issues, not Russian talking points. During one of the debates a moderator asked them about Hillary's email server, and Bernie refused to talk about it at all. He has said that the emails were a distraction.
After Hillary won the nomination, Bernie campaigned with her at 40 events. That's not nothing.
But the thing is, Biden is a much weaker candidate than Hillary. He has a worse record and few of her strengths. Republicans will muddy the water with false equivalences and endless investigations of the Bidens, and kill Democratic turnout, again. We're on the path for a repeat of 2016.
5
@AliceP
So many say they prefer Warren yet so few voted for her. It's kind of sad how we as a country lack the critical thinking skills to seize on this unique opportunity to make meaningful change to our current (corrupt) government.
4
While this is a very limited example, it does indicate that Trump could be in trouble in those "swing states" that he barely won. Some of the people who voted for him in 2016 are sensible enough to see that mistake, and are much more likely to slide a bit left and vote for Biden, rather than jumping into the deep end of Progressiveness with Bernie.
20
So-called progressives have never been progressive they’ve always been regressive. They gave us George W Bush and they gave us Trump. Not very progressive is it?
3
I understand why voters who just want Trump out would back Biden. Pundits have been saying for months that Biden is the safe choice even though polls say that Bernie is the one who would win most against Trump.
Personally, I do want Trump out but I want more than that: I want serious mobilization to address this climate crisis which is the greatest threat to us, other species and an inhabitable planet.
That's why I'm supporting Bernie. Naomi Klein is one of his surrogates. Bill Mckibben posted on Twitter that he had voted for him. The Sunrise Movement and 350 dot org endorsed him. Greenpeace gives his climate action plans the highest grade.
Bernie is all in for a Green New Deal, which besides addressing climate change would give the working class good-paying jobs.
I fear that if Joe Biden is elected president he won't do nearly as much for the climate crisis. Sure, it would be better than having Trump as president. But the populace would be lulled to sleep again by his presidency, thinking that all was right with the world again now that a Democrat was in the White House. It won't be all right unless we boldly and swiftly address this climate crisis. Biden isn't the one to do that.
7
@Benbulben
While Sanders ideas are absolutely great, I feel he will be unable to deliver. In fact, even I feel getting any of his ideas realized through congress is impossible. Bernie has been advocating these ideas for 30 years from within congress, yet has gained little traction of success.
Then how will people who voted for him feel? He promised and couldn't follow through. What would that mean in future? Any step forward would come with several steps back, when promises fell through.
3
@Benbulben But can Bernie beat Trump? The losing candidate's platform & plans are worth exactly zero.
2
I voted for Bernie Sanders (overseas Colorado voter), and was very disappointed in the Super Tuesday Results. But looking at the numbers objectively, the youth turnout is not there and Sanders doesn't have the support of Black Americans and college-educated women. I know think Biden will be the nominee. I hope Bernie can move Biden to the left on some issues were he needs to move to the left (climate, for instance), and picks a progressive nominee. (I would love Stacey Abrahams.) The biggest concern for me now is Biden's mental decline. I saw an interview with him from 2016 and the difference is alarming.
5
@Troy Big agreement on both Stacey Abrahams for Vice President, and about Joe Biden's obvious decline. He is going to need a LOT of coaching to get through the rest of the year.
1
@Troy Joe Biden could suffer a 90% mental decline and still be way smarter than Trump.
Plus he will actually appoint good, smart people. And he'll listen to them.
If you look at Biden's plans for dealing with climate change they are right on.
Will he follow through? He has promised some executive orders and those he will do. After that he needs to get Congress to go along.
Which presidential candidate is more likely to help take the Senate? That means winning in places like Arizona & North Carolina. Bernie would have zero coattails in states like that.
Without the Senate a President Sanders would accomplish little.
4
Let's not forget The Main Rreason That Democratic Party Lost to Trump in 2016 was because They Were Not Fighting For Something,but They Were Fighting To Stop Something (Fascism and Racism) or Somebody (Trump).It seems like Democrats are trying to repeat the same mistakes this year;both in The Primary (Stop Sanders) and The General (Stop Trump).History shows that Voters Respond To A Campaign That Offers Something or Ideas than the one that's just against something or ideas or Somebody.Democrats must come up with a Clear Vision and Irresistible Brand.Like him or not,Trump has an irresistible Brand called "Make America Great Again".Instead of offering their irresistible Brand,Hillary and the Obamas wasted their time and energy trying to prove that America is already great.As we now know,many voters didn't believe that America is already great. Among all the two dozens democratic candidates,it's only one that has a Brand which is "For All" in terms of Medicare For All,Public Colleges For All,Government Should Work For All,Housing For All,This Country For All and not for the few wealthy people,and he also has a Motto which is "Not me,Us". Can anyone tell me the Brand or even the Motto of any other democratic presidential candidate besides "Defeat Trump" and "I'm The Most Electable"? While defeating Trump might be the number one goal of tribal Democrats,it might not be the number one goal of Independent and Swing Voters who actually decide the outcome of any presidential election.
