Polls show Bernie Sanders popularity among all voters is plummeting

[brooklynite]

CNN

One of the arguments Bernie Sanders' fans made during the 2016 Democratic primary was that he was more electable than Hillary Clinton. His favorable ratings with the general electorate were far higher than Hillary Clinton's. Indeed, Sanders maintained fairly high favorable ratings with all voters as late as 2018.

Sanders' popularity among all voters seems to be declining considerably in the last few months, however.

Our new CNN poll puts Sanders favorable rating at 46% compared to an unfavorable rating of 45% among registered voters. This is only the latest poll to have Sanders at basically even in his net favorability rating (favorable-unfavorable). A Quinnipiac University poll from late December gave the Vermont senator a net favorability of just +2 points. An average of all recent polls put Sanders' net favorability at about -1 points.

Compare that to where Sanders was at the end of his 2016 presidential bid. Sanders had a 59% favorable rating to 36% unfavorable rating among all voters in a CNN poll taken in June 2016.

[stonecutter357]

1. millionaires and billionaires !

[Dennis Donovan]

2. With OP's like this, how could it not? n/t

[Me.]

4. THe OP Copied THe CNN Headline

the article was written by Harry Enten of 538 fame thus... it states facts.

[onit2day]

29. Compares the "end" of 2016 election ratings with the beginning of this race.

Apples and oranges. Wait till the end of the 2020 election to make a fair comparison. Just another attempt to take down the candidate corporate media most fears. Facts here are used to distort. Bernie is extremely popular but it's strange that this site has a daily negative hit post on Bernie. His supporters are very aware of this. In fact I'll wager most have given up even commenting on the Bernie dog pile hit pieces. Comparing popularity %s of the end of the 2016 race with the beginning of the 2020 race is not comparable. It's a twisting of facts to get the desired result. Even the moderators are overwhelmed by all these Bernie hit pieces.

[DownriverDem]

77. I think it will be

Biden/Harris! We have some very strong Democrats running. I only support true Democrats.

[Me.]

105. Lovely That You're Sticking Up For Your Guy

even if it makes no sense. This is 2019.

[ahoysrcsm]

139. I'll look it up for you...

Quinnipiac Poll of registered voters Bernie Sanders May 26, 2015. Favorable 19% Unfavorable 18% Undecided 64%.

Do you need me to reference any more Apples?

[Cha]

160. These are the Facts and

you call them "hit pieces".

Just BS getting Vetted.

[Cha]

167. No they're not.

[Gothmog]

176. For this thread

[qazplm135]

178. at the end of the 2020 primary

it will be lower.

[Cha]

191. Nah.. just the facts.

[RocRizzo55]

54. LOL!

Facts? Really?
They are not in business to show us the facts any more. They are in business to get more people to see them. Facts are irrelevant these days when it comes to mainstream media.

[BlueFlorida]

58. Do you find any inaccuracy in the poll numbers cited?

[Me.]

103. So The Numbers Aren't True?

or are they, then they become facts.

[RocRizzo55]

155. If you only knew

How they do polls, you would see that they can make ANY opinion "true," depending on how they engineer the question(s).

[Me.]

156. Then The Reverse Will Apply

Those polls which claim him as the frontrunner can't claim fact for that conclusion

[ehrnst]

27. OPs on DU are a catalyst for making or breaking a candidate's popularity?

I had no idea!

[MineralMan]

72. Especially when they affect popularity polls that happened earlier than the post.

That's freaking magical stuff!

[lunamagica]

126. ...

[cwydro]

104. Lol!

Who knew?

[Me.]

158. Me Either

[appalachiablue]

66. CNN Article and Poll From Wed. MARCH 20. *WHY is that?

-> "Polls show Bernie Sanders popularity among all voters is plummeting. " Analysis by Harry Enten, CNN

-> Updated 6:03 AM ET, Wed March 20, 2019 .

-> (CNN Excerpt): "That may change, though, when Biden gets into the race. The big unknown is whether Biden, whose ratings are currently sky high, is also going to come crashing down to Earth if and when he declares. It's probably not a bad bet given past history and what has happened to Sanders. Then Democrats will have a much tougher time figuring out who is the most electable."

[appalachiablue]

73. THIS CNN ARTICLE IS FROM MARCH 20, 2019, WHY DID YOU POST W/O DATE???????????

Fraud isn't nice we know/ s

[appalachiablue]

82. EDIT YOUR OP ***ADD THE *REAL DATE* OF THE CNN ARTICLE, MARCH 20, 2019***

Honesty IS Best, we know it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StarfishSaver]

180. Our OPs here influence public opinion and national pilling trends?

Cool!

[Cha]

3. KR

[Me.]

5. HoaAloha

[Cha]

8. Alohahoa!

[nini]

118. :-)

[Cha]

119. Aloha, nini!

[nini]

120. Aloha Cha

I just wandered over her for bit.. Good to see you.

[Cha]

123. You, too! This

is my hang out now.. I needed a break from the anti-Christ.

And, I enjoy learning about all our candidates!

[nini]

146. yea.. we've got a lot of great candidates

It's not to hear from smart people for a change

[nycbos]

6. As Homer Simpson would say

[DarthDem]

7. Oh . . . .

That's . . . uh . . . too bad.

[Tiggeroshii]

9. If 2016 told us anything, it's that "all voters" dont matter

Its MI, WI and PA that only seem to matter. How is his favorability there?

[ehrnst]

25. Actually, all votes were not cast in those states.

Voter suppression laws in those states disenfranchised hundreds of thousands of Democratic voters.

But his favorability in his home state has dropped a few points since December, according to the latest Morning Consult poll.

[Tiggeroshii]

30. He consistently receives 70% of the vote in a state with a Republican governor

So that doesn't surprise me if his favorability has dropped a little bit.

But unfortunately with the voter suppression that you described, my point is reinforced even more.

[ehrnst]

56. No surprise. 97% white, and any Dem primary challenger is locked out of

most funding and networking support by the Democratic party in VT.

Monochromatic demographic low diversity populations have the most universal support for their reps - all of the top ranking Senators in the Morning consult poll fit that bill.

