thehill | Democrats who believe Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) had a negative influence on the 2016 general election against President Trump are increasingly expressing worries he’ll hurt the party again in 2020.
The Democrats complaining about Sanders, some of whom have histories with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s
presidential campaign, argue the rhetoric being employed by the Vermont
senator in some cases goes too far in damaging his rivals.
They
say it will make it harder for the party to unify around a nominee, and
they’re particularly worried that supporters of Sanders won’t back any
nominee who isn’t their favored candidate.
“He
needs to stop,” said one Democratic strategist, who is not affiliated
with any of the presidential campaigns. “It's not helpful and it
actually hurts the party. It’s like he didn't learn his lesson the last
time. It’s incredibly short-sighted and terrible.”
This strategist
pointed to the senator’s recent remarks in a Los Angeles Times
editorial board meeting where he said that Trump would eat former Vice
President Joe Biden’s lunch if he is the nominee.
“Joe
Biden is a personal friend of mine, so I’m not here to, you know, to
attack him, but my God, if you are, if you’re a Donald Trump and got
Biden having voted for the war in Iraq, Biden having voted for these
terrible, in my view, trade agreements, Biden having voted for the
bankruptcy bill. Trump will eat his lunch,” Sanders told the Times.
Biden
isn't the only rival Democrat taking fire from Sanders, and it's not
just those who worked on the Clinton campaign who are complaining about
him....
... Sanders is rising in polls and increasingly is seen as a real
contender in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — and for the
general election. A new poll released Friday found Sanders with 20
percent support and Warren in second with 17 percent, just ahead of
former South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) with 16 percent and Biden with 15 percent.
Some of the Democratic angst about his rhetoric seems linked to the idea that he could actually win.
