In recent days, we’ve heard a lot from Bernie Sanders and his surrogates about how he can still win the Democratic nomination even though he’s behind in pledged delegates, behind in superdelegates, and the primary calendar is quickly winding down.
Just last week, speaking to the National Press Club, Sanders laid out his strategy for winning the nomination, and it goes like this: If he fares well in the upcoming primaries, Sanders says he can greatly narrow the gap in pledged delegates with Hillary Clinton. That way, neither of them would have the necessary numbers to win the nomination outright without the weight of the so-called superdelegates. At that point, Sanders would go to the superdelegates and encourage them to back him on the basis that he would be a much stronger candidate in the fall election.
Sanders also said this on Sunday:
“If I win a state with 70 percent of the votes, you know what? I think I’m entitled to those superdelegates.”
Entitled? Sorry, Senator, but that’s not how it works. Also, it should be noted that Sanders has complained about the very concept of superdelegates from the beginning of the race when Clinton began racking up hundreds of them. Yet now Sanders wants to claim those same superdelegates as his own if he wins enough votes in a state.
Additionally, Sanders is only a recent convert to the Democratic Party. A lifelong Independent, Sanders now comes along and wants to complain about rules that have been in place for years in a party he semi-joined so he could seek the banner of an established political party.
Now before you start accusing me of being in the bag for Hillary Clinton, you should know these pertinent facts: I voted for Sanders in the Georgia Democratic primary and have donated to his campaign on five occasions. I love his message and what he stands for, but it’s time for him to bow out gracefully so the party can be unified for the upcoming fight against Donald Trump. Trump is now using Sanders’ attacks on Clinton for his own purposes, and this is dangerous to Democratic chances in November.
There is no path for Sanders to win the Democratic nomination. None. It will not happen. Now is the time for Sanders to dial back the attacks and step aside so the general election effort may begin. We should thank Sanders for what he has brought to this race, but we should also let him know it’s time for the pipe dream to end.
This article was originally published by the same author at LiberalAmerica.org.
Bernie doesnt like the whole “superdelegate” structure. Many of us don’t. Why should we? Superdelegates were created specifically to derail any grassroots movements that might take power from old guard establishment hack Democratic candidates. Unfortunately, though, pragmatism demands that the system be accepted as it is for now. So Bernie MUST lobby the superdelegates. He is the candidate more likely to hand Chump his head in the election. Clinton’s unfavorables are simply too large. Perhaps she should recognize that fact and be the one to bow out gracefully and unite ALL progressives to defeat Chump which for now she cannot do. At this point her campaign has absolutely succeeded in pissing off Bernie’s supporters and Green Party supporters, she will be unable to get them back. We despise her.