4
@Ukosi Capitalizing your silly arguments doesn't make them more believable or truer.
It's funny how Trump's "irresistible brand" has never been supported by a majority of Americans. I myself find it very easy to resist. I have a lot of company.
I think Biden's sweep shows that Democrats learned all the wrong lessons from 2016. The lessons learned seem to be: outsiders who take over parties are bad, women can't beat Trump, this is no time for risks.
But I think all that is wrong. The lesson should be that choosing a safe-bet, boring but practiced leader, someone who is nominated because its their turn was a mistake. Hilary Clinton didn't lose because she was a woman, but because she was establishment and was promising more of the same old same old. It's the same reason why the Republicans couldn't beat Obama with McCain or Romney.
And who have we got now? A 77-year-old man, offering same old same old return to the establishment. Yawn. And all the young, energetic, diverse, non-elderly-straight-white-men options are now left to an old man who once played the straight man to yesterday's charismatic winner.
6
@Carrie
Did you vote? Many of Bernie's fervent supporters email, but didn't make it to the polls. How come?
@Carrie Funny how it was the old, yawn-producing establishment guy who generated a voter surge.
Meanwhile all those young energetic voters couldn't seem to find their way to the polls.
The proof is in the pudding. Bernie is not generating a surge of new voters. Clearly it was possible that he could do that but we now know that that ain't happening.
Time to reconsider for those Sanders' supporters who actually care about ejecting Trump from the White House. I'm guessing there are actually a lot of such folks.
Walking in to vote, I changed my choice and voted for Biden.
Wednesday morning after hearing the results I had the first hopeful feeling since the morning after the 2016 election.
19
@Rainbow: Wow. The morning after the Nevada primary was the first time I felt hope for this country since Regan was elected in 1980. Now I am back to my old, pessimistic self. This country will never change.
1
Recent events in the primary have demonstrated again that the American electorate is driven largely by fear. Trump and the GOP have gotten support through fear -- fear of minorities, immigrants, Islam, secularism, taxes going up, having guns taken away, LGBTQ people, you name it. The recent Biden surge is also largely driven by fear -- fear that nominating Sanders will lead to a Trump re-election and down ballot losses by Democrats. Like Trump and the GOP, Biden and the moderate Dems are exploiting that fear for their advantage.
5
@Bruce Some fears are quite rational.
I'm not "driven by fear" but I can see that nominating Bernie is risky. If Trump looked like he was on the ropes then I might be inclined to feel the Bern. I'm not really excited about Biden. I am very excited about ejecting Trump and taking the Senate.
My calm, rational judgement is that in the situation that we're in Biden is the best choice to accomplish those things.
If you see it differently so be it. But don't be insulting me by presuming you understand me better than
I understand myself. Not bloody likely!
1
@Jack Toner - I don't think all moderates or Biden supporters are driven by fear and I certainly don't presume to understand your motivations -- my apologies if I implied that.
But I do feel that the dominant theme of the Biden message has been that "he is the best chance to defeat Trump", and there has been a lot of commentary in recent days that Sanders would hurt down ballot candidates. This has been quite an effective strategy by the Biden campaign and in my opinion it is likely that not everyone's decision has been as calm and rational as yours.
"The only major demographic group that Mr. Sanders won in Virginia was young voters."
Of course it was. When you promise free everything, you can buy votes. Unfortunately the rest of us democrats know that everything costs money. Hence Joe Biden.
18
I work as a volunteer on Democratic campaigns. I knew when I worked on Conor Lamb's campaign in Southwest Pennsylvania that moderate Republicans or true Republicans couldn't stand Trump. They would routinely voice their dislike of him. I am pretty darn sure if the Democrats gave them a moderate candidate, like Biden against Trump, he'd win. We're also not quite ready for some of the expensive ideas of Sanders, especially now, that Trump has run up the deficit. This country needs to unite against Trump and right now, that is all we need to focus on. Who can beat Trump and I do believe Biden can do that and the moderate Republicans will unite with us by electing him. Country over party and I hope we see that come November.
