Programming note: Today, Wednesday, I'll be checking in with the great John Oakley on Global News Radio 640 in Toronto, live at 5pm Eastern. Hope you'll tune in.
~UPDATE to below: Bernie Sanders is to hold a 1pm press conference. So they've negotiated the size of his new beach house (or Gulfstream). [UPPERDATE: He's staying in at least till the Sunday debate. If there is a debate...]
~To modify T S Eliot in "The Hollow Men" (whose theme seems not inappropriate), this is the way the world ends, not with a Bern but a whimper. As I said on Rush the morning after Super Tuesday, Senator Sanders blew the 2016 election with a single line - his crotchetty insistence to Mrs Clinton that he was "sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails". That told Hillary that he wouldn't go after her on the subject of her corruption and lawlessness. Which in turn told Hillary that Bernie wasn't serious.
And so it proved.
Four years later, he was now, I said on the radio, making the same mistake again - in a pitiful Super Tuesday speech too gutless to mention Joe Biden by name. If he didn't butch up before Michigan, he'd be over. That means not oblique references to unspecified candidates whose positions on Social Security and 2008 bailouts he disagrees with, but clobbering Biden by name on a) his decades-long corruption; and b) his more recent but increasingly obvious cognitive impairment. Only if a Democrat makes either an issue will the court eunuchs of the American media be obliged to cover it. Absent that, in the post-Iowa/New Hampshire avalanche of primaries, people vote on a vague recollection of Joe Biden from fifteen years back, when, by comparison with a Castroite crank flapping his arms around, he seemed "likeable" - or, in the dreary clichés of presidential politics, the candidate you'd enjoy sharing a beer with - even if Joe had no idea he was sharing a beer with you and was convinced he was sharing a margarita with Esther Williams and Mikhail Gorbachev.
Bernie blew it. The closest he got was tiptoeing up to the issue by noting that, while he himself was out there giving hour-long speeches, Biden's were now down to seven minutes. If you're paying attention, you kinda sorta know what he's hinting at, even if trumpeting the charms of a stump speech eight times longer than your opponent isn't the most persuasive way to sell it.
But again he needed to say it, and he didn't. America's Castro turns out to be not a real revolutionary, just a Vermont weekending flatlander of a revolutionary, a Ben & Jerry's novelty ice-cream flavor of the real thing - Stalinist Swirl, Beria Blast, The Choctober Revolution, Hammer & Brickle...
What a joke.
~Oh, but his fans protest, Bernie's still got a chance to land one on Biden at this weekend's very first one-on-one two-hour debate. Alas, the Wuhan flu has already led to the DNC, out of "an abundance of caution", getting rid of the live audience and getting rid of the jostling journos in the spin room. How much more abundant could that caution get in the next seventy-two hours? Jim Clyburn, the Dem bigshot who saved Biden in South Carolina, is already saying we don't need any more debates.
As I wrote just a fortnight ago:
People wonder why Joe's minders continue to put him through this. But they're missing the point. To the minders, he's the perfect candidate. That's why all the professionals - the Consultant-Industrial Complex - hated Trump last time round: He had no minders and he just did what he wanted. Biden instead goes where they tell him, to get shoved out on stage in New Hampshire and announce he's in Iowa, or Guam, talk gibberish and threaten to give some petite coed the thrashing of her life. From the minders' point of view, a mindless candidate is a godsend. The last thing the entourage want is a guy with a mind of his own.
Who knows who'd be running a Biden presidency? But it certainly wouldn't be Joe, who'd be lost in rhapsodic dreams of when he rappelled into Robben Island to bust out Nelson Rockefeller.
To reprise my Tucker line, the Trump campaign was all candidate and no minders; the Biden campaign is all minders and no candidate. If they can pull this off, America will never need a real candidate again.
~If you're one of that small brave band that enjoys me on camera, I'll be back with Tucker tomorrow night, Thursday.
We opened The Mark Steyn Club over two years ago, and I'm thrilled by all those SteynOnline supporters across the globe - from Fargo to Fiji, Vancouver to Vanuatu, Surrey to the Solomon Islands - who've signed up to be a part of it. My only regret is that we didn't launch it seventeen years ago, but better late than never. You can find more information about the Club here - and, if you've a pal who might be partial to this sort of thing, don't forget our special Gift Membership.
Oh, and Wuhan Flu notwithstanding, please give a thought to our Third Annual Steyn Cruise sailing the Med next year - and with Conrad Black, Michele Bachmann, John O'Sullivan and Douglas Murray among our shipmates. We'll be attempting some seaboard versions of The Mark Steyn Show, Tales for Our Time, our Sunday Poem and other favorite features. If you're minded to give it a go, don't leave it too late: as with most travel and accommodations, the price is more favorable the earlier you book.
