Sanders: I ran as a Democrat to get media coverage

[IceSpear]

This is nothing new. He even said a major factor of why he wouldn't run as an independent, aside from being a Nader spoiler, is that he wanted to get on the debate stage. This was back in early 2015.

[DrScholl]

This is why is integrity and authenticity isn't superior. He fashioned himself an outsider, yet he ran in a major party primary for convenience. If it was all about the message he would have run as an independent and really tried to make it work.

[RaphaelDLG]

This is why is integrity and authenticity isn't superior. He fashioned himself an outsider, yet he ran in a major party primary for convenience. If it was all about the message he would have run as an independent and really tried to make it work.

I know you're just a dumb hack and I'm taking the bait by responding to this, but he's not fashioning himself as an outsider, his brand is that he hasn't changed on the issues over decades along with the rest of the so-called libs.  Has he really done that by putting a D next to his name?

Your comment about running as an independent is super-duper dumb.  It's not only about the message, it's about policy outcomes.  In a plurality voting system like the United States, you have to run under the umbrella of one of the two major parties or else you 1) have no chance for winning and 2) play spoiler for the Republicans.  You think it would be more admirable and consistent with his beliefs if he ran as an independent and tried to throw the election to a Republican?

[Starbucks Union Thug HokeyPuck]

Who would want what has become an embarrassing label for an embarrassing party?  I'd glad we have Mr. Sanders trying to gear the current Democrat Party back to being the FDR-esque party of the working class and not the oligarchical power infrastructure of some neoliberal harpy like Clinton. 

[DrScholl]

This is why is integrity and authenticity isn't superior. He fashioned himself an outsider, yet he ran in a major party primary for convenience. If it was all about the message he would have run as an independent and really tried to make it work.

I know you're just a dumb hack and I'm taking the bait by responding to this, but he's not fashioning himself as an outsider, his brand is that he hasn't changed on the issues over decades along with the rest of the so-called libs.  Has he really done that by putting a D next to his name?

Your comment about running as an independent is super-duper dumb.  It's not only about the message, it's about policy outcomes.  In a plurality voting system like the United States, you have to run under the umbrella of one of the two major parties or else you 1) have no chance for winning and 2) play spoiler for the Republicans.  You think it would be more admirable and consistent with his beliefs if he ran as an independent and tried to throw the election to a Republican?

Calling someone dumb is a poor comeback, it really is. I'm not being a dumb hack, I'm calling out the opportunism. For years, Sanders has made statements that would suggests that he questions the integrity of the Democratic Party. If one has an issue with the integrity of a party, why would you join it? It reeks of opportunism. If your message is strong enough to run on it's own, run as an independent. At this point it doesn't even matter, because he's far behind in the delegate count and he has pretty much lost self-identified Democrats everywhere.

[Shadows]

The Clintonhacks are really poor paid interns, I mean you want to slander the person but atleast do it in a convincing manner with well reasoned arguments.

Some of the comments are making them look just flat out ridiculous! Can't see it helping their cause if people think they are incompetent of having a rational discussion. This was an issue where you could actually discuss like adults what he should have done, was it rational, opportunistic, in line with his beliefs and so on - But look at the responses!

[angus]

Sanders: I ran as a Democrat to get media coverage

...and money.

He's right.  Practically no one takes candidates who are not Democrats or Republicans seriously.  I do, of course, and I have voted for Libertarians, Socialists, Green Party, and independent candidates for various offices over the years, not only for President, but for Governor and US Senator as well--in fact, it is very likely that I will vote for a third-party candidate this year--but most folks don't take those others seriously, and Sanders knows that.  If he wanted a shot at getting his message out, then he had to run as either a Democrat or a Republican.  As slim as you might think his chances of being nominated by the Democrats are, you must concede that his chances of being nominated by the Republicans are probably slimmer, so he made the right choice.

[Famous Mortimer]

This is why is integrity and authenticity isn't superior. He fashioned himself an outsider, yet he ran in a major party primary for convenience. If it was all about the message he would have run as an independent and really tried to make it work.

Running with the Democrats did not require him to alter his message.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

No wonder he doesn't care at all about party-building. His "revolution" is all about promoting himself and his pet projects.

Since he ran to adress issues in first place, what's wrong with that?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

These attacks on Bernie not being a Democrat are getting old. He's been a member of the Democratic caucus for over a quarter century and supported every Democratic nominee for at least that long.

Apart from when he called for Obama to be primaried in 2012

That has nothing to do with how much of a Democrat he is.

[DS0816]

Article title was deliberately misleading in the context.

No wonder Landslide Lyndon jumped on it for posting.

[RINO Tom]

No wonder he doesn't care at all about party-building. His "revolution" is all about promoting himself and his pet projects.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/2016-dem-primary-live-updates-and-results/2016/03/bernie-sanders-independent-media-coverage-220747

Wait, so you're telling us you hate liberal hacks who insist on calling themselves independents instead of just identifying as Democrats?