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2016 Postmortem
In reply to the discussion: Attacks that would have been used effectively on Sanders if he were the Democratic nominee [View all]Gothmog
(171,980 posts)34. There was a ton of good oppo on Sanders including tapes of his college course
        Sanders would have been killed by the oppo research Trump had an oppo book on Sanders that was two feet thick.  http://www.newsweek.com/myths-cost-democrats-presidential-election-521044
They ignored the fact that Sanders had not yet faced a real campaign against him. Clinton was in the delicate position of dealing with a large portion of voters who treated Sanders more like the Messiah than just another candidate. She was playing the long gameattacking Sanders strongly enough to win, but gently enough to avoid alienating his supporters. Given her overwhelming support from communities of colorfor example, about 70 percent of African-American voters cast their ballot for herClinton had a firewall that would be difficult for Sanders to breach....
So what would have happened when Sanders hit a real opponent, someone who did not care about alienating the young college voters in his base? I have seen the opposition book assembled by Republicans for Sanders, and it was brutal. The Republicans would have torn him apart. And while Sanders supporters might delude themselves into believing that they could have defended him against all of this, there is a name for politicians who play defense all the time: losers....
The Republicans had at least four other damning Sanders videos (I dont know what they showed), and the opposition research folder was almost 2-feet thick. (The section calling him a communist with connections to Castro alone would have cost him Florida.) In other words, the belief that Sanders would have walked into the White House based on polls taken before anyone really attacked him is a delusion built on a scaffolding of political ignorance.
So what would have happened when Sanders hit a real opponent, someone who did not care about alienating the young college voters in his base? I have seen the opposition book assembled by Republicans for Sanders, and it was brutal. The Republicans would have torn him apart. And while Sanders supporters might delude themselves into believing that they could have defended him against all of this, there is a name for politicians who play defense all the time: losers....
The Republicans had at least four other damning Sanders videos (I dont know what they showed), and the opposition research folder was almost 2-feet thick. (The section calling him a communist with connections to Castro alone would have cost him Florida.) In other words, the belief that Sanders would have walked into the White House based on polls taken before anyone really attacked him is a delusion built on a scaffolding of political ignorance.
Trump would have destroyed Sanders in the general election
The videos of Sanders college courses where he praised communist leaders would be easy to cut into great negative ads in the real world
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                        Attacks that would have been used effectively on Sanders if he were the Democratic nominee [View all]
							Fast Walker 52
							Jan 2017
							OP
                        
        
        that is a different issue, but I think she was a better candidate overall than Bernie
        Fast Walker 52
        Jan 2017
        #4
      
        
        environmental racist-- meaning his environmental policies might preferentially affect minorities?
        Fast Walker 52
        Jan 2017
        #12
      
        
        a lot of those things just don't have the power they used to, and I think Sanders could have
        JCanete
        Jan 2017
        #16
      
        
        I don't think we should under-estimate the power of rightwing bullshit after this past election
        Fast Walker 52
        Jan 2017
        #24
      
        
        Sanders was treated with kid gloves by the Clinton campaign and there was a ton of material
        Gothmog
        Jan 2017
        #17
      
        
        I don't mind the current system that allows exceptions for the life and health for the mother or
        bettyellen
        Jan 2017
        #36
      
        
        I don't think it's weird. I believe it should be between a woman and her doctor
        NWCorona
        Jan 2017
        #38
      
        
        I think it's weird because it has zero support and would be a lightening rod for those religious
        bettyellen
        Jan 2017
        #42
      
        
        I can see it being a lightning rod as well but it's not like they would vote for him anyway
        NWCorona
        Jan 2017
        #43
      
        
        Well they would have used anything they could find.  Unfortunately it's a big one for those
        bettyellen
        Jan 2017
        #50
      
        
        What is it with this forum????  For some reason it's mired in looking behind rather than ahead.
        Vinca
        Jan 2017
        #29
      
        
        This is nothing new and would only impact those that wouldn't have voted for him anyway.
        NWCorona
        Jan 2017
        #37
      
        
        Sanders was never vetted and so none of these materials had been used against Sanders
        Gothmog
        Jan 2017
        #44
      
        
        I never said that they wouldn't make effective ads I don't think they would have had
        NWCorona
        Jan 2017
        #46
      
        
        That is because Sanders was running for media coverage and his efforts hurt the Democratic party
        Gothmog
        Jan 2017
        #60
      
        
        Maybe, but matchup polls said Hillary would lose to Trump and she did. They said Bernie would win.
        aikoaiko
        Jan 2017
        #41
      
        
        The fact is, he generally outperformed Hillary in the rust belt, in the primaries.
        Warren DeMontague
        Jan 2017
        #39
      
        
        Attack Attack attack..but just remember if Bernie Sanders had been the nominee we would
        INdemo
        Jan 2017
        #55
      
        
        so in your mind, why do you think "DNC / DWS put their boot on Sanders campaign"?
        Fast Walker 52
        Jan 2017
        #63
      
  