Bernie Sanders Is No Barack Obama (...great news for Hillary Clinton) [stalking horse alert]

US News & World Report ^ | 5/1/15 | Susan Milligan

[markomalley]

Barack Obama was the worst thing to happen to Hillary Clinton in 2008. Bernie Sanders may be the best thing to happen to her as she embarks on her second bid for the presidency.

Sanders, an independent U.S. Senator from Vermont, announced his candidacy this week for the Democratic nomination for president. Like Obama in 2008, Sanders can serve to help define Clinton and make her a stronger candidate. Unlike Obama, Sanders can keep Clinton on her game without getting her tossed out of it. And here’s how:

• He’s Elizabeth Warren. But he’s not. Warren, the Massachusetts freshman Senator beloved by progressives, is an important voice on such matters as income inequality and still-too-big-to-fail banks that continue to threaten consumers. If Warren were in the race, she would force all candidates – not just Clinton – to give more than lip service to those issues. The problem for Clinton is that Warren would be a genuine threat. The Bay Stater would not likely win a primary against Clinton (which Warren has made clear she never wanted to do, anyway), but a primary would damage Clinton. Progressives would be wounded over the loss and disappointed with the winner, much as conservatives were unhappy with Mitt Romney in 2012. Sanders can raise those issues and keep them in the news, but without being a real threat to Clinton’s almost certain ascension to the nomination.
• He’s not a Democrat. Sanders is an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, which makes him the perfect person to serve the same role in a campaign he serves in the caucus. He can be a rabble-rouser (in the best sense of the word), rallying a certain wing of the party. His role as an independent means he’ll always be an outsider among the Democrats. That gives the Democratic field the veneer of being anti-establishment, without actually dividing the party. You can’t really divide a party if you’re not a member of it.
• He’s pro-gun. Or, pro-Second Amendment, if one prefers. That position makes sense in a state like Vermont, with its hunters and sportsmen. And while Clinton does not share Sanders’ views on the matter, his very presence in the race dilutes the idea that Democrats and their ilk are singularly focused on running around the country and taking people’s guns away.
• He’ll never stop talking about campaign finance reform. This is an issue that desperately needs more attention, including from candidates who are increasingly losing control of their own campaigns to rogue super PACs. And nearly everyone is frustrated by it; no candidate enjoys having to raise pots of money or deal with the messaging done by PACS that cannot, by law, coordinate with the candidate. The problem is, you can’t win unless you raise a lot of money, so making campaign finance reform an issue always looks disingenuous when you’re running for president (see: Barack Obama in 2008, when he broke an earlier pledge to take federal matching funds and accept the limits that come with it). Sanders won’t raise as much money, and will have the credibility to talk about this critical issue and keep it in the minds of voters.
• He’ll make the Democratic race about more than Clinton. Clinton’s advantage – but now, more her disadvantage – is that the entire media dialogue about the Democratic primary race is about her. It’s about deleted emails, funds raised by her family’s foundation and her performance after the Benghazi tragedy. The Republicans, meanwhile, are sharing the scrutiny, and are covered in the context of being rivals for the nomination. Having Sanders in changes the storyline for Clinton, and takes the heat off a bit. His presence makes the narrative more about a horse race. But at the same time, he will make the race about issues, particularly those that otherwise might not get raised.

Barack Obama he’s not. And that’s great for Hillary Clinton.

[markomalley]

Obviously written from a DemonRAT POV, but it does raise an interesting question...whether Bernie is acting as an intentional stalking horse to keep the Hildabeast in the news.

[ETL]

2006: Obama on stage gushing praise for open Socialist Bernie Sanders
YouTube ^ | August 2006

[gusty]

He’s even older and more decrepit than she is, if that is possible.

[Gay State Conservative]

Ten bucks says that he was a given a “silver or lead” offer.They probably have something on him (a fondness for young boys perhaps).His presence is meant to make the Former Twelfth Lady look “moderate” at crunch time.

[Vendome]

Heard Wilcow doing a hilarious impersonation of Sanders this morning and someone called in thinking it was Sanders and Wilcow kept it going.

Probably a setup gag but, funny as hell...

[elcid1970]

Comrade Bernie is 73, humorless, and inclined to condescend to & lecture those who don’t completely agree with his brand of socialism, very much like the late unmissed Pope Mario Cuomo the Pious.

When Cuomo failed to convince someone within exactly ONE minute that he was right & they were wrong, he would sneer, “Who CARES what you think!!?” and storm off.

Comrade Bernie meets any criticism of socialism (inefficiency, PC, labor camps, class warfare, etc.) with an unchanging refrain:

“True socialism hasn’t even been TRIED yet!!!”

Solzhenitsyn would disagree, but then he’s just a dead reactionary.

[Taxman]

Bernie is a LIEberal/Socialist/Marsixt/Fascist JERK!

And, he is insane!

[ROCKLOBSTER]

He’s not a Democrat. Sanders is an independent

Yeah, he's just another Socialist. DemocRAT, progressive, socialist....same, same, same.

[Luke21]

A socialist? A communist? No one is too far left or idiotic for these media kooks, but Ted Cruz is the anti-christ.

[Steely Tom]

Someone for Hillary to get to the right of.

[stylin19a]

He’s pro-gun. Or, pro-Second Amendment, if one prefers. That position makes sense in a state like Vermont, with its hunters and sportsmen.

breathtaking in its asininity

[LegendHasIt]

Well, at least he isn’t a muslim.

[Impy]

He’s pro-gun.

Gun Owners of America gives him the lifetime grade of "F". At least he has Pat Leahy's "F -", beat.

[TBP]

No he isn’t but Elizabeth Warren could be — and Sanders is the best weapon to derail her.

[NFHale]

Sanders is only “Pro-Gun” when it comes to him and his elites owning them, and of course “Der STAAT” having them.

He’s a Socialist. One good bearshit away from an out and out Communist.

You’re right - “he’s no Obama” - he’s open about it.

[fieldmarshaldj]

It's funny. Boiney is the Conservative Senator from the Green Vomit State.

[Impy]

Funny. And sad, that a man who will admit he’s a socialist is slightly to the right of the leader of the rat party in his state.

[NFHale]

He’s not to the right, brother.

They’re on the same page. It’s a con to con stupid people, just like “Il Douchie” did to get elected, twice.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Bernie is a SUPERflake.We are sinking fast, folks.