It really is time for Biden to get off the pot. He is squandering his accumulated goodwill in a lot of places, and he's vulnerable to charges that he is merely the vehicle for a lot of ambitious staffers and aides who like to be anonymous in the newspapers. So, if this announcement actually is coming from Biden himself, he should be held rigidly to the 48-hour standard. If, in two days, he's still "mulling," he should be ignored. This is edging again dangerously close to an exercise in discreet ratfcking as regards to the present Democratic frontrunner. Link

Once again, what legislation that HRC is proposing can she get through the make up of this current Congress? Please, if you are going to maintain that HRC will do more than just talk, back this premise up with some type of examples of what she can accomplish with a Republican Congress. Personally,  I don't see the current Republican Congress passing any worthwhile legislation under Hillary any more than they would under Sanders.

Here's what he said in the debate:

But here's where I do disagree. I believe that the power of corporate America, the power of Wall Street, the power of the drug companies, the power of the corporate media is so great that the only way we really transform America and do the things that the middle class and working class desperately need is through a political revolution when millions of people begin to come together and stand up and say: Our government is going to work for all of us, not just a handful of billionaires.

What does that mean?:

What I mean is that we need to have one of the larger voter turnouts in the world, not one of the lowest. We need to raise public consciousness. We need the American people to know what's going on in Washington in a way that today they do not know. And when people come together in a way that does not exist now and are prepared to take on the big money interest, then we could bring the kind of change we need.

And he also said this:

But the only way we can get things done is by having millions of people coming together. If we want free tuition at public colleges and universities, millions of young people are going to have to demand it, and give the Republicans an offer they can't refuse.

If we want to raise the minimum wage to $15 bucks an hour, workers are going to have to come together and look the Republicans in the eye, and say, "We know what's going on. You vote against us, you are out of your job."

And this:

Now, at the end of our day, here is the truth that very few candidates will say, is that nobody up here, certainly no Republican, can address the major crises facing our country unless millions of people begin to stand up to the billionaire class that has so much power over our economy and our political life.

So, he clearly recognizes the obstacle that is the Congress - he's not saying, like Clinton is, that he's somehow better positioned or suited to "getting things done," he's saying that these changes are only going to come if the American people rise up in huge numbers and don't give the Congress any other choice.  He's saying that it's time the people's attitude was, "our way or the highway."

I like that his message is one of populist empowerment, and if that's all he gets to do - whip a left-leaning coalition to demand change, and box Clinton in to a more left-leading position - he will have served a valuable purpose.  

  My concern for Senator Sanders relates to  the general election should he be the nominee. No small worry given the prospects of any of the Republican dolts in the White House.

 In the debate, and again, on Bill Maher's show, Senator Sanders makes the leap that his meaning for democratic socialism is self-evident. References to Denmark and other Scandinavian countries are explanatory enough.

 Bill Maher, who says he is a Sanders supporter, tried to help Sanders in bringing depth and width to the meaning of democratic socialism (e.g. in US, social security, Veterans Admin,public schools) and to de-demonizing the name of socialism.

 Senator Sanders did not seem to want to hear it, or see the need to do it.   He is focused and on message.  He does not veer away.  It is working in the primary--he taps an urgent vein of populism and energizes many.  But, it is incumbent upon Sanders to define in easy to understand terms what he means and what it offers for the country.

ABC This Week) Sen. Bernie Sanders expressed delight over "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actor Larry David's impersonation of him on "Saturday Night Live," joking that he may invite the fellow Brooklyn native to join him on the campaign trail.

IOW, not much of anything.

I mean for god's sake, why didn't they try that with Houston ?  I did like seeing what I would call the craziest pre-snap line-up I have ever witnessed.