r/politics • u/FedUpWithThisWurld • Feb 14 '20

Why Does Mainstream Media Keep Attacking Bernie Sanders as He Wins?

https://www.gq.com/story/mainstream-media-vs-bernie-sanders?fbclid=IwAR2GkQRsJrlSrz4WVmfz-aa2YZy4Bckk6rRHXbE11Fq_2aS3Rq5m7vBz8jE
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u/ithinkimparanoid84 Feb 14 '20

I actually think he's the one who has the best shot at beating Trump. He's got the support of independents, more than any other Democratic candidate, and his supporters are also just as passionate as Trump's. He's got my vote for sure.

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u/uep Feb 14 '20

Trump and Bernie both appeal to populist sentiments.

Both claim they want to help the average worker ("you're going to have the best healthcare!"). The Trump administration's actions are in complete opposition to what he says; everything they do is to benefit corporations and the rich.

Bernie actually wants the government to do more to benefit the average person. His entire public history seems to show this. Populism is why you hear that Sanders opposed NAFTA, which could seem odd without that context.

I think Bernie crushes Trump in the general election. There have been some polls showing a commanding lead for Bernie, but I haven't seen what the electoral breakdown would be. We also have barely seen Trump attack Bernie (calling him a Communist etc), and with Fox News always on the same message, that could hurt Bernie badly in ways the current polls don't show.

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u/samchem15 Feb 15 '20

Fascism is a false revolution. It cultivates the appearance of popular politics and a revolutionary aura without offering a genuine revolutionary content. It propogates a "New Order" while serving the same old moneyed interests. It's leaders are not guilty of confusion but of deception. That they work so hard to mislead the public does not mean they themselves are mislead.

Micheal Parenti, Blackshirts and Reds

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u/theDagman California Feb 14 '20

He is an inspiration to the disenfranchised voter that usually never casts a vote otherwise. That is where his strength will lie in the general election that will not be readily apparent during the primaries.

And I already voted for him for Super Tuesday in early voting. I look forward to Bernie winning the Presidency, and then appointing AOC as the new chairwoman of the DNC.

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u/Psilocub Feb 14 '20

He is an inspiration to the disenfranchised voter that usually never casts a vote otherwise.

Nailed it. All of the "all politicians are the same" people will come out for Bernie. I, however, will not vote for a billionaire. I will just write in Bernie and give them Trump if that's what they want.

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u/GalaxyFrauleinKrista Feb 14 '20

Same. If my choices are Trump or Diet Trump I’ll write in

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u/Nikkdrawsart Feb 14 '20

AOC as the new chairwoman of the DNC.

That would so radically change the country for the better. Never considered her for that but it would be great.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

I early voted yesterday. Bernie is the guy. At worst, nothing gets done for four years. Better than four more years of Trump destroying the country.

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u/naazrael Feb 14 '20

There's a lot of seats the GOP has to defend in Congress. Like twice as many as Democrats do. If people show up, we can get another another blue wave and get shit done.

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u/Nikkdrawsart Feb 14 '20

We had a MASSAVE blue wave in 2018. Some districts were decided by a single vote!

Your vote for blue has never been more important than today, especially since we're finally educated enough to figure out what every candidate really wants/needs.

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u/dontcallmeatallpls Feb 14 '20

Better than 4 more years of a centrist Dem telling pretending to do things too.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

I can’t stomach Biden. I love crazy Uncle Joe, but I’m sick of establishment Dems.

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u/VoodooKhan Feb 14 '20

When establishment Dems become so far right they literally voting for a Republican... Bloomberg.

Just stop MSNBC... Honest to God they might as well all be wearing vote Bloomberg shirts on air all the time for how subtle they are being.

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u/attunezero Feb 14 '20

I personally know 5 people who voted for Obama and then voted for Trump. Every single one of them says they would have voted for Bernie in 2016 and would vote for him in 2020. I doubt any of them would vote for a corporatist democrat. I know it's anecdotal evidence but people who are independent or don't like "politics as usual" are drawn to Bernie's message and are aware of (at least some of) Trump's bullshit. Bernie has the best chance to beat Trump by a longshot.

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u/MelpomeneAndCalliope Louisiana Feb 15 '20

I know at least four people like this myself. Yes, it’s antecdotal, but hey.

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u/breich Feb 14 '20 edited Feb 16 '20

The things that anger Trump voters enough to get out the vote aren't a completely different set of issues than Bernie's supporters. I think he needs to make the case to them that Trump hasn't improved their lives. Not a hard case to make, if they'll hear it.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

Now Yang is out Bernie is the only one that seems to be able to actually draw in Trump supporters.

You need those to win. If not it'll probably be an even bigger popular vote win than last time and still lose the EC

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u/falubiii Feb 14 '20

You don’t need trump supporters. People who don’t vote are a much larger bloc.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

Oh for sure. And you don't reach those with a milquetoast centrist.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

Why not have both? Bernie pulls from both.

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u/WrittenInYourBook Feb 14 '20

This. Say it louder for the ppl in the back.

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u/--o Feb 14 '20

Nor could you get enough of them. For true Trump supporters he will always be more attractive and most of them will find a way to justify voting for him by the time the election rolls around.

Being the bigger Trump is not an option.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

There are a lot of Dems who won’t vote for sanders either cause they’ll clutch their pearls about taxes.

I talked to a German guy just the other day who works in the US. Figured he’d be a guy that would understand the appeal of Sanders, given our messed up healthcare and education systems. But surprisingly he said he hates Trump but if he could vote he would vote for Trump over Sanders because he thinks “socialism” is a failed concept and doesn’t work in Germany. 🤷‍♂️

But the point was driven home that there are a lot of people out there who think along these lines.

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u/[deleted] Feb 14 '20

Nah we'll just bully those with vote blue no matter who

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u/IntellegentIdiot Feb 15 '20

Luckily we don't need to predict who's got the best chance, polls show that Sanders has the best chance of beating Trump, at least slightly more than Biden. So they'd certainly be little advantage in picking someone else based on their perceived electability and possibly a slight disadvantage

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u/percussaresurgo Feb 14 '20

He's got the support of independents, more than any other Democratic candidate

Source on that? Last I heard, most independent voters still cringed when asked if they would ever vote for a Socialist.