In political terms, he's a hot house flower. It must be very jolting for him to encounter any group that doesn't replicate his response of his constituents in VT.

[Tiggeroshii]

62. More like he isnt going to craft his message different based on who he is talking to

He is a straightshooter and he won't change, which has gained him far more supporters than has lost him.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

177. Got that right!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[bloom]

111. Those are the states Russia intended to affect

Will Sanders get Russian help this time around, too?

One part to consider.

[Tiggeroshii]

112. Russia did everything they can to try to help Hillary lose

Partly due to her staunch position against their human rights abuses, etc. And in the GE, partly because of Trump and Putin's corrupt business relationship. It's ridiculous to allege Bernie has had any nefarious involvement in that.

[bloom]

114. I was going to say

That it was not a matter of what Bernie did - it was a matter of benefits that he reaped.

But then he did have that Russian connected guy... this:

"Several of Sen. Bernie Sander's top advisers abruptly broke ties with the Vermont senator's 2020 campaign on Tuesday, including one adviser with ties to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort.

Tad Devine, Mark Longabaugh, and Julian Mulvey announced Tuesday that they no longer with the Sanders campaign. The three advisers work together in the same firm, DML, and were a key part of Sanders' 2016 campaign....

The departure comes after increased public scrutiny into Devine's past work with Manafort as a consultant in Ukraine, NBC reported...

Manafort and Devine worked together to help the pro-Russia Ukrainian leader Viktor Yanukovych in 2010. Yanukovych was eventually ousted during the Ukrainian revolution in 2014 and now lives in exile in Russia...."

https://www.businessinsider.com/top-advisers-to-bernie-sanders-abruptly-leave-2020-campaign-2019-2

[Gothmog]

172. From Harry Enten

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

174. Biden's entry into the Democratic race provides a jolt to the Sanders candidacy

Link to tweet

One issue for Sanders is the erosion in the support he received in 2016. He won New Hampshire with nearly 60 percent of the vote. He lost Iowa but ended up in a near-tie with Clinton. Today, his support in both those states lags significantly from those performances. In a field of 20-plus candidates, Sanders doesn’t need nearly the level of support he got in 2016 to win or be a significant factor, but his current poll average in New Hampshire of 15 percent is not a healthy sign.

Sanders has a loyal base. The question is just how big or small that core support is. He is being squeezed from several directions.

Biden obviously is having some impact on Sanders right now, particularly with self-identified Democrats, some of whom question Sanders’s party allegiance. He also could have a bigger challenge in persuading a broad swath of Democratic primary voters that he would be the party’s strongest challenger against Trump.

Sanders is being challenged in another way by Sen. Elizabeth Warren (Mass.). In 2016, Sanders was the unquestioned leader in the offering of big, progressive ideas. Now, that’s far less the case: Others in the field have embraced some of his 2016 ideas, such as Medicare-for-all. Warren has gone further, offering specific policies on child care and student-debt relief, along with a wealth tax that she says would provide the revenue to pay for her initiatives. Sanders no longer has a premium on big ideas.

[honest.abe]

10. I guess that means the more you get to know him, the less you like him.

[Tarheel_Dem]

17. +1

[zentrum]

24. Not necessarily.

Could just mean that we have a deeper, better bench than last time and many who are as progressive as he is. Last time Elizabeth, Kamala, Pete, Beto and others weren't running or even widely known.

Nonetheless, he's pulled the whole party platform leftward and has changed the funding model for many candidates, which is super important to younger voters. Bernie's won even if he doesn't get the nod.

But I guess the opportunity to bash is irresistible.

[honest.abe]

26. I think it does.

These numbers are individual favorability ratings and have nothing to do with other candidates.

Bernie is clearly losing steam.

[onit2day]

31. Exactly

[BlueFlorida]

65. That should not affect favorability numbers.

The question that is asked is "Do you have a favorable opinion of XYZ?" and the answer is yes, no or don't know.

It is not a comparative number as in "Do you prefer A or B?"

[True Blue American]

128. I agree

Our Team is so big and diverse this time around voters have a wide choice. I am very glad to see this.

[qazplm135]

179. little column A...

little column B.

It's true he is sharing the progressive vote, it's also true that his one-note wears thin after awhile for a lot of folks.

[LenaBaby61]

36. I guess that means the more you get to know him, the less you like him.

He's being vetted.

Was bound to happen. MOST in the corporate media LOVE tearing some people down (Except tRump--He brings ratings in 🙄 . Mrs. Mitchell loved her some Hillary emails. Talked about 'em so much that she started referring to her CROOK hubby as Email instead of Alan.

Has she mentioned Ivanka/Jared's private email server use or their private email account usage? 🤔

[BlueFlorida]

63. +1000 nt

[Go Vols]

11. CNN yesterday

Bernie Sanders is the new No. 1 in our 2020 Democrat rankings

https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/24/politics/2020-rankings-bernie-sanders-joe-biden-donald-trump-kamala-harris/index.html

[honest.abe]

18. Power Rankings??

What is this ESPN??

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

19. What?! Positive news about Bernie's campaign?! How dare you report that!!

Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[ehrnst]

37. What? Someone doesn't adore Bernie? How DARE they report that?

Quick..... POST SOMETHING!!!

[MineralMan]

75. Love that GIF file.

She's gonna be worn out pretty soon, though. That's an energetic dance.

[ehrnst]

98. Indeed. (nt)

[ehrnst]

41. This article is an analysis of who they think would win a primary if it was held now.

John Edwards was the front runner about this time in 2007, if I recall correctly. Riveting speaker. Didn't pan out.

Things seem to be coming out every day that could change things a great deal in the next year or so.

[Demsrule86]

47. This poll/ ranking was taken thev day before Joe announced... so it is invalid.,

[oasis]

80. As realities go, that one may be the harshest.

[Demsrule86]

121. Sorry.

[Demsrule86]

124. Oh I thought you supported Sanders, I feel bad when folks candidates are not

Doing as well as expected, I was a Deaniac...still love him. I hope Biden wins as I truly believe he is the only one who can win 20.

