Just 9 years ago Bernie won the Vermont Democratic primary for the 2006 Senate race as a write-in candidate — there was no serious opposition — but he declined to accept the nomination. Why? Because he's always insisted he is NOT a Democrat. In fact, he has said that it would be hypocritical of him to run as a Democrat:

"It would be hypocritical of me to run as a Democrat because of the things I have said about the party."

- Socialist Scholars Conference in New York City, April 1990.

Well, we're all free to change our minds, maybe Bernie doesn't think being a hypocrite isn't so bad any more. Or maybe he's just decided the Democratic Party isn't quite as disgusting as he used to think it was. But what exactly has Bernie said about the Democratic Party? Let Bernie tell you in his own words:





"The Democratic and Republican parties are tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum, they both adhere to an ideology of greed and vulgarity."

“Why should we work within the Democratic Party if we don’t agree with anything the Democratic Party says?”

"The Democratic Party ideologically bankrupt, they have no ideology. Their ideology is opportunism.”- Interview with Vermont Affairs magazine, 1986, when he was running for Vermont Governor as an Independent against popular incumbent Democrat Madeleine Kunin, Vermont's first female Governor. Bernie got crushed, winning only 15% of the vote.- Op-ed in the New York Times, January 1989. Hmmm, 1989 - that would be right after Bush the Elder defeated Michael Dukakis using the blatant racist Wille Horton ads and the ads of Dukakis riding around in a tank looking awkward. Sorry Bernie, if you didn't see any difference between the Democratic and Republican Parties you just weren't paying attention. I knew then just as I do now exactly which one party "adheres" to greed and vulgarity.- Again, Socialist Scholars Conference in New York City, April 1990

Bernie was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1990. On his arrival he said:

“I am extremely proud to be an independent. The fact that I am not a Democrat gives me the freedom to speak out on the floor of the House, to vote against both the Democratic and Republican proposals.”

“He screams and hollers, but he is all alone.”

“Bernie alienates his natural allies. His holier-than-thou attitude—saying in a very loud voice he is smarter than everyone else and purer than everyone else—really undercuts his effectiveness.”

What did his Democratic colleagues think of him?- Rep. Joe Moakley (D-Mass.)- Rep. Barney Frank

In a recent interview with Politico Sanders was asked that since he was running for the Democratic nomination for President why not become a Democrat? He wouldn't answer the question, responding instead with:

"I’m running for the Democratic nomination. I will meet all the regulations and requirements. I look forward to doing that."

That, Bernie, is what we call dodging the question.

In a Presidential election the entire slate of Democratic candidates run as a team, From President to U.S. Senate and House candidate to Governors and state legislators. And that Democratic team is vitally important in 2016. We need to win back the Senate. We need to win dozens and dozens of House seats and put a serious dent in Boehner's House of Cards. We need to win Governorships and state legislatures so Republicans can't gerrymander the crap out of things in 2020. Will Bernie care anything about that? No, I think it's very clear that Bernie is running for himself, he's been doing that for 30+ years. I honestly just don't trust him and his motives. After all, it was Bernie himself who said it would be "hypocritical" of him to run as a Democrat. I'll take him at his word.

- The quotes and other information is from the Politico article: Can Bernie Sanders Win the Love of a Party He Scorns?

Yeah, that's it - I put this brief Bernie hit job together in just a few minutes, based on just one article, from Politico. But the intent here is not a "hit job", the intent of this diary is 'Wait a minute, let's think this through'. Because if Bernie should win the nomination Koch Inc, Karl Rove, et al will have 'binders and binders' full of Bernie pillorying the very Democratic Party that nominated him for President - not to mention more than a few recordings providing choice voice overs in attack ads on Democratic candidates for the Senate, House, and Governor.

That is all, nothing below the orange squiggle. Have a nice weekend.