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A question for those promoting Sanders as a challenger to Obama

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onenote Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:04 PM
Original message
A question for those promoting Sanders as a challenger to Obama
Why Bernie? Why not Kucinich? Or Tammy Baldwin? Or Grayson? Or Maxine Waters? Or Barney Frank? Or Raul Grijalva? Or Sheila Jackson-Lee?

After all, if you're willing to back someone who can't win, why Bernie over any of these other progressives who can't win?
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Armstead Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:07 PM
Response to Original message
1. I don't support a run by Sanders....But...
Edited on Sat Jul-23-11 02:08 PM by Armstead
Of all those you mentioned, Sanders has the ability to sell a progressive populist message to average people, and he is also a skilled political operator. (he is so popular in Vermont, the GOP seldom bothers to run a serious candidate against him, and they DO elect Re;publicans there at times).

Unlike Kucinich and Grayson, he knows where to go up to the line without going off the deep end.
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Smarmie Doofus Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:11 PM
Response to Reply #1
4. +1. Except I do support a Sanders run.
In short, he's a more savvy politician.
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Cleita Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:08 PM
Response to Original message
2. Kucinich, although I have worked for and supported
him every time he ran for election cannot win. Another supporter once said he looks like an elf and that's what makes people ignore him basically. Some of the others won't make the grade either for appearance or personality reasons. I would like to see Barbara Boxer challenge him, although she probably wouldn't, because she has the appearance and experience to be a real threat to him. Bernie does also.
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leveymg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:09 PM
Response to Original message
3. It's an expression of frustration. Not many really expect a primary challenge.
Edited on Sat Jul-23-11 02:11 PM by leveymg
Bernie is as upper-left quadrant as one can be in elected Washington. Just speaking as another insider-outsider, here.

The real impact of Obama's move to the right will be slow refusal of many of us who worked many months to get him elected to knock doors and make calls again for him and the other Blue Doggies on the slate.
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Armstead Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:12 PM
Response to Reply #3
5. He reaklly isn;t that far out there...Just a traditionalk populist liberal
But the corporate-conservative "centrist" Democrats have helped to push the political vector so far to the Corporate Right Wing that he only seems out of touch when compared to most of the bozos in Washington.
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onenote Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:19 PM
Response to Reply #5
6. He labels himself a socialist. That puts him "out there" for most voters in this country
It's naive to think otherwise.
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Armstead Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:25 PM
Response to Reply #6
8. That's just a label....Doesn't bother Vermont rednecks who keep voting for him
Edited on Sat Jul-23-11 02:25 PM by Armstead
....and yes there are rednecks and other conservative types there too.
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leveymg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:28 PM
Response to Reply #8
9. A Vermont redneck farmer may be somewhere to the Left of an Austin, Texas liberal lawyer
I get the feeling. Or, are we all just being marginalized and divided by a hostile corporate media and proto-fascist political Establishment?
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Armstead Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:33 PM
Response to Reply #9
10. Living a few miles from Vermont, I can tekll you that...
Edited on Sat Jul-23-11 02:36 PM by Armstead
The blue-collar guys who work (or worked) in places like the Bennington Vt. battery factory, and your average local chamber of commerce member, etc. are not much different than their counterparts in other parts of the country.

In some respects, Vermont actually has a very strong libertarian individualistic streak running through it, and many people are conservative in the traditional honest sense of the word.

But also, yes we are all "just being marginalized and divided by a hostile corporate media and proto-fascist political Establishment." (Your mileage may vary.)
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leveymg Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:45 PM
Response to Reply #10
13. I've spent time up there. If I had stayed in the Boston area after school, I'd probably be a Bernie
Edited on Sat Jul-23-11 03:01 PM by leveymg
voter. That would be a good thing. Perhaps, I may still have the chance.

I am also a libertarian and conservative (and socialist) in that sense.
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William769 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:23 PM
Response to Original message
7. I say all of them!
This is a democracy after all, isn't it?
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rucky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:35 PM
Response to Reply #7
12. Amen!
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rucky Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Jul-23-11 02:34 PM
Response to Original message
11. He mentioned on Thom Hartmann that he'd consider it.
apparently.
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snot Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 12:32 PM
Response to Original message
14. I'll gladly support Sanders AND Kucinich AND Grayson AND Frank and others.
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polichick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 01:17 PM
Response to Original message
15. It's bullshit that a progressive can't win. Just takes the right messenging...
...because, when questioned without labels, Americans like progressive policies.
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onenote Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 04:48 PM
Response to Reply #15
18. So why have progressive candidates been unable to "message"
even to Democrats, let alone to independents? Was Kucinich's problem one of "messaging"?
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polichick Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 04:53 PM
Response to Reply #18
19. imo his problem was one of style and entrenched power...
It would definitely take a special kind of candidate to skirt the powers-that-be, but the problem has never been progressive policies, just the words used to describe those policies. I'd like to see a tough, straight-talking candidate coupled with a first-rate communications/pr team.
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woo me with science Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 01:34 PM
Response to Original message
16. I think people would be happy with any liberal challenger. Bernie has spoken for us, eloquently,
Edited on Sun Jul-24-11 01:35 PM by woo me with science
which is why his name keeps coming up. Remember the filibuster at the end of last year?

Of course people flock to someone who expresses their fear and rage and the truth about what they are facing, when nobody else seems to be paying attention.
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cloudythescribbler Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sun Jul-24-11 03:08 PM
Response to Original message
17. Bernie Sanders said SOMEONE should run -- he should be like Al Lowenstein, asking ...
around for possible candidates

As a socialist, I'd say we'd probably do better w/a candidate NOT a declared socialist as that is not the issue here

A candidate should run against Obama and make a list of demands for his supporters to support Obama, and negotiate that at the convention

The primary focus of the campaign should be on how the top 1% of income earners have nearly TRIPLED their PROPORTION of national income (from about 9% in 1979 to about 1/4 today and rising) and let those extra TRILLIONS be TAXED to balance the budget. His or her candidacy (Tammy Baldwin or Maxine Waters would be fine candidates) could put that issue into mainstream view.
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