15
“Nowhere was the Democratic boom more pronounced than in the tony Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington. Here, among the million-dollar homes populated by lobbyists, corporate lawyers and employees of government contractors, Mr. Biden ran up huge margins over Mr. Sanders “
This says it all. These people are in commuting distance of DC and work for the establishment. They would rather have Trump than Bernie. Health Insurance workers whose only job is to deny health care, people who depend on endless wars, and others making sure that the 1% are well taken care of.
Biden is in obvious cognitive decline ( this is well beyond his normal gaffs and stuttering) - it is sad that he is being pushed - yet this is not being covered. CNN and MSNBC are the media arm of the Biden campaign and this is what they listen to, while listening to a constant dose of Bernie hate.
7
@steve
So long as he chooses wisely a VP, who can take over and regain the White House, we would actually look to 12 years to fix what’s gone wrong under Trump.
4
@steve Right, we voters who chose Biden are just so many sheep being led by the nose by MSNBC.
Steve though is a truly superior human being who can lead us to the light. We can come to understand that Bernie is fueling an unstoppable juggernaut of new voters...
As we emulate the Trump supporters by discarding our rational minds.
Where is the Sanders surge?
Where is the Sanders surge?
Where is the Sanders surge?
BTW there are many more health insurance workers in Connecticut than in Virginia.
But of course cultists never let facts get in the way of their cultic beliefs.
1
The Republicans better ramp up voter suppression efforts if they hope to maintain their power in our democracy.
1
Biden needs to understand that increased turnout is down to Trump, and not real enthusiasm for Biden’s performance or policies. He hasn’t started a ‘movement’ - low crowds at his events, virtually no ground staff, hardly mentioning climate change, never mind a plan to stop it - calling it a ‘movement’ is laughable. If he’s the nominee he needs to have a progressive VP such as Bernie or Warren and get working on some actual real changes that people of both parties are crying out for.
5
Please, this one is not at all hard to figure out.
The DC suburbs are filled with Federal Government lifers; people who will spend their entire working lives as cogs in the vast Federal Government industry in and around DC. These people just want to keep their jobs which means they want moderates to maintain the status quo.
Trump wants less government and is disruptive to the staid smoothness of status quo in DC.
Sanders may want more government, but he's advocating revolutionary overhaul.
Both of these alternatives threaten job stability in DC, so they vote moderate to keep their jobs. After that, they'd vote on ideology. Just like everyone else everywhere.
6
@VJR Sanders does want more government. How could you not know that?
You think he plans to fire Federal workers?! That is so utterly ridiculous I fear for your sanity!
Wait, what? You're saying that NoVa residents who are still working for the federal government after three years of Trump think that Trump is going to change course and start eliminating their jobs if he's elected to a second term? And that's the basis of their opposition to Trump, rather than the fact that he's a dangerously ignorant would-be autocrat? That makes no sense at all.
The large news outlets are effectively reusing red scare journalism in an era where fact and opinion are blended. Case in point, many parrot the idea that many of Sanders/Warren’s plans will be dead on arrival, saying so without any irony in realizing that this was precisely the case for the efforts of Obama and the Democrats under his administration (including a Supreme Court nominee no less). Incredulous is the word underlying the passionate frustrations of those who believe that given this recent history of the Obama Administration, it is insane to romanticize a return to the same course. It also begs the question of why there is such an dedicated, seemingly coordinated effort to return us to the same course. I believe that red scare journalism has scared upper middle class and lower wealthy people (I am among them) into believing any massive social spending will tank their stock investments and release a flood of new taxation. Did this happen to you despite the trillions poured into our forever wars? Basically, many among us have been conditioned to be fearful of their financial interests, masquerading concern for this as this false notion of federal fiscal responsibility via “moderation.” This is exactly what Dr. King referred to as the danger of moderates in impeding true progress. It’s sickening yet expected, as a simple reading of history suggests that power doesn’t cede voluntarily. I just wish those who identify as moderate would stop empty moralizing.
6
It is really a shame that Democratic voters in any state are choosing their presidential candidate on who can best beat Trump rather than who will be able to achieve goals closer to their own in the next 4 years. That makes Trump's presidency into an even worse nightmare than it has already been. But that is the nature of Democracy. Let us hope that American voters vote for Democracy rather than Demagoguery.
1
@RLW Maybe the Biden voters think that Sanders won't be able to get anything done. Look at his record in the Senate.