[MineralMan]

12. Hillary was very unpopular with many voters, although

she still managed to win the popular vote. Some of Senator Sanders popularity was due to the comparison between just him and Hillary. Right now, early in 2019, Bernie is one of 20 candidates in the Democratic primary race. It's not a two-person situation at all, and he's being compared by individual voters to several others at the same time.

For many Democratic voters, other candidates have a very strong appeal, for their youth, energy, and gender associations. Now, there's another factor, Joe Biden, who is decidedly not Hillary Clinton. Instead, he's another older man in the race. At the moment, people are comparing Sanders to Biden, specifically. That's because Biden is a top story right now.

In general political polling, positions on issues are only part of the reason for results. Other factors are at play, sometimes taking precedence over political stances. If Bernie's popularity ratings are going down, it could easily be that, of the two older men, Biden is simply more likable. Sanders is the curmudgeonly old guy, while Biden is the grandpa who bounces babies on his knee. Figuratively, of course.

In the primary voting booth, both political stances and popularity are in play. It's not going to be a two-person thing when people actually mark their ballots. For those who consider positions on issues to be the most important thing, they have many candidates from which to choose. When it comes to personality, the same is true. When it comes to the question of who can beat Trump, which is going to be high in the decision-making factors for many voters, Biden will probably come out on top in most states.

And that's what I think will determine who ends up with the most delegates at actual primary voting time. Who can beat Trump? If that's the main factor, then Biden is going to win primaries in multiple states. He'll get the votes of those who ask that question, and the others will get votes from people who consider issue positions to be the most important. But, those people's votes are going to be spread among many candidates. Biden wins the popularity vote and the Who can beat Trump? vote, I think.

[BlueFlorida]

70. You don't think this is because of chickens

coming home to roost? Many Democrats noticed Sanders' actions from the time he mathematically lost the primary to the point of the General Election.

[MineralMan]

71. No, not really. I think it is because a lot of new faces have

stepped up to run. That's making people take a second look at Senator Sanders, and others are looking better to them.

Bernie fluffed his appearance at "She the People," too. Not that he was that popular with black women in the first place, but it wasn't a good appearance for him in general.

When you're only comparing two people, that skews popularity figures. When you have 20 people, some who ranked Sanders as popular before may have shifted allegiances.

[BlueFlorida]

96. Favorability is not popularity

One can have a favorable opinion about someone without them being popular.

Sanders is losing favorability. Which means when asked "Do you have a favorable opinion of Sanders?" More people are saying "no" now than they did before. It has nothing to do with who they would vote for.

[Martin Eden]

138. I think it's too early to know who is most likely to beat Trump

Any number of candidates are likely to beat the orange abomination. I won't be close to making a decision until 2020.

Personally, I think these election campaigns go on far too long -- and focus far too much on personalities and the horse race.

In my view a healthier approach at this stage is to have a thorough and constructive debate on the critically important issues and policy solutions we need to move our country and the world forward into a better future.

During the course of that process the Democratic platform could be fleshed out and the best leader to head our ticket can emerge.

I supported Bernie in the 2016 primary, at least in part because I made a vow in October 2002 that nobody who voted to give GW Bush authority to invade Iraq would get my vote in a Democratic primary. Ever. That included John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and Joe Biden -- and I still hold to that vow.

I also hold a view that many would deride as "ageist." I think 80 is too old for the extremely stressful and demanding job of president. Biden and Sanders would both turn 80 before the end of their first term.

I will vote for the Democratic nominee no matter what.

As for the OP, I don't see any value in it. I did like your analysis, except perhaps the last part.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

13. Bernie's shtick has become stale, and other candidates offer similar ideas

with less anger, finger-pointing and tired '60s rhetoric. I supported Bernie in the primaries last time, but the choice was binary then - him or Hillary - and at the time I was looking for a candidate with more progressive policies. If Elizabeth Warren had run then I'd probably have supported her. Bernie proved he was stuck on his old speeches when just the other day he couldn't answer a softball question about what to do about white supremacy and instead resorted to a few canned talking points.

[Ninga]

15. Good analysis. Smart politicians understand the value of whatever the current political

environment is, and while not altering their values and positions, figure out how to update their messaging.

[onit2day]

34. Well said. I agree totally.He's passionate,sincere and dedicated.

[Demsrule86]

50. He has a speech basically...heard it all before.

[Cha]

166. Sorry.. he's too divisive.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

69. That's exactly the problem. He says the same things he's been saying

for 40 years, using the same rhetoric, which speaks well for his sincerity and consistency but not for his ability to modify his message to address the problems of today, and in a vastly changed political landscape. He can't seem to figure out how to get his message to resonate with PoC; all he can think of to say is that he's against racism (well, yeah; I should hope so), and that he marched with MLK 54 years ago (so what has he done lately?). Mostly he yells at the millionaires and billionaires to get off his lawn.

[True Blue American]

131. Didn't the students

Ask what Bernie was doing in 2019 instead of the 1960’s which really dates him since these kids were born in the 21st Century and could care less about 1960.

[ehrnst]

74. Yes, that can be a problem. It can indicate that one doesn't learn readily, and may be rejecting any

new information that doesn't reinforce their mindset. It can also reveal that there is limited mental agility, so one returns to a familiar script of talking points, then gets rattled and frustrated when someone points out that he didn't answer the question. The She the People event was an illustration of that. Other recent interviews have also shown this.

Of course one can always spin being rigid as being "strong." One can spin believing that one has nothing whatsoever to learn as being "constant," especially if one is a white man. Someone with no self-doubt or introspection is certainly appealing to many looking for a dualistic leader. One can spin believing that one is the smartest person in any room he's in that he is "not caring what the status quo is" even when it's seen as condescending and grating. One can spin no tolerance for dissent as "demanding equally high ethical standards of those around him."

He gets testy with interviewers who ask him follow ups to his answers, and seems to expect the press to act simply as stenographers, just transcribing his words, and rails at them defensively for "attacking him" when they fact check or add analysis that doesn't simply shore up what he stated. That's a POTUS relationship with the press that we don't want to continue after this POTUS is gone.

