2020 Democratic Primary

[Cristalle]

The next debate will have just Bernie, Joe and Elizabeth. This is going to be uncomfortable for two of them.

Tulsi Gabbard might be there, because of gaining a delegate in American Samoa.

 

[Innula Zenovka]

If the eventual outcome is a brokered convention -- that is, no candidate has gained an absolute majority of delegates -- and the superdelegates' votes come into play, then what do people think should happen?

In particular, should these superdelegates select the candidate who has gained the plurality of delegates, be it Biden or Sanders, regardless of their personal preferences, or should other considerations come into play?

 

[Jolene Benoir]

If the eventual outcome is a brokered convention -- that is, no candidate has gained an absolute majority of delegates -- and the superdelegates' votes come into play, then what do people think should happen?

In particular, should these superdelegates select the candidate who has gained the plurality of delegates, be it Biden or Sanders, regardless of their personal preferences, or should other considerations come into play?

I, personally, think that they should follow the will of the people. Anything else smells of back office deals.

 

[Pamela]

If the eventual outcome is a brokered convention -- that is, no candidate has gained an absolute majority of delegates -- and the superdelegates' votes come into play, then what do people think should happen?

In particular, should these superdelegates select the candidate who has gained the plurality of delegates, be it Biden or Sanders, regardless of their personal preferences, or should other considerations come into play?

I see no reason not to give the win to the One with most votes, but if that is the policy what are the superdelgates even for?

 

[Essence Lumin]

I think it should go to whoever gets the most votes. However what I think doesn't matter. If Bernie got the most votes they will definitely override it.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Fucking eyerolls are annoying. Cris should get rid of that emoji. If you have something to say stand up for yourself and say it.

 

[Jolene Benoir]

Fucking eyerolls are annoying. Cris should get rid of that emoji. If you have something to say stand up for yourself and say it.

Oh, I'm sorry. Your post wasn't worthy of anything other than an eyeroll, imo.

I don't think I've ever been accused of not standing up for myself. New one.

 

[Zaida Gearbox]

If the eventual outcome is a brokered convention -- that is, no candidate has gained an absolute majority of delegates -- and the superdelegates' votes come into play, then what do people think should happen?

In particular, should these superdelegates select the candidate who has gained the plurality of delegates, be it Biden or Sanders, regardless of their personal preferences, or should other considerations come into play?

Then Tulsi Gabbard will get the nomination. Seriously! *takes bow* I'm here all week.


I think Essence is right - the establishment hates Bernie - and if he has the most votes, but not enough so the superdelegates don't come into play - they will override it.

 

[Shiloh Lyric]

Fucking eyerolls are annoying. Cris should get rid of that emoji. If you have something to say stand up for yourself and say it.

Any other demands?

 

[Cristiano]

I think it should go to whoever gets the most votes. However what I think doesn't matter. If Bernie got the most votes they will definitely override it.

Remember when Bernie was fine with superdelegates as long as they helped him out? Pepperidge Farm remembers:

Sanders Campaign Now Embraces Superdelegates As Key To Nomination

In a sharp contrast to earlier in the campaign, the Sanders team now hopes superdelegates will see him as the better Democratic candidate and support him ahead of the convention.

www.npr.org

 

[Anya Ristow]

Insurance and pharma stocks are surging today, outpacing the general market rally by 2x-4x.

 

[Anya Ristow]

I see no reason not to give the win to the One with most votes, but if that is the policy what are the superdelgates even for?

Historically they've voted with the will of the people. They've had the luxury of doing so because only acceptable candidates have made it to the convention. During much of the 2016 cycle I assumed this would continue to be true and made a couple facebook posts stating that superdelegates didn't matter much and we should ignore the media including them in the delegate counts.

Then I wised up.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Yeah the "Warren took thousands of progressive votes from Bernie" thing not only doesn't pan out considering Warren's own numbers (some of which would have gone to Biden, not Bernie), but also when you consider that Bloomberg took thousands of centrist votes from Biden, and actually out-performed Warren in many Biden-winning states.

