Sanders almost attempted to primary Obama

[Orser67]

From The Atlantic:

Bernie Sanders got so close to running a primary challenge to President Barack Obama that Senator Harry Reid had to intervene to stop him.

It took Reid two conversations over the summer of 2011 to get Sanders to scrap the idea, according to multiple people who remember the incident, which has not been previously reported.

Unfortunately, the article doesn't contain much more detail than that on a possible 2012 Sanders campaign, but it gives the impression that Sanders was a lot closer to launching a primary challenge against Obama than has generally been reported.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Probably would've won Oklahoma primary. Maybe West Virginia, given s**ty Obama's performance there against a freaking federal prison inmate.

[darklordoftech]

I was under the impression that Sanders was afraid of the “Grand Bargain” and that once that fell through, Sanders went back to supporting Obama.

[Tintrlvr]

It would have ended Sanders's career early, which probably would have been a good thing for the country in the long run and spared us Trump. Harry Reid didn't play 4D chess with foresight here. Oh well.

[Orser67]

It would have ended Sanders's career early,

That was my first thought as well. It was a very, very good thing for Sanders's career that he kept his powder dry until 2016.

[Motorcity]

I don't think Sanders was ever serious. He's too smart.

I think he was mad at the "Grand Bargain" and wanted to make some noise to scare Obama. That's it

[HagridOfTheDeep]

It would have ended Sanders's career early, which probably would have been a good thing for the country in the long run and spared us Trump. Harry Reid didn't play 4D chess with foresight here. Oh well.

Maybe. Or it hands the presidency to Mitt Romney, who easily wins re-election in 2016 because of the strong economy, competently handles the Covid crisis, and passes the baton to President Paul Ryan.

[KaiserDave]

It would have ended Sanders's career early, which probably would have been a good thing for the country in the long run and spared us Trump. Harry Reid didn't play 4D chess with foresight here. Oh well.

Maybe. Or it hands the presidency to Mitt Romney, who easily wins re-election in 2016 because of the strong economy, competently handles the Covid crisis, and passes the baton to President Paul Ryan.

This would be very bad for America

[Gracile]

It would have ended Sanders's career early, which probably would have been a good thing for the country in the long run and spared us Trump. Harry Reid didn't play 4D chess with foresight here. Oh well.

The GOP base had been gearing up to nominate a Trump-type candidate for years before 2016, regardless of whether Bernie Sanders ran in a potential Democratic primary.

[StateBoiler]

If he tried to run in 2012, I see a Democratic National Committee measure being passed saying only party members could run for the nomination to president.

If it became a thing, I see him punting on Iowa and a narrow loss in New Hampshire at which point the media would've forced him to bow out, otherwise they would treat him as this idiot gadfly like they for example treated Dennis Kucinich in the past.

Probably ensures Hillary a coasting primary victory in 2016.