@RLW Right now my main goal is ejecting Trump. I ain't gonna apologize for that!
In any event Biden's goals are ones I support. And I think he'll be able to make progress on those goals.
I don't support a single-payer plan that's more leftist than what they have in France or any other nation. And this is fact, not rhetoric.
It's not just that it would be close to impossible to actually establish it, it might actually fail if enacted. Which would set back progressive causes for a generation.
I get that everyone on the Democratic side is desperate rid the Country of the scourge of Trump. I am too. But, I fail to see how a man who continuously displays signs of increasing dementia, who 'gave' us Clarence Thomas for the Supreme Court and, most importantly in my estimation, refuses to accept that the issue of climate change requires immediate and substantial action is going to save us from the collective suicidal plunge we seem to be taking as a nation and a civilization.
Perhaps Biden is the best we can do right now but, if that is the case, we need to figure out how we can better. And fast;
6
The results in VA as well as the other "Super Tuesday" primaries indicate that a moderate Dem can and will attract broad support w/in the Dem party and bring independents and disaffected Republicans along as well. While the twitterverse has characterized Biden's message as one of return to a time past, his strength on Tuesday showed that his message of civility, competence and experience resonates with the general electorate. While Biden is not exciting, I am happy to be less "excited" by the occupant of the WH!
6
Black, white, whatever: we voted for Biden because we had to. Unity born of absolute necessity to unseat Trump before he does any more damage. I just hope Biden has the good sense to tap into the talent of the "losing" candidates as he moves forward.
18
In the end, I think that Trump is the hula-hoop of presidents. He'll always have his hard core supporters, but other than that, he is a fad who is coming to the end of his popularity. People want a return to decency. My very elderly father voted for Trump the first time, but now is sickened by all his immorality and deceit, and is a strong supporter Joe Biden. I'm sure there are many more like him in all walks of life.
14
Bernie will come roaring back. He has the youth vote. Look at the crowds he draws. Bernie is the spear tip of the revolution.
Biden is an old has been.
1
@Babel The youth vote. Where is that surge in the youth vote that Bernie promised? Seems they can't find the actual voting booths.
1
This article rings true for me. Forty-eight hours before the election, my daughter and I were undecided. At one point my daughter said, “The one person I am not voting for is Biden. He is looking old.” Well, we both ended up voting for Biden. Our main goal is ousting Trump, and if the majority of Democrats feel the most comfortable with Uncle Joe, we are on board. He is a good and decent person, and being able to get all sorts of constituencies to join you is a true sign of leadership. Also, being a bit gaff-prone and having the odd senior moment will not be a problem in the general this time around given the disgusting rhetoric and outright mental incapacitation shown by the opposition.
9
More whistling in the wind here by folks, the 'centrist Democrats' at the NYT in this instance, who are trying to convince themselves that Joe Biden is a stronger candidate than he really is and that he'll beat Donald tRump. Leave aside the question of how he might govern of he were to be elected, not necessarily a pretty prospect for anyone interested in genuine progress on the health care front, say, and just consider his electoral prospects. Joe Biden has an extensive history of campaigning in national elections and it is not encouraging to say the least. I'll vote for the guy. Because of our asinine politics dominated by two parties locked in a perpetual squabble for power, I effectively have no alternative. But no one who has paid any attention at all over the last four years should be deluded into thinking his prospects are good.
@richard But how are Bernie's? So far no youth surge. Without that surge no Sanders victory. Pretty simple. Can you look reality in the face?
Does the large Democratic turnout in all the state primaries tell Mr. Trump and his allies that he might be in trouble? Is this a symptom of Trump fatigue or, as Governor McAuliffe termed it,
“Trump disgust?”
Mr. Trump might momentarily be happy that Mayor Bloomberg is no longer in the race. But he should be looking at the bigger picture: with Mr. Bloomberg’s considerable resources now behind Mr. Biden and the Dem’s coalescing around him, Trump is in trouble!
7
My hope is that the young voters understand that we cannot change the direction of this country in a day. It took president Obama almost 4 years to start "universal health care". The blackguard Trump and his Republican lackeys started its demise in less than a year. One makes progress incrementally. Start with the easy stuff (improving Obama-care) and start working on other low hanging fruit to improve the USA to a socially conscience republic.
6
Nomenclature and language. Many people would say Biden is liberal, but that socialism is not simply more liberal - but in many ways less liberal. Socialism is not simply a more liberal version of a liberal democracy. And that is why Biden won over Sanders.