Empathy in women is often viewed as "calculating." I heard a lot of heart from Kamala. Then again, I was open to what she had to say.

With Bernie, I see no real ability to listen - I see him waiting for a silence so he can say what he's been planning to say. He seems far more at home lecturing at people that are at closest, yards away. For years, he has been known as gruff and harsh with his staff, while campaigning to save the rest of America's workers - but Amy Klobuchar is painted as a witch when a few instances of harsh words come out.

No, I don't see 'belief' as much as I see someone who believes that he has nothing to learn. I see a deep need for vindication from a man who is near the end of his career, and feels like he never got the kudos from his progressive peers. If people believe that his anger and ranting is comforting, then that certainly works for him.

It certainly has for other politicians...

[Evolve Dammit]

93. Agree with your post.

[ehrnst]

108. You say that you started out liking Harris, but find her "calculating" now.

What interview was it that changed your mind?

[Mr Tibbs]

110. Yet the other candidates eagerly adopt his policies ideas

Oh the Dilemma!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

113. There you are. They adopt them and *adapt* them.

They don't just repeat the same speech over and over. Elizabeth Warren, for example, is able to explain in detail why progressive economic policies help women and PoC, while Bernie whiffed on a softball question regarding what should be done about white supremacists by regurgitating a bumper sticker slogan about Medicare for all. The other candidates don't yell and scowl as a substitute for explaining their ideas.

[Blue_true]

122. What policies have Bernie voiced that democrats have not supported for decades?

Healthcare for All?
That support started in the 30's. One African American Congressman introduced a Single Payer bill every year of his long career.

The rich paying a fair share of taxes?
Been a Democratic Party concern going back to Woodrow Wilson.

Affordable or free college?
Democratic Party candidates have supported that since higher education opportunities expanded in the 30's.

Name one Bernie Sanders proposal that is new. Just one.

[lunamagica]

127. *Crickets*

[Blue_true]

141. As expected.

Or maybe the person is out desperately searching the Web for one instance. Good luck to him or her.

[NastyRiffraff]

14. Shhhh!!!

We're not allowed to say anything that might possibly hurt Saint Bernie. It's heresy. He's the most popular politician...no, the most popular person...EVAH!

[PatrickforO]

16. Well, Sanders has not handled some things very well at all.

He has yet to come to terms with the BLM movement, as well as #metoo. And this recent debacle with the women of color jeering him when he briefly fielded a social justice question and then pivoted back to his same talking points. That made him seem a bit of a one-trick-pony.

Of course, he's not, and would be an order of magnitude better than Trump, but in the 2020 field he is no longer a novelty. Those conversations about healthcare and college costs, about global warming and so on are already happening.

Speaking for myself only, and no one else, I kind of have Bernie fatigue. It isn't that I'm a fair weather friend - I believe Bernie has had a tremendous career and has done much to significantly help this nation. He has fought the proverbial good fight.

Trouble is, that proverbial 'good fight' needs to be expanded a bit.

[onit2day]

35. Bernie has the highest ranking and support from the black community. Bernie is the man

that will get more accomplished than any other candidate.

[getagrip_already]

51. yet bernie got booed at we the people woman of color event....

for being out of touch and clueless.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

57. Without question! Yet some only post to endlessly bash Bernie, never havin ANYTHING positive to say

about him!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[BannonsLiver]

79. Fake news

[Dream Girl]

102. Cuz he marched on Washington

[emmaverybo]

154. Not true

Two new polls, Morning Consult and CNN.com, show Biden far outstripping Sanders’ black voter leaning.
Sentences like “Bernie is the man that will get more accomplished than any other candidate,” without qualifying, are hyperbolic and empty. I applaud the post’s enthusiasm, but you do Sanders no favors by stating as fact something not borne out in fact, and by making a claim so sweeping it can not be validated.

[Gothmog]

175. Recent polling does not support this claim

Link to tweet

[DoctorJoJo]

20. We'll Always Have Trump to Thank Bernie for!

[onit2day]

38. Not True. By that logic we have "Trump to thank Hillary for"

btw Billionaires have gotten together to throw millions into Trump campaign. They didn't last time.

[beastie boy]

49. Actually, we have Bernie supporters to thank for Trump.

12% of them voted for Trump.
https://www.npr.org/2017/08/24/545812242/1-in-10-sanders-primary-voters-ended-up-supporting-trump-survey-finds

Bernie only gets credit for doing nothing about it.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

59. Yeeeahhh riiighht!! Let's blame Bernie for the weather too when it rains!!

Makes about as much sense!!


Bernie & Elizabeth 2020!!!
Welcome to the revolution!!!

[qazplm135]

21. The back up QB

is often the most favorite player on the football team...until he starts.

[comradebillyboy]

55. Perfect!

[cab67]

23. A lot of people who liked Bernie have had second thoughts.

I thought very highly of him until he decided to keep running after securing the nomination became mathematically impossible.

[Chemisse]

86. That's when I started to sour on him too.

And it changed my whole perception of him when he hastened to switch to an Independent the first chance he could.

[nolabear]

28. He's not unique any more, and he's just too entitled.

I just don’t think we need an entitled person (I won’t say white man because it is abhorrent in anyone) as president again. There’s no “we” in him. He has good ideas but to me he corrodes them with anger and dismissiveness toward actual people.

[yaesu]

45. Well, Bernie didn't give entitle banksters a YUGE giveaway by signing the 2005 bankruptcy bill. nt

[nolabear]

76. I'm not talking about 2005. I don't care to play that game.

But I could.

[namahage]

164. Well, yeah. Neither did Biden,

since Presidents sign bills.

Something that Bernie will likely never have to worry about.

[TeamPooka]

32. in 2016 Sanders was the only alternative. Large field of choices now.

[drray23]

33. People are catching up on the hustle. Nt

[olegramps]

39. His position on tariffs and trade treaties is little different than Trump's. People wising up?

[still_one]

43. At least that is what him and Thom Hartman had been pushing for years.

[iamthebandfanman]

53. ??????

