June 03, 2016

Pressure Mounts On Bernie Sanders To End His Fight On June 8 Without California Upset

June 03, 2016/ Anne Enke

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."

“Commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et. Donec id elit non mi porta gravida at eget metus.”

— Jonathan L.

Hillary Clinton Headlines June 3, 2016

Enough with Bernie Sanders Washington Post

Clinton brings in $40 million in May Politico

How much of the pro-Bernie Sanders Vote is really anti-Clinton? Christian Science Monitor

Bernie's Wrecking Crew Politico

Donald Trump's'Secret': Americans Love Bullsh*t Peddlers and Miracle Cures The Daily Beast

Trump University's Star Student: 'It Was a Con' The Daily Beast

June 01, 2016

When Career Politician Bernie Sanders Slams 'The Establishment', It's Not Cool

June 01, 2016/ Anne Enke

When Bernie Sanders Slams the 'Establishment' It's Not Cool or Smart -- It's Just Lazy by Katherine Speller Bustle

"I believe Sanders has consistently made fair and valid points about the dangers of money and power in politics, but the efficacy of his arguments is eroded by how carelessly he and his campaign throw around the term "establishment." If everyone becomes the establishment — from life-long civil servants to advocacy groups — it becomes significantly harder to determine what the real threats and the real solutions are. Meanwhile, there are arguments that the label itself is sort of arbitrary — and that it could easily include the Vermont senator who had held on to his seats in Congress for decades.

As Phillip Bump wrote for the Washington Post, people like Sanders (and Sen. Ted Cruz — Rest In Pieces) who loudly rage against the machine of the "establishment" are sort of kidding themselves by drawing a line in the sand between their moral high-ground and other politicians:

The "establishment" is not a single ideological mass; it is the building that houses the bumper cars. Just because you're ramming your car against another part of the establishment doesn't mean you're not establishment, too.Likewise, there are arguments to be made that Sanders — a politician who has held on to his seat for decades is as much of a career-politician, insider as anyone else.

If everyone becomes the "establishment," it becomes significantly harder to envision a future where we're all collaborating with one another to determine what the real threats and the real solutions are to reach the lofty progressive goals. Due to how freely and indiscriminately Sanders tosses around the "establishment" label, it feels more and more like there's no room in the ‪#‎Revolution‬ for those who disagree on the exact means of reaching a very similar end."

Bernie Sander and Rigged Elections: Sometimes You Just Lose New York Times

Sanders has benefited from the caucus system; it’s a major reason he has been competitive. If Hillary Clinton had dominated caucuses instead of primaries, I suspect that he would have complained that caucuses were flawed — that they were less democratic than primaries and less accessible to the working class.

And if Sanders had dominated with Democrats and lost among independents, instead of the other way around, I suspect we wouldn’t be hearing calls from him to open more primaries to independents.

That’s just standard politics — any other candidate would have behaved the same way. And Sanders is far less of a finger-in-the-wind politician than many. But it goes against this general idea that his side is trying to convey: that he’s pure, that he’s above politics.

Elizabeth Warren to Endorse Hillary Clinton PoliticsUSA

Sen. Warren’s decision not to endorse Bernie Sanders in the primary was de facto assist to Hillary Clinton. All along I've expected Warren to endorse Clinton eventually, but she is wise to sit out the primary race before appealing to Sanders' supporters to support the Democratic ticket. There is no doubt that Elizabeth Warren will make a big and fiery speech at the Democratic convention. She may become the best voice in ripping Donald Trup to shreds.

Warren will endorse Clinton. I am positive of that fact after knowing that the two offices are regularly coordinating their messaging. When both Clinton and Warren went to town on Donald Trump last week, it was music to my ears. ~ Anne

Why I think Bernie Sanders Will Drop Out and Endorse Hillary Clinton Soon VOX

On June 8, Bernie Sanders will have to reformulate his power. His voice -- and perhaps Nina Turner's and Susan Sarandon's and Weaver et al -- will not be able to turn away the torrent of joy and sober realizations that Hillary has won.

Bernie can't do a Trump, telling the media to stop calling Hillary Clinton the presumptive Democratic nominee. Bernie hates the press, too (they all do and sometimes for good reason) but all the legs on his stool will have been cut off.

Thanks to last night's factual posts out of California breaking down the voting process and all the related info about what's been happening for a month out there -- specifics, not soaring rhetoric -- there is a TOTALLY VALID reason why Nate Silver says with 96% certainty that Hillary will win Calif.

Bernie says his win is based on turnout, but the vast majority of the vote will be in by June 7. And Hillary will be the winner, no matter how much suspense media -- and especially MSNBC -- is trying to manufacture in the days before the primary. ~ Anne