Could Bernie Sanders supporters become the new Paulbots?

[Thunderbird is the word]

Vote!

[© tweed]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

[ElectionsGuy]

Yes.

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

Also from anti government types usually not involved in politics and anti establishment youth who would generally be more inclined to the left. There were debates within libertarian circles between more purist factions and those more willing to support Paul and now I'm seeing similar debates within Socialist circles. Also both were old men with somewhat quixotic views for the time, and though neither had/really have a shot at winning both had/have the potential to move the Overton window in there direction politically and change the shape of their party in the long-term.

[© tweed]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

it's not about the letters.  if you read Stormfront, 9 out of 10 members who were participating in the primaries were supporting Paul.  it was nearly unanimous.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

it's not about the letters.  if you read Stormfront, 9 out of 10 members who were participating in the primaries were supporting Paul.  it was nearly unanimous.

A candidate can't control their supporters.

[© tweed]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

it's not about the letters.  if you read Stormfront, 9 out of 10 members who were participating in the primaries were supporting Paul.  it was nearly unanimous.

A candidate can't control their supporters.

what those newsletters did prove is that Paul was not naive of his support from white supremacist communities, and did not make an effort to distance himself from them.  he did do a good, but not perfect, job of minimizing the paper trail.

[Beet]

Yes, this is why Rand Paul is more palatable than his dad. He also seems less obsessed with the gold standard.

[Thunderbird is the word]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

it's not about the letters.  if you read Stormfront, 9 out of 10 members who were participating in the primaries were supporting Paul.  it was nearly unanimous.

A candidate can't control their supporters.

what those newsletters did prove is that Paul was not naive of his support from white supremacist communities, and did not make an effort to distance himself from them.  he did do a good, but not perfect, job of minimizing the paper trail.

It also demonstrates the cynical opportunism on the part of libertarians in the 90s in trying to reach out to racists. Goes back to Murray Rothbard's strategy of trying to frame libertarianism as right-wing populism.

[Zioneer]

No, Bernie Sanders doesn't have an obsessed political cult around him, mainly because there's no unifying issue that only he talks about. Warren I could see having "Warrenbots", but she's not running.

[Vega]

Nah, we're too smart to be bots.

[Thunderbird is the word]

One big difference I think is that Ron Paul was a lot more harshly critical of Bush and the GOP establishment then Sanders is/will be of Obama and other Dems.

[IceSpear]

It's definitely possible.

- Small, loyal, and passionate fanbase, particularly on the internet
- Doesn't translate to the broader electorate, but could lead to some impressive showings in caucuses
- Followers would beg him to run as an independent upon losing the primary, but likely wouldn't happen
- Paul and Sanders themselves are both elderly antiestablishment veterans of Congress running to push their causes and get them in the public dialogue

Though there are definitely differences as well, some of which have already been pointed out already.

[© tweed]

Paul drew a LOT of his support from the conspiracist and white supremacist communities.  not a fair comparison.

This is way exaggerated. More than half of his "fans" didn't even know about the racist letters since most of them are/were under 40.

it's not about the letters.  if you read Stormfront, 9 out of 10 members who were participating in the primaries were supporting Paul.  it was nearly unanimous.

You should probably stop reading Stormfront. Websites like that are not good for one's mental health/faith in society.

I have no "faith in society" left to lose, and take interest in the internal dialog of 'extremist' groups such as white supremacists.  same w/Red Pill.

[Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas]

No. Bernie Sanders is not nearly extreme or ruthless enough to really catch the attention of the True Leftists, and they're probably the closest element on the left to the hardcore Paulbots.

[Kung Fu Kenny]

Of course.

[RR1997]

Probably