Just for one example, Bloomberg's poorest showing was 8% in Minnesota, that "contested liberal state" - but Biden+Bloomberg still beats Sanders+Warren there. In fact, if we do that across the board - give all Bloomberg's votes to Biden, in addition to giving all Warren's votes to Sanders - it looks like you only meaningfully flip a single state, Massachusetts. Maine is still considered too close to call right now, but in the best case while it does switch from a very narrow Biden victory to a very narrow Sanders victory, this "gain" disappears because Biden would take more delegates away from Sanders in California and Texas than Bernie gains by flipping Maine. So nah, it doesn't work out. Biden didn't win all these states because the progressive vote was split, he won because he is genuinely more popular with the base in those states.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Remember when Bernie was fine with superdelegates as long as they helped him out? Pepperidge Farm remembers:

Sanders Campaign Now Embraces Superdelegates As Key To Nomination

In a sharp contrast to earlier in the campaign, the Sanders team now hopes superdelegates will see him as the better Democratic candidate and support him ahead of the convention.

www.npr.org

lol

This looks worse on Sanders' supporters than it does on Sanders, imo. They've spent so much time putting down superdelegates this campaign, but there's a growing possibility they might have to start kissing up.

I realize that hindsight is always 20/20, but maybe spending months railing against the Democratic Party was not the best strategy for winning the hearts and minds of Democratic Party supporters; and/or constantly putting down and gatekeeping other candidates' supporters wasn't the best strategy for winning the votes of those supporters when their candidates dropped out.

It's a mistake that might continue to hurt. Many of Bernie's supporters also constantly put down the whole idea of "Blue No Matter Who", which is suicidally ignorant considering that a nommed Bernie cannot beat Trump in November without the Blue No Matter Who vote.

 

[Aribeth Zelin]

A lot of progressives aren't voting for Warren because they believe, apparently, that 'Only Bernie has done things for normal people', that only Bernie is for M4A, that Warren is a corporate shill, that Warren is a centrist... And then all the people voting for Biden because they are being told 'only biden' can defeat twitler. Byt media often times owned by Sinclair Media - the people who make Faux look liberal.

 

[Aeon Jiminy]

lol
This looks worse on Sanders' supporters than it does on Sanders, imo. They've spent so much time putting down superdelegates this campaign, but there's a growing possibility they might have to start kissing up.

Please fawn some more over the power that superdelegates have to bring the working class to heel for your amusement.

 

[Katheryne Helendale]

Ugh. This thread got toxic fast.

I think you're right. There are other places more appropriate for this dirty Brit to more freely express views on American politicians, and where it wont hurt people to do so. This is obviously not working for either of us.

Ishina, we haven't often agreed on things, but I still value your take on things, and would miss seeing you around here. Yeah, it may be American politics, but sometimes a fresh set of eyes and an "outsider's" perspective is badly needed.

 

[Dakota Tebaldi]

Please fawn some more over the power that superdelegates have to bring the working class to heel for your amusement.

This is exactly the kind of thing I'm talking about.

If Bernie Sanders ends up tied by the convention, or even ends up actually behind by a point or two, but squeaks out a win via superdelegates, you are not going to have a single moral or ethical criticism of Bernie's nomination.

 

[Anya Ristow]

If Bernie Sanders ends up tied by the convention, or even ends up actually behind by a point or two, but squeaks out a win via superdelegates, you are not going to have a single moral or ethical criticism of Bernie's nomination.

Not actually possible, so...sure!

FWIW I believe a brokered convention is actually unlikely at this point. It'd have to be close enough that the delegates that Pete, Mike, Amy and Elizabeth have already gotten would make a difference. Possible, but more likely one of the two frontrunners will win it outright. There are currently 138 non-frontrunner delegates won. Out of almost 4000.

 

[Essence Lumin]

Fucking eyerolls are annoying. Cris should get rid of that emoji. If you have something to say stand up for yourself and say it.

Cris gave me a disagree emoji for that post so that's settled!