Democratic insiders to Bernie: Win California or get out Politico

If Bernie Sanders fails to win the California primary next Tuesday, he should immediately end his long-shot campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, even before the voting concludes the following week in the District of Columbia.

Democratic members of The POLITICO Caucus — a panel of activists, strategists and operatives in 10 key battleground states — say that if Bernie Sanders loses the California primary next Tuesday, he should get out of the race. Nearly 80 percent said that a loss in California, combined with Hillary Clinton’s virtually insurmountable delegate advantage, should end his campaign, with only 21 percent saying that Sanders should take his campaign to the District’s June 14 primary.

The Poitico article was written before Hillary Clinton's masterful anti-Trump speech in San Diego Thursday afternoon. Now that Hillary totally knocked the ball over the fence in her Trump takedown, the vast majority of Democrats want to rally around her and turn the campaign loose, while Trump is wobbling on how to respond. Trump is not accustomed to being the center of the Clinton attack machine, and Hillary has definitely done her due diligence on Donald and also recalibrated her own delivery style.

“This race has been over for a long time. It's time for Bernie to prove that he is really a Democrat by getting out of the race and enthusiastically endorsing Hillary Clinton,” said a Florida Democrat, who, like all respondents, completed the survey anonymously. “The stakes are too high for Bernie to continue to pretend he has a chance.”

Trump Takes On 'Morning Joe'

Trump declares that 'Morning Joe' has 'lost their way' Politico

If there is one show that MADE Donald Trump it's 'Morning Joe'. But Politico writes that Donald just doesn't feel the love anymore.

I watched coquette Mika Brzezinski scramble her brains this am for 2 minutes before turning the channel. She certainly wasn't articulate in that short time -- preferring her usual one or two word sighs that offer deference to her boys club table. Mika is the champion sigher on morning TV.

Mika Brzezinski has no love for Hillary Clinton and we have no idea how she will handle having her beloved Bernie out of the race. But Politico reports that Mika actually spoke in coherent sentences this morning, articulating her response to Hillary's awesome speech:

“When I watched that speech, I sat up straight and I listened to every word. I thought that was incredible. It totally resonated,” Brzezinski said. “No one has been able to do this. Everything she said cut. Everything she said was true. Everything she said completely resonated. It was the most devastating attack on Donald Trump that we have seen so far.”

To be accurate, the 'Morning Joe' ratings are up. I would argue largely to their Trump relationship. But since I refuse to watch the Hillary-hate-fest, I really can't talk about the current state of the show. Except that when I give it the 2 minute test, Mika Brzezinski is always sighing and being the good listener to the primarily white men at the table.

As for Hillary and 'Morning Joe'. I wish she never spoke to them again, but she is the astute politician, and -- of course -- Hillary will tune in. ~ Anne

Bern Out!

Bernie's superdelegate moon shot Politico

Politico lays out the math and Bernie's way forward in stark terms. What's so unfortunate about Bernie's promises is that millions of people believe him, starting with his chief strategist Jane Sanders.

Did Tad Devine bite the dust? At least he has positive relationships with other Democrats. Bernie must accomplish this moonshot when he has no real ties (or respect) among the superdelegates, i.e. the Democratic establishment.

"A POLITICO analysis of the Democratic delegate math reveals that even under a best case scenario where Sanders sweeps the nine remaining contests and picks up every undecided superdelegate still on the board, the Vermont senator would still need to convince nearly 200 Hillary Clinton superdelegates to bolt from her camp — a feat of political engineering that would make the moon landing look like a walk in the park."