Bernie Sanders 2020 campaign megathread

[Ilhan Apologist]

https://twitter.com/tommyxtopher/status/1134207499287105537

Sanders is sarcastic sometimes. That's his personality. And he's probably fed up with people making that bogus assertion as well. It's definitely not "lashing out." Then again, you seem to have it out for Bernie, so I don't know if I should even try to reason with you.

[Ilhan Apologist]

https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1141397029891039240?s=21

Interesting that the article talks about how broadly popular Warren’s ideas are as a way to appeal to moderates, but somehow Bernie’s apparently aren’t?

It's a framing issue more than anything else. Warren frames her proposals around sound policy that benefits the working people, while Bernie has carried the "Democratic Socialism" label alongside his proposals.

Upon closer inspection, both of their policies are similar and reach the same goal. To the naked eye, so to speak, Warren's position is perceived as more palatable simply because of how she frames the conversation.

Perceptions are crucial.

Thats true. But at the same time, when Bernie proposes the same policy as Warren, the instant reaction is 'unrealistic radical proposal that will never pass' while Warren gets the reaction 'she has solid ideas'. The media perception right now is that Warren is an idea candidate while Bernie is an ineffective gadfly.

Warren successfully changed her image from silly stuff like Pocahontas to the policy geek by floating lots of policies. Now its Bernie's turn to change his image, and I think he should do it by somehow getting across how effective he has been in Congress. I dont know if he can...

Could he bring up his mayoral record from the 1980s? That's at least reassured me that he can govern as a pragmatist when he needs to.

[Ilhan Apologist]

https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1141397029891039240?s=21

Interesting that the article talks about how broadly popular Warren’s ideas are as a way to appeal to moderates, but somehow Bernie’s apparently aren’t?

It's a framing issue more than anything else. Warren frames her proposals around sound policy that benefits the working people, while Bernie has carried the "Democratic Socialism" label alongside his proposals.

Upon closer inspection, both of their policies are similar and reach the same goal. To the naked eye, so to speak, Warren's position is perceived as more palatable simply because of how she frames the conversation.

Perceptions are crucial.

Thats true. But at the same time, when Bernie proposes the same policy as Warren, the instant reaction is 'unrealistic radical proposal that will never pass' while Warren gets the reaction 'she has solid ideas'. The media perception right now is that Warren is an idea candidate while Bernie is an ineffective gadfly.

Warren successfully changed her image from silly stuff like Pocahontas to the policy geek by floating lots of policies. Now its Bernie's turn to change his image, and I think he should do it by somehow getting across how effective he has been in Congress. I dont know if he can...

Could he bring up his mayoral record from the 1980s? That's at least reassured me that he can govern as a pragmatist when he needs to.

He'd be accused-and quite rightly so-of bringing up things from past eras.

Sorry, what? This would literally just be talking about his record.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Crazy Bernie proposed cancelling all student loan debt. I think we're just about done here. Really amazing how low quality this gigantic field is. Rivals the non-Trump 2016 GOP.

Tell me how this is a bad idea? If we could afford a $2.3T tax cut, why can't we afford to relieve $1.5T of student debt?

[Ilhan Apologist]

Sanders did terribly tonight. He could have made good points several times, but failed to.

[Ilhan Apologist]

We get it. A lot of Atlas just hates Bernie. You are not representative of primary voters.

I don't "just hate" Bernie, I've been one of his consistent defenders on this site. But there's no mistaking it, he lost tonight's debate.

[Ilhan Apologist]

We get it. A lot of Atlas just hates Bernie. You are not representative of primary voters.

I don't "just hate" Bernie, I've been one of his consistent defenders on this site. But there's no mistaking it, he lost tonight's debate.

Take off your blinders. He didn't lose or win.

Blinders off. He needed to do well in this debate, and he didn't. There were good points he could have made several times, and he failed to make them.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Blinders off. He needed to do well in this debate, and he didn't. There were good points he could have made several times, and he failed to make them.

It's the first debate, and an over-packed one at that. Sanders of all people isn't at the stage where they need to do well yet. That really only applies, if it does to anyone, to the candidates whose poll numbers are anemic or non-existent.

Fair, I guess. But I doubt he does any better in future debates.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie felt far younger than Biden last night.

I thought Sanders felt way older. Biden was a coherent and smooth talker, while Sanders struggled to make good points. Though maybe I'm overcorrecting for my predictions.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie felt far younger than Biden last night.

I thought Sanders felt way older. Biden was a coherent and smooth talker, while Sanders struggled to make good points. Though maybe I'm overcorrecting for my predictions.

That is somehow the exact opposite of my experience. I thought Biden was slurring his words and struggling to put coherent thoughts together a substantial portion of the time. Bernie at least had a consistent message as usual which he gets out just fine.

