11 March 2020 — 1103 mdt

Biden is doing well, but it’s too soon for
Democrats to give Bernie the bum’s rush

Politico and the Washington Post report that establishment Democrats such as Jim Clyburn and James Carville want the Democratic presidential primary “shut down,” in Clyburn’s words, right now. They’re arguing that Biden’s nomination is inevitable, and that he’ll be damaged if Sanders continues campaigning.

They want to give Bernie the bum’s rush — partly to protect Biden, partly to punish Sanders for having the temerity to challenge the establishment and to advocate a single-payer health care system.

Unceremoniously shoving Bernie into the ditch is not just a bad idea, it’s a very bad idea. Biden has become the front runner, but there’s still a path to the nomination for Sanders.

Next Tuesday there are four more Democratic primaries with a total of 577 delegates at stake:

If Biden wins most of the St. Patrick’s Day primaries, it will be time for Sanders to consider folding his tent and asking his followers to join him in making Biden the next president.

Until then, Biden’s camp should not try to strongarm Sanders out of the primary. That would rightly infuriate Sanders’ supporters, convincing them that the fix was in, and making it less likely they would vote for Biden in November.