The last American Democratic Socialist to have any kind of a shot at the presidency was Eugene V. Debs, who ran from prison and won six percent of the popular vote. Until Bernie Sanders came along, no American who dared use the word "socialist" to describe himself even came within spitting distance of someone else who was within spitting distance of the White House. And yet, in his greatest moment of triumph, Bernie Sanders might be the most miserable guy in politics right now. He knows he might be watching the movement he created sweep President Trump into the White House.

During a speech yesterday to his 1,900 delegates in an unreasonably packed ballroom, Sanders made sure to point out just how much his movement had achieved. They pushed Hillary Clinton to the left on trade policy, minimum wage, and more. They got the party to cut the number of the controversial "superdelegates" from over 700 to just 250 (they're the party officials who are allowed to award their votes regardless of how the primaries turn out). He got the hated head of the DNC fired. And when Sanders brought all these things up, his audience cheered, wildly and justifiably overjoyed at their shared accomplishments.

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... and then he insisted that they all needed to get behind Hillary Clinton, and the room erupted into a chorus of boos and angry shouts.