Yeah, but it often seems like Sanders is getting around his age by just repeating the same three talking points over and over again. And he often fails to make good points because of that.

[Ilhan Apologist]

https://twitter.com/eclecticbrotha/status/1144687219212455936


Hope the brocialists are having a meltdown now that a black women is stealing the thunder from Saint Bernard Sanders.

I hope you'll be having a meltdown when straight white male Joe Biden wins the Democratic nomination and then loses the general, leading to an actual progressive being nominated in 2024.

You think Biden'd lose?

[Ilhan Apologist]

Oh, now they are preparing for the destruction of the American sovereignty through contrarian voting for Trump. Great job leftists, great job.


https://twitter.com/anashwt/status/1145062586397970432

Omar in not eligible to be President...

so disappointed she isnt

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie thought he’d immediately be the front runner without having to work for it. Cute.

To be fair, he's not holding private fundraisers. But neither is Warren, so I guess she'll be our test case.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie has a 0% chance at this point.

The only question at this point is whether he will do so badly (less than 10% in the first four states) that he'll basically have to drop out or if he will be able to scrap up 15% everywhere and justify symbolically staying in until the convention as he has announced his intention to do.

We saw the Bernie playbook in 2016. We heard his one speech. There are no tricks left in his bag and even the old tricks don't work as well because all the other candidates are doing them too. Nothing is going to save him.

I don't see him dropping out though. He might even stay in until the convention again.

He didn't drop out in 2016 because he knew Clinton would pivot to the center the moment he was gone. That won't be the case this time.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie has a 0% chance at this point.

The only question at this point is whether he will do so badly (less than 10% in the first four states) that he'll basically have to drop out or if he will be able to scrap up 15% everywhere and justify symbolically staying in until the convention as he has announced his intention to do.

We saw the Bernie playbook in 2016. We heard his one speech. There are no tricks left in his bag and even the old tricks don't work as well because all the other candidates are doing them too. Nothing is going to save him.

I don't see him dropping out though. He might even stay in until the convention again.

He didn't drop out in 2016 because he knew Clinton would pivot to the center the moment he was gone. That won't be the case this time.

What do you think will signal that it's his time to drop out?

If he loses New Hampshire, he'll almost certainly drop out. I'd prefer if he dropped out way earlier, but that's an unreasonable expectation for any major candidate.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie has a 0% chance at this point.

The only question at this point is whether he will do so badly (less than 10% in the first four states) that he'll basically have to drop out or if he will be able to scrap up 15% everywhere and justify symbolically staying in until the convention as he has announced his intention to do.

We saw the Bernie playbook in 2016. We heard his one speech. There are no tricks left in his bag and even the old tricks don't work as well because all the other candidates are doing them too. Nothing is going to save him.

I don't see him dropping out though. He might even stay in until the convention again.

He didn't drop out in 2016 because he knew Clinton would pivot to the center the moment he was gone. That won't be the case this time.

He "knew" something would happen that ended up not actually happening?

Clinton adopted much of Sanders's platform. Say what you want about whether or not you think that was sincere. If you think it's not sincere, then stop acting like there is anything she could have actually done to appease Sanders voters on "the left" because there's no way she could falsify the belief that she was actually going to govern like a progressive.

She could have chosen a running mate who who wasn't constantly fighting on behalf of big banks.

Edit: Oh, and also she could have opposed the Dakota Access Pipeline. If not for that, I would have been way more enthusiastic to volunteer for her.

[Ilhan Apologist]

Bernie needs to articulate his positions better because americans are stupid.

Nah, there's just a willfully ignorant vocal minority on the internet.

[Ilhan Apologist]

https://twitter.com/marcushjohnson/status/1149058948277760000

Okay, this something he should actually be criticized for.

Why? I don't see any problem with this.

[Ilhan Apologist]

All of the people he listed are garbage human beings so whatevs.

Yeah, this. I can't see how this is a bad thing.

[Ilhan Apologist]

David Sirota’s online presence really does Sanders no favors. He spends his time punching down at candidates that pose no real threat to Sanders (most recently Bennet), obsessively attacking centrist think tanks that I’ve never even heard of until seeing his Twitter feed (acting as if they are some dystopian threat), and shooting down random politicos for even the slightest commentary that he dislikes (most recently Rahm Emanuel). The worst part is that he feels the need to tweet several times within a single day about the same nonstories and nonissues.

I really do like Sanders but the talking points and misguided energy of his staff does him a disservice.

Yeah, this

[Ilhan Apologist]

Ugh, can we not raise money for our presidential campaign off this?

[Ilhan Apologist]

Ugh, can we not raise money for our presidential campaign off this?

Beto is doing the same thing. It’s disgusting.

lol remember when you were betos biggest fan here

People can change their minds