As for Covid-19, my view is that:
a) by the time we sail in the fall the virus will be as burned out as Bern; or
b) if not, it will be so ubiquitous that cruising to exotic climes will be no more dangerous than a trip to your bare-shelf Price-Chopper.
I know, I know, I'm just a Pandemic Polyanna. But the glass is one-sixteenth full, and we shall set sail on the appointed date, zombie apocalypse or not.
See you on the Oakley show at 5pm Eastern.
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Mark, While everyone is worrying about Covid-19, Isn't that movie you spoke about on our last cruise, The Hunt being released again? Didn't you actually say it is conservative leaning and we should support it? You may have already mentioned something about it here on your site, but I have been out of the loop just trying to find a place where I can get a dam roll of toilet paper in this media induced frenzy. It's scary how the sheep are so easily herded off the cliff!! See you in Rome my friend!! Oh I also wanted to see if you'd ever consider the Canadian Jordan Peterson for one of your cruise guests?
Given his political leanings, Mr Sanders can hardly help droning on at length in the oratorial tradition of Castro.
Also, what a pity he never served as a soldier, the prospect of "Colonel Sanders" is enticing. "Stick a fork in this bird..."
So he's staying in for the next debate!
That's good negotiation - Bernie's putting maximum pressure on the DNC (who do NOT want to put Biden on display), while avoiding the heinous crime of speaking ill of another Socialist.
They'll have to buy him another house now. He's moved from "Bernout" to "Bern of the Screw".
"These restrictions will not apply to the United Kingdom"...ouch! Sucks to Remain.
So will the Irish continue to fly via the UK?
The UK needs to close the broders.
And is the Chunnel a one way road beginning tomorrow at midnight?
Mark nailed it. All of Bernies revolutionary blather was, in a strange way, just a line to pick up lefty chicks. No clutching the flag of "The People" while standing upright on the barricades for Bern. He stayed true to the lefty "principle" of never badmouthing another "progressive." All those earnest lefties and old Marxists were being led by a guy who not only lacked a chest but also a backbone. Well I can't say I'm upset. As to the observation about handlers ' It was dead-on. I can only imagine the nature of the cabal that will be surrounding Biden while he stares blankly into the distance. Sort of like the Mafia Commission.
I thought Tucker Carlson got it right last night when he said Bernie Sanders is a professional loser.
Seems so, J. Tucker Carlson might have added that the same thing has been said, rather widely and fairly recently, about Mr Biden. And hard behind them come the Democrats' young turks, headed by Miss Ocasio-Cortez. What a shower!
The Trump carnival seems sure to roll over such beatable opponents. If it fails to ... words fail me.
The Consultant-Industrial Complex (D) installing a candidate with advanced dementia as presidential nominee as the world looks on is one of the more bodacious achievements of establishment Democrats. It'll be even more impressive if they manage to drag him into the WH. Then again: could it all be a massive head-fake, as Mark has postulated, with a lucid Joe memorising his lines about Corn Pop and rehearsing the wife/sister confusion before each public appearance?
More likely, as soon as Bernie is safely out of the way, his announcement of Hillary for VP.
Sharp-witted as ever, K. Bizarre, isn't it, though? But these are bizarre times. I don't think I've used that blasted word as many times in my whole life as I've used it this year in respect of the Democrats' presidential nomination. I'm sure that the evidence of senility is no "massive head-fake", though. Being a lifelong victim of it myself, I think I may testify that the male ego doesn't permit the pretense of senility. The actuality, well, that's another matter, of course. My own bet is that Mr Biden is even more senile than his rehearsed lines reveal.
I'm not terribly enthusiastic about conspiracy theories as a rule, but it wouldn't surprise me at all if A.'s proposition were to come good. Fine by me: the Democrats would be seen to be cheating their own electorate and, depressing as the prospect of another Clinton comeback is, it wouldn't be as bad for the United States or indeed the West as somebody who will deliver the Sanders lobby slipstreaming behind Mr Biden with imminent assumption of his role in mind. He's no great remove from the Sanders wing as it is.
As I see it. What do I know? I'm having fun speculating.
The D is for dementia.
Meant to reply, sorry S: No conspiracy theory, though not sure the VP choice (ie. president-elect) is HRC in this scenario.
Jokes aside, there's reason to be hugely concerned that the Democrats will prevail in November in the wake of a US/ global catastrophe.
PS. I shouldn't have implied, as I did, that I'd be here in November... c'est la vie!
Virus wins election for Democrats: also bizarre. All bizarre, shopping at the oriental bizarre.
