No, Bernie Should Not Drop Out Now-- It's Never Been About HIM, It's Always Been About US

Long-time DWT readers will probably remember David Segal, a super-progressive Rhode Island state legislator who Blue America backed in his 2010 fight for an open congressional seat. Currently he's executive director of Demand Progress. Yesterday, along with Sam Adler-Bell, he penned a persuasive OpEd for Business Insider, Bernie Sanders should stay in the Democratic race. Acknowledging-- basically-- that unless the Daniel Radcliffe and Geraldine Viswanathan characters in the first season of Miracle Workers, "12 Days," decide to save the world, November is going to offer Americans another lesser of two evils choice for president. With conservative Democrats from the Republican wing of the party-- like Claire McCaskill, Neera Tanden-- and all the NeverTrump Republicans who dominate MSNBC, barking loudly for Bernie to drop out, Segal suggests that "would be a mistake, not only for the progressive forces he represents, but for the Democratic Party and the country."

Ending the primary over coronavirus concerns is a mistake

First, let's address what might appear the strongest argument against continuing the primary: that continuing the contest endangers voters amid the present coronavirus crisis.

It is straightforwardly true that holding normal elections right now is a grave threat to public health. Even when proper precautions are taken, polling places-- through which hundreds or thousands of people pass on a single day-- could become concentrated sites of infection.

However, ending the presidential primary will not solve this problem; many states have ballot measures, referenda, and other local contests occurring simultaneously with the presidential primary.

Unless officials are planning to suspend all democratic processes between now and the resolution of the coronavirus pandemic (a terrifying and probably unconstitutional precedent in many states), Sanders's presence in the primary is not the deciding factor as to whether Americans will need to vote during the outbreak. This is a structural problem that must be solved regardless of the Sanders campaign's decisions.

Every state should be concentrating on making voting by mail available and accessible. Rhode Island, for instance, advanced such measures on Monday; its Board of Elections is seeking to move the primary from April to June and will strive to maximize the use of absentee ballots. The moment calls for making voting easier for everyone, not arbitrarily ending one electoral contest.

A joint statement from both campaigns calling for delaying primaries until June, enabling mail voting in every state, and encouraging supporters to vote by mail rather than in person would be powerful and persuasive to the DNC, election officials, and voters.

Sanders staying in would be better for party unity

Second, figures like Jim Clyburn have argued for weeks that Sanders should drop out to allow the party to unify behind Biden and avoid a long, divisive primary like 2016.

To begin with, however, it's not clear that hastening a heightened focus on a contest between Donald Trump and Joe Biden is in Biden's best interest.

Trump has demonstrated a predisposition to launch vicious attacks on Biden, whether based on mental acuity, potential family conflicts of interest related to a Ukrainian oil company, or as he otherwise sees fit. If Biden can't weather a robust debate about the Democratic Party's platform with his (actual) friend Sanders, that does not bode well in a contest against Trump.

Moreover, it may be better for party unity if Sanders stays in.

Hasty calls from establishment figures for Sanders to drop out are exacerbating polarization within the party. Sanders's base-- of young and disaffected voters-- already distrusts Democratic insiders.

From their perspective, the DNC and various moderate figures have waged an "anyone but Bernie" campaign from the beginning of the 2020 contest. Bridging that divide is the obligation of every Democrat hoping to defeat Trump, including and especially those who disagree with or dislike Bernie Sanders.

To that end, as the likelihood of a Sanders victory declines, Biden and Sanders ought to begin an intentional, de-escalatory, public conversation during which Biden makes explicit policy and personnel assurances to Sanders, while Sanders begins the process of leading his supporters toward Biden. This cooperation would strengthen the resolve of the Sanders base to remain active through November.

How to come together

We suggest guarantees not just of policies but also regarding key personnel decisions because the latter are more enforceable and structural, and one cannot trust that policy promises will be acted upon in good faith unless one trusts the personnel in charge of executing them.

Plutocrats who have been reported as possible senior appointments in a Biden administration like JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon, billionaire former mayor Michael Bloomberg, Morgan Stanley executive Tom Nides, and Bank of America executive Anne Finucane should be established as no-goes.

Furthermore, amid this COVID-19 crisis, Sanders is well positioned to demand that top appointments to the Department of Health and Human Services, including those who oversee Medicaid and Medicare, are people with a proven commitment to the public's interest-- and not insurance and pharmaceutical industry lobbyists or executives.

In general, personnel appointees should be conditioned on their willingness and ability to implement a progressive policy agenda.

Only this kind of explicit and orchestrated unification process-- founded on substantive, actionable agreements, rather than mere rhetoric-- can best position Democrats to win in November.

Bringing progressive voices to the convention

For supporters of the Sanders agenda, the argument for his staying in is more straightforward, but no less crucial: Sanders must continue to collect delegates for the convention.

If he were to leave today, Sanders would have around 20% of delegates at the convention. If he continues to garner a sizable minority of the vote-- as recent polling suggests he will-- he'd end up with more like 35% to 40%. (And while his odds are indeed long, the aperture through which he might secure the nomination has not completely closed.)

The convention, in whatever COVID-19-adapted form it takes, makes determinations not just about the Party's nominee, but also about other critical matters like the Party's platform and rules. It's imperative that the progressive wing be duly represented in those processes.

To be sure, many of Biden's rank-and-file voters are pretty progressive too. If exit polls are an indication, many of them support Sanders's more robust agenda, including Medicare for All.

