If Hillary Clinton ran unopposed for the Democratic nomination..

[Suburbia]

If Bernie Sanders, Martin O'Malley, Lincoln Chafee, Jim Webb did not run, and Hillary Clinton ran unopposed, would she be in trouble with enthusiasm and the email issue, and would she have united the Democratic Party earlier than later with Sanders still in the race?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

No, things would have been way better. There was a brief period of time where it was actually cool to like Hillary Clinton, and almost everyone did. She would have been in a much stronger position without Bernie.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

There would be tremendous amounts of enthusiasm behind her, and the negative dirt being flung at her could have been spun as sexism and a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

[Lyin' Steve]

We would all be sick of her already because she'd just be doing the same stuff over and over and over without any real motivation.  The GOP race would get twice as much attention and drive enthusiasm.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

The time when it was cool to like Hillary Clinton was when she wasn't running yet. If the democratic primary wasn't going to knock her down for the general, the media would have done it themselves.

[beaver2.0]

We would all be sick of her already because she'd just be doing the same stuff over and over and over without any real motivation.  The GOP race would get twice as much attention and drive enthusiasm.

[BlueSwan]

No, things would have been way better. There was a brief period of time where it was actually cool to like Hillary Clinton, and almost everyone did. She would have been in a much stronger position without Bernie.

Unfortunately, I agree. The Sandernistas are making things difficult for Hillary. Not for the nomination, that is in the bag, but for the general election. Go on to any Sanders page, article or video and the comments are filled with hatred for Hillary. Go on to any Hillary related page, article or video and the comments are filled with hatred for Hillary. From Sanders supporters. It is a bit of a travesty. I hope Hillary wins big tomorrow so we can MAYBE get some closure here. Things are getting out of hand.

[IceSpear]

No, things would have been way better. There was a brief period of time where it was actually cool to like Hillary Clinton, and almost everyone did. She would have been in a much stronger position without Bernie.

There was? Places that are now Sanders hotbeds were always fairly lukewarm (at best) to Hillary. Unless you mean the public overall, but it was the media's relentless negativity and faux scandal manufacturing that destroyed that, not Bernie. Her favorability was destroyed by the media long before he ever gained traction. In fact, that's partly why he gained as much traction as he did!

[This account no longer in use.]

We would all be sick of her already because she'd just be doing the same stuff over and over and over without any real motivation.  The GOP race would get twice as much attention and drive enthusiasm.

[Lief 🗽]

No, things would have been way better. There was a brief period of time where it was actually cool to like Hillary Clinton, and almost everyone did. She would have been in a much stronger position without Bernie.

There was? Places that are now Sanders hotbeds were always fairly lukewarm (at best) to Hillary. Unless you mean the public overall, but it was the media's relentless negativity and faux scandal manufacturing that destroyed that, not Bernie. Her favorability was destroyed by the media long before he ever gained traction. In fact, that's partly why he gained as much traction as he did!

Nah, even Reddit was pretty pro-Hillary in 2014 and early 2015.

[Antonio the Sixth]

LOL @ Hillbots thinking everything would have been so perfect and awesome if it weren't for those pesky candidates who had the gall to challenge her.

[Wells]

To be honest, if Bernie Sanders hasn't run, I would probably be very enthusiastic about Clinton right now. Instead, I'm disappointed Bernie didn't win and lukewarm about Clinton.

[IceSpear]

No, things would have been way better. There was a brief period of time where it was actually cool to like Hillary Clinton, and almost everyone did. She would have been in a much stronger position without Bernie.

There was? Places that are now Sanders hotbeds were always fairly lukewarm (at best) to Hillary. Unless you mean the public overall, but it was the media's relentless negativity and faux scandal manufacturing that destroyed that, not Bernie. Her favorability was destroyed by the media long before he ever gained traction. In fact, that's partly why he gained as much traction as he did!

Nah, even Reddit was pretty pro-Hillary in 2014 and early 2015.

I remember a lot of Hillary hatred or ambivalence and pining for Warren on Daily Kos, Reddit, and other sites of that nature for most of 2014-2015.

[Oakvale]

It might have been fine with a candidate other than Lyin' Bernie who, on the advice of a comic book store owner, has been smearing the presumptive nominee for a few months without pause at this point.

[Clarko95 📚💰📈]

Honestly, I have to thank the Bernie supporters for making me actually like Hillary.


Last summer I didn't care much for her. Very much resigned to supporting her as the least worst option. But the sheer stupidity of so many attacks on her from progressives made me actually look into her record and the context of her supposed sins, and it's made me like her.

While Bernie's smear campaign has probably hurt her among lefties, most will still fall in line in November when she's contrasted with Trump, despite what some irrelevant non-citizens say on an obscure internet forum. However, the attacks have definitely made her supporters even more determined to turn out and support her.

[SillyAmerican]

We would all be sick of her already because she'd just be doing the same stuff over and over and over without any real motivation.  The GOP race would get twice as much attention and drive enthusiasm.

Agreed.

There would be tremendous amounts of enthusiasm behind her, and the negative dirt being flung at her could have been spun as sexism and a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

Cries of sexism and the "vast right-wing conspiracy" will only go so far this time around; many voters are simply not buying into these charges, which are often being applied unreasonably. (For instance, Sanders supporters throwing dollar bills at a Clinton motorcade being called sexist? Two words for you:  Puh Leez).