Bernie won.

[beastie boy]

I truly and firmly believe that more of Bernie's agenda will be passed into law under President Biden than it would have been under President Sanders.

More importantly, both for Bernie and his supporters, by withdrawing his bid for Presidency he may have saved his movement from losing a great deal of its relevance. A presidency would have hampered his effectiveness in being a movement leader. Having a long record of ineffectiveness in building coalitions and passing legislation, President Sanders would surely have highlighted his shortcomings as a head of state, especially compared to his now legendary (in more ways than one) reputation as a leader of a movement, and would have likely tarnished its image, perhaps irreparably.

So without any intent to be ironic or facetious, I join all of Bernie supporters in having a promising future to look forward to.

Hell, even Sirota may come out a winner in this: I hear Trump is having trouble finding the right press secretary (Ok, I am being facetious just a little bit).

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

1. His movement has already become irrelevant.

[beastie boy]

5. It still has a cult following. Bernie supporters deserve more than a cult membership.

Bernie still has time to address and change this.

[The Magistrate]

16. Describing It As 'A Cult Followng', Sir, Is Accepting Its Irrelevence

He has no leverage but threat of harming the campaign against Trump by directing his followers to sit on their hands of vote third party. Those who are capable of doing that will do so regardless of anything he says, Sanders cannot control them because he never led them, merely accumulated them by erecting himself as a figurehead for them. The rest will be onboard with the campaign against Trump well before the convention opens, again regardless of what he may or may not say.





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[beastie boy]

18. Bernie doesn't have leverage or relevance within the Democratic Party, and rapidly diminishing

relevance in American politics. But he still has some relevance as a movement leader. He will lose that relevance completely if he does nothing to prevent his movement from becoming a cult.

[The Magistrate]

20. We Would Seem To Be In Agreement, Sir

That is pleasant.





"When things are not called by their right names, what is said cannot make sense. When what is said does not make sense, what is planned cannot succeed. When plans do not succeed, people become uneasy. When people are uneasy, punishments do not fit crimes. When punishments do not fit crimes, people cannot know where to put hand or foot."

[beastie boy]

21. Ditto on both counts.

[nolabear]

2. If we work together, we'll all win.

[Me.]

3. Has He Withdrawn, Really?

keeping his delegates, wants leverage. Most losers know that when you do, you have no leverage.

[MineralMan]

7. The voters will respond appropriately.

Joe Biden will have way more delegate votes than he needs on the first ballot. There really isn't any leverage available for Bernie's team. However, as Biden has already said, his agenda will feature many of the issues the Biden campaign has raised.

That should be enough reason for Senator Sanders to strongly endorse Joe Biden. I'm disappointed that he didn't do that yet.

[beastie boy]

8. For all practical purposes, he did. He knows he has no leverage.

Even in the batshit crazy scenario of Bernie embarrassing himself and challenging Biden at the Convention, he will be defeated on the first vote. And this is the latest possible moment at which the relevance of Bernie having delegates ends.

[Me.]

13. Sorry But I Don't Think He Does Know That

he still considers himself a player as far as I can tell

[beastie boy]

17. I think he does, but if he doesn't it will be a bitter lesson for him.

[George II]

4. I want the DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S agenda to be passed. There are no "personal" agendas.

[beastie boy]

12. It will be.

That doesn't mean that Bernie will come out of it a bigger winner than he would have if he were President.

[ancianita]

6. Agree. Biden respects Sanders' ideas and will do pretty much what you say.

Sirota will have to go, though.

Thanks for your voice of unity.

[kcr]

9. Yeah. When Trump was elected, that sure was winning

Hope we don't "win" again.

[DownriverDem]

10. Not to me

And if we see his supporters attacking Biden then we will know the truth, won't we? Also if we keep seeing undecideds here, we will know they don't support Biden either.

[Dem4Life1102]

11. I'm beginning to think that many of his supporters really don't care about the issues

It seems more like a cult of personality and they just wanted their chosen team to win.

[bucolic_frolic]

14. You just have to go with the times you live in

and this corona spring is no time for political rallies, and how do you generate support, enthusiasm without in-person events? Online? Bernie's done wonderfully fundraising online, but there is no ability to grow his movement from here. I think he faced reality, and should be applauded for it. Time to beat the enemy in the White House.

[RussBLib]

15. Joe might not be your favorite

but he will get the nomination, and we all need to get behind him to beat the monster with orange hair.

Biden should put Bernie somewhere in the new administration, when the Dems win.

[beastie boy]

19. Joe IS my favorite. Has been since he announced.

He is my favorite because I firmly believe he can get stuff passed and enacted, including items from Bernie's agenda. Something Bernie is unlikely to accomplish.