The fact that the Democratic Party establishment is willing to risk a replay of 2016 (Biden is essentially HRC redux) rather than allow Sanders anywhere near the halls of power, speaks volumes.
It doesn't take a genius to see that Trump will squash Biden like a bug if he's the nominee. Clinton lost to Trump in large measure because she was the embodiment of the very establishment that so many Trump supporters were so (justifiably) outraged about.
And then there’s the fact that Biden hasn't been vetted the way Bernie has. He has a very unsavory history, including support for the Iraq War (which Trump used very effectively against Clinton in 2016), trade deals like NAFTA (which are a lot of what has contributed to the massive economic distress we see throughout the industrial midwest, and which Trump used very effectively against Clinton in 2016), and on and on. If Biden's the nominee, Burisma will be the equivalent of HRC's emails.
And that's all without even mentioning his increasingly obvious early-stage dementia - the man can barely complete a coherent sentence, mixes up his wife and his sister, can’t remember phrases from the Declaration of Independence that we've had drilled into us since grade school, etc. You think Trump won't demolish him in a debate if he can't put together a sentence, or connect one sentence to the next?
And then there's the lying ... about South Africa, about being involved in the civil rights movement, about the Iraq War, etc.
10
The stench of the Trump Administration is particularly strong in neighboring Virginia, where folks seem to have a particularly sharp appreciation of what goes on in the miasmic swamp next door. Good for you Virginia, and may your enthusiasm about getting to the polls repeat itself in November, and spread like wildfire to every state in this country!!
11
This demonstrates that, more than anything else, the American electorate is driven by fear. Trump’s and the GOPs support is largely driven by fear - of immigrants, minorities, Islam, secularism, LGBTQ people, taxes going up, guns being taken away, you name it. Now, Biden’s sudden surge is largely driven by fear of a Trump re-election or down ballot losses by Democrats.
We can give some credit to Trump who is defending Bernie against the "unfair" Democrats.
And lets also give credit to Putin. He has determined that Bernie will lose to Trump and is actively working to get Americans to vote for Bernie and Trump. No wonder Bernie was hiding this fact. But Americans have a demonstrated a distinct rejection of Putin's latest manipulations. Go Americans!
So, get ready for all things Ukraine investigations. I am begging news organizations to reject these Putin-planted stories. Keep US elections in the US. Boycott the Trump/Senate hearings.
3
Biden still needs to choose a strong running mate and pledge to be a one term president. That might ensure control of the White House for 16 years!
2
And here begins the stories from the left trying to convince people to "join" the movement and vote for democrats. We read the same stories promoting Obama...what a disaster that turned out to be. They want us to think that moderates prefer Biden. This will be the big push everywhere in the media. They know they can't win on their record of nothing done...and radicalism.
Here is a problem for Bernie. He just seems so angry all of the time. (I agree yet there’s lots to be angry about what’s going on in this country right now.) But - that’s a problem right now at this time in our history. Most of us on the left (and many others) are sick of the angry, fulminating nastiness that comes out of the White House every single day. We don’t find it entertaining or useful. We find it exhausting and sickening.
Many people really want (and desperately need) some calm, some civility, some peace, some quiet reasoning and respectful discourse in this country.
I can’t see Bernie bringing that - he wants a “revolution”. Post-Trump we can discuss policy, negotiate compromise and fix problems - that’s what politics is and it’s not a bad thing. I just think a revolution is going to be a hard sell to people who just want a return to sanity and a functioning adult in the White House.
10
Trump represents what the majority of Americans are not.
Most Americans do not lie constantly to defend themselves at the expense of others.
Most Americans do not make fun of people with disabilities.
Most Americans think we should be a beacon of democracy for the world.
Most Americans think we should lead the world on addressing climate and environmental concerns.
Most Americans think that immigrants bring value to our society (and support the immigration laws in place).
Most Americans would select colleagues who are adept at their appointed positions, not just because they share ideology or swear loyalty.
Most Americans are decent people who care about their communities.
In other words, most Americans are not like Trump, do not like him as a person and find him unfit to be the president.
Biden?
He's got issues, but he is NOT Trump.
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Biden is winning in spite of himself. Let's hope his campaign can keep him from saying anything between now and election time. Every time he opens his mouth is a disaster. It is a sad commentary on our politics that we as democrats are left to support someone so inarticulate, confused and addled when faced with public speaking, although the Republicans have done the same. Sad.
