ON MESSAGING: Why Florida Democrats Can't Speak Their Truth (x-post)

[merrily]

1. The NRA has rated Sanders F and D-. So, he is by far not a rightist when it comes to guns.

As to some of his gun votes, he has explained that he feels the states can legislate. It's not a like patents, where, unless you have a patent under federal law, you basically have no patent at all. With weapons, states, like Congress, can go as far as the Supreme Court will let them. There is no reason why South Dakota has to have the exact same weapons laws as, say, Massachusetts. And, even in Massachusetts, Boston has good reason to be very restrictive; Northhampton maybe less so.

This is not comparable to or as dramatic as, being against equal marriage (until after Obama was for it) and pro ending "welfare as we know it" or deeming TPP "the gold standard." Or having Claire McCaskill announce on Morning Joe that Bernie is not a candidate media does or should take seriously because he "talks about 'entitlements.'"

The most progressive candidate? I don't think so.