A lot of people here on DU talked about hating NAFTA for over a decade and now we all dont because ... ???? I mean, even Obama said he wanted to renegotiate NAFTA. I guess people have forgotten that the TPP was also something people on DU proclaimed to dislike.. that opinion has changed too ??

You want people to wise up, but you dont even know that dislike for certain trade agreements has always been something the left has believed in.

You also realize that Obama believed in tariffs on things too, right?

i swear, every time i come on DU now i run into someone who has no clue about the beliefs that were coming out of DU from the moment this website was created about every issue and now we are on trade agreements. Jesus Christ almighty.

[olegramps]

88. There is gulf between what Obama proposed and what Trump has done.

Yeah, Jesus Christ almighty. Obama propose changes is NAFTA, not junking it. It was his administration that negotiated TPP and sought the Trans-Atlantic trade deal. Let's talk about doing away with tariffs. The TPP would have eliminated 18,000 tariffs, yes 18,000. Clinton got caught in a cross-fire between Trump and Biden on TPP. I will get right to the point, Bernie Sanders is full of it. The loss of jobs accorded to NAFTA is pure bull crap. In fact it attempted to stave off the worst effects of unrestricted trade. There is no law that prevents a company from outsourcing jobs and it is a sad fact that when people are willing to do the same job for $1.00 per hour as compared to $15.00 per hour there is no chance of competing. I am all for taking action against China for unfair practices, especially government owned and supported businesses and intellectual property rights. These are issues that were addressed in the
TPP. Yes, there were problems, but they could have been addressed. What has transpired in that China is quickly taking advantage of our exit and is establishing trade deals throughout the southern Asia region. We are not at the table and we are being locked out of the markets. Bernie's accomplishments are two named post offices and a Vet bill.



















































41.00

[Mr Tibbs]

40. Today CNN is saying the opposite

[Cha]

161. Oh really? Do tell us more.

[still_one]

42. I have never put much credibility into "favorability" polls. It is too subjective, and changes like

the wind

[iamthebandfanman]

44. Hmmm

That wouldnt be surprising.. hes been under constant attack for weeks now...

[patphil]

46. Say what you want about Bernie

He awakened many in the Democratic Party to the need for fresh leadership.
He shook things up.
Yeah, Hillary lost and some people feel Bernie didn't do enough to help her.
But, Hillary's loss, and the horror show in the White House, marked a turning point in the party.
As a result, there are a lot of fresh, young, dynamic, energetic, dedicated, and determined new faces in the House.
And another whole bunch in the race for the Democratic Nomination for President.
Like him or not, Bernie had, and still has, a major role in this.

Pat Phillips

[Demsrule86]

81. I am am enraged by your post the idea that Clinton's loss and Trump's win which left us with

a packed court, racist murders and babies in cages was some how good...a turning point for our party is compete nonsense. We gained nothing . Progressive policy is unlikely to be upheld by our right wing courts... millions may lose their health care with no easy replacement as the ACA is under attack by Republicans.

Trump is a fucking nightmare and God knows if we will survive him with our Constitution intact. THERE IS NO SILVER LINING IN OUR 16 LOSS...NONE. And yes Bernie did not help sufficiently in the general in my opinion. 2016 was a complete disaster for progressives. We will suffer for a generation because of it. So spare me how it all had to be destroyed so we could have some progressive paradise. Consider the house was won by moderates not progressives.

[LongtimeAZDem]

83. Absolutely right

[Mr Tibbs]

101. Actually there is a silver lining

And the person you are replying to is correct in laying out exactly what that silver lining entails

[lunamagica]

133. Sure, there are bsbies in cages whose lives have been destroyed, so what?

[Cha]

148. NO.. there is No silver lining

with the blood on trump's hands, and the babies and children he's kidnapped, SCOTUS, and the Environment.

[Hortensis]

181. Just allocate everything that isn't awful, including

all the new people who ran as Democrats (!) , to the losing primary candidate who immediately renounced his party membership, instead of to the party, what we stand for, and what we're fighting together?

It may feel good, but truth serves everyone better.

Sanders played a role. His dissident candidacy did draw some who weren't inspired by Hillary and our Democratic agenda or even sufficiently appalled by Trump to become engaged. No doubt a few of those were among the 80% who switched to Hillary and voted Democratic tickets in the GE, and good for them! But they don't diminish his 20% who matched his bitter resentment when he didn't win, followed him when he walked, and voted Trump or indirectly Trump via third party. Btw, only 2% of those didn't vote at all; he left them engaged, all right, furiously, and that's his legacy, not just theirs.

[Codeine]

99. I'm glad you're willing to admit

that Bernie played a major role in Trump being elected.

[Mr Tibbs]

100. Bernie played no role in Trump getting elected

[Codeine]

106. I'm just yanking the poster's chain

because his ill-constructed paragraph seems to imply that Sanders did have a role. I was amused.

[Cha]

116. Nah.. I'm not buying it.

[lunamagica]

130. Yeah...that position is so Sarandonesque. So repulsive. "Let the world burn, as long as it doesn't

affect me"

[lunamagica]

132. Right. let the world burn, as long as it only affect others.

[apnu]

48. Not surprised by this

Bernie hasn't run in a fully competitive field before. He only really ran against Hillary. Now he's facing a deep and wide field half of which are as progressive as he is if not more, but less problematic and with little to no bad blood in the Democratic party. Pair that with his I'm a Democrat, now I'm not, now I am, routine and it all adds up to a huge mountain to climb.

Honestly Joe Biden will have an easier time winning women over with all the Anita Hill stuff running against him constantly than Bernie.

[AlexSFCA]

52. YAY! Biden effect for sure

An adult has joined the race. Bernie is done after his cnn townhall (=terrorists serving in prison should be allowed to vote). He is now a national embarrassment.

[BlueFlorida]

61. I stated elsewhere.

Sanders has peaked. His message is well known and has not received much traction beyond the core 20-25%. It is all downhill from here.