Now there's some fodder for the conspiracy mill: Chinese People's Republic develops biological weapon which spreads contagious socialism.
Jokes aside, they needn't have bothered.
... Got to self-isolate now. =cough, cough= ...
Impressive viral optimism from the granddaddy of civilizational apocalypse.
He's a gutless wonder for sure - remember that stump speech in '16 whereupon a group of radicals stormed the stage and grabbed the mic from him? He quickly scurried off like a frightened little mouse. By the way I like the term 'consultant industrial complex' over 'military industrial complex' as it includes corrupt politicians and the lobbyists who feed them in both parties. As I write about this issue a lot I intend on stealing it. Much more descriptive of the full extent of the problem which has caused so many needless deaths in these hopeless middle east wars. Watch for a backlash from the C.I.C. against Trump for finally disengaging.
Wasn't there a ballad about him in Monty Python's "Search for the Holy Grail"?
"When danger reared its ugly head he bravely turned his tail and fled.
And brave Sir Bernie turned about and gallantly he chickened out,
Bravely taking to his feet he beat a very brave retreat,
Brave brave brave brave Sir Bernie..."
Thank you Mark for the always spot on analysis.
The soon to be one-on-one debate will be a new installment of Weekend at Bernies. One candidate will have a dead candidacy, the other will have a dead intellect.
"Weekend at Bernie's"! I can't believe there's not a meme yet with their faces photoshopped onto a scene from the movie. Gotta get one out there before Sunday!
Unfortunately, the reality is the meme.
Someone beat me to it. :-( Bing "weekend at Bernie's meme" and it pops right up ...with Joe & Hillary to boot.
I heard you talk about Bernie's crabby declaration that he didn't want to talk about Hillary's emails, and how it signaled right there that he didn't want the nomination enough to fight for it. He reminds me of Gilderoy Lockhart in the Harry Potter books, a supposed intrepid adventurer and man of derring-do who, when adventure came knocking for real and the kids were looking to him to take charge and save the day, immediately began looking for the exit. He's spent his life playing the role of the fire-breathing revolutionary, only to slink away at the moment of crisis, leaving his followers scattered across the battlefield. I wonder why he even ran for president this year? He could have begged off on the grounds of age, gracefully passing the torch to the younger generation, and continued to remain the beloved, inspiring paterfamilias of the extreme Left. Instead, he's going to cultivate a reputation as a man who'll lose to *anyone*.
Have you heard, Mark, that the Globe and Mail is also going to be having a cruise, in the south of France? Maybe you could sail the ship up the Rhone, catch them at Avignon, and have a grand naval battle! I expect you to bag Andrew Coyne personally!
Bernie is like Ron Paul was - in business to run for, but not to win, the top job.
Latest news report, Bernie says he's still in it to win it, and looking forward to the next debate.
I am thinking of Matt Damon's musical cameo a few years ago in the movie "Eurotrip". Everyone else seems to know it's over, but "Bernie doesn't know, Bernie doesn't know, Bernie doesn't know...."
Every once in a while I begin to think the old Mark Steyn of the rapier wit is slowly drifting off into retirement. Then you come up with something like this:
Who knows who'd be running a Biden presidency? But it certainly wouldn't be Joe, who'd be lost in rhapsodic dreams of when he rappelled into Robben Island to bust out Nelson Rockefeller.
I'm glad to see you can still make me bust out laughing, Mark.
I fear that the Dems will insert Mrs. Obama into the VP slot to capture the Bern youth and the black voters. They will also choose the cabinet members. Shortly following his inauguration (God forbid,) the cabinet will meet and solemnly declare that they unanimously deem him to be incompetent. Voila! President Obama II. 12 years.
The way things have been going since 2015-2016, I wouldn't be surprised if La Cosa Obama is not already planning this and how their administration will run.
This is the real concern. Sleepy Joe owes Clyburn big time. Didn't Biden already commit to one term only or am I misremembering that?
Whether it's Michelle, Hilary or whoever the sages in the DNC decide it ought to be the Dem primary is now all about his VP pick. Biden's pick (or should I say his handlers' pick) is who Trump will be running against in the fall which, along with the Bernie Bros disaffection not matter who it is, should make it one of the interesting general elections ever.
S.: right with you. The question of a second term might not even arise, judging by the man's condition. Of course, that goes to the importance of the nomination for vice-president. Which potential vice-president would deliver the Sanders electorate is no simple matter, though, and serious candidates make the blood run cold - especially considering the man's condition.
At least Corn Pop had a knife. If Bernie knew actually how to wield a hammer and sickle, rather than just pose with them, he might have stood a chance. But no, he had to bring a copy of Das Capital to a street fight. And Biden didn't even have to lift a finger; his crew took care of it for him.
