I am an unapologetic Bernie supporter. Early in the cycle, about this time last year, I favored and hoped for Warren to break out and lead the pack, and would have enthusiastically supported her in the primaries and the general, but it became apparent to me fairly quickly that she wasn't drawing the support she'd need, and that Bernie was willing to go farther, and make the case for progressive ideals and policies with a stark moral argument that has the potential to break into the imaginations of even some marginal Trump supporters. And that he had the support to make a win possible. I still believe that his message and platform has greater upside potential than Biden's, who's only case for running is what he is not: not-Trump, and not-Bernie.
I don't believe Biden will win against Trump, and even if he manages it, it will come without the Senate, and meager coattails at best for down-ballot races. After all, when Obama was running in '08 following a Republican administration that was, to that point, the worst administration in our lifetimes, he didn't just run on returning to normalcy. He didn't just run on being not-Republican. He ran on Hope and Change, and what at the time was an ambitious project to fundamentally reform our health insurance markets, including at the time a public option, though he failed to push that through, and I believe that failure cost us big in '10.
Bernie's campaign, however, was always a risky one. He was never running to unite Democrats, but to challenge them to live up to their ideals. He was running to energize and excite traditionally non-voters. The youth and disaffected. The 40% of eligible voters who don't vote, because they don't believe either party represents them, speaks to their needs, or will follow through with doing what must be done to make real, fundamental change for the better. But, for the most part, he has failed to turn them out in these primary contests.
And this was always the risk: that those voters just won't turn out. Not until they see real proof that there's a party out there that's got their backs. They're not gonna come out to some party's primary election when they're not partisans and they don't believe that either party really respects them. They could take power and have a voice if they just voted, but they don't believe that power won't just be robbed from them, that the promises and campaign platforms won't just end up being yet another farce and confidence scam.
But there is still a chance, even after the demoralizing losses of Super Tuesday. With more states yet to come, and Biden's tendency to stick his foot so far down his throat he could tickle his ass with his toes, there could easily be a reaction back to Bernie. But for that to happen, the case must be made that Biden is not fit to lead our party. Not ideologically, not mentally, and not politically.
And the best person to make that case is not Bernie Sanders. It's Elizabeth Warren. And the best, probably only chance left to make that case, are the March 15th debates. We all saw how she dismantled Bloomberg in the last debates, and she needs to do it again, this time to Biden. Not to boost her chances in a contested convention, that was always and would remain a pipe-dream, but to boost Bernie's chances of an outright victory. The only way Medicare for All, Student Loan Forgiveness, and a real Green New Deal has even a chance of happening. If she would really rather see Bernie win than Biden, if she really really wants to help transform America's politics into something new and focused on the working class, it's the best thing she could do.
Don't drop out now and endorse Bernie, her votes and delegates would be a drop in the bucket of what's needed, and her voice would be lost in the din of uncovered rallies and talking-head punditry. Stay in the race and keep your voice elevated, and do what you have shown yourself to be so very capable of doing: exposing the emptiness and cowardice of centrist, moderate Democrats. Keep fighting for those ideals, even if it means you're no longer fighting for yourself. You can drop out after March 15th, after you've finished the job of ensuring that Democrats will choose to live up to the challenges of their ideals.
But whatever you choose, thank you for your voice, for your intellect, for your plans, and above all, for your fight.