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Once again, the nomination is about to be stolen from the people's candidate, Sanders, through political machinations. This will rip the Democratic party apart
@Dan You consider votes to be stealing?
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@Dan Sanders is NOT the people's candidate. He is not my candidate. He is losing this primary fair and square. And for every Sanders supporter who defects, we will gain moderate independents and republicans who will vote for anyone but Sanders if they have a choice other than him or Trump. Otherwise, they will hold their nose and vote for Trump.
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@Dan
Define “people”.
Yesterday, Mr. Trump pinned the blame for his administration's slow start to COVID-19 testing on President Obama and "hailed himself for casting aside an 'Obama rule' to speed testing for the virus". I am still waiting for an outcry from Democrats over Trump's outrageous statement that blamed Obama for his own clumsy, inept, response to this epidemic.
Now I am convinced that, come November, Democrats once again will lose the presidency to Trump. They are simply too slow in reacting to Trump's accusations and that will allow him to blame Democrats for whatever his twisted mind manages to manufacture. Once Democrats get their acts together and respond - which is often a wimpy one - it is already too late and the damage is done.
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@Eddie B. You really think anyone who isn't a full fledged Trump cultist will believe that it's Obama's fault?
I know we Americans can be kinda stupid but that ain't gonna happen.
We have a horrible virus spreading around the world and a separate one in Washington DC. Is the country ready for the radical change that could help equalize the gap between rich and poor? Apparently not. As the world burns, we're running out of time.
Trump has stoked the ire of federal civil servants as well as ordinary clear-thinking citizens. Joe Biden is an elder statesman and with Stacey Abrams or Kamala Harris as a running mate, Trump will become a bad memory.
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I keep hearing the Republicans being encouraged to go vote Democrat in order to make sure that the least viable candidate is the contender. Our criminal in chief doesn’t like real competition, and neither do his Russian handlers.
@SW - I encouraged my Republican friends in Virginia to vote for the Democrat candidate in the primary they'd be willing to vote for in the national election against trump.
Virginia is leading the way for a Blue Wave that will sweep Trump and his cowardly Senate and House GOP Republicans from office.
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I cannot understand why any black person would support Biden given his history with 'tough on crime' mass incarceration and his treatment of Anita Hill
And to top it off, lying to SC voters about being arrested trying to see Nelson Mandela
What was James Clyburn thinking?
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@william, take a look at the Democratic nominee's opponent in the general election.
@Dubious take a look at supporting Sanders
@william Well let's see, who knows more about these issues, william from nyc or Rep Clybiurn from SC?
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Let’s restore some sanity and decency to the White House.
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The authors noted that Mr Biden's support spanned race, gender and age. They neglected that his support spanned education and career achievements as well. His outreach to a more moderate constituency is a much broader and more inclusive campaign than is Bernie's.
Much as I wanted Bernie vs Hillary, this version of Bernie has positioned himself as leader of the failed democratic version of identity politics and socialist redistribution. While anyone who has a heart is a socialist in their college years and their 20s, not so many remain as ardent after they've put in some decades of their lives building assets according to the rules. Bernie, like Ms Warren, seem to have forgotten that truism.
Joe Biden is too old. That makes Bernie ancient. So there is only one pragmatic thing to do going forward.
Bernie should concede so long as Joe Biden agrees to name Ms Warren as his VP candidate. Ms Warren has can certainly carry the progressive flag and her ability to handle the complexities of health care and consumer rights is the perfect hell raising counterpart to Biden's legacy of professional politician.
For it to work and the democrats to win, Ms Warren has to internalize that the middle class, including those who did in fact build their businesses, is key to the election. She, like Bernie, seem to have forgotten that coalitions spanning active voters is more important than being the spokesperson for fringe groups like "The Squad."
That's why Biden is winning.
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It is a shame Biden is not more with it. A lot of people are putting their trust in him but is he ready to be president? He just seems too mentally fatigued.
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It's funny that people are questioning Biden's mental health when the opponent in the race is going to be the incoherent Donald Trump.
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Why does the headline say “suddenly”? Votes were counted on schedule, Biden came out ahead, there’s nothing “sudden” about that. Quit slanting the headlines.
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Biden is better than Trump, or as a car sticker says, "Any adult is better than Trump". Biden has his own problems and is conservative for my taste but compared to Trump,Biden is a liberal. Biden needs to fight dirty like Trump does. I am not sure if he is up to the task. He has to go low like Trump does and make him squirm. He also needs to use data and use his campaign funds wisely. See Trump's approach. Beat him at his own game!
