I agree with you. The Democrats want a clean slate going into 2024. There will be no more Comrade Sanders, Shrillary, or Slow Mo Joe to worry about. A big loss in November with Bernie as the nominee would also cripple AOC, the Squad and the other young commie insurgents. The “Old” Guard Democrats will be able to reclaim the RAT throne and run someone like Moochelle for the president the next time around.
Strategically, letting Breadline Bernie be the nominee and get slaughtered by Trump would be the wisest thing to do. They could then beat the hardcore commies over the head with it for at least a generation.
BUT
The balance of the Supreme Court for at least a generation is up for grabs in the next 4 years. You’ve got to figure Clarence Thomas will retire. When that happens, there will be a block of 4 strict constructionists who are the youngest justices on the court. Then there’s Ruth Buzzard....and the Wide Latina....and old man Breyer. If Trump gets to replace a couple of those which seems probable, he could leave the court with a block of 6 young Strict Constructionists who would be around for decades. All those unconstitutional gun grabs.....a lot of onerous environmental regs which hugely impair property values but which the government doesn’t have to compensate the land owners for and on and on. Blown away.
That’s a stiff price for them.
But that costs them four years of Trump Unchained. The Judiciary, and some of their sorry asses are in the balance. You can’t have do-or-die AND a sacrificial ticket.