Shaunta, I was a bit turned off by the headline but you now have a new follower. By pointing out that the majority of Bernie’s supporters voted for Hillary, you’ve told the truth, maybe shared a fact that many aren’t aware of. But on your list of ten things:

1. Fully agree.
2. Biden already has a lot of progressive ideas and Bernie is onboard in very real ways; when he endorsed Biden, Biden told Bernie that he’d need his help governing, too. Not just in helping shape policy which Bernie will have a huge influence on.
3. Agree. Biden does need to be more visible, although he’s moving more in that direction.
4. After the past 3+ years of nightmare, I think nostalgia will be enough in the general- you pointed out that those who are “never-Biden” are a lost cause; not true progressives but “purists”. Purists have caused incalculable damage to progressive movements for at least 50+ years.
5. Agree. He can and I expect he’ll show it soon, turn up the volume as the campaign proceeds.
6. Agree. Instead of simply saying in an interview that he’ll veto M4A he should simply offer a better alternative, which is his- an expansion of Medicaid (as a Public Option”) to cover 97% of all Americans, and explain how it can be paid for, which he has, and that it has a far better chance of passing Congress than an M4A plan that even Bernie admits would take at least 4 years to implement. And a lot of people actually do want the option of keeping their current private health insurance plans- which Biden’s Plan allows but M4A is something that would’ve almost guaranteed Bernie would lose to our collective nightmare in the WH.
7. Agree. Biden’s changed a lot over the years and, like most people, he’s grown. I don’t think anyone can honestly say that, in looking back over their lives, there isn’t at least one thing they were certain of at the time but now know better.
8. Agree. Tara Reade is a “nut case” to put it politely and there is a double-standard for Democrats and Republicans, especially when Trump is the Republican in question.
9. Partly agree. I do believe that a vote for a third-party candidate (I mean, Jill Stein and her Russia connections- really?) or no vote at all is a potential vote for Trump.
10. The problem with not saying ‘Bernie bros’ or ‘Bernie Brats’ is that there are so many anarchists using Bernie’s movement as a cover to infiltrate true Bernie supporters in an attempt to confuse and divide the Democratic Party and make true Bernie supporters look like anarchists. And I haven’t seen the “no one wants Bernie anyway” language but as a honest progressive Democrat I’ll never accept that sort of claim as valid and hope others won’t, either.

Thanks for the sensible, well-researched and well-written story. I wish we had more such clear analyses available for all to read.

I’ve been trying to do my part and hope to have something new published before the weekend. It’s isn’t like I have anywhere to go, anyway.