[AncientGeezer]

64. Not really.....

Your poll is from a month ago.....I'm looking at RCP...look at the graph from March to now. Back to March #'s
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html#polls

[honest.abe]

136. This article is about favorability rating not candidate preference.

His fav numbers are dropping and unfavs are increasing.

[EveHammond13]

67. when I see Justice Democrats on twitter slamming Biden for past 24 hours

kind of really hardens me against Bernie. Gives a very bad feeling.

[maddiemom]

68. I voted for Bernie in the primary last time...

but supported and worked for Hillary locally in the general election. She's paved the way for a lot of women and dealt with a lot of undeserved hatred over the years. I think Bernie's time has passed this election. Although only about a year older than Biden, he seems a good bit older and increasingly choleric (you have to worry a little about the strain). Being partly Scandinavian, I was raised with a good impression of Socialism, but...I'm positive if Bernie had been the candidate in 2016, the Repubs would have hauled out a whole lot of ammunition against him. They didn't have to do so, as it turned out, but I could see Trump getting VERY nasty about Bernie. The Orange One is already ragging on Socialism in preparation.

[Roy Rolling]

78. "Plummeting" is a Terrible Headline

That statement is an opinion based on a purely arbitrary starting point. It is not a fact, "plummeting" is an opinion.

A better headline would be his popularity has been "diluted" by having 20 more challengers than when the arbitrary number was chosen, when he was the only announced candidate.

This mathematical trickery is how propaganda works. Don't fall for it. It isn't a fact, it's purely an opinion finding a number to justify itself.

[Maru Kitteh]

190. So unfair!

Even this article, written terribly, and obviously to cushion the blow to Sanders & Co., sounds pretty much awful for him.

Sen. Bernie Sanders falls in popularity among American voters, new poll finds

Some snips from the article - parenthetical comments mine:

"According to the CNN poll, just 30 percent of Democratic voters believe the party has the best chance of denying Trump a second term with Sanders as the nominee. The majority, 59 percent of Democratic voters, think the party would have a better shot at reclaiming the presidency with another candidate."

"Although recent polls suggested Sanders is the leading choice for the Democratic nomination among the general electorate (HA! HA! Yeah . . .not that recent, really, and "general electorate?" mmmmkay. You mean Trump cult choice, I think). CNN reveals the Vermont independent's favorability rating among registered voters is split 46 percent favorable to 45 percent unfavorable, putting Sanders at a net of just +1 points. The news outlet noted that, on average, the presidential hopeful's net favorability has been about -1 points."

https://www.salon.com/2019/03/20/sen-bernie-sanders-falls-in-popularity-among-american-voters-new-poll-finds/

That dismal set of facts comes from an author clearly desperate to present the information in the most flattering light possible.

Fact is, Sanders has been on a nosedive for a while now. It shows no sign of slowing.

[Paladin]

84. Good. We can do better than Bernie, this time around. (nt)

[helpisontheway]

85. Good! Nt

[Chakaconcarne]

89. Awesome... let's keep this candidate bashing thread going....

Gotta be great for morale and unity.

[Evolve Dammit]

94. Yeah. It's really not time for petty BS.

[saljr1]

90. Polls mean nothing right now

This is a marathon not a sprint. Debates will change the landscape. Whoever performs the best and is able to connect with the American people can change their support level overnight.

[appalachiablue]

97. POll is from March 20, a month old. *Click 'CNN' Link in the OP above.

[7horses]

91. Old Polls

This poll is from March... plus there are so many running now that everyone's polls are down. Compare Sander's to each of the other candidates.

[honest.abe]

135. You miss the point of the article.

Its looking at trends in Bernies approval numbers over time. The most recent poll In March shows his approval numbers are dropping and his disapproval numbers are increasing.

[jalan48]

92. Nearing the first turn Bernie's dropping back in the pack as Biden surges on the inside rail

followed by Warren and Mayor Pete. Don't leave your Tee Vee or you might miss the latest race updates. Now, a few words from our sponsors.

[mjvpi]

95. Proof that the Russians won.

We at DU need to be very careful. The Hillary/Bernie divide was exploited, if not created by, Russian interference in our elections. Remember the internal Democratic Party emails that were released? This whole thread is not talking about issues. Hurt feelings and resentments can and will be exploited. We need to discuss issues and substance. Let’s not talk horse races and play blame games about the last election. If we don’t stay positive and substantive the Russians win.

[Cha]

115. No It Is Not.

[jimlup]

107. Mainstream dems can't wait to hear that socialism won't work

problem is voters actually support it and it would as is demonstrated clearly in Northern Europe.

Mainstream dems have their own problems. I'll support Bernie proudly until I have no choice in the general. Bernie may surprise.

What mainstream dems don't get is that the US population is very very socialist at heart they just don't know that's what it is actually called. If they start to hear what they need from Bernie - sorry, but they will pay attention.

Good luck. I'm on board but not until the general. And I have to ask. If the tables are turned and they might be, will you be on board with us?

[ecstatic]

109. What's surprising is that

it was ever high to begin with because his personality is not very welcoming or respectful. Apparently a sizable portion of the country likes the rude/grumpy/get off my lawn type vibe that comes from politicians like Chris Christie, Bernie, etc.

[musicblind]

117. I don't understand why his popularity would plummet.

He seems like a good and decent man. He hasn't done anything wrong since launching his campaign. He hasn't changed his ideas.

Frankly, I find it hard to actively dislike Sanders.

[lunamagica]

125. K&R for visibility

[chillfactor]

129. I am 77 years old

I have voted in every election since I was 21.....if Sanders is the Democratic nominee I will NOT vote for him...I will sit this election out.

[Kentonio]

168. I'd advise deleting this post. It's a bannable offense here.

[ucrdem]

134. Departing contestants will receive

[robbedvoter]

137. Vetting. Not done last time. "If they only knew me!" Now they're starting to

The more you know him.... It's how 🍊 fooled the bumpkins too. He got almost no votes in NY.

