DailyKos is about electing “more and better” Democrats. The Democratic party will not choose Senator Bernie Sanders as its nominee for President in 2016. It will choose Hillary Clinton. Thus Hillary Clinton is the Democrat that we will be given the opportunity to elect and make better.
Anyone who distracts from the goal of electing Hillary Clinton may as well be running against her.
So: I’m not reading any more Bernie Sanders diaries.
I am no longer persuadable. I am no longer open to conversion. I no longer have the time to be curious. I’m on to other things — like the general.
I’m not interested in what his supporters did or didn’t do. All aspects of their behavior — other than whether and to what extent they, like other Democrats, will be supporting the Democratic nominee for president, Hillary Clinton — are irrelevant.
I’m not interested in his views on super delegates, or any other inside baseball elements of the nominating contest. The contest is over. He presented compelling ideas, but did not emerge victorious. I am as interested in his views about super delegates as I am about Jim Webb’s views on convention speech slots.
I’m not interested in national Trump vs. Sanders polling. Many people who will not be on the ballot this fall might perform well against Mr. Trump in hypothetical polling match-ups today, including George Clooney, Justin Trudeau, Maya Angelou, LeBron James, Geordie LaForge, and, yes, Bernie Sanders. This has zero bearing on the actual contest that will take place between Trump and Hillary Clinton.
I’m not interested in the results of the final states that have yet to vote in the Democratic primary. The last states to conduct their votes always have the least to do with the final result. Of course these voters’ votes are still counted, and of course their views are still valid. But if they want to alter the real trajectory of the contest, they should discuss voting earlier with the DNC. If they can’t bother to hold contests until June, when Iowa was back on February 1, I’m not obligated to care.
I’m not interested in Senator Sanders’ criticisms of Senator Clinton, any more than I am of any other political opponent of hers (and she has many). It is almost June. Anyone not working for Democrat Hillary Clinton as she enters the general election is working against her, and will be treated as such.
I’m not interested in furthering any nuanced discussion of the policy differences, voting records, philosophical leanings, gotcha statements, etc., between Senator Sanders and Hillary Clinton. Of the many topics discussed during the long Democratic nomination process, 99% have been about things we already knew; very little new information has been brought to light. Instead, the process has been about wooing supporters, rallying the party faithful, and articulating a compelling vision for the future that can translate into votes at the ballot box. On this score, Senator Clinton has won.
I’m not interested in any discussion of the numbers of people at rallies held by Senator Sanders. Fully 18,203 people attended the NBA playoff game between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors last night. But neither Steph Curry nor Kevin Durant will be our next President — just like Bernie Sanders.
I’m not interested in hearing about what acrobatics Hillary Clinton will have to execute to “attract” Sanders’ supporters. Hillary Clinton is a Democrat — she will appoint SCOTUS nominees friendly to Democratic ideals, advance an agenda aligned with Democratic values, and prosecute events much as past Democrats have done, including Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. If that’s not enough reason for you to vote for her over End Times candidate Donald Trump, you are not a Democrat in any way, shape, or form — nor a fair-minded independent — and I have no time for you.
Finally, I’m not interested in any more discussion of the kind of President Bernie Sanders will be. Because he will not be the President. Either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will be the President, and between them, my preference is for Hillary.
If you’re writing a diary about Bernie Sanders, make it about his Senate work. He will not be the Democratic party’s nominee for President in 2016. His candidacy has been vigorous and appreciated. He has contributed much to the discussion, and his policy-focused and professional interactions with Hillary Clinton and others through the bulk of the campaign and debates provided a stark contrast with the dumpster fire that was the GOP nomination circus. But that campaign has come to a close.
One never knows where events will lead, or the exact timing separating the ending of one phase of the campaign and the beginning of the next. But we have now reached the point where Senator Sanders’ candidacy is irrelevant. The Democratic convention will be a highly choreographed, meticulously scripted advertisement for the Democratic party, and of Hillary Clinton as its nominee for President. This is now clear, and the events of the past several weeks dictate that, whatever Senator Sanders himself and his campaign do, the time for pragmatic progressives to stop paying attention has arrived.
As of today, May 23, 2016, as far as I’m concerned, Bernie Sanders diaries are being written purely for fun. They’re persuading no one. They’re changing nothing. They’re taking up valuable space on the Rec list that could be devoted to dissecting Donald Trump, highlighting local issues, raising awareness of key Senate and House races, and sparking meaningful debate on as-yet-undecided issues facing our party and beliefs.
As for Bernie Sanders diaries, I will not read them. I’m not interested any longer. And I suspect I’m not the only one.
On to the general election. On to Hillary.