How Bernie Sanders has already won - By David Axelrod

[Bread and Circus]

http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/13/opinions/axelrod-bernie-sanders/index.html

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How Bernie Sanders has already won

By David Axelrod, CNN Senior Political Commentator

Snip:

...Not the nomination, of course. That is almost certainly not going to happen. Barring an unforeseen development, Hillary Clinton's grasp on the party's nomination is strong and getting stronger...

...By building a movement around the issues of inequality, the plight of the embattled middle class and the outsized influence of Wall Street, Sanders has pushed Clinton to shed her caution and embrace these economic issues, albeit with a slightly more moderate pitch, as a centerpiece of her campaign.

This has made her a stronger candidate than she otherwise might have been.

Time will tell whether Clinton's abandonment of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Asian trade agreement she once hailed as the "gold standard," was a shrewd political decision. Her flip could flop if it becomes symbolic of a penchant for shape-shifting, leaving supporters of the TPP angry and opponents doubtful about her true commitment...

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This is really how I feel about the race at this time and it parallels what many of us have been saying in regards to the race. Clinton does have a firm grasp on the party but Sanders' running has been a breath of fresh air for the party and I think for Democratic Underground as well. Other than Clinton as an inspirational candidate and added interest of her candidacy as a social experiment to see if we can "recreate the Clinton years" (both good and bad) there isn't really that much for many of us to get excited about. She's kind of a boring, play it safe, candidate overall. She really is the status quo. With Sanders, we at least have someone to cut through the b.s. and really tell it like it is. We haven't had his level of veracity in politics for a while, actually for a long time. That's not to say he is 100% honest all the time. He isn't. No successful politician is. But unlike Clinton he cuts through to the heart of the matter in a way that you almost can't if you want to be part of the Establishment.

I don't think Sanders' time has come but I do think he has moved the ball down the field a bit. However, I think things will have to get worse for everybody before we are really willing to embrace a political revolution.

As long as people get their "bread and circus" (McDonalds and Basketball) they aren't really too interested in totally rocking the boat. It's the "bread and circus" that keeps the frustration suppressed and keeps us distracted.

Anyway, I thought the article is an interesting read which parallels my views so I thought I should show it here.

Given that Clinton is the presumed favorite some might think we should be quiet and to oppose Clinton is to somehow oppose the Democratic brand. I don't think so, not yet. I think we need to keep pushing hard right up until Sanders and O'Malley concedes. That's how politics works. Part of having a voice is expressing a voice. Part of shaping the party platform is getting behind your horse and sticking to your guns. Laying down, quitting, and accepting defeat from the corporate powers that be who would rather have us just shut up isn't productive for the Democratic Party and isn't productive for discourse on DU. We need a bit of rancor to wake us up.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. If Clinton is the nominee she will lose the base, the enthusiasm & will return to her centrist ways

I think Axelrod is a bit short-sighted on this one.

[Samantha]

10. No, he is disingenuous

Piling on to the propaganda we have already been deluged with by the MSM and Clinton spokespeople. The objective is to convince the Sanders' supporters that is all over, but here is a crumb -- your candidate made a difference.

Sam

[Rosa Luxemburg]

11. Axelrod's tactics won't work

[restorefreedom]

18. that is exactly it

no need to go vote, she has this wrapped up. but he brought up some "important issues."

gods, is that condescending as fucking hell

[bigtree]

2. if he was truly the only force in this primary affecting Clinton she'd have already marginalized him

...it's the identically forceful progressive challenge from Martin O'Malley which cornered Clinton into giving lip service to progressive initiatives she'd been reluctant to embrace.

Axelrod is being condescending here. He wants to put this campaign in brackets, just another 'coronation' to him with the other candidates as pretenders.

[Bread and Circus]

3. I think you give O'Malley too much credit in this but your point is well made. I hope O'Malley...

keeps it up. I hope he doesn't drop out of the race any time soon, or at all. I really like him so far.

[bigtree]

6. we've seen strong candidates from the left before

...establishment candidates would use them as a foil to burnish their moderate credentials.

Indeed, Hillary used Obama as her liberal foil, at times, during the last contest. That option isn't available to Clinton this time around with O'Malley providing a unified, progressive challenge along with the Sanders candidacy.

[Bread and Circus]

7. It's too bad Obama didn't turn out as liberal as he pretended to be.

He has still been a good President though, overall.

[firebrand80]

4. Agreed. I think we'll have a candidate in 4 or 8 years

That will have many of the same positions as Bernie and is a younger, more polished politician that has a chance of willing.

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Any idea who that might be?

Warren, perhaps?

[firebrand80]

13. Maybe, if she wants to do it

Or it could be someone that's an unknown right now.

[lunamagica]

14. O'Malley. eom

[Dem2]

5. I agree, I get a little down when it's said that he's fading

Bernie has been the best thing to happen to the Democrats for a while.

This doesn't mean an election win, of course, but I'd rather go down fighting for the issues the Democratic party has been traditionally known for, rather than trying not to offend this or that group. That strategy has been shown to be ineffective over the long term.

[global1]

8. I See - We'd Rather Have A Nominee That Had To Be Kicked And Dragged Into Place Versus....

A candidate like Sanders' who as you said his 'running has been a breath of fresh air for the party'.

We would rather have a candidate that as you said 'She's kind of a boring, play it safe, candidate overall. She really is the status quo.'

We don't want a candidate like Sanders like you said as 'someone to cut through the b.s. and really tell it like it is. One who as you say 'We haven't had his level of veracity in politics for a while, actually for a long time'. One that unlike Clinton 'he cuts through to the heart of the matter in a way that you almost can't if you want to be part of the Establishment'.

We would rather be satisfied with a candidate that gives the people their 'bread and circus' and keeps their frustration suppressed and keeps them distracted.

Rather then have the Democratic Party rock the boat and get behind a 'political revolution' for the people - we would rather just keep and be satisfied with the status quo.

As long as people get their "bread and circus" (McDonalds and Basketball) they aren't really too interested in totally rocking the boat. It's the "bread and circus" that keeps the frustration suppressed and keeps us distracted. Is it The American People that need their "bread and circus" or is it the Party that needs its "bread and circus"? As long as the Party has their "bread and circus" their funny money to keep them in office - that keeps their frustration suppressed and keeps them into distracting us from the real issues that need to be fixed.

See I believe we do need a bit of rancor to more than wake us up. We need a candidate that will stick to his or her convictions and not move back to the center after one wins the nomination.

We need to put our money where our mouth is and not a candidate that has a mouthful of money that buys their influence and keeps our frustration suppressed and keeps us distracted.

I want a candidate that will break the stress of frustration and gets us engaged to get us back to a fair and equitable position to enjoy what little time we have to live on this planet.

I got to go with Bernie here.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

12. He basically admitted she was boring

[djean111]

15. What tripe - as if Hillary is actually moving anything but her campaign blather to the left.

Feh.

[Fuddnik]

16. CNN: The National Lampoon of News.

[Bread and Circus]

17. It's David Axelrod writing in an OP ED if you care. Do you have something against David Axelrod?

[Hepburn]

19. Well, yeah...

...the author is does not worship Hillary.

[Bread and Circus]

20. David Axelrod may not worship her but he has been more than fair to her.