[Gothmog]

173. No one took sanders seriously in 2016 and so sanders was not vetted

No one took sanders seriously and so he was not vetted. Vetting is important I amso glad that sanders is being vetted this cycle https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/28/why-bernie-sanders-has-an-uphill-climb-ahead/?utm_term=.1b4f90c2a717

Finally, what happens when the oppo dump on Sanders comes? We have no idea, because it never happened in 2016. Clinton was so terrified of alienating his supporters and seeing them vote for Jill Stein in the general election (or not vote at all) that she tiptoed around him for pretty much the entirety of the primary campaign. That doesn’t mean that he’ll be destroyed when stories about the more colorful aspects of his history start cropping up, but there’s just no way to know.

Which is what we could say about the Sanders candidacy as a whole: There’s no way to know how it’s going to go. But he’s got his work cut out for him.

See also https://www.cnn.com/2019/02/19/politics/bernie-sanders-2020-campaign-donald-trump/index.html?utm_source=twCNNp&utm_content=2019-02-20T14%3A52%3A07&utm_term=image&utm_medium=social%C2%A0

2. How will he withstand more scrutiny and more attacks?
One of the secrets to Sanders' success in 2016 was that no one -- most especially Clinton -- thought he had any chance of going anywhere in the race. Clinton largely ignored him for the better part of 2015, allowing some problematic parts of Sanders' record for Democrats -- most notably his voting record on guns -- to go unnoticed. (When the race began to tighten, Clinton gently prodded Sanders on guns and health care.) Sanders, too, largely flew under the radar of investigative reporters for major news outlets who were busy looking into Clinton, Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio and others seen as more viable candidates. (That reality clearly benefited Donald Trump in the early days of the campaign, as well.)

Sanders will get no pass -- from either the media or his fellow candidates -- this time around. He is among the frontrunners -- and will be treated as such. His wife's time as president of Burlington College could well come up. And his opponents will do a deep dive into his nearly 30 years of votes as a member of the House and Senate. This is all very normal stuff in a campaign. But not for Sanders.

Now we can see how sanders reacts to being vetted

Link to tweet

Among some Democrats, there was a sense of bewilderment that the Sanders campaign had gone—as one operative put it—”nuclear” over a mere web video. One Democratic consultant sympathetic to Sanders described the video as being “like a gnat buzzing around your ear,” one which should not have distracted from the candidate’s Midwest tour.

It also raised questions as to whether the senator was ready for the scrutiny that would come from being a frontrunning candidate, after having run as an insurgent against an ideal foil, Hillary Clinton, in 2016.

“When you’re leading in the polls of president of your party you should expect investigative stories to hit at least once a week and to be attacked by your opponents every day,” said Ben Labolt, who served as press secretary to Barack Obama during the 2012 campaign. “An attack on something like ThinkProgress is the sign of a super-narrow-minded campaign that isn’t actually thinking of how the election will be won... They have chosen an establishment force that no one outside of the Starbucks at 16th and K would recognize.”

I am glad that sanders is being vetted

[TheFarseer]

140. Establishment Democrats

People that are supposedly his own side, have been telling us how much of an asshole he is for 3 years. How could his popularity not go down. I certainly hope we didn’t knee cap ourselves if he wins the nomination in spite of it. If that plays out - people like you, brooklynite are to blame.

[LongtimeAZDem]

142. "People that are supposedly his own side"? He's been against the Democrats his whole career, except

when he need us to run for president.

"It would be hypocritical of me to run as a Democrat because of the things I have said about the party."

- Bernie Sanders, Socialist Scholars Conference in New York City, April 1990.

[TheFarseer]

143. did you totally miss the point?

That’s the kind of non-issue that is only meant to divide and hurt our possible candidate’s chances. If he’s our candidate, that is the kind of narrative Russian bots will be pushing on social media.

[LongtimeAZDem]

144. Nobody who uses terms like "Establishment Democrats" gets to call others divisive, IMO

[TheFarseer]

145. what term do people prefer?

I always want to use the most effective language when making a point. I'm just trying to refer to msnbc talking heads and established long-time party leaders etc etc.

[Cha]

147. This is all on BS.. the Buck stops with him.

he wanted to be divisive by hiring jill stein voters for his upper staff.. and always calling our Democratic Party "elite" and all his other buzzwords.

Well, he got it.

The "blame" is only on Sanders.

[Cha]

149. CNN poll shows Biden in commanding lead among Democrats - Biden 39% , Sanders 15%

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=99218

[BlueFlorida]

150. Kick for exposure nt

[CentralMass]

151. Based on the last primary these favoribilty polls dont seem to be a barrier in winning the nominatio

[Fiendish Thingy]

152. With so many candidates who have adopted his "extreme" 2016 policies

It's not surprising to see these now mainstream positions peel off voters from Sanders- there's simply more to choose from this time around.

I think a lot will change after the debates on June 26/27.

[ProudMNDemocrat]

153. If an Independent is running for the Democratic nomination.....become a Democrat..

What could be more obvious?

I understand where Bernie Sanders is coming from. Democrats support a lot of what he proposes. If he wants to be the nominee in the end, he must consider registering as a Democrat.

Just my opinion.

[Amimnoch]

157. Good news. -nt.

[Hortensis]

159. Polls say voters are already paying attention in high numbers.

I'm sure that must be part of it. Sanders' deceiving, rabble-rousing "surrogates" like David Sirota aren't just showing their teeth but his, and this time reporting's also about them, not obligingly only going after their Democratic target.

Also, they've had to replace the evil Hillary witch with white male VP Joe Biden, recently of the greatly missed Obama administration. Don't know if that just isn't drawing as many antagonistic social conservatives to their fire, or if it's repelling more idealistic liberals, or both, but it's not working nearly as well this time.

Oh, and the literally daily updates on every political news show about multiple "investigations" into Hillary's corruption, the dense smoke and mirrors that hid reality and corrupted understanding to the great benefit of Sanders and Trump? We're not in 2016 any more.

