Instead of Telling Me Why Hillary is Better Than Republicans, Why Don’t YOU Vote for Bernie?

[Playinghardball]

As Bernie Sanders continues to prove himself a political force to be reckoned with, a lot of mainstream Democrats are getting worried. Frontrunner Hillary Clinton, despite entering the 2016 presidential campaign as an undisputed heavyweight champion, has been unable to put away the progressive challenger from Vermont. Though she still leads in the polls, damage is starting to accumulate. From the still-healing scars of her summertime e-mail scandal to more recent bruises from controversial Wall Street donations and neocon foreign policy insinuations, Clinton is no longer guaranteed to pack enough wallop to lay out the GOP next fall

. And, of course, there still looms the very real chance that Bernie Sanders could clinch the nomination in a primary season upset similar to Barack Obama in 2008.

Clinton supporters, now sweating the strength of Bernie Sanders’ campaign, are apparently trying to shame Sanders’ supporters into backing the former Secretary of State instead. The line of reasoning is that the Democrats must go unified into the general election. United we stand, divided we fall, rah rah. The blogosphere is now filling up with pundits who insist that supporting Bernie Sanders is tantamount to voting Republican.

Since Hillary Clinton still has the better chance of clinching the nomination, they sneer, supporters of Bernie Sanders should get real and pledge loyalty to the Democratic mainstream. Supporters of Sanders and his policies are alleged to be childish rabble-rousers who would rather put a Republican in the Oval Office than be team players. With a twinge of desperation in their voices, these pro-Clinton pundits are encouraging Sanders’ supporters to give up “silly” notions of universal health care and tuition-free public higher education and return to the “realistic” Democratic fold.

With the first primary less than two months away, Democratic loyalists are eager to quell dissent within the ranks and present a unified front to the divided and bickering Republicans.

>snip<

It almost seems like these pundits have no such argument. Their entire narrative is based on polls showing that Clinton has more supporters than Sanders. If their pro-Clinton narrative is so weak, shouldn’t the “unified front” pundits switch sides and focus on convincing tepid Clinton supporters to switch their allegiance to Bernie Sanders? If the best argument you have in favor of your candidate is that she is better than a candidate from the opposing party, you should probably consider supporting a new candidate.

Bernie Sanders is a candidate who is growing in popularity, not shrinking. Doesn’t it make sense for the Democratic Party to nominate a politician who is actually popular with voters? It still boggles my mind that the Democratic National Committee is comfortable resting their White House dreams on a candidate who actually has a net negative popularity rating. Voters don’t like Hillary Clinton. Many of those who still vote for her in polls only do so because they still adhere to the “unified front” belief.

The second that Bernie Sanders achieves critical mass, a considerable percentage of Hillary Clinton supporters will defect at once.

More here: http://thebernreport.com/instead-of-telling-me-why-hillary-is-better-than-republicans-why-dont-you-vote-bernie-in-the-primaries/

[merrily]

1. Because DNC?

Something has to explain why some of the same posters who posted such vile, ugly things about Hillary at DU in 2008--much more vile than any Bernie supporter has posted--now post as though Hillary walks on water. If you honestly thought someone was the scum of the earth in 2008, and a fascist, that's some shift. I don't believe anyone "evolves" that much.

[arcane1]

2. I was thinking the same thing.

It's definitely not about issues.

[hifiguy]

7. There's a LOT of dark money at work both here and elsewhere.

I'd bet a hundred bucks on it.

[merrily]

8. Dark money, government jobs, lots of factors, probably.

[retrowire]

3. +1 knr

[Maedhros]

4. If they are voting for Hillary, then we can safely assume they agree with Hillary.

They must not care much about the Iraq War.

They must not care much about the destruction of Libya.

They must not care much about saber rattling with Iran.

They must want boots on the ground in Syria.

They must agree with her Wall Street support.

That tells you a lot about Hillary's supporters.

[antigop]

5. or...

1) they benefit from the status quo
2) they haven't been harmed (yet) by the status quo
3) they just want a woman prez sooooo badly

[Proserpina]

6. From the OP to God's Ears

"The second that Bernie Sanders achieves critical mass, a considerable percentage of Hillary Clinton supporters will defect at once."

The reasonable ones will. But what about those that take no prisoners? Will they go shoot up the Xmas party, or something equally stupid? Fanaticism is not just for "radicalized Muslims". The rudeness displayed on DU from the Hillary Clique is unprecedented. They aren't gaining any converts, to be sure.