# Bernie Sanders won my vote all over again with his Fox News town hall performance



## Xzi (Apr 20, 2019)

This is something I've been intending to post about for a bit now, but it got kind of brushed aside amidst all the Mueller report news.  Last Monday Bernie went on Fox News for a town hall-style Q&A session.  It wasn't a debate, but Bernie seemingly won it anyway, bringing more and more of the crowd over to his side as it proceeded.  The hosts tried to take several swipes at him, of course, but they came away from it looking like idiots instead.  He takes on the topics of media coverage, big pharma, taxes, education, medicare-for-all, and more.  It is an hour long event without commercials, but I have to insist that if you're going to watch only one televised political event this year, you make it this one:

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Feel free to use this thread to discuss your preferred 2020 candidate(s) and debate their policy platforms as well.  As always, try to keep it civil.  For Republicans, do keep in mind that Trump has a primary challenger in Bill Weld, so your hands aren't completely tied with a single candidate:

https://www.businessinsider.com/tru...weld-one-man-crime-wave-mueller-report-2019-4


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## granville (Apr 20, 2019)

A lot of Bernie's core policies have very widespread appeal that transcend political parties in the general public.

A Reuters-Ipsos poll last year surveyed people on Medicare for All. They took nearly 3000 people, both Democrat and Republicans. As expected, the vast majority of Democrats were in support of it (85%). But the shocker was that 52% of Republicans favored it as well. Or perhaps it shouldn't be such a big shock given how generally hated America's broken health system is.

Most of the public also supports taxing the rich and breaking up of large monopolies and big banks as well. These were ironically once core policies of the Republican party a little over a century ago when Theodore Roosevelt was President.

There are obviously people he won't ever be able to win over. He'll obviously get no support from the super rich (even "liberal" mainstream media hates him). There's also a faction of people obsessively loyal to Trump no matter what he says or does, even when it hurts them.

But I think Bernie has the best odds of beating Trump (IF the DNC plays fair this time, and it's starting to look like a major concern again). He'll generally pull at least the same amount of hard-line loyal Democratic voters as any other Democrat would. But he'll also pull a ton of independent votes and/or people who often pass on voting altogether. He'll also probably sway some of the less hardcore Republicans over to his side too.


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## WD_GASTER2 (Apr 20, 2019)

He proved in under an hour that the rust belt can be taken back... easily. I am sure there were a lot of Fox pundits that had mild nervous breakdowns watching that town hall.


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## Joe88 (Apr 20, 2019)

The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.


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## WD_GASTER2 (Apr 20, 2019)

Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.


time will tell.


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## morvoran (Apr 20, 2019)

I'll bet that Bernie will have his party's nomination stolen from him again by the DNC, and he'll just sell out accept it like he did when the DNC gave Hillary the nomination back in 2016.  I'm sure either Harris or Buttleg will get the nomination.  Old white straight men need not apply when it comes to the Democrats.  In other words, don't get your hopes up if you are "feeling the Bern".



Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.



Creepy Uncle Joe will most likely not get the nomination due to his "hands on" approach with little girls.


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## x65943 (Apr 20, 2019)

Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.


They don't want Biden? What?

He's as establishment as it gets. I think they'd love a Biden.


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## WD_GASTER2 (Apr 20, 2019)

that being said this is a different ball game from 2016. lets see what happens.


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## Joe88 (Apr 20, 2019)

x65943 said:


> They don't want Biden? What?
> 
> He's as establishment as it gets. I think they'd love a Biden.


The problem is that they are both old straight white males, something the party of diversity doesnt want. I'm sure you noticed that hit piece a week or so ago about biden's inappropriate touching and a bunch of accusers came out.


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## Xzi (Apr 20, 2019)

Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.


Sanders the establishment doesn't want for obvious reasons, but where'd you get that about Biden?  I thought him and Buttigieg were the establishment favorites because they're more centrist?

Thankfully the Democratic primary system was changed during the 2016 convention.  In round 1 of primary voting, superdelegates have no say, it's up to the voters entirely.  It's only if nobody manages 50%+ after round 1 that it goes to round 2, which does involve superdelegates and thus could end up in a contentious fashion.  Regardless, if Bernie gets a clear majority over all his other opponents, they'll have to let him be the nominee or guarantee Trump's re-election.



Joe88 said:


> The problem is that they are both old straight white males, something the party of diversity doesnt want. I'm sure you noticed that hit piece a week or so ago about biden's inappropriate touching and a bunch of accusers came out.


Well, that's shit being kicked up from both the right as well as the left to smear him, but it likely will kill his chances in the long run, especially with younger voters.  Not that I mind too much...Biden's time has passed and I have to admit the dude is slightly creepy.  Let Bernie have his turn, and he can pick someone young but qualified as his VP.


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## granville (Apr 20, 2019)

Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.


The DNC does want Biden, he's the group's own preferred candidate. The problem is attempting to force the general public into wanting him. Thus far they are not doing so well. Which is why they've been floating various new models such as Beto and Buttigieg (among others). But in the DNC's ideal world, they still want Biden.

Biden has a lot of baggage that will really endanger his chances in the general (and even the primaries). We've already seen the touching issue and his old voting records on civil rights issues. More dirt is likely to come out with time, especially during the general when Republicans will be sifting through all of his records. He's also a poor debater and a bit of a dolt in general.