Looks like it, J. Still, these are strange times and there's sand still in the hourglass. Biden's comeback has been amazing, and we might be amazed yet again. I cannot believe that anybody on earth can support a senile compulsive liar, tainted by corruption, a peevish nature, the Obama administration and the Obama indifference, so I'm amazed anyway.
Mind you, perhaps there's hope for my aspiration to launch a career in politics after all.
Nah: lightening doesn't strike the same tree twice.
What a great idea, Mark....a Charlie McCarthy president! Think of the time and expense saved when Washington can simply shop for the dummy...
The Democrats have been after having a braindead electorate for some time and now they have a presidential candidate to match it. What else could you possibly want out of your lifelong efforts at gaining total political control?
The Presidential Dream Team lottery is slated for television in mid June. Which sleaze operative will go to Joe's team, from which corrupt sanctuary city of the country? I guess Hunter will be as natural as rain as Drug Czar.
(Wait, Bernie has just come up for air. He just threatened to see Joe in the next debate! I can't take all this suspense).
You're right, Joe is the perfect metaphor for the Democrat party. He incoherently blurts out narrative talking points without any comprehension of the meaning and consequences of what he's saying. Bernie was the Democrats last chance to consolidate themselves around what they really believe, except that Bernie is not deceptively misleading enough for them. Joe is perfect for the Democrats. He is a brain-addled liar who cares nothing for anything that actually matters.
Rough estimate...the United States has 75 million, give or take registered Democrats constitutionally eligible to run for President and the are the two we end up with? Their own constituents can't stand them. Say what you like about Trump but at least he's given his supporters scores of reasons to pull the lever for him in November. And if the squishes in his party seeking reelection are smart they will hitch their wagons to him
The Democrat candidates have certainly proven to be a pitiful lot. In contrast to Trump's frontal assaults on his competitors, Goofy Joe seems to have backed into his front runner spot with one gaffe after another, and nothing particularly aimed at exposing a competitor's weakness. Nor was he ever challenged. The Republicans were all hoping to win the nomination for the presidency and consequently suffered under Trump's largely accurate characterizations. The Democrats seemed to be positioning themselves for selection as Joes running mate, and were content to promise unicorns and ponies to their supporters. Not a word about Joe's Ukrainian adventures was ever spoken during the "debates". The real question is who is managing Joe and who would be running the showy if Joe should happen to stumble into the presidency.
Nice article, nicely judged. a long, angry obituary might have seemed somehow unnecessary.
Poor old Bernie Sanders. "America's Castro" was a damp squib in the end. "Tiptoe" is right: he did a lot of it. All very curious. Must feel odd to him, too, to find the floor being wiped with himself by a dead man of his own age.
I guess we should engage in a little politely subdued rejoicing while we can. It should be qualified, at any rate. The notion of socialism now has a legitimate place in American political discourse. (Who would have anticipated that, in the last country on earth which seemed to have problems calling for socialist solutions?) There may yet be ghosts in the wake of this campaign.
"America's Castro turns out to be not a real revolutionary, just a Vermont weekending flatlander of a revolutionary, a Ben & Jerry's novelty ice-cream flavor of the real thing..." Harsh, but fair.
Also Bernie was premature in adopting the regal lifestyle to which he feels entitled. The successful revolutionaries live, or at least pretend to live, an ascetic life of self-denial and sacrifice until they have declared themselves president-for-life and their opponents have been shot or imprisoned. Only then do they get their five presidential palaces, fleets of planes and limousines, and Swiss bank accounts. Although I suppose Swiss bank accounts are so last century.
I commend your sailing sang-froid.
Excellent points, Mark. Twice when Sanders could have landed killer blows, he pulled his punches. It just proves that he's merely a loudmouth with no real spine. He's no revolutionary - in the end, he just wants to be a playuh like the rest of 'em.
It shows, methinks, that Bernie is no Bolshevik, but just your typical and Feckless Menshevik.
I'd like a scoop of goose-step berry with pogromante sprinkles please.
Delicious - especially the sprinkles! Joe would order a pomade topping instead. My favourite is Choctober Revolution. Bernie wasn't there, but Joe was... no bathing cap, taking on Bolsheviks with his six foot chain.
I'm sure Mark could start a whole line of Bern and Joey's flavours.
The "Late Deciders" went to Biden. How can you have not made up your mind before the election?
The race is declared over -- which it apparently is. The states that have not already had their primaries get no say in the selection of their party's candidates -- again.
Red Revolutionberry.
Well, since they stole Blue from its rightful owners, it's good to see Red back where it belongs.
I was trying to work out something with kulak, but Stalin preferred them in liquid form.
Kulak Kreme Vanilla