[NYMinute]

163. +1000 nt

[Demsrule86]

165. Excellent post. We are not in Kansas anymore...

[Gothmog]

162. Washington Post-Opinion: Voters aren't playing along with the media narrative

Link to tweet

The latest Hill-HarrisX poll shows former vice president Joe Biden opening up a 32-point lead over Sanders, whose claim to the party’s heart is evaporating before our eyes. The latest Morning Consult poll shows Biden expanding his share to 40 percent (up 4 points from the previous week) and Sanders tumbling to 19 percent (down from 27 percent in February). In other words, available evidence suggests that at present the predicted story lines aren’t emerging.....

The most reliable voters — African American women — have little affection for Sanders, nor have they automatically gravitated to African American candidates to the left of Biden. They know Biden, they like him and so far they are content to reward him with their support after his eight years of service in the Obama administration.

The lack of appeal among African American candidates is now a significant problem for Sanders and for other progressives such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg. (The latest Quinnipiac poll found, “Biden had the support of 42 percent of nonwhite respondents, more than 30 points ahead of his nearest rival, Warren. Sanders, who struggled with nonwhite voters during his 2016 campaign, had only 7 percent support.”)

In short, in going far to the left, Sanders and other candidates misfired not only with older, more moderate whites but also with the critical African American electorate. The media likewise has overestimated the influence of the far left and failed to appreciate the centrist bent of both white and African American voters.

[NurseJackie]

169. This makes me happy! So very happy!!

People are catching on and seeing things as they TRULY are. It's my belief that the sooner BS just goes ahead and drops out of the race, the stronger the party will be, the more UNIFIED we'll be, and the better chance we'll have of defeating the GOP in such numbers that it will be impossible for them to steal the election.

I'm done with BS and it looks like the majority of voters are done with BS as well. Good!

[Gothmog]

170. Black women are the key to victory in 2020. Stop ignoring them

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

171. Biden is now doing well with younger African American voters

Link to tweet

[Jarqui]

182. I do not see anything like "oh gee, we suddenly have to hate Bernie" going on

I think the bulk of this so-called 'loss of support' is simply because Biden confirmed he's running.

April 25th When Biden announced, he was +6 over Sanders
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2020/president/us/2020_democratic_presidential_nomination-6730.html
Since that time, he's straight line upwards to +26 while Bernie & others to a much lesser degree dropped.

This isn't a shock. Many polls in 2015 said if Biden entered the race, he would be the front runner over Hillary, Trump and everyone else.

Bernie wasn't exposed with a crazy scandal to lose support recently. Biden largely became more viable and supportable because he end a five or six year debate about whether he would run and announced.

With that big of a lead, it now remains to be seen if any of the other Democratic candidates can reign him in. The debates, campaigns and media coverage will sort it out like it always does.

[Zambero]

183. Nina Turner on board should raise a red flag

"Never Hillary progressives" are at least partly accountable for the horrific situation we are facing every day. No thank you. Not this time around!

[oasis]

184. He temporarily latched on to AOC, so that could revive his numbers.

The debates will tell the tale.

[Gothmog]

185. It is possible that sanders may get not any delegates in Iowa

Link to tweet

The most underappreciated rule in the Democratic presidential primary race is the 15 percent threshold. To get any delegates from a congressional district in a caucus or primary, the candidate must win at least 15 percent of the vote. The same 15 percent threshold applies for at-large delegates.

Take the current RealClearPolitics poll average for Iowa. Only two candidates statewide clear the 15 percent threshold. Behind them, a candidate such as South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg at 11.3 percent might meet the threshold in some districts to qualify for delegates.....

What does this all mean? There may be very few candidate who get any delegates in Iowa. While a candidate such as Buttigieg or former congressman Beto O’Rourke might claim bragging rights for third place, he might not get delegates. Failure to get delegates wouldn’t necessarily doom candidates going into New Hampshire, but if the pattern repeats in New Hampshire, you’ll see lesser candidates dropping out....

Second, Sanders is languishing in a distant second place. It’s not unforeseeable that he could be passed by Buttigieg and/or Warren and denied delegates in one of the first two states. That would be disastrous for his campaign, maybe fatally so

[Gothmog]

186. This polling is interesting

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

187. If Bernie loses support among youth, what is left???

sanders is not trying to win a majority of the party but wants to get to the convention with 30% of the delegates. That is less likely now
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/5/15/1857658/-If-Bernie-loses-support-among-youth-what-s-left

Bernie Sanders’ strategy for victory in 2020 isn’t about winning the majority of delegates to the Democratic Party convention. “Sanders aides believe he’ll easily win enough delegates to put him into contention at the convention,” reported The Atlantic. “They say they don’t need him to get more than 30 percent to make that happen.” Once they’re at the convention with his 30 percent, they presumably figure they can threaten and bully the party to nominate him. This way, he doesn’t have to work to expand support beyond his core group of supporters.

However, what happens if he can’t hold that core? This isn’t 2016, with a binary choice between Bernie and a demonized establishment Democrat. This is a rich field, with credible candidates representing just about every key party constituency. There are candidates just as liberal as Bernie, yet not as polarizing. So would Bernie’s core supporters stick with him as they became better aware of this amazing field? Apparently not, according to the latest Morning Consult primary poll.

“Sanders on the decline with 18-29 year-olds,” reads the polling memo. ”Throughout March, Bernie Sanders had 45% of the first choice vote share among America’s youngest voters. That support has steadily declined and currently sits at 33%.”...

With Bernie Sanders at 19 points in this poll, he’s a far cry from the 30 percent or so he wants for his “force himself upon a brokered convention” scenario (understanding that the popular vote and delegate allocation aren’t a one-to-one calculation, but close enough). It’s been clear he’s been maxed out for a while—both his and his supporters’ ornery approach to politics don’t lend themselves to big-tent embrace of a broader coalition. Quite the opposite, in fact.

He can’t grow, and if he can’t hold his most important supporters? His path to the nomination, already near-zero, becomes effectively zero.

[NurseJackie]

188. He won't be our party's nominee.

[nini]

189. The result of being vetted this time

Not that I wasn't on to him back when.

[Gothmog]

192. This is interesting

Link to tweet

[Gothmog]

193. Warren leapfrogs Sanders in a new pair of 2020 polls

Link to tweet

[Cha]

194. Sure is.