Bernie Sanders, ‘I’d Be In It To Win It’
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders was on my radio show Tuesday night before the State of the Union address to give his take on what the president should say. He said all the Republicans do is “obstruct, obstruct, obstruct.” I asked him how someone as progressive as he got to be the raking member of the Senate Budget Committee. How does he feel about being referred to as a “long shot” candidate? And, if he were to run, he says it wouldn’t be to just pull the Democratic Party to the left or to score political points. Sanders says he’d be “in it to win it.”
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14 responses to Bernie Sanders, ‘I’d Be In It To Win It’
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FrankenPC . January 21st, 2015 at 20:15
My 2c: While I appreciate the POTUS’s ability to vet judges, the power to veto, and write executive orders, etc. I’m not entirely sure how in these toxic political times Sanders would really be of any use as POTUS. In other words, it would have to be the election to end all elections. Sanders would have to win and a surge of left wing voters would have to actually vote to replenish the left wings in Congress at the same time. And, unfortunately, he would have to appeal to centrist Republicans at the same time I think to be fully effective. I don’t think he’s that man. He’s a bit ahead of his time. By one or two presidencies maybe. In other words, we need to set the stage for a Sanders before a Sanders runs.
And Warren needs to stay right where she is. We need to fix the Senate AROUND her. Imagine that kind of Senate.
HIllary. She DOES appeal to centrists. She doesn’t terrify the left wing. She doesn’t IMPRESS them though. And I don’t think she has the credibility to tear the apathy out of the left wing voting base.
I don’t see another viable option. Because I don’t see another viable option, I would have to go with the default: Hillary. It would be another 4 year slog with a lack of vision hyper focused on money politics.
We just don’t have the right mix of candidates.
greenfloyd January 21st, 2015 at 22:51
My cents is 2016 may be the year the proverbial “3rd party” or more likely “Independent” may have a real shot at the White House. Be it Sanders or whoever, Obama is going to be a tough act to follow. Even though so much more needs to be done for social and economic justice in America, the president is doing a good job of laying the foundation upon which his successor can build. That’s going to be key in interviewing any prospective candidates who want the votes of independent voters who tend toward liberal or progressive politics. After two more years of gridlock, filibusterers and general do-nothingness in the House and Senate, I think the voting public will be in a “Throw the bums out,” mood.
FrankenPC . January 21st, 2015 at 22:56
I know I’m in a throw the bums out mood. Just need the right trigger.
greenfloyd January 22nd, 2015 at 00:28
That’s such a good point. Sooner rather than later a Democrat will have to announce his or her intentions and even more importantly make a move that leaves no doubt about “being in it to win,” as the Senaor said. That implies taking risks, like a certain audacious junior senator did when he stepped-down to campaign and win hearts and minds. So, if Sanders were to do something equally dramatic, would that be the trigger?
If he beat Hillary to the punch, it might steal some of her thunder. Perhaps make it a contested nomination. I do not rule out a place for Sanders as her VP, if he can swing the independent left and liberal/progressive Democrats into line. That’s not easy, although there’s an obvious trend. By 2016 approval ratings could be approaching negative territory, candidates will be fleeing association, if not indignant disdain of Big Party Politics.
Meanwhile Republicans look to be in even more disarray in finding a face that at least doesn’t repel women and minority voters. Their slogan seems to be, “Republicans: 20th Century answers, to 21st Century problems.”
FrankenPC . January 21st, 2015 at 21:15
My 2c: While I appreciate the POTUS’s ability to vet judges, the power to veto, and write executive orders, etc. I’m not entirely sure how in these toxic political times Sanders would really be of any use as POTUS. In other words, it would have to be the election to end all elections. Sanders would have to win and a surge of left wing voters would have to actually vote to replenish the left wings in Congress at the same time. And, unfortunately, he would have to appeal to centrist Republicans at the same time I think to be fully effective. I don’t think he’s that man. He’s a bit ahead of his time. By one or two presidencies maybe. In other words, we need to set the stage for a Sanders before a Sanders runs.
And Warren needs to stay right where she is. We need to fix the Senate AROUND her. Imagine that kind of Senate.
HIllary. She DOES appeal to centrists. She doesn’t terrify the left wing. She doesn’t IMPRESS them though. And I don’t think she has the credibility to tear the apathy out of the left wing voting base.
I don’t see another viable option. Because I don’t see another viable option, I would have to go with the default: Hillary. It would be another 4 year slog with a lack of vision hyper focused on money politics.
We just don’t have the right mix of candidates.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org January 21st, 2015 at 23:51
My cents is 2016 may be the year the proverbial “3rd party” or more likely “Independent” may have a real shot at the White House. Be it Sanders or whoever, Obama is going to be a tough act to follow. Even though so much more needs to be done for social and economic justice in America, the president is doing a good job of laying the foundation upon which his successor can build. That’s going to be key in interviewing any prospective candidates who want the votes of independent voters who tend toward liberal or progressive politics. After two more years of gridlock, filibusterers and general do-nothingness in the House and Senate, I think the voting public will be in a “Throw the bums out,” mood.
FrankenPC . January 21st, 2015 at 23:56
I know I’m in a throw the bums out mood. Just need the right trigger.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org January 22nd, 2015 at 01:28
That’s such a good point. Sooner rather than later a Democrat will have to announce his or her intentions and even more importantly make a move that leaves no doubt about “being in it to win,” as the Senaor said. That implies taking risks, like a certain audacious junior senator did when he stepped-down to campaign and win hearts and minds. So, if Sanders were to do something equally dramatic, would that be the trigger?
If he beat Hillary to the punch, it might steal some of her thunder. Perhaps make it a contested nomination. I do not rule out a place for Sanders as her VP, if he can swing the independent left and liberal/progressive Democrats into line. That’s not easy, although there’s an obvious trend. By 2016 approval ratings could be approaching negative territory, candidates will be fleeing association, if not indignant disdain of Big Party Politics.
Meanwhile Republicans look to be in even more disarray in finding a face that at least doesn’t repel women and minority voters. Their slogan seems to be, “Republicans: 20th Century answers, to 21st Century problems.”
jstsmlbrlcnsrvtvguy January 21st, 2015 at 23:17
Bernie! Bernie!! Bernie!!!
Boehner-Monkey January 21st, 2015 at 23:39
Yer five foot nothin, a hundred and nuthin’ — ain’t got a speck of capitalist ability yet you hung with some of the biggest DoucheBags in the political game, in this life you ain’t got nuthin to prove to nobody!
jstsmlbrlcnsrvtvguy January 22nd, 2015 at 00:17
Bernie! Bernie!! Bernie!!!
Boehner Monkey January 22nd, 2015 at 00:39
Yer five foot nothin’, two hundred and sumthin’ — ain’t got a speck of Capitalist ability yet you hung with some of the biggest douchebags in the political game, in this life you ain’t got nuthin’ to prove to nobody!
bpollen January 22nd, 2015 at 03:09
He may be in it to win it. But I don’t think he’s going to win. What I DO think he is going to do is to create pressure on the corpo-Dems toward a more populist stance. That can’t be all bad.
bpollen January 22nd, 2015 at 04:09
He may be in it to win it. But I don’t think he’s going to win. What I DO think he is going to do is to create pressure on the corpo-Dems toward a more populist stance. That can’t be all bad.