>there's like a 85% chance that hillary gets the nom, so it's
>pretty much a moot point

As of today, I'm not so sure. Today will be spun as a "tie." (And honestly it is, if you disregard the superdelegates.) Bernie will win big in NH. Media coverage will give him a lot of momentum into the later primaries.

Right now I'd put the odds at about 60% for Hillary to win the primary. When I say Bernie Sanders is unelectable, I'm talking about the general election. He's unelectable like George McGovern, not like Howard Dean.

>but still, i thought you had something more empirical than "it
>is obviously so"

Look no further than public opinion of the word "socialism." It has improved a bit in the last year, mainly thanks to the Sanders supporters who've learned to argue the case. But it still polls below atheism in the list of characteristics that would make it impossible for the average voter to support a candidate. I'm very likely the most vehemently atheist member of this board, but I'm not expecting an atheist President in my lifetime either.