>Like.. first of all, the notion that Bernie would even
>consider dropping out if their numbers were reversed is
>laughable.

Definitely. The hypothetical question wasn't about whether Bernie would ever consider dropping out at this point - clearly he wouldn't. Clearly Warren won't (nor should she). Clearly Pete won't. Even Klobuchar won't.

The question was: if Bernie's numbers had suffered this kind of fall from grace over the past 1-2 months (as Warren's objectively have) - would we be hearing calls from many in the media (and the legions of anti-Bernie Dems here) for him to drop out because of his hopeless campaign? Likely.

He didn't drop out in 2016 after losing his
>mathematical path to the nomination. He didn't even drop out
>this cycle after having a heart attack. So that hypothetical
>is a non-starter.

Quite true - the same can be said for Hillary Clinton in '08. Both of them stayed in because they were competitive and opted to leverage their political capital to further their message.

>And even if Warren DID decide to drop out and all her support
>transferred to Bernie (unlikely since only about 1/3 list him
>as their 2nd choice anyway:
>https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/voters-second-choice-candidates-show-a-race-that-is-still-fluid/)...
>his RCP average is like 20% and hers is just under 15%

Agreed. I've made the point (in this very thread) that Warren and Bernie supporters do not overlap as many assume they do. Warren's core group are college-educated, affluent white liberals. Many of them would likely move to Pete or Biden, but some of them would surely move to Sanders, especially if Warren offered a strong endorsement.

>There's also the fact that, in terms of bridging progressives
>and moderates, Warren is a much stronger consensus nominee
>than Bernie if we look at some of the ranked choice
>simulations lying around
>(https://www.vox.com/2019/9/12/20860985/poll-democratic-primary-ranked-choice-warren-biden)
>or her aggregate popularity as a 2nd choice

That's an interesting point and one I agree with. Though, on the flip, given Bernie's far more diverse support-base, I think the stronger case for a consensus Progressive to rally behind (given the current numbers that each candidate boasts) clearly favors Sanders.

>I also happen to think Warren's demonstrated repeatedly that
>she'd in fact be the most *competent* executor of the
>progressive agenda - fiscally, financially, and legislatively
>- but that could be a whole other reply and is a somewhat
>subjective assessment.

Not sure I agree with that. When it comes to financial justice (breaking up the big banks and holding white-collar criminals accountable) - I don't think there's a stronger candidate than Warren. When it comes economic justice, foreign policy, and seeding executive agencies with progressives - I think Bernie's actual cabinet and coalition would be prepared to effectuate more change than Warren's, which would likely be far more conventional and centrist.

But this depends on what your personal goals are for this country. People who deem themselves "progressives" certainly aren't monolithic.

But for sure - Warren has run an impressive campaign and will likely do well enough to stay in this race for as long as she wants. The question wasn't asked to suggest that she should drop out - it was asked to assess the current poll numbers from Warren & Sanders respectively, and to hold accountable those who clearly would be asking for Bernie to drop out (as many of them were saying for months until he rallied after his heart-attack) if he were boasting these kind of numbers *this* late in the primary. It's one thing to have these numbers in August -- it's quite another to have these numbers just days before the first votes are cast in Iowa & New Hampshire.


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