Many Democrats have approached the primary from the perspective of electability alone and become convinced that Biden is a safer bet, but most of these voters also like Sanders. But Biden's convention delegate bloc is likely to be disproportionately composed of party insiders, some with attachments to corporate and ideological foes of the progressive movement. Thus, a convention without Sanders's delegates would not represent the true political priorities of the Democratic base.

Finally, in the unlikely event that the convention was tasked with choosing somebody other than Biden or Sanders as the nominee, it would be all the more important that progressives have proportional representation among convention delegates so that such a process could incorporate the input of an ideological cross-section of the party.

These are strange and terrifying times. An unprecedented public health crisis has become entwined with and amplified by existing deficits in our democratic institutions and our social safety net. Now, more than ever, it's vital that the Democratic nominating contest be one all voters can trust, and whose aim is to arrive at a nominee and platform that represents every Democratic voter.

Under most scenarios, this is an outcome over which the Biden and Sanders camps have substantial control. To achieve it, we believe that Bernie Sanders must stay in this contest. 

Maybe Segal and Adler-Bell know something I don't, but I've been following the detestable Biden closely since the 1970s and he's never going to give up on the plutocrats who backed his campaigning he's never going to embrace anything remotely progressive, especially now that he won a Democratic primary as a status quo candidate, something that he no doubt thinks will be even more attractive in a general election.

He isn't going to give anyone any guarantees and will be happy to tell any Bernie diehards-- as he already has-- to go vote for someone else. Which is precisely what this diehard for the policies Bernie represented plans to do. Segal began his career in elected office as a Green on the Providence City Council. It sounds like he's made his choice to vote for the lesser evil. I'm sure many Americans will but I doubt enough will to defeat Trump. Biden's one chance will be that Trump defeats himself... if the two of them are still alive in November. Do you agree? Vote by clicking on the Blue America Bernie Congress thermometer on the right and giving what you can to Bernie and the congressional candidates running on the issues that propel his campaign.

"Bernie," explained Oklahoma City progressive congressional candidate Tom Guild, "is a true progressive champion. He has changed the collective mind of America and now a majority support many of his ideas such as Medicare for All. We owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude. He wants us to pay it forward and that’s exactly what I plan to do. It is very difficult being a candidate, especially one who has the collective opprobrium of those who control the agenda and levers of power in the Democratic Party, the economy of America, and the corrupt political system. It’s such a personal decision and I trust and applaud whatever path he and Jane decide to take. He is worth his weight in gold in so many ways including fighting for our shared progressive goals, like the Green New Deal, that may literally save our planet for future life and habitation. On the one hand, it would break many hearts to lose him as a major presidential contender. On the other hand, he’s more than earned the right to make whatever decision he feels is best for him, his family, and people like us who are his extended family. Peace, love, and justice will conquer all. I think Bernie and I share the same complaint that it sure is taking a helluva long time!"

Chris Armitage, the progressive in the Spokane area running for the congressional seat occupied by Cathy McMorris Rodgers, would rather see Bernie stay in the race. "I imagine this is an incredibly difficult decision for someone who has spent a lifetime fighting for justice. When Bernie came here in 2016, 14,000 people showed up. I think he can do a ton of good work supporting races like ours where he can be a galvanizing source for unbought downballot candidates."

Tomas Ramos, the best of the candidates running in the open Bronx congressional district, is even more adamant about Bernie staying in the race. "Let me be clear-- Bernie Sanders should not drop out of the Democratic race. Back in 2008 it was not until the final day of the primaries (June 3rd) that Obama was declared the presidential candidate. Right now Bernie has amassed 885 delegates to Biden's 1180, the narrative of the corporate media has been, 'Biden has swept the last two weeks at the polls'. This is a half truth, the delegates are disbursed proportionally and not based on a winner takes it all system. Bernie's chances to win the nomination has become increasingly difficult-- not impossible. He has the most important asset, his base of supporters who are forever galvanized. As a community organizer and candidate I understand the hardships of building a movement, however I also know that there are folks that are counting on me to amplify their voices. This is what Bernie has done for so many disenfranchised Americans, he has given them hope that one day their voices will truly matter. In this time of crisis we are experiencing how the lack of social safety nets can ravage not just the economy but more importantly our humanity. Bernie's message throughout the course of his political career has been consistent, to create a movement that is representative of the needs of the poor and working class. Bernie's challenges in his race is representative of the race that I am faced with in my district-- the establishment vs. the insurgent. But neither of us should or will drop out, there is too much at stake."

"Bernie's the candidate," said San Francisco progressive Shahid Buttar, "with far and away the most support among the younger generations whose active participation in the November election will be crucial to a Democratic victory. He should absolutely stay in the race, both to give those generations a reason to stay involved, and to stretch the debate at a time when we need bold policy solutions to our mounting and compounding social crises. Our campaign to replace Pelosi will be strongest in November if Bernie is at the top of the ticket. Having helped his campaign secure a resounding victory in California, we're eager to help him get there. Even if he steps aside, however, Bernie will enable opportunities for our campaign. Already, the national movement he inspired has seized on our campaign as an aligned opportunity to build a new paradigm in the shell of the crumbling consensus on corporate rule. His vision has unleashed the aspirations of a generation, and those genies aren't going back into their bottles."

Besides, as Eric Lach wrote in regard to the Biden campaign yesterday for the New Yorker, "All year, Democrats argued over what 'return to normal' politics really meant. What would a return to normal be for undocumented immigrants, or the uninsured, or people whose lives were being constricted by student loans? But now, with many Americans shut up in their homes, or soon to be, many voters continue to say that a return to normal sounds pretty good."