Your 11 March Democrat Primary Scorecard by Larry C Johnson

Will Bernie's stinking corpse be buried on Tuesday, March 10 or will he be resurrected like a Harry Potter Phoenix? At this point pundits are predicting that Bernie will be beaten like a drum in the hands of a sugar-fueled five year old. But if Biden's prospective Michigan voters (they are an older crowd) decide to stay home because of fears of contracting the corona virus, then Bernie the Commie could sneak away with a confounding win. 

As I noted in my last commentary on the Primaries, Joe Biden needs to win 52% of the delegates going forward to nail down the nomination and avoid a brokered convention. Keep that number in mind as the results trickle in.

As a reminder, Bernie won a total of 248 delegates from these states in 2016. If he meets or exceeds that number he's a big winner. If he falls short, get out the shovels and prep the political grave. Look at the following results tomorrow morning, the 11th, to know which way the race is headed.

Idaho--This was an open caucus in 2016. Bernie garnered 78% of the votes in that contest.

 

Michigan (Open primary)

Bernie 2016 -- 598,943 (49.7%)

Hillary 2016 -- 581,775 (48.3%)

Mississippi (Open primary)

Bernie 2016 --   37,748 (16.6%)

Hillary 2016 -- 187,334 (82.5%)

Missouri (Open primary)

Bernie 2016 -- 310,711(49.4%)

Hillary 2016 -- 312,285 (49.6%)

North Dakota

Bernie 2016 --This was a caucus and Bernie won 64.2% of the caucus awarded delegates.

Hillary 2016 -- 

Washington

Bernie 2016 -- This was an open caucus and Bernie won 72.7% of the caucus votes.

Hillary 2016 -- 

 

Comments

[Larry Johnson]

James,
This has nothing to do about personal feelings of dislike for Bernie. I despise his politics and his hypocrisy, but I'm looking at the empirical facts. Does not have a damn thing to do with my feelings about him. If he scoops up more delegates tomorrow than he did in 2016 then he is a big winner. If he does less, he's a loser. You may be a Canuck, but that does not mean you are devoid of reason does it?

[Ken]

Wow. If you’re at the point that calling a democratic socialist a Commie is acceptable, no rational debate is possible. It’s McCarthyism. Let’s just call each other names.

[Larry Johnson]

Ken,
Get a damn sense of humor. But the fact that Bernie honeymooned in the COMMUNIST Soviet Union and extolled the virtues of Fidel Castro for years is not a Republican talking point. Deal with reality instead of rolling around in your lefty fantasy world.

[Richard Gabrio]

Funny stuff! Bernie a "Commie?" Gee, maybe he was "infected" with that dread disease 40+ years ago and is a secret spy or something. And weren't the virtues he claimed about Fidel related to Cuba's education program? Anyway, Bernie is neither a Commmie nor even a socialist -- the kind of socialist that would put the means of production under control of the "gubmint." Bernie is really a 21st Century FDR New Dealer who wants the kinds of things for the public that most advanced nations around the world provide to their citizens: healthcare, public education thru college, childcare, paid sick leave, etc.

[Fred]

Richard Gabrio,

Yes, St. Bernie is going to push taxes up, up and up some more to make things "free".

[Jim Henely]

Perhaps SST can't escape being a reflection of the larger world. Racked with conflict, Ponzi scheme economics, divisive political structures, and, now what appears to be an engineered pathogen let loose to further stir the pot. Perhaps I am showing my age, but I yearn for a world with more civil and constructive discourse.

[Timothy Hagios]

Even if Bernie loses big in the next contests, he would be wise to consider staying in until the end. There are several ways that Biden could screw everything up at the last minute. There's a decent probability that Biden will grope someone on camera, say something damning, or have another stroke.

I am curious as to what would happen if Bernie somehow did get enough delegates for the nomination. Would the DNC claim to support him while working behind the scenes to make sure he lost in November, or would they reject him explicitly?

[akaPatience]

Sanders isn't a socialist or communist? He's not merely calling for total government-run healthcare, which seems almost modest compared to the extent of his other stances on issues, to wit (a partial list): higher education that is tuition-free; free healthcare and education for ANYONE (even those who illegally enter the US); guaranteed government-funded jobs in order to reach full employment; national rent control; and MUCH more government regulation in various sectors.

CORRELATING THE NEEDS of the dire, world-wide environment of the Great Depression era and FDR's programs that were instituted because of intractable unemployment, low productivity, market collapse, financial meltdown, Dust Bowl displacement, etc., etc., to today's relative affluence and productivity, and somehow determining a similar requisite for such radical policies, SHOULD boggle the mind.

[Eric Newhill]

Richard Gabrio
LOL. You're either not paying attention, are delusional or are a socialist operative - or combination

Bernie in his own words -“… I certainly did not know what the word socialism meant growing up, because I was brought up in a very nonpolitical family. My brother was somewhat active, but my parents were not. But I think some people tend not to accept what almost everybody has accepted as true. Many people go to school, but most of them don’t challenge the basic assumptions of their teachers or of the system. And I always have. You reach a certain age when you start reading reasonably widely, and you find ideas that reflect your gut feeling about something. I think that’s usually the process — you find what you’re looking for. I had that feeling when I first read Eugene Debs, for example. If you read what Debs said about the goals of socialism, it’s no different from what I’ve been saying — that all socialism is about is democracy.”

and

In a speech he gave at the National Committee for Independent Political Action in New York City on June 22, 1989, reprinted in the December 1989 issue of the socialist publication Monthly Review: “In Vermont, everybody knows that I am a socialist and that many people in our movement, not all, are socialists. And as often as not — and this is an interesting point that is the honest-to-God truth — what people will say is, ‘I don’t really know what socialism is, but if you’re not a Democrat or a Republican, you’re OK with me.’ That’s true. And I think there has been too much of a reluctance on the part of progressives and radicals to use the word ‘socialism.”

