I’ve read of signs that some Trump supporters will vote for Bernie in the primaries as a dirty trick, responding to Trump’s apparent view that Bernie would be the weakest Democrat to face Trump in the general election. Presumably most Bernie supporters think Bernie would be the strongest candidate against Trump, but they should note that it is not just competing Democrats who disagree with them on this point. Regardless of whether Bernie would be the strongest or the weakest Trump opponent, he would without doubt be the Democratic opponent most likely to flood the coffers of Trump’s campaign and those of its allies.

Trump trolls played a role in the Iowa caucus count snafus, but their possibly voting for Bernie (because their votes are not needed in Republican presidential primaries) is an even bigger threat to our elections, it seems to me.. This dishonest segment of Republican voters is distinct from another small segment of actual Bernie supporters whose populist and cynical/revolutionary tastes could end up transferring to support for Trump if Bernie is not the Democrat nominee. I’m not dissing the large majority of Bernie Democrats here, just pointing out the moral hazard that our current primary system has put them in vis-à-vis some of their fellow travelers. The primary system is broken in more ways than just those exposed in Iowa.

Voting in primaries has always had this risk that some people will game the system, but the Trump Republican Party, with it’s emptied ethics and informal, Roger-Stone-inspired Sturmabteilung, seems likely to take such gaming to a whole new, weaponized level. Short of scrapping the entire primary system— which I think should be considered—one partial solution to this, as well as to issues with the general election and third parties, would be preference voting, as advocated by FairVote. Unfortunately that is just beginning to take off

Joe Biden can tread water in New Hampshire. A fourth place finish won’t kill his candidacy. But he needs to start putting some wins in his column starting in Nevada and South Carolina.

Still believe that Amy Klobuchar would be a great VP candidate on a Biden ticket.

John, I’ll go a step further. I’m not sure I can join the #VoteBlueNoMatterWho movement. Sanders is a bridge too far. I find the Bernie cult as scary as the MAGA one.

Slept through most of the debate, but from what I’ve seen and heard, Pete did pretty well considering the fire he was under from all directions.

While I’d still support him (or a clothes-peg) against Trump, obviously, Sanders is really irritating me now. He’s ideally suited to the role of loose cannon firebrand out there on the fringes, but it is hard to see him having the gravitas and respect for others’ viewpoints that a decent president needs. Besides, we’ve seen what one raving egotist has brought to the White House, Why would we voluntarily put another one in to replace him?

Finally, a discussion about trade and climate change.

I’ve got my qualms about Buttigieg but IMO he has awesome political skills. Maybe best In the group.

Big applause for Warren saying about Bloomberg that you should not be able to buy your way onto stage.

This race debate is interesting.

Andrew Yang deftly turns discussion about race into argument for his universal income.

Biden, referencing Trump saying service members’ concussions in Iraq were “headaches”: “This guy doesn’t deserve to be commander in chief for one more day.”

Bernie made a decent argument that he could bring GOP on board.

Biden calls for standing ovation (and gets one) for Lt. Col. Vindman. He got one here, too.

Buttigieg pushes back nicely on “Do you worry about nominating someone under investigation,” i.e. Biden and turns it into attack on Trump.

But what about Trump kids?

FINALLY, they moved on from Medicare for all an onto impeachment.

Finally, Steyer notes that everyone on the stage is better than Trump on health care “but we’re gonna have to take Mr. Trump down on the economy … He’s gonna beat us” if we don’t.

Don’t mean to be down on Bernie but he is irritating the heck out of me these days for some reason. Rest assured, however, that if he is the nominee, I will vote for him and work to help get him elected.

And now Bernie is back to health care, something he has done nothing to help enact in all his years in the Senate.

Klobuchar just dinged Trump for perp walking Vindman out of the WH, just before dinging Buttigieg. “We have a newcomer in the White House and look where it got us.”

And they are STILL talking about Medicare for All.

I can’t f***ing believe there is ANOTHER discussion about Medicare for all.

I’m here at Dem HQ again and there’s a bigger crowd than I would have expected, given that it’s a Friday night.