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As a retired teacher, who has heard very little about the President at school (versus lots about The Obamas), we can’t under estimate the “ he’s an awful role model.” At school our goals are we can’t call people by demeaning names, break rules, be a huge jerk, not do our work. Maybe men will put up with it, but in my circles, the remaining republican women are saying, “ fool me once ....”
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Meanwhile the Republicans are going to bring back the whole Hunter Biden/Ukraine business and pound away at Joe Biden with it. Voters are making a mistake, with the help of the corporate wing of the Democratic party. Maybe Bernie Sanders wasn't the right candidate but to think Joe Biden will beat Trump is ludicrous.
On top of that, here is this nice little tidbit from yesterday's NYTimes on how excited Wall Street is at the thought of a Biden presidency. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/04/business/wall-street-joe-biden-bernie-sanders.html
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@lzolatrov A strong majority of Americans believe Trump did something wrong with regard to Ukraine. Turns out impeachment was useful by shining bright lights on this.
You write of the "the help of the corporate wing ". So what are you talking about? Bernie has more money than Biden. What are you talking about? Are only left-wingers allowed to express their preferences?
As a Bernie supporter, I can't say I am surprised by Biden's strong showing. The article suggests a quickening of sentiment among moderate Democratic Party voters.
But this article suggests the animating factor in Biden's rise in delegate count and in the polls, is tied to what may be an emerging consensus (60% + of Democratic voters) that Biden is the one to beat Trump. Perhaps, given Biden's strong showing, there is an authentic voter expression emerging that will happily settle for Biden on the prospect that Trump will be removed from office.
Bernie's call for economic justice for working people resonates with a solid core (kind of like Trump's solid 35%?) but if the negative association of "socialism" can't be overcome, then Bernie may be doomed.
I would counsel Bernie to push through with his candidacy until the message of the voters' support for Biden is absolutely clear, and assuming he can't secure majority of delegates, then take his delegates to the Convention and make demands for key campaign issues: justice in the medical system, a Green New Deal, economic justice all around, maybe even assert a call for global peace. Bernie should also try to get concessions from Biden that he won't be a lap dog of the plutocracy, kind of like Trump is.
Then, it will be up to Biden to assemble a compelling team to help him make the case for the presidency.
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Why do you put socialism in quotation marks? Bernie Sanders is an avowed socialist and not a Democrat, which he proudly declares. He also hasn’t articulated a single workable plan for the economic justice for workers he screams about, nor has he done anything substantive on that issue, or any of his other “signature” issues, after 30 years in Congress.
I’ve worked with egotistical screaming men for 27 years and they are a lot like Sanders: big ideas but no plans, and everyone else in the room gets shouted down. They love attention, never listen, and avoid the hard work and compromise it takes to get things accomplished.
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@Chuck
Biden would be well served to run from each and every proposal put to him by Sanders. He’s winning because he’s not Sanders.
@Chuck
I couldn't agree with you more. As a dane I see Bernie as a classical social democrat. In Denmark we have social welfare for everyone and medicaid for everyone paid through the taxes. Anyone can get an education also at a university, if the person has the necessary grades. You will even get a little money to get by, while you are studying. Everyone have 5 weeks holiday per year. We pay around 50 percent in taxes of our wages, but the wages are so high, that people can still live well. And generally people don't mind paying the taxes, because of the security the taxes provide.
I would not claim, that everything is perfect, many things could be better. But in generel people are satisfied with the system. And sometimes we wonder why a person like Bernie is called a socialist, as if he wanted the US to turn into the cold war Soviet Union.
It seems clear, he only wants a more fair system for everyone, not to take away anyones freedom.
He also seems to be a very honest perso
It’s my opinion that part of the Blue Wave in Virginia are voters who are energized by the progress the State is making in passing laws we support. Also our moderate representatives in Congress backed Biden and know that Biden will help them hold their seats and keep Virginia blue. We are a microcosm of what can happen across the country. We need the Senate, the House and the Presidency if we want change.
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Lets assume that moderate republicans and independents vote for Biden in the primary. Does that mean Biden and the Dem party elite/power brokers put forth an agenda that moves left from where we are or stays centrist from where we are, in order to lure those same republicans and independents. Maybe Trump is gone in November. What about reversing the damage done by his administration? I believe the Democratic party has been slowly moving right for a long time in part to appeal to the independents. In doing so they have and continue to compromise their liberal base in an effort to stay in power.
