I know that Hillary has a closer relationship with the conventional sources of power in America than does Bernie. But, I want you to notice something. The total of Bernie's listed donations adds up to as much as the bottom two of Hillary's.
We are not going to win with Bernie's $695k. Repeat after me: We are not going to win with Bernies $695k.
Yes, that's evil, wrong, sad, unAmerican, etc. It's also reality. The Democratic candidate is going to face a Republican who those corporate interests actually like and who will make Hillary's numbers look like a joke.
Also...
I am infinitely more liberal than Hillary. It's very likely that I am way more liberal than Bernie. Were I king of the world, I'd have Noam Chomsky be president.
Between Bernie and Hillary, he is, rhetorically, probably closer to me than is Hillary. However, that's only part of the equation.
There is no one who doesn't lament some of the lost opportunities because Barack was relatively inexperienced as he entered the White House. I am 100% confident that of all the people who have ever run for president, Hillary is the most ready to make a quick, effective start. She will be able to use her entire term, from the first day, to maximum effect. She would not, for example, be rolled over to give up on single-payer health care.
The experiences that put her in this position add other specific skills. I focus on having run several (hers and Bill's) national campaigns, what is said to have been a very effective time in the Senate, and having been Secretary of State.
She is a hard core power broker and, for good measure, will be a woman who wants to avoid being seen as weak. I expect we will see awesome compensation behavior as she kicks Republican ass.
Bernie has been a great Senator and I love him but his experience is as a Senator. That's great, but it just doesn't compare.
But, say it did. While he was doing his Senator thing and then deciding to run for president, Hillary was actually running for president.
Unlike Bernie, Hillary already has a national organization. She already has a huge amount of money. She has policies that are polished through her first campaign and the intervening years, including four working at the White House. She has presented herself to voters and refined her appearance and message.
She has not only earned her "inevitability" but she is like a suitor coming to ask for our hand bearing an incredibly huge dowry that includes just the things we need to win the war.
Bernie is a nice guy, but he doesn't have the fucking dowry.
So, if Hillary is farther from my policy views than Bernie (or Noam), why not go for the gold?
Because there isn't any gold to be had. If Hillary had all of her skills and resources *and* was as liberal as Noam, it would make no difference. The next president will govern in the same context as does Barack. There will be gridlock and bitter, partisan opposition. The nation is, though it makes me sick to say, fifty fifty divided between decent people and hideous, right-wing reprobates. Bernie will no more be able to, say, revitalize the labor movement than fly.
Whether they are beating back Bernie's 100% awesome policies or Hillary's 80% awesome policies, the fact is, the difference is going to be minor. In either case, they will be pushing policies that are consistent with our values and they will only get a tiny amount of that enacted.
So, Bernie proposes that we should take him seriously. I think, actually, that that very view is a point against him. For him to fail to see the practical advantages of having Hillary run and pretend that his policy accomplishments would be significantly different than hers, indicates a lack of insight that is, for me, very disappointing.
All this, of course, leaves out the elephant in the room. The American people would sooner vote for an atheist than a socialist. They would vote for a French person before they would vote for a socialist. They would vote for a dumbass, recovering alcoholic before they would vote for a socialist.
This is a good season for Democrats. Obama's done a good job and people are finally starting to feel it. Democrats are polling better and the Republicans are polling like the traitors that they are. While local elections continue to be rough going for Democrats, the presidential election looks pretty good.
Unless Bernie gets the nomination.