There are many more similar quotes.

[Deap]

US technically does not have a "leader". It merely elects a CEO of the Executive branch of our three-part separate but equal houses of government - the CEO primarily manages government operations. The sooner we get back to this original constitutional tripartite governance intent, the better.

We don't do personality cults nor give any one individual divine, plenipotentiary powers in the US.

Time to remind ourselves of this fact and start relying on ourselves instead of expecting "the government" to do things for us and that our entire national psyche is wrapped up in a single elected official.

Trust me, there are those of us who wish Trump had more powers to get things done, but his own personal goals are working slowly, slowly slowly or even not at all, as originally intended. It is who we are.

We the people did elect to put the brakes on the actions of a one party-Congress and Executive, like it or not. Which is what we always do - there is a gut feeling in this country that we really don't want one party to have all the power, so we vote to screw this up every time it happens.

Which only re-enforces most Americans probably don't like any government at all.

[Sam Iam]

Richard G,

You are mostly right, except that Bernie doesn't want to imitate the programs of the European safety nets, he wants to implement them x100. For example, he is advocating for the nationalizing several industries (directly like broadband or indirectly such as Medicare for All with private competition edged out of the market) , and implementing a federal take over of k-12 schools as well as establishing national child care service in this country....all paid for via taxes 100% and not usage fees.

[Sam Iam]

to continue my thought of the previous post.

Bernie may not be a 5 year plan Marxist-Leninist, but he does advocate for severe form of statist capitalism, even radical compared to the French and German models in several regards. He is not a communist, but he is a proponent of Socialism, as imposed through democratic means.

[Upstate NY'er]

Richard Gabrio:
It's not just Sanders' childish fantasy "economics" and flaming hypocrisy (millionaire with 3 houses and never held a real job).
It's the thinly disguised anti-Americanism.
Open support for the Sandinistas, praise for Castro.
Cuban flag and no American flag in his Mayor office in Burlington.
There is NOTHING about America that Sanders (and most Democrats, BTW) like.
America is a sexist, racist, evil, greedy place;ask any random Democrat - or media person.

[Jack]

Bernie is done. It’s going to be senile Biden vs Trump.

What’s Obama’s plan? He is running the Biden show. Will there be a switch at the convention? The Biden VP choice will be instructive.

[turcopolier]

Jim Henely

What would you have me do, oh sanctimonious one?

[Deap]

DNC needs to back Biden as the 2020 candidate for two additional but important reasons:

1. Biden- the 2020 candidate_ plausibility to the bogus impeachment charge: Trump was trying to "get dirt on a political opponent.

if Biden now actually becomes his 2020 political opponent, even though Biden was not Trump's "political opponent" when the Ukraine phone call was made and it was about transactions taking place well before 2020., this now puts a new very thin veneer of respectability on prior bogus impeachment claim.

SCOTUS blew up the first bogus impeachment clause - obstruction of justice - so Democrats a desperate to pump life back into the second bogus charge - Trump offering a quid pro quo to interfere with the 2020 elections.

2. As Candidate Biden, this confers investigative immunity against further any Crowdstrke and Ukraine corruption abuses, since presumably the Barr report will excoriate deep state investigations of any presidential candidates

If Biden is not The Candidate, then all bets would be off. DNC does not want any further investigations of Crowdsrrike or Ukraine. One primary reason Clinton wants to continue being A Potential Candidate too - investigative immunity.

Long said, the unions will finally decide the DNC 2020 candidate - Biden is the given on this count, unless Clinton makes herself the more viable alternative.

The other two reasons explained above are bonus points. that come along with the fact the unions find Biden the most pliable to their demands as well as too senile to know what will hit him.

[akaPatience]

I wonder if the high turnout for Biden in Michigan (767,000+ with 85% counted so far) could spell trouble for Trump there in November? That was a close one in 2016.

Sanders is definitely flagging. The March 17th primaries in OH, FL, IL, AZ and the NY and MD ones on April 28th will be big ones with chances for him to gain significant ground. But Biden's doing very well, and surprisingly so (to me) in WA although Sanders currently has a very slight lead there with 67% of the vote counted so far.

Joe Biden. Blimey...

[Mathias Alexander]

I'm a communist and I would never vote for Bernie.

[Jim Henely]

Colonel

Thanks for reaching out with that stiff jab allowing me a "gut check" opportunity. To give you a direct answer, I would ask that you "carry one" with the fine work with your website. Being of similar age I can relate to the amount of dedication and energy you are required to invest daily, and I applaud your ongoing efforts to keep the discourse at a civil level. SST has been part of mu morning ritual for many, many years now, and I rely on the quality of the contributors and the informed commentary to help me get a "fix" on this rapidly devolving world.

[Fred]

Patience,

The unreddacted video of holy Joe at the FCA plant in Michigan is instructive of Biden's grasp of facts, his own recent public comments, the great respect with which he holds voters and the uniform skills in editing such videos by ABC/NBC/CBS/CNN/etc; so yes, Michigan will be important this year. I notice you left out Rashid Tlaib, Debbie DNC Dingell,and the corrupt UAW executives recently in the news inSE Michigan. They'll have their impact also.