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@John
I planned to vote for Mike Bloomberg because of his experience and skills in managing/leading a large, complex organization from start to success. The executive branch of the USA has been destroyed by Trump's ego-driven demand for loyalty over skills and experience to do the work which is needed. Too many positions are "acting" and the hires often are not qualified as their appearances before Congressional committees show.
My hope in Biden is that he has access to veterans of the Obama presidency to fill the empty spots with qualified people as soon as possible after Inauguration Day. Post-Trump America will be a dangerous place for the national security of the USA and its place as a representative democracy.
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@John
Exactly this. Every Democratic administration in my lifetime (I'm an older Millennial) has pivoted towards the center, while every Republican administration has moved far to the right. Every Republican administration (with the slight exception of HW Bush) has done enormous damage to the country that the next Democratic administration never comes close to repairing.
Biden, if he manages to win, will be the same. And he lacks the skill and charisma of Obama. I suspect a Biden administration would reverse some of the damage to the executive branch, but won't even touch the big structural issues in the US in healthcare, climate change, foreign policy, cost of living, etc.
The Obama era was a huge disappointment despite a promising start. In the end his only lasting achievement was the Affordable Care Act. Younger people like me are sick and tired of politicians who try to address the grave challenges of today with mere band-aids and lip service.
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Based on my personal observations and prediction four years ago in 2016, Trump Would Win A Second Term As President If Bernie Sanders Isn't The Democratic Nominee. Four years ago I was surprised to see many socially conservative people here in Pennsylvania support Bernie as their favorite democratic candidate,but said Trump is their second choice if Bernie couldn't make it. They also said they will never vote for Ted Cruz or Hillary Clinton. Based on what they said then,I said in summer 2016 that Trump will be the President when Bernie dropped out. That Exactly Happened. It seems like exactly the same thing will happen in 2020 if Biden is the Nominee. Just like Bernie himself,many of his supporters are politically independent though they officially register as Democrats. Unlike the older traditional Democrats who will usually vote for any democratic nominee,many Sanders supporters are person-voters instead of Party voters. That means if Sanders isn't the presidential Nominee,they would not even remember the general election date in November. On the other hand,democratic Party would prefer the worst Republican President to anti-establishment Independent Senator becoming a democratic nominee and eventually a democratic president. There's Higher Probability That Biden Will Become Democratic Nominee And It Will End Exactly Like 2016. So any day you hear that Bernie Sanders is not the democratic Nominee,just prepare yourself for Trump additional four years as the President.
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@Ukosi
Yew, Bernie is a spoiler, just like he was in 2016. You, and all the others you mention, ought to be careful about what you want or you too will suffer through four more years of Trump or is that what your vague post actually wants?
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@Ukosi
Sorry, you didn't get it right in 2016. Mrs Clinton did win the popular vote whatever philosophical dispositions you think people in your town in Pennsylvania on a given day may have believed.
Just weird to think many Democrats would prefer Trump to Biden, whatever the "establishment" bene fides of Biden might be.
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So you going to sit out the election or cast your vote for what you consider second best in order to get the the most unfit person we have had as president out of office? You and Bernie can’t claim the nomination is rigged; Bernie had massive input in drafting the rules for the nominating process. The
Democrat voters are speaking as to who they want as the nominee, are you going to sit out and facilitate another 4 years of this craziness? If nothing else, think of a Supreme court packed with trump picks.
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At some point, Bernie needs to stop blaming everyone else and "the establishment" when voters aren't going for his message. He needs to realize that moral absolutism and the lack of an actionable plan does not generate a lot of faith in a majority of the voter base. I'd love to see a more conciliatory Bernie try to win over moderate Democrats and Republicans but I'm not sure if he's capable of that.
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@Stew Katzo It is time for Sanders and Warren to do what is best for the country as Bloomberg, Mayor Pete ,and Klobuchar did. Warren has no path to the nomination and Sanders has no path to a November victory. Sanders, despite his pledge otherwise, cannot drive turnout to the extent necessary to beat Trump. Their passionate advancement of their ideas should receive meaningful acknowledgement and thanks as we move forward.
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@Stew Katzo When is the NYT going to stop calling Senator Sanders "standard bearer of the Democratic Party´s liberal wing". Senator Sanders does not qualify as a "liberal" under any recognized meaning of the word. He may be a Democrat and a democratic socialist or a social democrat, but liberal he aint.
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@Stew Katzo
Bernie and Trump are opposite sides of the extreme Authoritarian Coin.
Heads or Tails ??? Neither, Thanks.
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