The DNC's relationship with Bernie Sanders is the polar inverse of Biden. Bernie is a serious threat to corporate interests, which also makes him a serious threat to the DNC and other establishment Democrats who have lucrative symbiotic relationships with these interests. If their goal was to beat Trump no matter the cost, Bernie is by far the best choice. But the DNC hates Bernie. To the point where I sometimes think they would rather Trump win again than risk a Sanders presidency.


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## Xzi (Apr 20, 2019)

granville said:


> The DNC outright hates Bernie. To the point where I sometimes seriously think they would rather Trump win again than risk a Sanders presidency.


Not so much the DNC itself, as it adopted several rule changes in 2016 proposed by Sanders and progressives, more so certain establishment insiders/elites.  The type that would rather see their health insurance stock increase in value than see more people insured.  Neo-cons, basically, just DINOs.


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## granville (Apr 20, 2019)

There are other ways the DNC can still screw over Bernie and others like him even with the power of the superdelegates neutered slightly. There was one particular passage in the new rules that is particularly troubling to me-

VI. Presidential Candidates

The term “presidential candidate” herein shall mean any person who, as determined by the National Chairperson of the Democratic National Committee... *is a bona fide Democrat whose record of public service, accomplishment, public writings and/or public statements affirmatively demonstrates that the candidate is faithful to the interests, welfare and success of the Democratic Party of the United States, and will participate in the Convention in good faith*...

Source for the full document:
https://democrats.org/wp-content/up...l-for-Convention-WITH-Attachments-2.26.19.pdf

The wording of this passage makes it seem like the DNC can actually exclude you from participating in the primaries and debates if their leaders decide you aren't a "real" Democrat. They could claim Bernie is at odds with the "interests and goals" of the party, and is participating in the DNC in a dishonest and insincere manner. 

Bernie HAS often attacked other Democratic politicians (and he has generally presented himself as an Independent), so it wouldn't surprise me if they tried to pull something like this.


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## Xzi (Apr 20, 2019)

granville said:


> They could exclude Bernie from running as a Democrat or participating in the debates. Doing so based on the claim that Bernie is not a "real" Democrat. That he is at odds with the "interests and goals" of the party, and is participating in the DNC in a dishonest and insincere manner.


That'd be a really hard sell to make with so many other progressives who have adopted many of his policy platforms also in the race.  But who knows, if this really is the darkest timeline then anything's possible.


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## Deleted User (Apr 20, 2019)

He should threaten to run independent like Trump did.


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## SG854 (Apr 20, 2019)

Bernie gives an unsatisfactory answer to the 2016 DNC rigging against him on Fox. Everyone knows the DNC rigged it against him with the Emails Assange released, only people deny it are the ones that ignore facts. Even Bernie doesn't push back against it because he knows its true, and tried to address it with the Super Delegates. He talks about the first round, but It's likely the Super Delegates will go to the Second Round. 


When Fox asked him about the second round he says he hopes they will be fair this time. He hopes they'll have a change of heart. Ya like that'll ever happen. The DNC is already cheating him right now. The are holding meetings right now to stop Bernie Sanders. The Establishment Democrats don't want Bernie and he's not stoping this in a satisfactory way. It's the Corporate Democrats not Trump that's the obstacle.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/16/us/politics/bernie-sanders-democratic-party.html




The part about Bernie saying the way to beat Trump in 2020 is to stop attacking Trump 24/7 because Democrats will loose. This is exactly what I've been saying for months, and Bernie Sanders gets it, and the crowd applauds because they know that. Only demented people with Trump Derangement Syndrome don't get it. It has to take a Bernie Sanders to say it for people to start to get it. I've been saying even before the Mueller Report came out to stop pushing the Russian Collusion story without any evidence because it will backfire, people will see Trump as a victim, and they will loose faith in media which will help Trump in 2020. That the Democratic Party is stupid for pushing this.


You would think with the report now out that people will wake up and learn their lesson but no, theres no learning with these people, and they are still pushing for impeachment and moving goal posts. With this stupid Russia Collusion Narrative Noam Chomsky said Democrats essentially gave Trump a huge gift and possible 2020 victory. What about College Debt? Or Global Warming? Do something useful, instead of Trump Trump Trump. No instead they are focusing all their attention on the stupid Trump impeachment like the deranged people they are. They are doing everything they can to ensure a Trump 2020 victory.


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## Hanafuda (Apr 20, 2019)

Joe88 said:


> The only problem is the DNC doesnt want either sanders or biden to get the nomination.



https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/poli...ce-of-the-democratic-party-in-2020/ar-BBW7KnG


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## Deleted User (Apr 21, 2019)

SG854 said:


> Bernie gives an unsatisfactory answer to the 2016 DNC rigging against him on Fox. Everyone knows the DNC rigged it against him with the Emails Assange released, only people deny it are the ones that ignore facts. Even Bernie doesn't push back against it because he knows its true, and tried to address it with the Super Delegates. He talks about the first round, but It's likely the Super Delegates will go to the Second Round.
> 
> 
> When Fox asked him about the second round he says he hopes they will be fair this time. He hopes they'll have a change of heart. Ya like that'll ever happen. The DNC is already cheating him right now. The are holding meetings right now to stop Bernie Sanders. The Establishment Democrats don't want Bernie and he's not stoping this in a satisfactory way. It's the Corporate Democrats not Trump that's the obstacle.
> ...


"Fuck John Key" helped John Key win the 2014 New Zealand election.


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